About Me

Originally from Malta, Frances also lived in Berlin and London before settling in Sydney in 2003. She is a classically trained actress, graduating with a BA Hons in Acting and Theatre Studies from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
 

Her acting debut was in the musical Buddy directed by Rob Bettinson at the Strand Theatre in London’s West End, playing the female lead Maria Elena Holly for two years and then selected to perform the role on a subsequent European tour. Other theater work includes Goneril in King Lear, directed by Patsy Rodenberg, Tunis in Clare McIntyre’s My Heart’s a Suitcase, under the direction of Wyn Jones, and her portrayal of Jenny Marx in Frank McGuinness’ Mary and Lizzie – all Guildhall productions. In Sydney she was commended for her strong performance as La Madre in Tango Masculino at the New Theatre.

For television Frances was cast as Maria in the British soap opera Crossroads, directed by Pip Short, and for the BBC as Marina Finney in Doctors, Domenica in Chambers, and Queen Hatshepsut in Ancient Egypt.
 

On the short film circuit Frances is best known for her role as Maria in Ave Maria, written and directed by the multi-award winner Venetia Taylor. Their second short film together, Venice, in which Frances played The Maid, is currently being screened in several short film festivals world-wide with 13 awards already under its belt.
 

She has also featured in a variety of television commercials performed in multiple languages for different markets, including Europe and the Middle East, and has worked as a producer/broadcaster on the Maltese programme for SBS Radio.
 

A multi-lingual actress, Frances is fluent in Maltese and English with a good working knowledge of Italian and French, and has been known to also dabble in Arabic, Spanish, German, Norwegian and Dutch.
 

A closet songwriter, poet and proud owner of a guitar she is yet to learn, Frances loves singing and is interested in dance, namely Tango Argentino, Salsa, Flamenco and Belly Dance.
 

Matchbox Picture’s Ali’s Wedding is Frances’ first feature film, in which she plays Zahra (Ali’s mum).