Chelsie Preston Crayford Wins Prestige Australian Award

New Zealand actress Chelsie Preston Crayford won the Best Supporting Actress award at the AACTA Awards, presented in Sydney last night.

Preston Crayford’s award is for her portrayal of Sophie Walsh, Australian Government Head of Communications, in the ABC1 hit series THE CODE, which led the awards in Television, also picking up best series, best director, best actor, best editor and best compos

Preston Crayford wore a turquoise Kate Sylvester gown and was accompanied by her partner Ray Edwards and her parents, composer Jonathan Crayford and filmmaker Gaylene Preston.

"It's overwhelming to be honored in a room full of people I've looked up to for so long. It's been a blessing to be involved in this production and I couldn't be prouder of the show tonight" she said.

THE CODE is a 6-part political thriller written by Shelley Birse and Directed by Shawn Seet. Other cast members include David Wenham, Lucy Lawless, Aden Young and Adam Garcia.

THE CODE screened on BBC Four in the UK last year. The series will also be shown on DirecTV’s Audience Network in the US, SundanceTV in Latin America, Denmark’s DR, Arte in both France and Germany, RUV in Iceland and ARTV in Canada.

Preston Crayford is well known to Australian audiences, having won the Graham Kennedy Logie Award for most Outstanding new talent in 2012 for her portrayal of notorious Kings Cross madam Tilly Devine in UNDERBELLY RAZOR.

She has also been busy on the other side of the camera. Her directorial debut, the short film HERE NOW, premiered in competition at the New Zealand International Film Festival, and was a finalist in the best actress category of the Academy Award accredited Show Me Shorts Festival in 2013

Her theatre work includes CARNIVAL OF SOULS for the Sydney Arts Festival, THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, and her own play BROKEN CHINA for the Basement Theatre in Auckland. She most recently played Harper Pitt in Silo Theatre’s production of ANGELS IN AMERICA, directed by Shane Bosher.