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Biography
One of Australia's most prolific and enduring performers and
all-round entertainer, Melissa Tkautz's career not only encompasses
film and television acting, but also includes modelling as well as
a triumphant singing career. In only 27 years, she has attracted
the level of success that would take most others an entire lifetime
to achieve. Born in 1974 in Sydney, Australia, Melissa began her
career at the age of 3, featuring in over one hundred and sixty
television commercials over five years, produced for both
Australian and international companies which include Qantas and
Cadbury. The Austrian/Maltese descended teenager made the natural
progression to television drama, taking on roles in Richmond Hill
and Home and Away as well as the acclaimed mini-series The Girl
From Tomorrow. After graduating from the Academy of Dramatic and
Social Arts in 1991, Melissa took on a starring role in E Street,
becoming a household name overnight with her appealing performance
as Nikki Spencer. Following her success on Australian TV, the
performer surprised the nation by signing a record contract with
Phantom Records. Her debut single 'Read My Lips' shot to number 1
on the charts and attained platinum sales in a matter of weeks. Her
second hit single 'Sexy Is The Word' reached gold sales, and the
artist was showered with accolades including ARIA awards for 'Most
Popular New Talent' and 'Most Popular Music Video' whilst touring
the country throughout 1992. By this time Melissa had become a
national phenomenon, gracing the covers of virtually every
newsstand magazine known including Vogue, Cosmopolitan, TV Week,
Smash Hits, Dolly and TV Hits, in which she was voted the 'Hottest
Woman on Earth'. Melissa returned to television screens in 1993
with a starring role in the series Paradise Beach and Echo Point
and in 1996 portrayed Bethany, a model who comes to terms with HIV
infection in the series Pacific Drive. In the same year, Melissa
appeared in various magazines including the highly reputed photo
journal Black and White, and featured on the cover of both
Australian Playboy and the premiere issue of Ralph. She continued
to appear in magazines such as Australian Swimsuit and FHM before
taking on her first feature role in the motion picture 'Game Room'
which was completed in 1998. In 1999, Melissa was flown to Barbados
by FHM UK for a photo shoot, and in that same year featured in the
Australian FHM calendar as well as performing covergirl duties for
the second anniversary issue of Ralph. As well, Melissa graced
North American television screens in a guest role for the hit US
series Beastmaster. The celebrity's dazzling looks were in demand
for the Myer Intimacy Apparel Parade in Melbourne as well as the
Wella ADC Mercedes Australian Fashion Week both in 2001. And
recently, Melissa went before the cameras for a guest role in the
Channel Seven drama 'All Saints'. With so much already
accomplished, Melissa Tkautz promises to excel in her established
fields, and has proven time and again that she is nothing short of
being equal to the task.
Biography courtesy of the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com).
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Melissa Tkautz
