Miah Madden doesn’t speak of acting as a career choice, but rather as an innate calling, a powerful current that has swept her along since childhood. Her journey began at the tender age of eight with her first professional gig, and by nine, she was already immersed in the acclaimed production of The Sapphires. “I don’t really remember life before acting,” she admits, reflecting on her early immersion into the craft. There was no grand declaration of intent, no meticulous five-year plan. Instead, opportunity presented itself, and Miah recognised an immediate and profound connection. “The Sapphires sort of just fell into my hands,” she explains, “and from there, I knew. I was like, this is something that I really, really gravitate towards.”
Her debut in The Sapphires placed her in the company of established Indigenous creatives, including Deborah Mailman and Jessica Mauboy, at an age when most children are navigating the complexities of primary school. For Miah, this wasn’t merely entering a workplace; it felt akin to stepping into a living archive. “It was incredible having those people that I already looked up to be role models for me in that space,” she shares. “I’ve always been somebody who has just always wanted to sit down with older people and hear the wisdom and just absorb everything that I can. So I really gravitated towards working on set when I was young.”
This formative experience on set shaped her far beyond technical skills. “It was the first time I was surrounded by other incredible Indigenous creatives, and I felt like my presence was so valued,” she reflects. “And I think that gave me a lot of self-worth at a young age to be like, okay, I can walk into a room and I can tell my story about what I’ve gone through in my early life and what my grandparents have gone through.” For Miah, storytelling is intrinsically linked to legacy. As a proud Indigenous woman, she speaks of the profound “intergenerational connected story that us as Indigenous people have” – a rich lineage of experience that deeply informs her approach to every role. The self-assurance she discovered on that early set has remained a constant companion throughout her career.
Miah’s sister, Madeleine Madden, is also a highly accomplished actor. Daughter of community activist Lee Madden and renowned art curator Hetti Perkins, Madeleine has an impressive portfolio, featuring roles in high-profile projects such as Amazon Prime’s The Wheel of Time, Picnic at Hanging Rock, and Redfern Now. Her Hollywood debut came in 2019 with the Nickelodeon film Dora and the Lost City of Gold. Having family in the same industry provides Miah with immense comfort, even though they’ve only worked together once in fifteen years.
A Sister’s Support System
“It’s so great knowing that anything I’m going through or anything that I’m struggling with, she has most likely had to go through as well,” Miah shares. “She’s just a really incredible support person to have and to just like flesh out, okay, have you worked with this person, or what’s the vibe of this production company, or what can I expect meeting this casting director? Things that you might think about asking somebody else, but with your sister, you can just talk candidly and be honest.”
“And I think as women in the industry, it’s really important to have that person and the fact that we have each other, it just feels really safe. So it’s great.”
Navigating the Transition
However, growing up in the spotlight presented its own set of challenges. The transition from child actor to adult performer is notoriously difficult, a hurdle Miah readily acknowledges. “I took work so seriously because it was really something that I clung onto,” she says. “I could kind of understand that it was a really special space and it was a privilege to be there, and I didn’t want that to go away.” Even as a teenager, she exhibited a strong sense of professionalism. “I was probably quite hard on myself for wanting to be professional and not do irrational things.” She laughs lightly at the memory, but there’s an underlying resolve. Her “very type A” personality meant she often had “my whole life planned before I could really, you know, understand the way of the world.”
Yet, she learned that adulthood on set also demanded something else: life experience. “Making time for me, Miah, to go and live life. Time for me to go and be a fully fledged human being that has gone and had experiences and things… I think that’s been the biggest thing.”
Embracing New Challenges
As her career has evolved, so has the scope and complexity of her roles. In Paper Dolls, she took on one of her most demanding characters to date. “Singing, acting, dancing,” she lists. “The acting storyline was, you know, really intense with that character and the singing. I’m not a singer, and then the dancing… like we were doing rehearsals a lot of time.” It was an exhilarating, albeit exhausting, experience. “It was the perfect job to do at that time of my life,” she says. “And I’m proud of myself for going into that. But it was definitely the biggest challenge that I’ve had to juggle.”
Beyond the demanding choreography and vocal coaching, the role carried a significant responsibility. The series, set in the 1990s music industry, delves into the treatment of women during that era. “It was a different time for women in the music industry back then,” Miah observes. “And unfortunately, it’s not that different now, and it should be.”
Beyond the Drama: Play School and Advocacy
While Miah excels in dramatic roles, her career also boasts a beloved chapter in children’s television. She holds the distinction of being the youngest-ever presenter on Play School, a role she embraced at just 19. “I actually love it,” she says brightly. “I loved Play School. So going into that, I was like, my God, this is like perfect.”
Children’s television offers a distinct rhythm – lighter, yet no less meaningful. “They also tackle really important themes,” she notes. “Like we just did an episode on like allyship and what it means to be a good friend to people who have all different types of needs.” Although her creative inclinations lean towards drama, her broader passions are deeply intertwined with education and advocacy. “I study law, I’m super passionate about closing the gap, and I think that education is the most crucial thing that we need to focus on for the next generation,” she states. “It is awareness, and it is health, and it is safety, and it all comes from the education access that you have.”
For Miah, film itself serves as a potent tool for education. “Somebody who might not care about Indigenous perspectives might turn on the TV and might just watch this show or film, and suddenly they walk away with a different perspective that they had before,” she explains. “I think it is a really sort of great minor way of bridging an education gap and developing compassion and empathy.”
Authenticity and Representation
Representation, she firmly believes, must be approached with meticulous care. “If it’s a bunch of non-Indigenous people writing a story about only Indigenous people, then we need to figure out what we’re doing,” she says plainly. Authenticity, she asserts, begins behind the scenes. This sense of responsibility extends to projects like Netflix’s upcoming My Brilliant Career, where she was involved in a reimagining that thoughtfully integrates Indigenous perspectives into a classic 1890s narrative. “There were Indigenous people, very much so,” she confirms. “And they always were there.” The opportunity to weave those voices into historical narratives, she felt, was a “great liberty.”
Grounding in Country and Community
Away from the set, Miah reconnects with grounding rituals that anchor her to family and Country. “I spend a lot of time with my elders, with community, on country, that keeps me present,” she shares. One of her most cherished places is Bundjalung Country in the Northern Rivers, the ancestral home of her grandmother. “Being up there really makes time feel like it’s paused.”
In these moments of stillness, she disconnects from her phone, immerses herself in reading, practices yoga, and even takes up knitting. “I’m like 80 years old,” she jokes. “I knit, play chess, do the crossword, and read a book.” It is perhaps this very stillness that fuels her forward momentum.
Advice to Her Younger Self
If she could offer a piece of advice to her younger self, it would be simple: “To be more present in spaces where you’re always worried about the next job,” she says. “If you just sit there and you just enjoy the job that you’re on for that time.” In an industry perpetually focused on what lies ahead, Miah Madden is choosing to ground herself in the present, in legacy, in community, and in the power of story. As a vital part of this new generation of leading ladies, she is not just inheriting Australia’s screen history; she is actively shaping its future.
