Melanie Zanetti
Melanie Zanetti | |
|---|---|
Zanetti at SacAnime in 2024 | |
| Born | 20 March 1985 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Alma mater | University of Southern Queensland |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Known for | Bluey |
| Signature | |
Melanie Zanetti (born 20 March 1985) is an Australian actress. She is best known as the voice of Chilli Heeler in the critically acclaimed animated television program Bluey (2018–present).[1][2] She has also portrayed Charlotte Ingram in the horror film Raven's Hollow (2022),[2] and Julia Mitchell in the erotic romance film series Gabriel's Inferno (2020–2023).[3]
Early life
Zanetti was born in 1985[4] in Brisbane, Queensland,[1] and grew up with five siblings.[5]
Career
She graduated from the University of Southern Queensland in 2007 with a Bachelor of Theatre Arts.[6] After graduation, she started working as a stage actress.[6] She appeared on stage for the Queensland Theatre Company in several plays, including as Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion (2011), as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (2012), as Catherine Earnshaw/Cathy Linton in a stage adaptation of Wuthering Heights (2014), as Laura/Eliza Wishart in Kate Mulvany's adaptation of the novel Jasper Jones (2018), and as Lea in the premiere of Joanna Murray-Smith's L'Appartement (2019).[7] Her portrayal of Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion and earned her a Matilda Award 2011.[8]
She subsequently transitioned voice-over, film, and television,[6] relocating to Los Angeles, where she has been cast in various roles.[2]
Since 2018, Zanetti has been the voice of Chilli Heeler, the mother of the titular character and her sister, Bingo, in the popular Australian television series for preschool children Bluey,[9] which has received Peabody[10] and Emmy awards.[11] She was given the role three months after submitting her voice-over.[12] She will reprise her role in the upcoming feature-length film, set to release in 2027.[13] Cast members of the show recorded their voices separately. Zanetti did so remotely as well, while working on her other projects in different countries.[2] On November 11, 2022, Zanetti and co-star Dave McCormack appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to promote Bluey. They told Fallon that they had only met two days prior.[14]
In 2019, Zanetti was cast as the artless university student Julia Mitchell by producer Tosca Musk for the Gabriel's Inferno franchise on Passionflix, an adaptation of a series of best-selling erotic romance novels by Sylvain Reynard.[3] In 2022, she portrayed Charlotte Ingram in the Edgar Allan Poe biographic horror film Raven's Hollow.[2]
In 2024, Zanetti was chosen to be the voice of the Brisbane Metro.[15]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Battle of the Damned | Jude |
| 2015 | The Leisure Class | Carolyn |
| 2020 | Gabriel's Inferno: Part One | Julia Mitchell |
| 2020 | Gabriel's Inferno: Part Two | Julia Mitchell |
| 2020 | Love and Monsters | Mav1s and Kala |
| 2020 | Gabriel's Inferno: Part Three | Julia Mitchell |
| 2021 | Gabriel's Rapture: Part One | Julia Mitchell |
| 2022 | Gabriel's Rapture: Part Two | Julia Mitchell |
| 2022 | Gabriel's Rapture: Part Three | Julia Mitchell |
| 2022 | Raven's Hollow[16] | Charlotte Ingram |
| 2023 | Gabriel's Redemption: Part One | Julia Mitchell |
| 2023 | Gabriel's Redemption: Part Two | Julia Mitchell |
| 2023 | Head Count[17] | Jo |
| 2023 | Gabriel's Redemption: Part Three | Julia Mitchell |
| 2027 | Bluey: The Movie | Chilli Heeler |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Strip | Zoe de Luca | 1 episode |
| 2009 | East of Everything | Anna | 1 episode |
| 2017 | The Family Law | Doctor Lee | 1 episode |
| 2018 | Hot Valley Nights | Zowie Brooks | 1 episode |
| 2018 | Tidelands | Young Genoveva | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | The Bureau of Magical Things | Orla | 12 episodes |
| 2018–present | Bluey | Chilli Heeler | Main cast |
| 2020 | The End | Edie Henley | 3 episodes |
| 2021 | Young Rock | Stephanie | 2 episodes |
| 2025 | Darby and Joan | Arianna Malgeri | 1 episode |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Bluey: The Videogame[18] | Chilli Heeler |
References
- ^ a b McManus, Bridget (20 November 2021). "'People were losing their minds': Hollywood loves Bluey, says Melanie Zanetti". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Gray, Geordie; McMillen, Andrew (22 March 2024). "We've seen the Bluey movie and yes it will make you cry". Weekend Australian Magazine. The Australian. Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
- ^ a b Herbert, Geoff (26 April 2024). "Gabriel's Inferno: Cast revealed for sexy movie trilogy filming in Syracuse". syracuse.com. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
- ^ Rigden, Claire (8 April 2024). "Meet the voice behind Bluey's beloved mum". The Nightly. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ "Bluey actress Melanie Zanetti shares her inspiration for Chilli and how she feels about the praise for fun dad Bandit". Yahoo Life. 28 November 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ a b c "Bluey's mum teaching new generation of stars". University of Southern Queensland. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ "Melanie Zanetti". AusStage. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ^ "Archives: 2010s". Matilda Awards. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ^ McCutcheon, Peter (9 April 2019). "Hit Australian cartoon Bluey set to go global – with Aussie accents intact". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ "Bluey". Peabody Awards. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
- ^ "Bluey has just won an Emmy. Its second season is the perfect antidote to self-isolation". The Guardian. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- ^ Kinkade, Lynda (31 December 2024). "Actress who plays mom on 'Bluey' speaks out". CNN. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ^ "The Bluey Movie Is Coming! All the Details We Know (So Far) About the Beloved Dog's Big-Screen Debut". People. 22 December 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
- ^ Piester, Lauren (21 June 2025). "The Actors Who Play Bluey's Mom and Dad Met Way More Recently Than You Think". NBC News. Retrieved 21 June 2025.
- ^ "Bluey star gets green light to voice Brisbane Metro". Inside Local Government. 10 December 2025.
- ^ Gray, Peter (29 September 2022). "Interview: Melanie Zanetti on Raven's Hollow, exploring psychological horror and the increased prominence of strong female roles". The AU Review. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ "'Head Count' official trailer". Youtube. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ "Announcing Bluey: The Videogame!".
Further reading
- Melanie Zanetti (15 March 2021). "A Year Without Booking Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Melanie Zanetti". Backstage. Retrieved 27 March 2024.