Phoebe Tonkin is an Australian actress and model. She gained fame for her role as a charming mermaid in the teen series "H2O: Just Add Water" and for her vivid portrayal of a werewolf in the drama series "The Vampire Diaries".
Actress Phoebe Tonkin
Childhood
Phoebe Jane Elizabeth Tonkin was born in 1989 in Sydney to parents Janny and Nicholas Tonkin and showed her creative potential from an early age. At the age of four, she became fascinated with dancing, trying out genres such as ballet, tap, hip-hop, and street dance.
Phoebe Tonkin in childhood
Phoebe later developed an interest in theater. She was a very shy child, and the stage helped her open up and overcome her insecurities. Starting at age 12, she attended courses at the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) and later studied at the Wharf Theatre's youth studio. Here, the future actress received a solid acting foundation: the program included classical literature studies, acting skills, music lessons, and even circus arts.
Phoebe Tonkin in her youth
Phoebe was a student at Queenwood School for Girls in Balmoral, known for its strong drama department. Tonkin first tried her hand at acting on stage: she performed every year at the traditional William Shakespeare festival, and for her leading role in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," she was awarded first place.
Acting Career
Phoebe Tonkin's casting in the series "H2O: Just Add Water" in 2005 was a lucky break for her acting career: Tonkin passed her second audition ever, won the lead role of Cleo Sertori, and appeared on television for the first time. The series about three girls who turn into mermaids upon contact with water was beloved by audiences and even won the Nickelodeon Award for Best Dramatic TV Show in 2008.
Phoebe Tonkin in the series 'H2O: Just Add Water'
In 2011, Phoebe successfully auditioned for the series "The Secret Circle," based on the novel of the same name by L.J. Smith. Britt Robertson and Shelley Hennig starred, but Phoebe's portrayal of the eccentric witch Faye captivated the hearts of the show's fans just as much.
Phoebe Tonkin in the series 'The Secret Circle'
Around the same time, Tonkin began trying herself out as a model. Her attractive appearance and tall stature allowed her to quickly make strides in the business, landing a contract with the modeling agency Chic Management in 2012.
H2O: Just Add Water - Phoebe Tonkin behind the scenes
Despite success in the modeling industry, Phoebe continued to participate in television projects: in 2012, she joined the cast of the fourth season of the popular series "The Vampire Diaries," another adaptation of L.J. Smith's books.
Phoebe Tonkin on the set of 'The Vampire Diaries'
This project, centered on a love triangle between a young girl and two vampire brothers, joined the ranks of popular supernatural films of the time, such as the "Twilight" saga starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.
Phoebe Tonkin on the set of 'The Originals'
Phoebe, who played the werewolf Hayley Marshall, was so beloved by viewers that her character's storyline was included in the plot of "The Vampire Diaries" spin-off series "The Originals" in the fall of 2013. The fifth and final season aired in the summer of 2018. The actress confessed that the cast, including Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Charles Michael Davis, and other stars, had become like a second family to her.
The Originals: Phoebe Tonkin's On Set Tour
Phoebe also appeared in series such as "The Affair" and "Stalker," played Penny in the third season of "Westworld," and landed one of the central roles in the British thriller "Billionaire Ransom."
Phoebe Tonkin in the series 'Westworld'
In 2018, the first season of the Australian miniseries "Safe Harbour," about the adventures of six friends in the open sea, was released with Phoebe Tonkin among the cast. That same year, the horror short film "Final Stop," starring Tonkin in the lead role, was released.
'Final Stop' starred Phoebe Tonkin
In 2019, Phoebe became the star of the Australian series "Bloom," a story about a mysterious plant that can restore youth. Speaking about her character Gwen, the actress said:
She's been struggling with dementia for five years and has lost a lot of her memory... She went through a lot when she was young and was torn between two men she deeply loved.
Phoebe Tonkin's Personal Life
At the beginning of her career (from 2006 to 2008), Phoebe Tonkin was in a two-year romantic relationship with "Harry Potter" star Tom Felton. In 2011, she dated Ed Westwick.
In her youth, Phoebe Tonkin dated Tom Felton
In 2013, Tonkin started a romance with her "The Vampire Diaries" co-star Paul Wesley. The couple split three years later, but during the filming of the fourth season of "The Originals," rumors surfaced in the media about them rekindling their relationship. However, in the summer of 2018, paparazzi spotted Paul on a date with an unidentified woman.
Phoebe Tonkin and Paul Wesley
Since 2020, Phoebe has been dating musician and actor Alex Greenwald, who is ten years her senior.
Phoebe Tonkin and Alex Greenwald
Phoebe Tonkin Now
In 2023, the feature-length horror film "Night Shift" was released with Phoebe Tonkin in the lead role. She portrays Gwen Taylor, a motel employee who, on her very first shift, begins to suspect that people from her past are hunting her, and that ghosts inhabit the motel. That same year, audiences highly praised her duo with Sam Worthington in the Australian action film "Transfusion."
Phoebe Tonkin on the set of 'Night Shift'
At the beginning of 2024, the Australian miniseries "Boy Swallows Universe" premiered on Netflix. Phoebe played Frankie, a former drug-dependent young mother of two boys. “She had a traumatic upbringing and is just trying her best with what she has. She doesn’t always get it right, but she loves her kids deeply,” the actress shared, having collected many stories about similar families before filming began.
