Celia Pacquola

Celia Pacquola (born 12 February 1983 in Yarra Glen, Victoria) is an Australian comedian, actress, writer and television presenter who has become a staple of both the Australian and UK comedy circuits. Growing up as the third child of separated parents, she discovered her love for performance early and is a direct descendant of the 19th‑century explorer John Rae, a fact later explored on the SBS series Who Do You Think You Are?. She launched her professional stand‑up career in 2006, quickly earning the Raw Recruit Prize at the Raw Comedy Awards and gaining national attention with her 2009 Edinburgh and Melbourne shows Am I Strange?, which secured Best Comedy at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Over the subsequent years Pacquola broadened her repertoire, writing for radio programmes such as The Comedy Hour on ABC Radio and contributing to BBC Radio 4 series including Shappi Talk and The Unbelievable Truth. Her television work spans writing and performance on Good News Week, co‑creating the acclaimed sitcom Rosehaven with Luke McGregor (winner of the 2017 AWGIE Award), and winning an AACTA Award for her guest role in The Beautiful Lie. In 2020 she triumphed on Dancing with the Stars Australia, donating the prize money to the Safe Steps Family Violence and Support Centre. Pacquola’s live repertoire continued to evolve with critically praised shows such as All Talk, which earned her a Helpmann Award for Best Comedy Performer in 2018. Beyond comedy, she appeared in the New Zealand film The Breaker Upperers (2018) and has been announced for upcoming series Playing Gracie Darling (Paramount+) and ABC’s Dog Park. Open about her struggles with anxiety and depression, she balances a flourishing career with motherhood, welcoming her first child with partner Dara Munnis in 2022.