Abbie Cornish is an Australian actress and rapper (performing under the name Dusk) who is best known for her critically acclaimed performances in independent dramas and her roles in major Hollywood blockbusters. With a career that spans over two decades, she gained international recognition for her work in Somersault, Bright Star, and Limitless, establishing herself as a talented and versatile performer in both Australian and American cinema.
Listen to an introduction about Abbie Cornish
Name: Abbie Cornish
Date of Birth: August 7, 1982
Height: 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Place of Birth: Lochinvar, New South Wales, Australia
Family:
- Father: Barry Cornish. He ran a recycling business.
- Mother: Shelley Cornish. She was a hobby photographer.
- Spouse: Adel Altamimi (Fiancé). He is an Iraqi-born American mixed martial artist (MMA) and coach. They got engaged in 2019.
- Children: None.
- Siblings: She has four siblings, including a younger sister, Isabelle Cornish, who is also a well-known actress. Her other siblings are Jade, Hayden, and Zac.
Profession: Actress, Rapper (as Dusk)
Nationality: Australian
College or University Attended: St Paul’s College, Walla Walla (High School). She did not attend university, as she began her acting career at age 13 and moved to Sydney at 16 to pursue it professionally.
Biography and What Famous For:
Abbie Cornish grew up on a 70-hectare farm in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales. A vegetarian since the age of 13, she began modeling and acting in her early teens. Her early career was marked by appearances in Australian television shows like Wildside and Outriders.
She became famous in Australia with her breakthrough lead role in the 2004 film Somersault. Her portrayal of a runaway teenager earned her the Australian Film Institute (AFI) Award for Best Actress, and the film famously swept all 13 categories at the awards. This performance put her on the international radar.
Cornish gained wider global fame for her roles alongside Heath Ledger in the gritty drama Candy (2006) and for her portrayal of Fanny Brawne in Jane Campion’s period drama Bright Star (2009), which earned her critical praise and award nominations.
She successfully transitioned to Hollywood blockbusters, starring in films such as Sucker Punch (2011), Limitless (2011) opposite Bradley Cooper, and the reboot of RoboCop (2014). More recently, she appeared in the critically acclaimed Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) and starred as Cathy Mueller in the Amazon Prime series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.
Aside from acting, Cornish is famous for her music career under the rap alias “Dusk,” having toured as a support act for American rapper Nas in Australia.
Career Highlights:
Films:
- The Monkey’s Mask (2000) – Role: Mickey Norris
- Somersault (2004) – Role: Heidi
- Candy (2006) – Role: Candy
- A Good Year (2006) – Role: Christie Roberts
- Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) – Role: Bess Throckmorton
- Stop-Loss (2008) – Role: Michelle
- Bright Star (2009) – Role: Fanny Brawne
- Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010) – Voice: Otulissa
- Limitless (2011) – Role: Lindy
- Sucker Punch (2011) – Role: Sweet Pea
- W.E. (2011) – Role: Wally Winthrop
- Seven Psychopaths (2012) – Role: Kaya
- RoboCop (2014) – Role: Clara Murphy
- Solace (2015) – Role: Agent Katherine Cowles
- Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) – Role: Anne Willoughby
- Geostorm (2017) – Role: Sarah Wilson
- Where Hands Touch (2018) – Role: Kerstin
- Blackout (2022) – Role: Anna
Television:
- Wildside (1997–1999) – Role: Simone Summers
- Outriders (2001) – Role: Reggie McDowell
- Klondike (2014) – Role: Belinda Mulrooney (Miniseries)
- Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (2018; 2023) – Role: Cathy Mueller
- Secret Bridesmaids’ Business (2019) – Role: Melanie Heyward
Awards and Accomplishments:
- Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards: Best Lead Actress (for Somersault, 2004).
- Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards: Best Actress (for Candy, 2006).
- Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture (for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, 2018).
- British Independent Film Awards: Nominated for Best Actress (for Bright Star, 2009).
