Caren Pistorius Explained

Caren Pistorius
Birth Date:30 September 1990
Birth Place:Rustenburg, Transvaal, South Africa
Nationality:New Zealand
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2009–present

Caren Pistorius (born 30 September 1990) is a New Zealand actress. She is known for her performance in the 2015 film Slow West.[1] [2]

Early life

Pistorius was born in Rustenburg, South Africa. Her family moved to Auckland, New Zealand when she was 12. She took drama classes at school.[3] She studied at the Auckland University of Technology.[4]

Acting career

Pistorius began her professional acting career at the age of 19, when she made her television debut in the American television series Legend of the Seeker in the episode "Confession”, playing Luna.[5] [6] Pistorius played the role of Chloe in the romantic drama film The Most Fun You Can Have Dying, directed by Kirstin Marcon, which was released on 26 April 2012.[7] [8] The same year, Pistorius appeared as Amy in the comedy series Hounds.[9] [10]

In 2013, Pistorius appeared as Rose Harper in the crime drama series The Blue Rose. The same year, she was cast in the miniseries , playing Beth Ridgeway, as well as the comedy-drama series Offspring, where she played the supporting role of Eloise Ward.[11]

In 2015, Pistorius co-starred with Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender and Ben Mendelsohn in the Revisionist Western film Slow West, where she played the role of Rose Ross. It premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival on 24 January 2015 and was first released on 15 May 2015 in the United States, with a simultaneous release on video on demand.[12] [13]

In 2016, Pistorius was cast in the romantic drama film The Light Between Oceans, in which she played the character Lucy Grace Rutherford / Adult Lucy Grace.[14] [15] The same year, Pistorius played the role of Laura Tyler in the biographical film Denial.

Pistorius then played Lorraine Cassidy in the 2017 Australian post-apocalyptic horror drama film Cargo. The same year, she was cast in the miniseries Wake in Fright, as Janette Hynes.[16]

In 2018, Pistorius was cast to play the role of Anne in the comedy-drama film Gloria Bell, also starring Julianne Moore.[17] The same year, she appeared in the post-apocalyptic steampunk film Mortal Engines.[18] [19]

In early 2020, Pistorius was cast to play the role of Claire in the film High Ground, which premiered at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival on 23 February 2020, with the Australian premiere at the Brisbane International Film Festival later that year, and theatrical release in Australia on 28 January 2021.[20] [21] Also that year, Pistorius starred with Russell Crowe, Gabriel Bateman, Jimmi Simpson and Austin P. McKenzie in the action thriller film Unhinged, where she played the role of Rachel Flynn.[22] [23] [24]

Pistorius was cast in the psychological thriller film The Marsh King's Daughter, where she played the role of Beth, the mother of Helena Pelletier, which was released in the United States on November 3, 2023, by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions.[25] [26] [27]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2012 The Most Fun You Can Have Dying Chloe Drama
2015 Slow West Rose Ross Action/Adventure/Drama
2016 The Light Between Oceans Adult Lucy-Grace Drama/Romance
2016 Denial Laura Tyler Biography/Drama
2017 Cargo Lorraine Drama/Horror/Sci-Fi
2018 Gloria Bell Anne Comedy/Drama/Music
2018 Mortal Engines Pandora Shaw Action/Adventure/Fantasy
2020 High Ground Claire Action/Drama/Thriller
2020 Unhinged Rachel Flynn Action/Thriller
2023 The Marsh King's Daughter Beth Crime/Drama/Mystery

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2009 Legend of the Seeker Luna Episode: "Confession”
2012 Hounds Amy 6 episodes
2013 The Blue Rose Rose Harper 8 episodes
2013 Beth Ridgeway 2 episodes
2013 Offspring Eloise Ward 13 episodes
2013 Redfern Now Janine Myles Episode: “Babe in Arms"
2017 Wake in Fright Janette Hynes 2 episodes

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2014Equity Ensemble AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Mini-series or Telemovie
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama Series
Logie AwardsMost Popular New Talent
Most Outstanding New Talent
2017Best ActressBest Actress

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Mary Sue Interview: New Zealand Actress Caren Pistorius. Lesley Coffin. The Mary Sue. 22 May 2015. 2015-07-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20150710181838/http://www.themarysue.com/tms-interview-caren-pistorious/. 10 July 2015. live.
  2. Web site: Who's That Girl? Get to Know Offspring and Magazine Wars Star Caren Pistorius. Chandra. Jessica. POPSUGAR Celebrity Australia. 2013-06-20. 2015-07-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20150710144741/http://www.popsugar.com.au/celebrity/Interview-Caren-Pistorius-Offspring-Paper-Giants-2-30840450. 10 July 2015. live.
  3. Kiwi Caren Pistorius' Hollywood coup. Now to Love. 23 November 2016. 3 September 2021.
  4. Web site: How Caren Pistorius Won the West. Jenny Hendrix. Interview Magazine. June 2015. 2015-07-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20150714004803/http://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/caren-pistorius. 14 July 2015. live.
  5. Web site: Confession - Legend of the Seeker (Season 1, Episode 11). 2023-10-07.
  6. Web site: Legend of the Seeker/Confession. The TV IV. 2022-04-22. 2023-10-07.
  7. Web site: The Most Fun You Can Have Dying . The Most Fun You Can Have Dying. 2023-10-07.
  8. Web site: The Most Fun You Can Have Dying review . 3 News . 2023-10-07.
  9. News: The Best TV of 2012 . 20 December 2012 . . 7 October 2023. Philpott. Chris.
  10. News: Is Hounds The Best Kiwi Comedy Ever?. 18 June 2012. Stuff.co.nz. 7 October 2023. Philpott. Chris.
  11. Web site: The Blue Rose/This Night Has Opened My Eyes. The TV IV. 2023-10-07.
  12. Web site: Slow West. New Zealand Film Commission. 2023-10-07.
  13. Web site: 24 March 2015 . Michael Fassbender Saddles Up In First Trailer For Slow West . 2023-10-07 . TheFilmStage.com.
  14. Web site: The Light Between Oceans (12A) . British Board of Film Classification. 2023-10-07.
  15. Web site: 'The Light Between Oceans': Film Review. Frosch. Jon. The Hollywood Reporter. August 30, 2016. 2023-10-07.
  16. Web site: Giroux. Jack. 'Cargo' First Look: Martin Freeman Stars in the Zombie-Infested Drama. /Film. 24 September 2016. 2023-10-07.
  17. Web site: Gloria Bell. Stage6. 2023-10-07.
  18. Web site: Anthony . D'Alessandro . Spider-Verse' Raises $35M+ As 'The Mule' Kicks Up $17M+ In Pre-Christmas Period, But 'Mortal Engines' Breaks Down With $7M+ . . December 16, 2018 . 2023-10-07.
  19. Web site: 'Mortal Engines': Film Review. McCarthy. Todd. The Hollywood Reporter. December 5, 2018. 2023-10-07.
  20. Web site: Gumurdul . Julie Narndal . Rademaker . Laura . May . Sally K. . How historically accurate is the film High Ground? The violence it depicts is uncomfortably close to the truth . . 9 February 2021 . 2023-10-07.
  21. Web site: Gan Gan . Colonial Frontier Massacres in Australia, 1788-1930. . 2023-10-07.
  22. Web site: Caren Pistorius To Star Opposite Russell Crowe In Solstice Studios’ ‘Unhinged’. Anthony . D'Alessandro. Deadline. 2019-07-15. 2023-10-07.
  23. Web site: ‘Unhinged’ Star Caren Pistorius on Returning to Movie Theaters and Working with Russell Crowe. Jenelle. Riley. Variety. 2020-08-20. 2023-10-07.
  24. Web site: Caren Pistorius goes toe-to-toe with Russell Crowe in ‘Unhinged’. Don. Groves. if.com.au. 2020-07-31. 2023-10-07.
  25. Web site: ‘The Marsh King’s Daughter’ Review: Daisy Ridley And Ben Mendelsohn Lift A Terrifying Wilderness-Set Father-Daughter Story. Pete. Hammond. Deadline. 2023-11-02. 2023-11-27.
  26. Web site: ‘The Marsh King’s Daughter’ Review: Smoke on the Water. The New York Times. 2023-11-02. 2023-11-27.
  27. Web site: The Marsh King’s Daughter: Check out the complete cast of new psychological thriller film. The Economic Times. 2023-11-03. 2023-11-27.