Deborah Mailman has been inducted into the Logie Hall of Fame, becoming the first Indigenous person ever to receive the honour and only the sixth woman in the award's history.
The Bidjara and Ngāti Porou Te Arawa actor was celebrated at Saturday night's ceremony, with luminaries including Rachel Perkins, Cate Blanchett and Miranda Tapsell lining up to pay tribute to a career spanning several decades, including roles in Total Control, Redfern Now, Mystery Road and many others.
Mailman said she was "overwhelmed with pride" to be the first Aboriginal person to receive the honour.
"And as I look around the room, I'm so thrilled to see so many of our mob being celebrated, and in particular the nomination for Noongar Yamatji Eloise, the youngest ever.
"To all who've been with me sharing these stories I've been part of for 30 years — thank you for watching."
Mailman has won more awards for outstanding actress than any other person in Australian television history.
A QUT graduate, she drew attention with roles in Shakespeare productions before moving to the screen.
Producers of the Channel 10 series The Secret Life of Us were reportedly on the hunt for an actor who "should be a star but isn't" when they cast her. Their intentions were realised, with her role on the show as Kelly Lewis, for which she picked up several awards, making her a nationally recognisable figure.
"It's an amazing feeling, it's been so wonderful," Mailman told NITV before the ceremony.
"To have my work celebrated in this way means so much to me. It's also an acknowledgement of the people who have gone before me, who made this work possible for someone like me to do."
Accepting her award, Mailman reflected on Country and family.
"It's wonderful to be here on Gadigal Country," she said, before speaking about growing up on Bidjara Country and taking up drama at Kalkadoon High School to confront a shy nature.
"I'm Bidjara, Ngāti Porou, Te Arawa. This is for my mum and dad … My dad, Wally Mailman, was a stockman and champion rodeo rider, and my mum, Jane Pahau, she's from Aotearoa.
"I was born in Mt Isa … and whenever I would get that 24-hour bus from Brisbane back home, they were always waiting for me."
Record night for Indigenous representation
Mailman's induction came on a stellar night that also saw the most Indigenous nominees in Logies history.
Whadjuk Wardandi Noongar woman Lila McGuire took home the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent for her portrayal of tennis great Evonne Goolagong on the ABC.
She was up against fellow Indigenous nominees, Bundjalung and Lamalama woman Tamala, and young Yamatji and Noongar performer Eloise Hart.
Speaking before her win, McGuire told NITV she was "incredibly honoured" by the nomination.
"[I'm] so proud that Goolagong and Evonne's story is getting the recognition it deserves. It's so surreal. I can't believe it's real."
Tiwi Islands actor Rob Collins, part of the cast of best drama winner RFDS, spoke about what it meant to see strong Indigenous representation on the night.
"It's a relief," Collins said. "Don't tell anyone, but these places, they can feel a bit — what's the word — gammon? Actually, I shouldn't have said that, I love tonight! But when mob represent, it feels like family."
Collins was nominated alongside Mark Coles Smith and Hunter Page-Lochard for the Silver Logie for Best Lead Actor in a Drama, with the award going to the late Sam Neill.
In the Best Lead Actress in a Drama category, Yued and Wiilman Noongar woman Tuuli Narkle won the Silver Logie for her role in Mystery Road: Origin on the ABC.
Noongar and Yamatji actor Clarence Ryan and Kamilaroi actor Thomas Weatherall were both nominated for Best Supporting Actor, with the award going to Simon Baker for The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
SBS and NITV also featured on the night, with Claudia Karvan winning Best Supporting Actress for her role in Homebodies. NITV's children's program Dreaming Big was also nominated for Best Children's Program, losing out to Play School.
Larrakia and Tiwi woman Miranda Tapsell reflected on the significance of the night.
"It's huge tonight because Debs' induction into the Hall of Fame — first Indigenous person to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, so it's massive. Also Lila McGuire, Mark Coles Smith, Rob Collins — it's a blackout!
"I just think, with everything that's going on in the world right now, we shouldn't stop making our stories and involving Aboriginal people in mainstream TV."
