Claudia Black

Claudia Black
Black in 2013
Born
Claudia Lee Black

(1972-10-11) 11 October 1972
Sydney, Australia
Citizenship
  • Australia
  • US
OccupationActress
Years active1992–present
Spouse
Jamie Thurkettle
​
​
(m. 2004; div. 2016)​
Children2
Websiteclaudiablackconsulting.com

Claudia Lee Black[1] (born 11 October 1972[2]) is an Australian and American actress. She is best known for her portrayals of Aeryn Sun in Farscape (1999–2003), Vala Mal Doran in Stargate SG-1 (2004–2007), and Sharon "Shazza" Montgomery in the film Pitch Black (2000).

Black has appeared in numerous television series, particularly those in the science fiction genre. Her roles include Dahlia in The Originals (2015), Dr. Sabine Lommers in Containment (2016), and Klothow in Ahsoka (2023). She has also had prominent voice roles in video games, including Admiral Daro'Xen and Matriarch Aethyta in Mass Effect, Chloe Frazer in Uncharted, Morrigan in Dragon Age, Whitney Chang in The Amazing Spider-Man, Tess Everis in Destiny, and Samantha Byrne in the Gears of War series.[3]

Early life

Black was born and raised in Sydney, New South Wales.[4] Her father Jules Black is a gynaecologist, and her mother Judy Black (née Henry) is a professor of pharmacology at the University of Sydney.[5] She has an older sister named Georgina.[6] Black is Jewish, and a descendant of German Jews who escaped the Holocaust.[7] She studied at the Anglican Kambala School in Sydney.[1] She has lived in numerous countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.[1]

Career

Film and television

Black began her acting career in her native Australia. Her first leading role was as Claire Bonacci in A Country Practice. She had a main role in the New Zealand soap opera City Life, playing the Greek lawyer Angela Kostapas.[1]

In 1999, Black was cast to play Aeryn Sun in the science fiction series Farscape, a co-production between the United States and Australia.[8] She gained international recognition for her role in the series, and was nominated for a Saturn Award in the Best Actress category in 2001, 2002 and 2005, winning in the latter. During this time she also appeared in the feature films Pitch Black and Queen of the Damned.

Despite being planned to run for five seasons, Farscape was cancelled after its fourth season in 2003.[9] Black later reprised her role as Aeryn in the miniseries Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars in 2004, which concluded the series' plot. In the same year she appeared as Vala Mal Doran in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Prometheus Unbound".[10] Her performance was well received and she was invited to reprise her role in a recurring capacity in the show's ninth season, after series regular Amanda Tapping left the series on maternity leave. Black appeared in eight episodes of the ninth season and returned to the series as a regular cast member for the tenth and final season. She also starred in Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum, two direct-to-video films that wrapped up the series' story lines.

In the NBC TV show Life (2007), Black was cast in the supporting role of Jennifer Conover for the initial pilot.[11] Due to her second pregnancy, the part was recast and the role was given to actress Jennifer Siebel when the series was bought by the TV network.

Black has appeared in numerous television series in the United States, including recurring roles in The Originals and The Nevers. In 2016, she played the major role of Dr. Sabine Lommers in the CW miniseries Containment.[12] In 2023, she portrayed the character Klothow in the first season of the Star Wars series Ahsoka. In 2025, she stated that she would not reprise her role in the second season.[13] She is currently starring as Cossutia in the Starz series Spartacus: House of Ashur.[14] Black's film roles include Joan in the thriller film Time Now and Karla Grey in the science fiction film Deus, which she also produced.[15]

Theatre

Black has also performed in theatre. She played Portia in a tour of The Merchant of Venice.[1] She has had parts in Spotlight on Women, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Loose Ends and Pick Ups for the Belvoir Street Theatre and Little Women and The World Knot for the Bicentennial Opera.[1]

Voiceover work

Since the early 2000s Black has been a prolific voice actress in video games. She has gained particular attention for her work with BioWare's Dragon Age and Mass Effect series. Her son Odin Thurkettle voiced her character's son in Dragon Age: Inquisition. She also played Chloe Frazer in the Uncharted series.[16] In 2016, she appeared in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare as Engineer Audrey "Mac" MaCallum.[17] She has narrated several audiobooks, including George R. R. Martin's Dreamsongs.[18] In 2014, she had a voice-over role in Rick and Morty as Ma-Sha in the episode "Raising Gazorpazorp".[19] She lent her voice to the character of Sheryl Goodspeed in the animated series Final Space.

Personal life

Black married her husband, Jamie Oddie, in 2004. They have two sons, Odin and Viggo, born in 2005 and 2007 respectively. Black and Oddie divorced in 2016.[20] Black currently resides in the United States and is an American citizen.[21] She lives in Los Angeles.

Black has spoken at length about her experiences with personal trauma, which inspired her to become a trauma coach.[22] Although raised Jewish, she has fallen out of touch with the religion and identifies as a lapsed Jew.[23]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Pitch Black Sharon "Shazza" Montgomery
2002 Queen of the Damned Pandora
2007 Stolen Life Kieru
(voice)
2008 Stargate: The Ark of Truth Vala Mal Doran Direct-to-video
2008 WarGames: The Dead Code R.I.P.L.E.Y.
(voice)
2008 Stargate: Continuum Vala Mal Doran / Qetesh
2011 Rango Angelique
(voice)
2012 Justice League: Doom Cheetah
(voice) 		Direct-to-video
2012 Strange Frame Parker C. Boyd
(voice)
2012 The Alchemist Agenda Ariel (voice)
2013 Rain from Stars Donna
2021 Time Now Aunt Joan
2022 Deus Karla Grey

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Home and Away Sandra 2 episodes
1993 Seven Deadly Sins Extra Miniseries
1993 G.P. Joanna Episode: "A Thousand Flowers"
1993 Police Rescue Julia Episode: "Double Illusion"
1993–1994 A Country Practice Claire Bonacci 34 episodes
1996–98 City Life Angela Kostapas Main role; 26 episodes
1997 Amazon High Karina Television film
1997 Water Rats Beth Williams Episode: "All at Sea"
1997–98 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Cassandra 2 episodes
1998 Good Guys, Bad Guys Jill Mayhew Episode: "Naughty Bits"
1999 A Twist in the Tale Morgana Episode: "Obsession in August"
1999–2003 Farscape Aeryn Sun Main role; 88 episodes
2000 Xena: Warrior Princess Karina Episode: "Lifeblood"
2001 BeastMaster Huna Episode: "Wild Child"
2002 Steel Angel Kurumi Steel Angel Mikhail
(voice) 		English dub[24]
2004 Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars Aeryn Sun Miniseries
2004–07 Stargate SG-1 Vala Mal Doran Main role; 29 episodes
2007 The Dresden Files Liz Fontaine Episode: "The Other Dick"
2008 Moonlight The Cleaner Episode: "Sonata"
2010 NCIS Velvet Road Episode: "Borderland"
2011 90210 Guru Sona 3 episodes
2012 Haven Moira Episode: "Magic Hour" Part 1 & 2
2014–present Rick and Morty Mar-Sha, Ventriloquiver
(voices) 		2 episodes
2015 The Originals Dahlia 6 episodes
2016 Containment Sabine Lommers Main role; 13 episodes
2019–20 Roswell, New Mexico Ann Evans 5 episodes
2019–21 Final Space Sheryl Goodspeed
(voice) 		26 episodes
2021–22 The Nevers Stripe 4 episodes
2023 Ahsoka Klothow 3 episodes
2025 Spartacus: House of Ashur Cossutia Main role

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Farscape: The Game Aeryn Sun
2003 Lords of EverQuest Lady Briana
2005 God of War Artemis
2005 Neopets: The Darkest Faerie Fauna
2006 Project Sylpheed Narrator[25]
2007 Conan A'Kanna
2007 Crysis Helena
2009 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Chloe Frazer
2009 Dragon Age: Origins Morrigan
2010 Mass Effect 2 Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh, Matriarch Aethyta, Rachni Envoy
2010 Final Fantasy XIV Narrator
2011 TERA: The Exiled Realm of Arborea Elf Commander Fraya
2011 Gears of War 3 Samantha Byrne
2011 Rage Mel, Sally
2011 Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Chloe Frazer
2012 Mass Effect 3 Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh, Matriarch Aethyta
2012 Diablo III Cydaea, Mistress of Pain
2012 The Amazing Spider-Man Whitney Chang
2014 Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Cydaea, Mistress of Pain
2014 Destiny Tess Everis
2014 Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Queen Marwen
2014 Dragon Age: Inquisition Morrigan
2016 Uncharted 4: A Thief's End Chloe Frazer Multiplayer only
2016 Gears of War 4 Samantha Byrne
2016 World of Final Fantasy Leviathan
2016 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Audrey "Mac" MaCullum
2017 Uncharted: The Lost Legacy Chloe Frazer
2017 Destiny 2 Tess Everis
2017 Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Jessica "Silent Death" Valiant The Diaries of Agent Silent Death DLC
2018 Killing Floor 2 Mrs Foster Mrs Foster Content Pack DLC
2023 Forspoken Tanta Olas
2024 Dragon Age: The Veilguard Morrigan

Awards

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Fernandez, Roberto Cancelo. "Claudia Black Online: all about Claudia, Stargate, Farscape". Claudia Black Online. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  2. ^ "BIRTHS: BLACK (nee Henry) – October 11, at Women's Hospital (Crown Street), to Judy, wife of Jules – a daughter, (Claudia Lee), a sister to Georgina", The Sydney Morning Herald, Sydney, p. 40, 12 October 1972
  3. ^ Ogilvie, Tristan (2 September 2011). "The Ten Commandments of Gears of War 3". IGN. Archived from the original on 1 June 2012. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
  4. ^ "Claudia L. Black". Moby Games. Archived from the original on 22 May 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Move over Barbie, a mutant's arrived". The Age. 12 October 2002. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  6. ^ Kamps, Bernd Sebastian. "Amedeo Who's Who in Medicine". Medicine on Earth. Archived from the original on 26 October 2006. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  7. ^ Claudia Black [@TheClaudiaBlack] (15 January 2021). "My personal paradox is this: were it not for Hitler I would not have been born. Though as we are German Jews, I barely have any family. My grandfather was politically aware, warned his friends about Hitler, they didn't listen, he fled. My dad was conceived during his escape" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 15 January 2021 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ "Interview - Claudia Black - Assuming Aeryn". BBC Online. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  9. ^ johnnyjay (24 October 2025). "Why Was Farscape Cancelled and Should It Be Revived/Rebooted?". Cancelled Sci Fi. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  10. ^ "Why Farscape's Claudia Black Wasn't Overwhelmed Joining Stargate SG-1". SYFY. 23 May 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  11. ^ "Claudia Black was scheduled to be on the new NBC TV Show pilot called Life". TV Guide. 5 July 2007. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
  12. ^ Carter, Lance (5 April 2016). "WonderCon: Claudia Black on Her Audition for The CW's 'Containment'". Daily Actor. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  13. ^ Thomas, Carly (2 December 2025). "'Ahsoka' Actress Claudia Black Details Why She Exited Season 2 Over Pay: "Something Needs to Change"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  14. ^ Cordero, Rosy (11 July 2024). "'Spartacus: House of Ashur' Sets Lead Cast With 8 Including Graham McTavish, Tenika Davis & Ivana Baquero". Deadline. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  15. ^ "'Farscape' & 'Stargate SG-1' fan fave Claudia Black tackles 'more mature' space role in thriller 'DEUS'". SYFY. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  16. ^ "Claudia Black". metacritic. Archived from the original on 25 December 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  17. ^ "Claudia Black (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  18. ^ "Audiobooks narrated by Claudia Black". Audible.ca. Archived from the original on 16 December 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  19. ^ Bojalad, Alec (16 October 2023). "Rick and Morty: A Guide to Every Voice Actor". Den of Geek. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  20. ^ "About Claudia - The Radiant Claudia Black". claudia-black.org. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  21. ^ Claudia Black [@TheClaudiaBlack] (26 October 2020). "Golly. My eyes did a weird self-cleaning thing during this. Ok I cried. And I became a citizen this year so I could vote with my heart full of love for me, my kids, and mostly for people I'll never meet. Justice is living the love part out loud, proudly and loudly" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  22. ^ Ryan, Danielle (28 October 2021). "Claudia Black Gets Deep About Trauma, Video Games, And The Future Of Film [Interview]". SlashFilm. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  23. ^ Claudia Black [@TheClaudiaBlack] (2 November 2020). "This ex-pat Aussie Jew who became a citizen so she could #VOTE just made smoked pulled pork and spicy bread and butter pickle sandwiches with Korean style bbq sauce and...yum. Lapsed Jew and lapsed plant based eating stress-food is" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 2 November 2020 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ "Steel Angel Kurumi". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 14 March 2026.
  25. ^ Game Arts, SETA Corporation, Anima. Project Sylpheed. Microsoft Game Studios. Scene: Ending credits, 44:58 in, Main English Cast.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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