Pamela Rabe revives ‘The Freak’ on Wentworth
Exclusive: Wentworth maintains its stellar cast with actress Pamela Rabe set to revive 'The Freak.'
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EXCLUSIVE: Enigmatic actress Pamela Rabe has been cast as ‘The Freak’ in the second season of Foxtel’s hit drama Wentworth.
Rabe has a formidable career in stage and film, performing in the Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, State Theatre Company (South Australia), Malthouse Theatre, and The Well, Paradise Road, Cosi, Sirens movies.
Her television credits include Holly’s Heroes, Mercury, Stingers, The Secret Life of Us, CrashBurn and The Leaving of Liverpool.
She has been awarded by the AFI Awards and the Green Room Awards and received nominations from Logies, Helpmanns, Mo Awards, Sydney Theatre and Sydney Film Critics Circle.
In reviving the role of Joan Ferguson, Rabe adds to Wentworth‘s stellar cast and will undoubtedly add new layers to an imposing character, played so memorably Maggie Kirkpatrick on Prisoner.
‘The Freak’ as she came to be called by inmates at Wentworth Prison was notorious for her strict by-the-book discipline while serving out violence under the nose of the department, as well as her lesbian preferences. She became one of Prisoner‘s most feared yet favourite characters.
Wentworth has wowed audiences and critics alike since it launched in April, most recently scoring new fans in the UK and reviews describing it as “compelling” and “unremittingly gritty.”
Filming for the second season begins on Monday at a purpose-built facility in Clayton, south-east of Melbourne.
8 Responses
Love the fact Maggie & Pamela played mother & daughter in ‘The Beauty Queen of Leenane’ many years ago.
Considering the vibrant ways Bea, Fletch, Erika and the mob were all reinvigorated, I can’t wait to see how the new Freak plays out!
I dont see the point if she just gunna use the name of the freak and not stay true to the original. I found the Vera Bennet, Franky Doyle and Doreen characters so off putting that i quit 2 episodes in, if they had stayed true to the original I would have continued.
Wow! Great choice to play this iconic character
Be interesting to see how she plays it. I imagine very dark and menacing.
I concur. What a great actor. And it may get me back to Wentworth, having given up part way through.
I absolutely love Pamela Rabe as I repeatedly watch her scenes in Sirens.
Can’t say for certain whether I will be watching her in Wentworth as it is not a series that I watch.
Great news; Pamela Rabe is a sensational actor.