1. Overview
Abbey Lee, born Abbey Lee Kershaw on June 12, 1987, is an Australian model, actress, and musician. After achieving significant success in the fashion industry, she was recognized as a supermodel by V magazine in 2011 and listed as an "Industry Icon" by Models.com. In 2015, she formally dropped her surname, Kershaw, to focus on her burgeoning acting career. Her career spans influential fashion campaigns and runway appearances, transitioning into notable roles in film and television, establishing her as a versatile talent in both industries.
2. Early life
Abbey Lee's early life in Melbourne, Victoria, was marked by health challenges and a diverse upbringing, which shaped her path before she embarked on her modeling career.
2.1. Birth and family
Abbey Lee was born on June 12, 1987, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Her mother, Kerry, is a psychologist, and her father, Kim Kershaw, was a professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond and Hawthorn teams in the Victorian Football League. She is the middle child of her parents.
2.2. Childhood and education
As a child, Lee experienced frequent hospitalizations. At the age of four, she suffered from meningitis, requiring two spinal taps. She also had a tumour on her knee and sustained several broken bones from climbing trees. She grew up in Kensington, Victoria, and attended St Michael's Catholic Primary School in North Melbourne, where she noted the highly multicultural environment, with 42 nationalities among 150 children. She later attended the Academy of Mary Immaculate in Fitzroy.
Lee has stated that she did not come from a wealthy background and held various jobs during her teenage years, including working at a fun fair, as a grocery clerk, and at a McDonald's. She also engaged in sports, taking jujitsu classes for seven years.
2.3. Modeling career beginnings
Lee's modeling career began in 2004 when she won the Australian Girlfriend Model Search competition, which led to her appearing on the magazine's cover. Her rebellious nature led to her expulsion from high school at the start of her final year. In 2005, after completing high school, she moved from Melbourne to Sydney to pursue modeling professionally. She was scouted by Kathy Ward of Chic Management, known for discovering models like Miranda Kerr and Samantha Harris, while at a beach located only 328 ft (100 m) from her residence. She signed with Chic Management within weeks of being discovered.
3. Modeling career
Abbey Lee's modeling career saw a rapid ascent in the international fashion industry, marked by her distinctive look and strong runway presence, despite facing several challenges.
3.1. International debut and rise
In 2007, Abbey Lee signed with Next Management and relocated to New York City by March of that year. By December 11, Models.com had already identified her as the "Next Superstar."
Her international runway debut took place during the 2008 New York Fashion Week, where she walked in a total of 29 shows for designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Halston, notably closing the show for Rodarte. For her first appearance at Milan Fashion Week, she was booked as an exclusive model for Gucci. Later that year, in September, she experienced a fall in high heels during the Rodarte show in New York. A month later, at Paris Fashion Week, she fainted at the Alexander McQueen show, attributed to wearing a very tight leather corset for an hour. Despite these incidents, her demand for runway shows continued. Lee was also featured as one of the new faces on one of the fourteen covers of V magazine's Autumn issue.
3.2. Major campaigns and endorsements
Lee became a highly sought-after model for major advertising campaigns and endorsements. Since 2008, she has starred in the fragrance advertisements for Gucci's "Flora" scent. She also featured in campaigns for brands such as CK Jeans, Covergirl, Decjuba, D&G, Express, Gap, Gucci Resort, Guilty Brotherhood, H&M, Karl Lagerfeld, Lord & Taylor, Ralph Lauren, See by Chloé, Shanton, Victoria's Secret Pink, and Wish.
In March 2010, she was announced as the face of Chanel's Autumn/Winter 2010/2011 ready-to-wear ad campaign, following her closing of the Chanel Spring 2010 couture show and opening of the Chanel Autumn/Winter 2010/2011 ready-to-wear show. She also appeared in the lookbook for the Versace x H&M collaboration collection and was featured as the face of the Anna Sui Fall/Winter 2010 campaign. For the Spring 2011 Rag & Bone Do-It-Yourself ad campaign, she took her own self-portrait alongside models like Sasha Pivovarova and Candice Swanepoel. She earned 100.00 K USD as an exclusive model for Chanel, walking for their spring-summer collection in Paris. In Fall/Winter 2013-14, she appeared in the campaign for Gucci alongside male model Adrien Sahores.
3.3. Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
Abbey Lee made her international television debut at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on November 15, 2008, in Miami, modeling in the "Pink Planet" segment. She participated for a second time on December 1, 2009, where she wore three outfits, appearing in the "Star Trooper," "Pink Planet," and "Enchanted Forest" segments.
3.4. Industry recognition and influence
Her consistent presence and distinctive style quickly earned her significant recognition within the fashion industry. In November 2009, Fashion TV ranked her first in their First Face Countdown for Spring/Summer 2010. By January 2011, V magazine's "The Discovery Issue" crowned Lee as the new Supermodel, calling her "the biggest fashion export from Down Under since Elle Macpherson joined the ranks of Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Christy Turlington." After her return to the runway in Milan in 2009, opening for D&G and having the first and last looks for Fendi and Versace, New York magazine named her "Milan's Top Model."
Models.com, a prominent industry platform, listed her as an "Industry Icon," acknowledging her sustained influence in fashion through major fragrance contracts like Flora By Gucci and Versace's Yellow Diamond, even during her absence from runways and editorials to film Mad Max and Gods of Egypt. At the height of her career, she was ranked 4th on Models.com's Top 50 Models Women list, moving to 12th by June 2013.
She has been featured on the covers of numerous magazines, including Muse, Vogue (Japanese, Australian, Korean, Russian, German editions), Nylon, and Numero. She has been photographed by renowned photographers such as Inez van Lamsweerde, Vinoodh Matadin, Nick Knight, Mario Testino, Steven Meisel, and Craig McDean. She also appeared in the 2010 Pirelli Calendar photographed by Terry Richardson and the 2011 edition photographed by Karl Lagerfeld.
3.5. Career challenges and breaks
Lee's modeling career was not without its challenges. In Autumn 2009, she was forced to sit out shows due to a severe knee injury, having torn ligaments that made it difficult to walk. She later underwent detailed surgery on her left knee in 2012 for bone fragments and ligament damage. She described the grueling schedule of fashion weeks, often involving 6 AM calls and work extending until 3 AM, with models sleeping in aisles or on makeup chairs due to exhaustion, leading to skin irritation, scalp pain, hunger, and fatigue. She stated that she had "never worked so hard in her life" and would barely be able to keep her eyes open by the time she reached Paris, the final stop of fashion week. Despite the difficulties, she missed the "hustle and bustle" when she was absent.
In Autumn/Winter 2009, Lee was featured in an explicit photoshoot for the French magazine Purple Fashion, shot by photographer Terry Richardson. The spread sparked controversy, with Richardson accused of exploiting models. Lee defended him, stating that he does not force models to do anything they are unwilling to do and that she felt comfortable and unashamed during the shoot, viewing it as an honest reflection of their dynamic.
After the Fall 2012 shows, where she only walked for Alexander Wang and Anna Sui, Lee took a break from the runway to focus on her acting career, spending much of 2012 filming Mad Max: Fury Road in Africa. She later made a brief return to the runway in Spring/Summer 2015, opening for Hugo Boss.
4. Acting career
Abbey Lee transitioned from a highly successful modeling career to acting, quickly establishing herself with significant roles in both film and television.
4.1. Transition to acting
Lee described modeling as making her feel like a "disposable cog in a wheel," viewing it as a means of survival rather than a fulfilling career. Her role in Mad Max: Fury Road was a turning point, opening her eyes to acting as a field that combined expression, sound, movement, and performance, encompassing "everything she loved." She acquired a Green Card in 2015, facilitating her acting career in the United States. She also made her stage debut playing Elena in a London production of Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya from November 30, 2018, to January 12, 2019, at the Hampstead Theatre.
4.2. Filmography
Lee's film career began with a supporting role in the 2015 film Mad Max: Fury Road, where she played The Dag. Her martial arts training reportedly helped her secure a role in the 2016 film Gods of Egypt, where she starred alongside Gerard Butler as Anat. The same year, she had a major role as Sarah in the Nicolas Winding Refn-directed thriller The Neon Demon, co-starring with Elle Fanning. She also appeared in the comedy Office Christmas Party as Savannah.
In 2017, Lee played Tirana in The Dark Tower, based on the Stephen King novel. The following year, she took on the main character role of Elizabeth in Elizabeth Harvest, directed by Sebastian Gutierrez. In 2021, she played Chrystal, a character suffering from hypocalcemia, in M. Night Shyamalan's film Old. Her filmography also includes roles in independent and short films, demonstrating her active engagement in the acting world.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Submission | Jiu Jitsu Fighter | Video short |
| 2015 | Mad Max: Fury Road | The Dag | |
| Ruben Guthrie | Zoya Houbec | ||
| Caprice | Holly | ||
| 2016 | Snowbird | Theo | Video short |
| Gods of Egypt | Anat | ||
| The Neon Demon | Sarah | ||
| Office Christmas Party | Savannah | ||
| 2017 | The Dark Tower | Tirana | |
| 1% | Katrina | ||
| Maverick | Maverick | Video short | |
| 2018 | Welcome the Stranger | Alice | |
| To the Night | Caty | ||
| Elizabeth Harvest | Elizabeth | ||
| 2019 | Lux Æterna | Abbey | |
| 2021 | Old | Chrystal | |
| The Forgiven | Cody | ||
| 2024 | Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 1 | Marigold | |
| Horizon: An American Saga - Chapter 2 | Marigold | ||
| Killer Heat | Monique |
4.3. Television work
In television, Lee played the troubled Christina Braithwhite in HBO's drama horror series Lovecraft Country in 2020. She was the last actress cast for the show and researched growing up in a cult to understand her character. In 2023, she took on the lead role of Delly West in the crime series Florida Man, starring opposite Edgar Ramirez. She also appeared as Carol Howe in Waco: The Aftermath in 2023 and has an upcoming role as Anna in the miniseries Black Rabbit.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Lovecraft Country | Christina Braithwhite | Regular role, 10 episodes |
| 2023 | Florida Man | Delly West | Regular role, 7 episodes |
| Waco: The Aftermath | Carol Howe | Regular role, 5 episodes | |
| TBA | Black Rabbit | Anna | Upcoming miniseries |
5. Personal life
Abbey Lee's personal life reflects her resilience, artistic expression, and a journey of self-discovery, including navigating health challenges and developing her unique personal style.
5.1. Relationships and friendships
Lee maintains close friendships within the modeling industry, notably with Freja Beha, Karmen Pedaru, Daisy Lowe, Karlie Kloss, and Catherine McNeil. She was previously in a relationship with rocker Matthew Hutchinson.
5.2. Health and personal experiences
Lee has openly discussed her experiences with chronic pain and endometriosis. For approximately 15 years, she dealt with a "cocktail of chronic pain" and sought extensive medical help, leading to multiple hospitalizations during severe flare-ups, which she kept private at the time. Her symptoms began to improve only after undergoing surgery with a specialist in the United Kingdom.
She is known for her numerous body modifications, including approximately 10 piercings (such as her nose, septum, right nipple, and navel) and around 20 small tattoos. Her first tattoo, a Gemini symbol, was placed on her right inner ankle at age 16 or 17. Other tattoos include "truth" on the inside of her lower lip, "index" on her left index finger, four vertical dots on her middle finger, the names of her sisters on her inner wrist, a rose and stem, light blue lettering on her arm, "WOLF" on her wrist, three triangular dots (matching the "Wives" in Mad Max), a small design below her inner elbow, a black diamond with a red heart (ace motif) behind her right ear, a feather on her nape, three black-lined light blue stars behind her left ear, three vertical dots in the center of both collarbones, and a mermaid on her left shoulder. She also has white ink tattoos and some that are concealed.
In 2015, Lee revealed she was writing a semi-autobiographical film about addiction. She has stated that while modeling provided her with a means of survival, she felt like a "disposable cog in a wheel." Her acting career, particularly her role in Mad Max, helped her discover a more fulfilling path that combined various forms of artistic expression.
5.3. Personal style and interests
Lee's personal style has evolved over time. In the 2000s, she favored vintage and second-hand clothing, but in recent years, she has gravitated towards more refined and higher-quality items. Her lifestyle, often based in Australia, contributes to a relaxed approach to her fashion choices. She is also known for her preference for hand-rolled cigarettes and Marlboro Gold.
Lee's physical attributes include a height of 71 in (181 cm) and a weight of 115 lb (52 kg). Her measurements are approximately 32 in (82 cm) (bust), 24 in (61 cm) (waist), and 35 in (89 cm) (hips), with a 32B cup size and a shoe size of 10 in (26 cm). She has blue eyes and light brown hair.
6. Awards and nominations
Abbey Lee has received several nominations for her acting work, particularly for her ensemble performances and lead roles.
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Gold Derby Awards | Best Ensemble Cast (shared with the cast) | Mad Max: Fury Road | Nominated |
| 2018 | AACTA Awards | Best Lead Actress | 1% | Nominated |
| 2019 | AFCA Award | Best Lead Actress | Nominated | |
| 2021 | Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Villain in Series | Lovecraft Country | Nominated |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Nominated |
7. Assessment and impact
Abbey Lee's career demonstrates a significant impact across both the fashion and entertainment industries. Her recognition as a "supermodel" and "Industry Icon" by leading fashion publications and platforms underscores her influence in the modeling world, where her distinctive look and strong presence left a lasting mark.
Her successful transition into acting, marked by diverse and challenging roles in critically acclaimed films and television series, showcases her versatility and commitment to her craft. By consciously shifting from modeling to acting, she not only expanded her professional scope but also inspired others to pursue new creative avenues beyond their initial success. Her ability to embody complex characters and her dedication to understanding her roles have garnered her critical attention and solidified her position as a respected actress.