Gigi Edgley
Encyclopedia
Gigi Edgley is an Australian actress and recording artist. She is best known for her roles as Chiana on the series Farscape
and Lara Knight in Rescue: Special Ops
.
. She is the daughter of concert and circus promoter Michael Edgley
, known for bringing the Moscow State Circus
to Australia during the 1980s. Her mother, Jeni Edgley, is now involved in managing a 250-acre (101 hectare) health retreat. As a child, Gigi Edgley performed both in and out of school. She also took several years of ballet, jazz, and character dance. She became mainly interested in acting and had her first professional theatrical engagement at the Twelfth Night Theatre. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Queensland University of Technology
in 1998. As a believer in the school of method acting
, Gigi has developed a broad set of skills and experiences for her roles. Edgley is proficient in ballet, jazz
, character dance
, singing, and martial arts. Her signature skill is fire-twirling.
), as well a guest star spot on the popular Australian series Water Rats
and a role in Australian film titled The Day of the Roses
.
Edgley is best known for her role as Chiana on the science fiction TV series Farscape
. Originally, she was hired for only one episode, and her character was supposed to die at the end of the hour. The creators decided to keep her around for a few more episodes. At the beginning of Season 2, she was promoted to be a regular on the show. She appeared in total of 68 episodes of the series. Her character's nickname (Pip) was actually coined by her co-star Ben Browder
.
Between seasons, Edgley has appeared in other guest starring roles on TV, including the popular internationally aired series The Lost World
and BeastMaster
(returning for a second guest starring role), has undertaken some independent film work, was cast in a feature film (pulled due to production and schedule reasons), and read a starring role in an audio drama for Seeing Ear Theatre.
After the cancellation of Farscape, Edgley pursued other projects including a role in the Australian drama telefilm BlackJack
with Colin Friels. She joined the cast of Australian drama series The Secret Life of Us
in 2003 and Stingers
in 2004.
Edgley returned as Chiana in the SciFi Channel miniseries Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
.
In 2006 Edgley starred as the female lead in critically acclaimed Australian Drama/Thriller Last Train to Freo. Her role was nominated for a Best Actress in a Lead Role by the Film Critics Circle of Australia
. She also had a minor supporting role in the 2007 USA Network
TV miniseries The Starter Wife. She had a leading role in four seasons of Rescue: Special Ops
from 2009.
She frequently appears at science fiction conventions and gives interviews to many magazines and radio stations around the world.
.
In July 2007, Edgley began recording with Seattle-based artist/producer Kyle Stevens and writing songs for a new music release. At Farscape Con in November 2007, Gigi released "...SO IT SEEMS", a five song E.P. produced and co-written with Kyle. Edgley has recorded Fall, "Ftang!, and Blue Sky Thoughts.
. She was also on the cover of the FHM
magazine in December 2003 and the cover of the US version of the TV Guide
(the 29 July – 4 August 2000 issue).
Edgley was Yen Magazine's ambassador for the 2006 Pantene Young Woman of the Year Awards.
Farscape
Farscape is an Australian-American science fiction television series filmed in Australia and produced originally for the Nine Network. The series was conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon and produced by Jim Henson Productions and Hallmark Entertainment...
and Lara Knight in Rescue: Special Ops
Rescue: Special Ops
Rescue: Special Ops is an Australian television drama series that first screened on the Nine Network in 2009. Filmed in and around Sydney, the program is produced by Southern Star Entertainment with the assistance of Screen Australia and the New South Wales Government.This drama series focuses on a...
.
Early life
Edgley was born in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. She is the daughter of concert and circus promoter Michael Edgley
Edgley International
Edgley International is a theatre and concert promotions company from Australia, first started in the 1930s. It has also been known as Edgley & Dawe Attractions, Edgley Ventures, and Michael Edgley International...
, known for bringing the Moscow State Circus
Moscow State Circus
The title “Moscow State Circus” is used for a variety of circuses. Most commonly, it refers to one of the two circus buildings in Moscow, the “” and the “Bolshoi Circus” , or to traveling shows which may or may not be directly related to Russia.The Russian Circus rose to world acclaim during the...
to Australia during the 1980s. Her mother, Jeni Edgley, is now involved in managing a 250-acre (101 hectare) health retreat. As a child, Gigi Edgley performed both in and out of school. She also took several years of ballet, jazz, and character dance. She became mainly interested in acting and had her first professional theatrical engagement at the Twelfth Night Theatre. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology is an Australian university with an applied emphasis in courses and research. Based in Brisbane, it has 40,000 students, including 6,000 international students, over 4,000 staff members, and an annual budget of more than A$750 million.QUT is marketed as "A...
in 1998. As a believer in the school of method acting
Method acting
Method acting is a phrase that loosely refers to a family of techniques used by actors to create in themselves the thoughts and emotions of their characters, so as to develop lifelike performances...
, Gigi has developed a broad set of skills and experiences for her roles. Edgley is proficient in ballet, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, character dance
Character dance
Character Dance is a specific subdivision of Classical Dance. It is the stylised representation of a traditional folk or national dance,mostly from a European country, and uses movements and music which have been adapted for the theatre....
, singing, and martial arts. Her signature skill is fire-twirling.
TV and film work
Edgley's early TV and film work included several independent productions (with later Farscape co-star Anthony SimcoeAnthony Simcoe
Anthony Simcoe is an Australian actor, best known for his portrayal of Ka D'Argo in the science fiction television series Farscape.The 6' 6" Simcoe is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney...
), as well a guest star spot on the popular Australian series Water Rats
Water Rats (TV series)
Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001. The series was based around the men and women of the Sydney Water Police who fight crime across Sydney Harbour and surrounding locales. The show was set on and around Goat Island in Sydney...
and a role in Australian film titled The Day of the Roses
The Day of the Roses
The Day of the Roses is a two part Australian television mini-series, a docu-drama directed by Peter Fisk, based on the events of the 1977 Granville railway disaster...
.
Edgley is best known for her role as Chiana on the science fiction TV series Farscape
Farscape
Farscape is an Australian-American science fiction television series filmed in Australia and produced originally for the Nine Network. The series was conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon and produced by Jim Henson Productions and Hallmark Entertainment...
. Originally, she was hired for only one episode, and her character was supposed to die at the end of the hour. The creators decided to keep her around for a few more episodes. At the beginning of Season 2, she was promoted to be a regular on the show. She appeared in total of 68 episodes of the series. Her character's nickname (Pip) was actually coined by her co-star Ben Browder
Ben Browder
Robert Benedic "Ben" Browder is an American actor and writer, best known for his roles as John Crichton in Farscape and Cameron Mitchell in Stargate SG-1.-Early life:...
.
Between seasons, Edgley has appeared in other guest starring roles on TV, including the popular internationally aired series The Lost World
The Lost World (TV series)
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World is a syndicated television series loosely based on the 1912 novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World...
and BeastMaster
BeastMaster (TV series)
BeastMaster is a Canadian television series that aired from 1999 to 2002. It was loosely based on a 1982 MGM movie The Beastmaster. The series aired for three complete seasons...
(returning for a second guest starring role), has undertaken some independent film work, was cast in a feature film (pulled due to production and schedule reasons), and read a starring role in an audio drama for Seeing Ear Theatre.
After the cancellation of Farscape, Edgley pursued other projects including a role in the Australian drama telefilm BlackJack
BlackJack (telemovie)
BlackJack is a series of Australian television movies created by Shaun Micallef and Gary McCaffrie, and starring Colin Friels. The movies began airing on Network Ten in 2003 and concluded in 2007. They were shown in the United Kingdom on the BBC and UKTV Drama.After blowing the whistle on his...
with Colin Friels. She joined the cast of Australian drama series The Secret Life of Us
The Secret Life of Us
The Secret Life of Us was a television drama series set in the beachside suburb of St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia. The series was produced by Southern Star Entertainment and screened in Australia from 2001 to 2005 on Network Ten and on Channel 4 in the UK...
in 2003 and Stingers
Stingers
Stingers was an Australian police drama television series. It ran for eight seasons on the Nine Network before it was canceled in late 2004 due to declining ratings and the late timeslot Channel Nine gave the program...
in 2004.
Edgley returned as Chiana in the SciFi Channel miniseries Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars is a television science fiction mini-series written by Rockne S. O'Bannon and David Kemper and directed by Brian Henson. Following the Farscape series' unexpected cancellation in September 2002, it aimed to wrap-up the season four cliffhanger and tie up some elements...
.
In 2006 Edgley starred as the female lead in critically acclaimed Australian Drama/Thriller Last Train to Freo. Her role was nominated for a Best Actress in a Lead Role by the Film Critics Circle of Australia
Film Critics Circle of Australia
The Film Critics Circle of Australia is a group of cinema critics that judge Australian films.-External links:**...
. She also had a minor supporting role in the 2007 USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
TV miniseries The Starter Wife. She had a leading role in four seasons of Rescue: Special Ops
Rescue: Special Ops
Rescue: Special Ops is an Australian television drama series that first screened on the Nine Network in 2009. Filmed in and around Sydney, the program is produced by Southern Star Entertainment with the assistance of Screen Australia and the New South Wales Government.This drama series focuses on a...
from 2009.
She frequently appears at science fiction conventions and gives interviews to many magazines and radio stations around the world.
Music
Edgley recorded a music single titled "Poison" with recording artist n8. The song is available as streaming audio on her webpage in the music section. She also appeared in a music video for the song "When I Get to California" (2004) by Australian rock group Hoodoo GurusHoodoo Gurus
Hoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman , Mark Kingsmill , and Brad Shepherd...
.
In July 2007, Edgley began recording with Seattle-based artist/producer Kyle Stevens and writing songs for a new music release. At Farscape Con in November 2007, Gigi released "...SO IT SEEMS", a five song E.P. produced and co-written with Kyle. Edgley has recorded Fall, "Ftang!, and Blue Sky Thoughts.
Other appearances and achievements
Edgley was featured in several printed magazines. Most notably, she appeared nude in the Issue 49 (February 2001) of the popular Australian magazine Black+WhiteBlack+White
Black+White was a bimonthly Australian magazine published by Studio Magazines that debuted in the summer of 1992. For a period it was also known as Black+White magazine....
. She was also on the cover of the FHM
FHM
FHM, originally published as For Him Magazine, is an international monthly men's lifestyle magazine.- History :The magazine began publication in 1985 in the United Kingdom under the name For Him and changed its title to FHM in 1994 when Emap Consumer Media bought the magazine, although the full For...
magazine in December 2003 and the cover of the US version of the TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
(the 29 July – 4 August 2000 issue).
Edgley was Yen Magazine's ambassador for the 2006 Pantene Young Woman of the Year Awards.
Filmography
- 2010 Nobody Knows – Lead role, directed by Gigi Edgley & Brian Meredith
- 2010 Quantum ApocalypseQuantum ApocalypseQuantum Apocalypse is a 2010 science fiction film directed by Justin Jones.-Plot:During routine administration at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Dr. Rhodes discovers that a comet has suddenly veered off its orbit and smashed into Mars. The explosion causes debris to travel towards Earth with...
– Trish - 2008 Newcastle (film)Newcastle (film)Newcastle is a 2008 Australian drama film set in the New South Wales city of Newcastle.-Plot:Young surfer Jesse has always been in the shadow of his older brother Victor, who tried to become a champion surfer and failed...
– Sandra - 2005 Last Train To Freo – Lisa
- 1999 The Monkey's Mask – Tianna
- 1997 Him and Her – Her
- 1997 The Bastard – She
- 1997 Pure White Light – Tracy
TV credits
- 2010 Quantum Apocalypse
- 2009-2011 Rescue: Special OpsRescue: Special OpsRescue: Special Ops is an Australian television drama series that first screened on the Nine Network in 2009. Filmed in and around Sydney, the program is produced by Southern Star Entertainment with the assistance of Screen Australia and the New South Wales Government.This drama series focuses on a...
- 2007 Showdown at Area 51Showdown at Area 51Showdown at Area 51 is a 2007 in TV film Sci-Fi directed by C. Roma, starring Jason London and Gigi Edgley.-Cast:As appearing in screen credits :* Jason London as Jake Townsend* Gigi Edgley as Monica Gray...
(Sci Fi Network original movie) - 2007 The Starter Wife
- 2004 StingersStingersStingers was an Australian police drama television series. It ran for eight seasons on the Nine Network before it was canceled in late 2004 due to declining ratings and the late timeslot Channel Nine gave the program...
- 2004 BlackJackBlackJack (telemovie)BlackJack is a series of Australian television movies created by Shaun Micallef and Gary McCaffrie, and starring Colin Friels. The movies began airing on Network Ten in 2003 and concluded in 2007. They were shown in the United Kingdom on the BBC and UKTV Drama.After blowing the whistle on his...
II, III, & IV - 2004 My Soul is too much Charg'd (Australian Film and Television School)
- 2004 Farscape: The Peacekeeper WarsFarscape: The Peacekeeper WarsFarscape: The Peacekeeper Wars is a television science fiction mini-series written by Rockne S. O'Bannon and David Kemper and directed by Brian Henson. Following the Farscape series' unexpected cancellation in September 2002, it aimed to wrap-up the season four cliffhanger and tie up some elements...
- 2003 The Secret Life of UsThe Secret Life of UsThe Secret Life of Us was a television drama series set in the beachside suburb of St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia. The series was produced by Southern Star Entertainment and screened in Australia from 2001 to 2005 on Network Ten and on Channel 4 in the UK...
- 2002 BlackJackBlackJack (telemovie)BlackJack is a series of Australian television movies created by Shaun Micallef and Gary McCaffrie, and starring Colin Friels. The movies began airing on Network Ten in 2003 and concluded in 2007. They were shown in the United Kingdom on the BBC and UKTV Drama.After blowing the whistle on his...
- 2002 BeastMasterBeastMaster (TV series)BeastMaster is a Canadian television series that aired from 1999 to 2002. It was loosely based on a 1982 MGM movie The Beastmaster. The series aired for three complete seasons...
- 2000 The Lost WorldThe Lost World (TV series)Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World is a syndicated television series loosely based on the 1912 novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World...
- 2000 Water RatsWater Rats (TV series)Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001. The series was based around the men and women of the Sydney Water Police who fight crime across Sydney Harbour and surrounding locales. The show was set on and around Goat Island in Sydney...
- 2000 BeastMasterBeastMaster (TV series)BeastMaster is a Canadian television series that aired from 1999 to 2002. It was loosely based on a 1982 MGM movie The Beastmaster. The series aired for three complete seasons...
- 1999 FarscapeFarscapeFarscape is an Australian-American science fiction television series filmed in Australia and produced originally for the Nine Network. The series was conceived by Rockne S. O'Bannon and produced by Jim Henson Productions and Hallmark Entertainment...
(4 seasons: 1999–2002) - 1998 Day of the Roses
- Guest starred on "The Lost World"
Music credits
- Vocal work on a single Poison by N8
- Starred in a video for When I get to California by Hoodoo GurusHoodoo GurusHoodoo Gurus are an Australian rock band, formed in Sydney in 1981, by the mainstay Dave Faulkner and later joined by Richard Grossman , Mark Kingsmill , and Brad Shepherd...
Awards
- 2006 – Film Critics Circle of AustraliaFilm Critics Circle of AustraliaThe Film Critics Circle of Australia is a group of cinema critics that judge Australian films.-External links:**...
Award Nomination for Best Actress in a motion picture (Last Train to Freo) - 2003 – SyFy Genre Award for Best Supporting Actress (Television)
- 2002 – Saturn Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series (Farscape)
- 2001 – Maxim Award Nomination for Sexiest Space Babe (Television)