Michala Elizabeth Laurinda Banas (born 14 November 1978) is a New Zealand television actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Marissa Taylor in Always Greener and as Kate Manfredi in McLeod's Daughters.
Early life Banas was born in Wellington, New Zealand, one of three children, including brothers Leon and Alexis, to award-winning screenwriter and director John Banas, who has written scripts for series such as Blue Heelers and Water Rats. She is of New Zealand, English, Scottish and German descent.
Banas starred in her first television advertisement at only 18 months of age, playing the part of a kiwi in a Labour Party election campaign ad. She became interested in acting at a young age, when her father took her to theatre rehearsals with him. She also studied ballet for a short period, and took piano lessons from a cabaret singer, learning to play by ear.
Banas moved to Australia with her family at age 10, when her father decided to seek directing work there. She undertook her final two years of high school at a private girls' school in Queensland. She decided not to attend university, opting instead to move to Melbourne to pursue acting as a career.
Career Banas' first film performance was at the age of five, in 1986 New Zealand action film Dangerous Orphans. She made her Australian debut as Louisa Iredale in the miniseries Mirror, Mirror in 1995, which saw her nominated for Best Young Actress at the New Zealand Television Awards in 1996.
After guesting in several television series, including Good Guys, Bad Guys, State Coroner, Murder Call, and Blue Heelers, Banas played recurring roles in 2000 as Ariel in children's comedy series Round the Twist and Angela O'Connor in Something in the Air. After five years in Melbourne, she relocated to Sydney when she landed her first major role as rebellious teenager Marissa Taylor in Seven Network drama series Always Greener in 2001, alongside John Howard and Anne Tenney. She played the role for two seasons until the show's cancellation in 2003. During this time, she also had a small role in the 2002 film adaptation of Scooby-Doo, featuring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr.
Banas is an accomplished singer, and in 2003 released a country-pop single, "Kissin' The Wind", written by Meredith Brooks, which made the top 30 on the Australian Recording Industry Association singles chart.
In 2004, Banas joined the cast of McLeod's Daughters as the character Kate Manfredi, former school friend of Jodi Fountain McLeod, why began working as a farmhand. She played the role until 2008, choosing to leave the series just before it was announced that it would be the show's last season. From November 2008, with only two days notice, she then took over the role of Libby Kennedy on the Australian soap opera Neighbours for a five-week period, after Kym Valentine was forced to take a temporary break due to illness.
In 2009, Banas filled in for Fox FM's Jo Stanley on The Matt and Jo Show, while Stanley was on maternity leave. Banas made her stage debut in the Broadway musical comedy Avenue Q in 2009, her performance earning her a Helpmann Award, She has since starred on stage in several productions for Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) and is the co-artistic director of independent theatre company The KIN Collective. Banas was one of three celebrity faces endorsing Proactiv skincare in Australia and New Zealand.
From 2011 to 2012, Banas had a recurring guest role as Tiffany Turner on the drama series Winners & Losers and a supporting role in ABC3 teen drama Nowhere Boys as Phoebe. In 2012, she appeared alongside Lachy Hulme and Shane Jacobson as Carolyn Russell in 2012 TV movie Beaconsfield, the true story of the Beaconsfield Mine collapse. The following year, she began a three-season run, starring opposite Robyn Nevin as Amber Wheeler in ABC comedy series Upper Middle Bogan.
From 2014 to 2015, Banas appeared on the panel for several episodes of comedy game show Have You Been Paying Attention?
In 2019, Banas played the role of Jesse in drama miniseries Bad Mothers, alongside Melissa George, Mandy McElhinney and Jessica Tovey. That same year, she trained as an Intimacy Coordinator in the UK under Ita O'Brien, after which time she began working in the field for screen and stage projects. At this time, she was one of only three Intimacy Coordinators working in Australian film and television. In June 2019, it was announced that Banas would appear in the sitcom Fam Time, which was originally intended to broadcast on the Seven Network in 2020. The series, however, was indefinitely shelved until June 2024, when it was announced it would be released on 7plus on 11 July 2024. She played the role of Belinda Box.
In 2020, Banas joined the cast of Halifax: Retribution, the miniseries reboot of 90s drama series Halifax f.p., appearing alongside Rebecca Gibney, as Detective Erin Riley, who returns to work after taking time out to have a child. That same year, she played the role of Pearl in children's series Larry the Wonderpup.
After an appearance in 2022 miniseries Joe vs. Carole, based on the story of Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin of Tiger King fame, Banas appeared in ABC's teen drama miniseries Turn Up the Volume and western comedy miniseries Gold Diggers, both in 2023. She then joined broadcaster Jo Stanley in the women-led radio station Broad Radio, as a co-host, on 23 September 2024.
In 2025, Banas had a role opposite Liam Neeson in action adventure film Ice Road: Vengeance. She also wrote and starred alongside her father in short film Packed Away, which also marked her directorial debut. The film screened at St Kilda Short Film Festival and Flickerfest and was a finalist for Best Short Film in the 2025 CinefestOZ Short Film Competition. That same year, she was named as co-lead in new New Zealand crime series Blue Murder Motel. The series, which premiered in March 2026, saw her reunited with former Neighbours and McLeod's Daughters on-screen partner Brett Tucker, playing detective spouse duo, Vanessa 'Vinny' and Peter 'Cole' Coleman, respectively.
Personal life Banas married Kade Greenland in January 2014 after dating for two years, but the pair split in December of the same year, after being married for only 11 months.
After dating for three-and-a-half years, Banas married actor Toby Truslove in June 2019, eloping in New York's Central Park. The pair had not previously announced their engagement publicly.
Banas is an ambassador for Kidney Health Australia. As a child, she suffered from recurrent urinary tract infections for the first six years of her life, after which doctors discovered she had been born with a kidney defect. She subsequently had her left kidney removed.
Banas became an Australian citizen in 2024. Her father, screenwriter and director John Banas, unexpectedly died at the end of 2025.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes Ref 1985 Dangerous Orphans Anna Hanna 2002 Scooby-Doo Carol 2003 Ned Muffy 2009 Eeny Meeny Miny Moe Self Short film 2010 The Colours of Home Karen Short film 2013 Half Way Chantelle Short film 2015 Sweatshop Tina DiMasio Short film2016 Nowhere Boys: The Book of Shadows Phoebe Limited Time Only Karen Short film 2017 Speaking Daggers Isabella Short film Superheroes Olivia Animated short film 2018 That's Not My Dog! Michala For Your Sins Jonnie Short film 2019 The Show Must Go On Self Documentary filmAlso associate producer / story consultant 2020 Hopscotch Sarah Short film The Test Jo Short film 2021 Breathe Claudia Short film2023 Run Rabbit Run Alice Breaths Teach Me How to Cry Alex Short film Ashes Tanya Short film 2025 Ice Road: Vengeance V.A. Psychiatrist 2026 Packed Away Em Short filmAlso director / writer / executive producer
Television
Year Title Role Notes Ref 1995 Mirror, Mirror Louisa Iredale Regular role 1998 State Coroner Zoe Martin 2 episodes Good Guys, Bad Guys Kirsty 1 episode 1999 Murder Call Kylie McDonald Episode: "Cut & Dried" Flipper Karen Episode: "Spring Break" Blue Heelers Tara Bruckner Episode: "Winning at All Costs" 2000 Blue Heelers Michaela Brady Episode: "Leg Work" Renata Episode: "Unnatural Selection" 2000–2001 Something in the Air Angela O'Connor 11 episodes 2001 The Saddle Club Shoshonna Greene Episode: "Star Quality" Round the Twist Ariel Regular role BeastMaster Loriel Episode: "Mydoro" 2001–2003 Always Greener Marissa Taylor Main role 2004–2008 McLeod's Daughters Kate Manfredi Main role (seasons 4–8) 2008 The Mansion Megan McKean 1 episode Neighbours Libby Kennedy 18 episodes 2011–2016 Winners & Losers Tiffany Turner 16 episodes 2012 Beaconsfield Carolyn Russell TV movie 2013–2015 Nowhere Boys Phoebe Recurring role (seasons 1–2) 2013–2016Upper Middle Bogan Amber Wheeler Main role 2014 Party Tricks Tanya Keegan 1 episode Sam Fox: Extreme Adventures Cooper 1 episode 2015 Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Enid Shannon 1 episode 2016 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Joyce Ellis 1 episode Luke Warm Sex HPV 1 episode 2015; 2017 Shakespeare Republic Phebe / Hamlet Web series, 2 episodes 2018 True Story with Hamish & Andy Faye 1 episode 2019 Get Krack!n Rose Bailey 1 episode Bad Mothers Jesse 4 episodes 2020 Halifax: Retribution Erin Miniseries, 4 episodes Larry the Wonderpup Pearl 8 episodes 2020 AussieWood Jimmy Morricone 2021 Ms Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries Pauline Moore 1 episode 2022 Joe vs. Carole Dr. Hernandez Miniseries, 1 episode 2023 Turn Up the Volume Mish Miniseries, 5 episodes Gold Diggers Tippy Miniseries, 6 episodes 2023–2024 Spooky Files Olympia Papadimitriou 3 episodes 2024 Fam Time Belinda Box 6 episodes A Remarkable Place to Die Kylie Shorrock 1 episode 2026 Blue Murder Motel Vanessa 'Vinny' Coleman 9 episodes Till the Boys Come Home Katherine In development
Radio Year Title Role Notes Ref 2024–present Broad Radio Self / Co-Host
Theatre
As performer YearTitleRoleNotesRef 2009–2010 Avenue Q Kate Monster / Lucy T Slut Australian national tour 2013 The Haunting of Daniel Gartrell Daughter Lismore City Hall with NORPA 2015 Birdland Annalisa / Luc / Claudie / DC Richer Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 2016 The Odd Couple Gwendolyn Pigeon MTC 2018 Lottie in the Late Afternoon Clara Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne with KIN Collective Funny Girl The Musical in Concert Fanny Brice Sydney Opera House 2021 The Truth Laurence Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC Boy Swallows Universe Frankie Bell QPAC, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre Company 2023 The Memory of Water Mary Ensemble Theatre, Sydney 2024 Love Stories Wife QPAC, Brisbane for Brisbane Festival 2026 Losing Face Jo Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
As intimacy coordinator YearTitleRoleNotesRef 2020 Emerald City Intimacy coordinator QPAC, Brisbane with MTC & QTC 2021 Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes Intimacy Coordinator Southbank Theatre, Melbourne, Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney & online with MTC 2025 Honour Intimacy Consultant Red Stitch Actors Theatre, Melbourne
Discography Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions AUS"Michala Banas - Australian chart history". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved September 23, 2008. "Kissin' the Wind" 2003 28
Awards and nominations