Phoebe Tonkin bio, age, relationship, net worth, height, boyfriend 2025

Biography of Phoebe Tonkin

Phoebe Tonkin is an Australian actress and model. She shot to fame playing a captivating mermaid in the teen hit "H2O: Just Add Water" and later brought a fierce werewolf to life in "The Vampire Diaries."

Childhood

Phoebe Jane Elizabeth Tonkin was born in 1989 in Sydney to parents Janny and Nicholas Tonkin and showed creative flair from day one. By age four, she was already hooked on dance, diving into everything from ballet and tap to hip-hop and street dance.

Phoebe later developed an interest in theater. Though she was incredibly shy as a kid, the stage became her safe space to break out of her shell. 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. There, she built a rock-solid acting foundation through a program that covered everything from classical literature and performance skills to music and even circus arts.

Phoebe was a student at Queenwood School for Girls in Balmoral, known for its strong drama department. Tonkin cut her teeth on stage, performing annually at the school's Shakespeare festival and snagging first place for her starring role in "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Acting Career

Landing a role in "H2O: Just Add Water" in 2005 proved to be Phoebe Tonkin's breakthrough moment: she nailed just her second audition ever, scored the lead role of Cleo Sertori, and made her television debut. The show about three girls who transform into mermaids when they touch water became a fan favorite and even snagged the Nickelodeon Award for Best Dramatic TV Show in 2008.

Phoebe Tonkin in the series 'H2O: Just Add Water'

In 2011, Phoebe landed a role in "The Secret Circle," based on L.J. Smith's novel of the same name. 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 started exploring modeling. Her striking looks and tall frame helped her quickly gain traction in the industry, scoring a contract with modeling agency Chic Management in 2012.

H2O: Just Add Water - Phoebe Tonkin behind the scenes

Despite her modeling success, Phoebe kept pursuing 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'

The show, centered on a love triangle between a young girl and two vampire brothers, became part of the supernatural craze alongside hits like the "Twilight" saga starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.

Phoebe Tonkin on the set of 'The Originals'

Phoebe's werewolf character Hayley Marshall became such a fan favorite that her storyline carried over into "The Vampire Diaries" spin-off "The Originals" in fall 2013. The fifth and final season aired in the summer of 2018. The actress has said the cast, including Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Charles Michael Davis, and other stars, became 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."

In 2018, Phoebe joined the cast of the Australian miniseries "Safe Harbour," following six friends' adventures on the open sea. 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

Early in her career (2006-2008), Phoebe Tonkin had a two-year romance with "Harry Potter" star Tom Felton. In 2011, she dated Ed Westwick.

In her youth, Phoebe Tonkin dated Tom Felton

In 2013, Tonkin began dating her "The Vampire Diaries" co-star Paul Wesley. The couple broke up three years later, but during filming of "The Originals" fourth season, rumors swirled about them getting back together. But by summer 2018, paparazzi caught Paul on a date with another woman.

Since 2020, Phoebe has been dating musician and actor Alex Greenwald, who is ten years her senior.

Phoebe Tonkin Now

In 2023, the feature-length horror film "Night Shift" was released with Phoebe Tonkin in the lead role. She plays Gwen Taylor, a motel employee who on her very first shift starts suspecting that people from her past are hunting her—and that the motel is haunted. 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 explained after researching similar families before filming.

Photos: Phoebe Tonkin

Biography of Phoebe Tonkin

Childhood

Acting Career

Phoebe Tonkin's Personal Life

Phoebe Tonkin Now