Biography

Pamela Rabe

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Pamela Rabe was born in Ontario, Canada. Pamela is an actress who is best known for many of her roles on TV and has devoted most of her career to the stage. Pamela's most known roles are Mercury (1996), The Secret Life of Us (2001), F*%#Ing Adelaide (2017) and as one of TVs most famous characters, joining the TV series Wentworth (2013) as Joan 'The Freak' Ferguson in season 2 of the award winning drama which earned Rabe a Logie Award in 2018.

Rabe is a long standing contributor to both the Sydney and Melbourne Theatre Companies, serving as director and actor in many plays. Rabe once spent 8 hours in a sole performance of Woman-Bomb. Rabe has also won numerous Helpmann Awards during her time in theatre.
- IMDb mini biography by: PhaseItIn

Has done extensive work on theatre and even Wentworth cast members were amazed with how well she took on the role of Joan "The Freak" Ferguson as it was a once in a lifetime role.
[September 2005] She was one of 12 actors who were offered exclusive two-year contracts by the Sydney Theatre Company to be known as the Actors Company. The other actors also offered contracts are: Deborah Mailman, John Gaden, Marta Dusseldorp, Peter Carroll, Dan Spielman, Brandon Burke, Eden Falk, Marco Chiappi and Hayley McElhinney.
Good friends with Maggie Kirkpatrick as the two worked together in theatre productions, and Kirkpatrick even told Rabe to go for the role of Joan Ferguson in Wentworth (2013).
Once performed a solo eight hour performance in the Sydney Theatre Company run of 'Woman Bomb'.
Rabe was awarded an AM for services to the arts in 2023.

I've done some film and TV in my career, but most of my career has been devoted to stage work.
Discussing 'The Freak' and Maggie Kirkpatrick's legacy to the character: I would have to honour her creation, but also not be a betrayal to this enormous following that Kirkpatrick had. It was a bit touch-and-go whether people were going to go with it.
About Wentworth: These are strong stories for strong women.
They gave me such constant gifts. You could almost hear the writers room quivering with glee as they come up with some of those things.
The nature of villainy is that it is complex. And I was relishing the opportunity to be unleashed on The Freak.