The Narrow Road to the Deep North premieres to raving reviews

Justin Kurzel’s series The Narrow Road to the Deep North had its world premiere last Saturday at Berlinale, Berlin’s international film festival. Justin worked with long time collaborators: Shaun Grant to adapt Richard Flanagan’s novel into a five-part series, and Jed Kurzel for the soundtrack. Jacob Elordi and Ciarán Hinds star as Dorrigo Evans. Co-starring are Odessa Young, Olivia DeJonge, Simon Baker, Heather Mitchell, and Essie Davis as Lynette Maison.

The first two episodes of The Narrow Road to the Deep North screened as part of the festival and have critics celebrating the series. We compiled some reviews below, have a read !

The Narrow Road to the Deep North will be released on 18 April on Prime Video in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Although no other dates have been announced, you will be able to watch the series in the UK on the BBC, on Sky or Max in Europe, and on NBC Universal in Latin America.

Essie debuts new look at the AACTAs

Back to her roots ! Essie rocks the blonde again as she walks the red carpet of the 2025 AACTA awards, styled by Penny Hunt in a gorgeous pleated blue dress by L’Idee Woman. Essie Davis was nominated as supporting actress for her role in the Stan series Exposure (but lost to Deborah Mailman). Exposure was also nominated for best mini-series (but lost to Boy Swallows Universe). The AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Televisions Arts) celebrates every year the best of Australia’s screen industry.

Photo: Dan Peled

Apple Cider Vinegar now on Netflix

You can now watch all six episodes of Apple Cider Vinegar on Netflix ! The mini-series tells the true-ish story of Belle Gibson, one of Instagram’s earliest influencer who also happened to be a liar and grifter. Apple Cider Vinegar stars Kaitlyn Dever, Alycia Debnam-Carey, and Aisha Dee. Essie co-stars as Belle Gibson (Kaitlyn Dever)’s mother Natalie.

Essie Davis as Natalie in Netflix’s Apple Cider Vinegar

Take a look at the trailer for Apple Cider Vinegar below and check out our gallery for a peek at Essie’s scenes in the Netflix series :

Trailer for series Exposure

Exposure will premiere at the Sydney Film Festival on 15 June before being released on Stan on June 20. Non-Australian viewers without a VPN will have to wait a bit more, as international releases haven’t been announced yet. Exposure is a six part mini series created by Lucy Coleman, directed by Bonnie Moir, produced by Justin Kurzel, Shaun Grant, Nicole O’Donohue, and starring Alice Englert, Essie Davis, Mia Artemis, Thomas Weatherall, Thom Green, and Sean Keenan.

To tide you over, have a look at the trailer for Exposure, and check out the stills and screencaps already in our gallery.

One Day is on Netflix !

One Day began streaming worldwide on Netflix last week, on 8 February. Don’t miss it ! The limited series is adapted from David Nicholls’ bestselling romance novel. Follow Emma and Dexter on their fourteen years journey to love, and fall in love with Essie Davis as Alison Mayhew, aka Dexter’s mother, in a critically acclaimed performance (and we may be biased but we definitely think she was incredible !).

Visit our One Day gallery to see some stills and screencaps of Essie Davis / Alison Mayhew in the series (episodes 1, 2, 5 + 14). But if you haven’t watched the Netflix series yet, be prepared for some spoilers 😉

Photo: Matthew Towers

While talking about filming One Day with MovieWeb back in 2022, Essie praised the Netflix series and its cast :

“It’s really beautiful,” said Davis. “Ambika Mod [who plays Emma] is hilarious and genius, and Leo Woodall [who plays Dexter] is gorgeously deep. They’re two wonderful young actors that I just thought were outstanding. And the scripts are divine, each episode is just one year later in their lives. I play Dexter’s mother, the golden boy’s mother. So, Leo was my son, and mother and son have a really cool relationship. They’re a pretty awesome couple in themselves.”

Essie Davis for MovieWeb

New projects !

The Mercury just announced that we will soon be able to watch Essie in three new projects :

  • The Narrow Road to the Deep North : Justin Kurzel and Shaun Grant adapt Richard Flanagan’s novel. The mini-series follows Dorrigo Evans (Jacob Elordi) an Australian doctor and prisoner of war in 1943 Japan. The series also star Heather Mitchell, Simon Baker, and Essie Davis in yet undisclosed parts. The series should come out this year on Prime Video.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar : coming this year, the Netflix series tells the real life story of Belle Gibson (portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever), a wellness influencer whose empire crumbled after she faked an illness. Essie Davis co-stars with Alycia Debnam-Carey, Aisha Dee, Ashley Zukerman, and Mark Coles Smith, under the direction of Jeffrey Walker (Lambs of God, Modern Family).
  • Exposure : Bonnie Moir and Lucy Coleman are developing this six part mystery thriller for Stan. The mini-series deals with the aftermath of the death of photographer Jacs Gould’s best friend.

One Day trailer

Netflix released the first trailer for the upcoming series One Day, coming out on 8 February. The miniseries is adapted from David Nicholls’s romance novel. Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod star as the friends to lovers duo, with Essie Davis portraying Alison Mayhew, mother of Woodall’s Dexter.

Check out the first look at Essie’s character in One Day + the official Netfix trailer below, and tune in on 8 February !

Leo Woodall and Essie Davis as Dexter and Alison Mayhew in Netflix’s One Day
Photo : Matthew Towers

Alien series

Essie Davis was announced to be part of the cast for the upcoming FX series Alien. A prequel to Ridley Scott’s iconic film, Alien will also star Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther, Kit Young, Adarsh Gourav, and Timothy Olyphant. Fargo showrunner Noah Hawley is helming the series, with Ridley Scott producing.

The Hollywood Reporter shares that the Alien series will take place on Earth, in the future. Not much is known yet about the characters, including Essie Davis’ Dame Silvia.

The filming for Noah Hawley’s Alien was put on hold during the SAG AFTRA strike in 2023, but it resumed recently. Alien is expected to be available on FX on Hulu some time in 2025.

Thera book launch

Essie Davis and Bob Brown
Photo : Bob Brown Foundation

At an event in Hobart on 6 October, Essie launched Bob Brown’s book Thera. The novella is a love story set in a dystopian future where the Theran people come to Earth. Bob Brown’s goal with the Bob Brown Foundation and his various publications is to make us care about our planet and consider our future.

Thera is available for purchase on the Bob Brown Foundation website.

Nick McKim, Essie Davis, and Christine Milne at a rally with the Bob Brown Foundation in August 2023
Photo : Christine Milne

The Very Short Film Festival

Candid picture of a row of people watching the movie screen (not pictured). Essie Davis is sitting among them, smiling.
Source : The Very Short Film Festival’s website

Essie was a judge for the 2023 edition of the Tasmanian short film festival. On 26 May, she announced the winner of the Junior Category during the screening event at Spring Bay Mill.

You can watch Essie’s speech on our instagram page. For the whole event livestream, including all the nominated shorts (definitely worth a watch in our opinion !), visit the festival’s youtube channel.

Essie will also be a jury member for the 2024 VSFF! The festival will be held on 31 May 2024.

ph. alastair bett
ph. alastair bett

Follow The Very Short Film Festival on Instagram and Facebook for more info and updates.

No Stadium rally in Hobart

Essie Davis stands behind a microphone and in front of the Tasmanian Parliament building. She holds printed statements to read. Her reading glasses are on her hair, which is tied back. She is wearing a scarf and a blue coat.
📸 : screencap
A close-up of Essie behind the microphone. She smiles and looks over her shoulder, towards the photographer.
📸 : Loïc Le Guilly


On May 13th 2023, Essie attended a rally in Hobart in protest of the new planned AFL stadium. She was part of several thousands of people opposing the project asking that public funds be allocated to essential services instead.

At the rally, Essie read several statements from Tasmanian politicians who couldn’t attend the event. She also joined The Roberts Brothers in singing “stick your stadium up your bum” 😉 We’ve compiled some links below where you see Essie reading the statements or singing.
Brett Carter’s video
7News Melbourne
Tasmanian Inquirer
Bree Sanders’ video

Essie is at the podium talking. The podium is covered in a pelt and there is a big sign behind Davis that says "corruption and skullduggery since 1803".
📸 : Pulse Hobart