Yvonne Strahovski
Encyclopedia
Yvonne Strahovski is an Australian actress. Born in Australia to Polish
immigrant parents, Strahovski speaks Polish and English. After graduating from the University of Western Sydney
, she featured in a number of Australian television shows before starring as Sarah Walker
in the American television series Chuck
.
, a suburb of Sydney, as Yvonne Strzechowski to Peter and Bozena Strzechowski. Her parents had emigrated from Warsaw
, Poland. She adopted the more phonetic spelling
of Strahovski as her stage name at Chuck producer Josh Schwartz's behest for the sake of easier pronunciation. Strahovski's father is an electronic engineer, and her mother works as a lab technician. Strahovski started acting when she played Viola in a school production of Twelfth Night.
She spent her high school years attending Santa Sabina College
, Strathfield. She graduated from University of Western Sydney
's Theatre Nepean in 2003.
and a part as Freya Lewis in the Australian drama series headLand
. She has also appeared in Channel Nine
's Sea Patrol
.
She sent in her audition tape for the show Chuck
while in the United States auditioning for roles in other shows, namely NBC
's 2007 series Bionic Woman
. She sent in an audition tape while waiting to hear from the other two jobs. She was contacted by the producers of Chuck the next day to come in to "run lines" with Zachary Levi
. The producers called her back a week later letting her know she had been cast as Sarah Walker
. Six months later, she moved to the United States.
Strahovski speaks fluent Polish and employed it in a brief exchange with a colleague in the Chuck episode "Chuck Versus the Wookiee
" and again during the character's return in "Chuck Versus the Three Words
". She used it again in "Chuck Versus the Honeymooners
". Although she portrays an American in the series, she briefly spoke in a "Hollywood" Australian accent in the episode "Chuck Versus The Ex".
Strahovski appears in Mass Effect Galaxy
and Mass Effect 2
as the voice of Miranda Lawson. Strahovski had her face scanned and animated so she could portray Lawson in Mass Effect 2. Executive Producer of the series Casey Hudson
has indirectly confirmed her return for Mass Effect 3
, stating "every main character will be in there somewhere" though the size of her role has not been revealed. Strahovski voices Aya Brea in the English version of the Parasite Eve
spinoff, The 3rd Birthday
, which was released on March 2011 for the PlayStation Portable
. She also appeared in a CollegeHumor
sketch in April 2011, parodying the music styles of Katy Perry
, Ke$ha, Lady Gaga
.
Strahovski appeared in the 2011 film Killer Elite, alongside Jason Statham
, Clive Owen
, and Robert De Niro
. In May 2011, she joined the comedy My Mother's Curse
, opposite Seth Rogen
and Barbra Streisand
.
In 2010, Strahovski received the Teen Choice Award for Choice Action TV Actress for Chuck, as well as a nomination for Spike Video Game Awards for Best Performance by a Human Female for Mass Effect 2
. In 2011, Strahovski was nominated again for the Teen Choice Awards
for Choice Action TV Actress. In 2011, Cosmopolitan Magazine (Australia) awarded Strahovski the Fun Fearless Female of the Year along with Favorite TV Actress. In November 2011, she was cast as the female lead in I, Frankenstein.
Polish Australian
Poland has been a source country of immigrants to Australia, in particular in the post-war period. Immigration from Poland has long tapered off, with Polish Australian population now part of the mainstream Australian community.-Demography:...
immigrant parents, Strahovski speaks Polish and English. After graduating from the University of Western Sydney
University of Western Sydney
The University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, she featured in a number of Australian television shows before starring as Sarah Walker
Sarah Walker (Chuck)
Sarah Lisa Bartowski is the alias of one of the main characters of the fictional television show Chuck on NBC. She is portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski and is one of two agents assigned by the NSA and CIA to protect Chuck Bartowski after he unwittingly downloads the secret government computer known...
in the American television series Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
.
Early life
Strahovski was born in CampbelltownCampbelltown, New South Wales
Campbelltown is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Campbelltown is located 51 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.- History :Campbelltown...
, a suburb of Sydney, as Yvonne Strzechowski to Peter and Bozena Strzechowski. Her parents had emigrated from Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland. She adopted the more phonetic spelling
Phonemic orthography
A phonemic orthography is a writing system where the written graphemes correspond to phonemes, the spoken sounds of the language. In terms of orthographic depth, these are termed shallow orthographies, contrasting with deep orthographies...
of Strahovski as her stage name at Chuck producer Josh Schwartz's behest for the sake of easier pronunciation. Strahovski's father is an electronic engineer, and her mother works as a lab technician. Strahovski started acting when she played Viola in a school production of Twelfth Night.
She spent her high school years attending Santa Sabina College
Santa Sabina College
Santa Sabina College, is a Roman Catholic, Dominican, day school for girls K-12 and boys K-4, located in Strathfield, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Strathfield. She graduated from University of Western Sydney
University of Western Sydney
The University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
's Theatre Nepean in 2003.
Career
Strahovski first started her career in Australia appearing in film and TV roles, including a turn on satirical show Double the FistDouble the Fist
Double the Fist is an Australian satirical television show which airs on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It follows the misadventures of four men and their pursuit of "fistworthiness": host Steve Foxx , and his three offsiders; Rod Foxx , Mephisto , and The Womp .The series has also been...
and a part as Freya Lewis in the Australian drama series headLand
HeadLand
headLand is an Australian drama television series produced by the Seven Network which ran from 15 November 2005 to 21 January 2006. The Seven Network filmed 52 episodes in the first series. Production on the second series had begun before any episodes were aired.Set in a university, headLand...
. She has also appeared in Channel Nine
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
's Sea Patrol
Sea Patrol
Sea Patrol may refer to:*Sea Patrol, an Australian television series from 2007-2011**Sea Patrol **Sea Patrol , known as Sea Patrol II: The Coup**Sea Patrol , known as Sea Patrol: Red Gold...
.
She sent in her audition tape for the show Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
while in the United States auditioning for roles in other shows, namely NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's 2007 series Bionic Woman
Bionic Woman (2007 TV series)
Bionic Woman is an American science fiction television drama created by David Eick, under NBC Universal Television Group, GEP Productions and David Eick Productions that aired in 2007...
. She sent in an audition tape while waiting to hear from the other two jobs. She was contacted by the producers of Chuck the next day to come in to "run lines" with Zachary Levi
Zachary Levi
Zachary Levi Pugh , better known by his stage name Zachary Levi , is an American television actor, director, and singer known for the roles of Kipp Steadman in Less than Perfect, Chuck Bartowski in Chuck, and Flynn Rider in Tangled.- Early life :Zachary Levi Pugh was born in Lake Charles,...
. The producers called her back a week later letting her know she had been cast as Sarah Walker
Sarah Walker (Chuck)
Sarah Lisa Bartowski is the alias of one of the main characters of the fictional television show Chuck on NBC. She is portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski and is one of two agents assigned by the NSA and CIA to protect Chuck Bartowski after he unwittingly downloads the secret government computer known...
. Six months later, she moved to the United States.
Strahovski speaks fluent Polish and employed it in a brief exchange with a colleague in the Chuck episode "Chuck Versus the Wookiee
Chuck Versus the Wookiee
"Chuck Versus the Wookiee" is a first-season episode of the television series Chuck. It originally aired on October 15, 2007. Chuck and the team are ordered by Graham and Beckman to recover a stolen diamond to assist Sarah's old DEA friend, whose tendencies towards improvisiation tend to get her...
" and again during the character's return in "Chuck Versus the Three Words
Chuck Versus the Three Words
"Chuck Versus the Three Words" is the second episode of the third season of the NBC action-comedy television series Chuck. It was aired January 10, 2010, on NBC....
". She used it again in "Chuck Versus the Honeymooners
Chuck Versus the Honeymooners
"Chuck Versus the Honeymooners" is the 14th episode of the third season of Chuck. It originally aired on April 26, 2010. When Chuck and Sarah go AWOL after the death of Daniel Shaw, Beckman sends the newly-reinstated Casey and Morgan to bring them back...
". Although she portrays an American in the series, she briefly spoke in a "Hollywood" Australian accent in the episode "Chuck Versus The Ex".
Strahovski appears in Mass Effect Galaxy
Mass Effect Galaxy
Mass Effect Galaxy is a game for iOS, released on June 22, 2009. The story focuses on backstory of one of the companion characters from Mass Effect 2. BioWare stated that the game will contain two hours of gameplay and will have "top down shooter action"...
and Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011...
as the voice of Miranda Lawson. Strahovski had her face scanned and animated so she could portray Lawson in Mass Effect 2. Executive Producer of the series Casey Hudson
Casey Hudson
- Career :Hudson started his career as a Technical Artist, developing art solutions for video games at Bioware, on many games, including Baldur's Gate 2, Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic...
has indirectly confirmed her return for Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3
Mass Effect 3 is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3...
, stating "every main character will be in there somewhere" though the size of her role has not been revealed. Strahovski voices Aya Brea in the English version of the Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve series
The series began as a novel and was adapted into a film and manga series. It was later expanded into three video games that serve as a sequel to the novel. The video games have also been adapted into a manga series as well.-Novel:...
spinoff, The 3rd Birthday
The 3rd Birthday
is an action role-playing game develpoed HexaDrive and published by Square Enix. The game was made for the PlayStation Portable and marks the third entry in the Parasite Eve series...
, which was released on March 2011 for the PlayStation Portable
PlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
. She also appeared in a CollegeHumor
CollegeHumor
CollegeHumor is a comedy website owned by InterActiveCorp and based in New York City. The site features daily original comedy videos and articles created by its in-house writing and production team, in addition to user-submitted videos, pictures, articles and links. In early 2009, CollegeHumor's...
sketch in April 2011, parodying the music styles of Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
, Ke$ha, Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
.
Strahovski appeared in the 2011 film Killer Elite, alongside Jason Statham
Jason Statham
Jason Statham born 12 September1967) is an English actor and former diver, known for his roles in the Guy Ritchie crime films Revolver, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels...
, Clive Owen
Clive Owen
Clive Owen is an English actor, who has worked on television, stage and film. He first gained recognition in the United Kingdom for portraying the lead in the ITV series Chancer from 1990 to 1991...
, and Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
. In May 2011, she joined the comedy My Mother's Curse
My Mother's Curse
My Mother's Curse is a 2012 American comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher, written by Dan Fogelman, and starring Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen.-Plot:...
, opposite Seth Rogen
Seth Rogen
Seth Rogen is a Canadian stand-up comedian, actor, producer, screenwriter, and voice artist. Rogen began his career doing stand-up comedy during his teen years, winning the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest in 1998. While still living in his native Vancouver, he landed a small part in Freaks and...
and Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
.
In 2010, Strahovski received the Teen Choice Award for Choice Action TV Actress for Chuck, as well as a nomination for Spike Video Game Awards for Best Performance by a Human Female for Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011...
. In 2011, Strahovski was nominated again for the Teen Choice Awards
Teen Choice Awards
The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
for Choice Action TV Actress. In 2011, Cosmopolitan Magazine (Australia) awarded Strahovski the Fun Fearless Female of the Year along with Favorite TV Actress. In November 2011, she was cast as the female lead in I, Frankenstein.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Gone | Sondra | As Yvonne Strzechowski |
| 2007 | Persons of Interest | Lara | As Yvonne Strzechowski |
| 2008 | Sarah | ||
| 2008 | Lori | ||
| 2009 | I Love You Too I Love You Too (2010 film) I Love You Too is a 2010 Australian romantic comedy film, and the directorial film debut of Daina Reid. The screenplay was written by first-time writer Peter Helliar. It stars Brendan Cowell, Peter Dinklage, Yvonne Strahovski, Peter Helliar and Megan Gale, and was produced by Princess Pictures on a... |
Alice | |
| 2010 | Matching Jack Matching Jack Matching Jack is a 2010 Australian drama film directed by Nadia Tass from a screenplay by Lynne Renew and David Parker, based on an unfilmed script by Renew entitled Love and Mortar. The film stars Jacinda Barrett as a mother who begins a lengthy search for a bone marrow donor to help her son , who... |
Veronica | |
| 2010 | LEGO: The Adventures of Clutch Powers | Peg Mooring | Voice Straight-to-DVD |
| 2011 | Killer Elite | Anne | |
| 2011 | The Outback | Miranda | Voice (Filming) |
| 2012 | My Mother's Curse My Mother's Curse My Mother's Curse is a 2012 American comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher, written by Dan Fogelman, and starring Barbra Streisand and Seth Rogen.-Plot:... |
Jessica | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Double the Fist Double the Fist Double the Fist is an Australian satirical television show which airs on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It follows the misadventures of four men and their pursuit of "fistworthiness": host Steve Foxx , and his three offsiders; Rod Foxx , Mephisto , and The Womp .The series has also been... |
Suzie | 1 episode: "Fear Factory" |
| 2005–2006 | headLand HeadLand headLand is an Australian drama television series produced by the Seven Network which ran from 15 November 2005 to 21 January 2006. The Seven Network filmed 52 episodes in the first series. Production on the second series had begun before any episodes were aired.Set in a university, headLand... |
Freya Lewis | 26 episodes |
| 2007 | Sea Patrol Sea Patrol Sea Patrol may refer to:*Sea Patrol, an Australian television series from 2007-2011**Sea Patrol **Sea Patrol , known as Sea Patrol II: The Coup**Sea Patrol , known as Sea Patrol: Red Gold... |
Agent Martina Royce | 1 episode: "Cometh the Hour" |
| 2007–present | Chuck Chuck (TV series) Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central... |
Agent Sarah Walker C.I.A Sarah Walker (Chuck) Sarah Lisa Bartowski is the alias of one of the main characters of the fictional television show Chuck on NBC. She is portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski and is one of two agents assigned by the NSA and CIA to protect Chuck Bartowski after he unwittingly downloads the secret government computer known... |
78 episodes Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress – Action Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with... TV Guide Award for Favorite Actress 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... TV Guide Award for Favorite Couple Who Have 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... Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress – Action Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with... |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Mass Effect Galaxy Mass Effect Galaxy Mass Effect Galaxy is a game for iOS, released on June 22, 2009. The story focuses on backstory of one of the companion characters from Mass Effect 2. BioWare stated that the game will contain two hours of gameplay and will have "top down shooter action"... |
Miranda Lawson | Voice and facial appearance |
| 2010 | Mass Effect 2 Mass Effect 2 Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011... |
Miranda Lawson | Voice and facial appearance |
| 2011 | The 3rd Birthday The 3rd Birthday is an action role-playing game develpoed HexaDrive and published by Square Enix. The game was made for the PlayStation Portable and marks the third entry in the Parasite Eve series... |
Aya Brea | Voice (English version) |
| 2012 | Mass Effect 3 Mass Effect 3 Mass Effect 3 is an upcoming action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3... |
Miranda Lawson | Voice and facial appearance |
External links
- Yvonne Strahovski on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Bio at the official NBC site for Chuck
- TVGuide.com interview