Caught In The Act – Courtney Act
Boy, Girl. Artist, Advocate. Courtney Act is more than just the sum of her parts.
She is a contemporary artist who embodies the zeitgeist of an era. One of the first artists to show their gender fluidity, Courtney broke out of the box in 2003 to make it through to the semi-finals of the premiere season of Australian Idol and then signed to Sony/BMG.
In 2014 she returned to the television arena as one of the Top 3 in Season 6 of the Emmy Award-winning RuPaul’s Drag Race, with a legion of new fans around the world. Courtney then released her debut EP, Kaleidoscope, featuring mainstream pop beats and lux music videos. Her videos online have been viewed over 40 million times.
Proving once and for all that she was more than just a voice and a body, Courtney took on a number of controversial social causes and stories in her award-nominated political series American Act on Junkee.com. The series garnered over 6 million views and saw Act fire a gun, smoke marijuana, and attend a Trump rally in drag.
2017 marked the international tour of her original show: The Girl From Oz. This sold out world tour culminated in her debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with 5* star reviews.
“As if her voice isn’t enough, her quick-witted comedy flows through the show effortlessly” – Edinburgh Festivals Magazine 2017
2018 saw Courtney Act and Shane Jenek plow full steam ahead as winner of Celebrity Big Brother UK – educating viewers on queer issues such as gender identity and fluidity, sexuality, same-sex marriage and much more. After her successful world tour Courtney Act: Under the Covers, she made television history as the host of UK’s first bisexual dating show on E!’s The Bi Life to wrap up an extraordinary year in her very own Christmas special, The Courtney Act Show for Channel 4 UK and Peach (Australia).
Not one for resting on her stilettoed laurels, Courtney Act competed in last year’s inaugural Eurovision – Australia Decides, launching her smash-hit single Fight For Love. Making television history again, this time as one-half the world’s first same-sex pairing, Courtney Act and Shane Jenek danced their way into the heart of the nation and as a runner up in Network Ten’s Dancing With The Stars.
This year started fabulously with Shane and Courtney making a glittering visit to Ramsay Street to brighten up Lassiters and Neighbours for Erinsborough Pride.
Shane made his debut as a song writer and composer for Courtney Act’s new show FLUID, featuring all original material and songs. Courtney shares their experiences of gender fluidity with a blend of exposition, song, dance and costume evolution. FLUID made it’s world premiere at Darlinghurst Theatre for Mardi Gras Festival to standing ovations and critical acclaim.
“Heartfelt, honest, intelligent and embracing, this a refreshingly open and enlightening work that informs and explores” – Broadway World
Courtney is beyond excited to bring FLUID to the UK and Europe in April 2021!
Chronological highlights:
- FLUID Sydney & Darwin 2020
- Neighbours – 2020
- Dancing WIth The Stars (Aust) Runner Up 2019
- Celebrity Big Brother UK 2018 – Winner
- American Act on Junkee.com – political series
- Battle Of The Seasons – European & North American bus and truck tour with Live Nation & AEG Live
- Fader Magazine – Top 10 to Watch
- “Why Drag?” book by Magnus Hastings – cover model
- Sydney Opera House – Gentlemen Prefer Blokes, sold out season with Trevor Ashley
- Sydney Symphony Orchestra – special guest performance with Conchita Wurst
- Life Ball, Vienna special guest performer 2014, 2015
- Las Vegas Tourism TVC
- Performed with Miley Cyrus 2015 MTV Video Music Awards
- MTV Australia Gust VJay
- Sydney Mardi Gras, Global Ambassador & headliner performance w/ Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters)
- Billboard, ARIA, & iTunes chart entries
- American Apparel Ad Girl International campaign and official artist tshirt
- San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, special guest performance
- Rocky Horror Show Frank’n’furter
- RuPaul’s Drag Race, season 6 Top 3
- NYFW, LA Fashion Week, Australian Fashion Week – model
- Lady Gaga performer at her private birthday party, opened for Australian club performances and appeared in lyric video for “Applause”
- Rent the musical – Angel
- Face of Sheer Cover makeup seen across all Australian commercial TV networks
- FHM Magazine 100 Most Beautiful Women In The World
- Out Magazine’s Out 100
- Sony/BMG, Recording Artist 2003, 2004
- Australian Idol, season 1 semifinalist
- Mr Tiny Tot, 1987