Location: Auckland
Age Range: 40 - 55
Ethnicity: New Zealand
Hair Colour: Blonde
Eye Colour: Blue
View on ShowcastDebbie Newby-Ward is an accomplished New Zealand screen and stage actress whose work spans more than 25 years across television, film and theatre. She first captured audiences as Emily in the 1990s drama Riding High, and went on to become a familiar face on Kiwi screens in shows like Outrageous Fortune and Legend of the Seeker. Debbie is best known for her core cast role as the warm-hearted, eternally optimistic teacher Emma in the beloved comedy-drama Nothing Trivial (TV One), a part that cemented her versatility and emotional range. She has also delivered memorable performances on Shortland Street in multiple roles—including the complex Margaret Hannah—and appeared internationally in Ash vs Evil Dead and Power Rangers Beast Morphers. Her work continues with guest and recurring roles in popular series such as The Brokenwood Mysteries, as well as feature film appearances including The Justice of Bunny King. Debbie brings depth, authenticity and a strong collaborative spirit to every project, making her a valued presence both in front of the camera and on set.
| Year | Role | Production | Company | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | VW Driver | The Justice of Bunny King (Guest) | Firefly Films | Emma Slade |
| 2019 | Margaret Hannah (Guest) | Shortland Street | South Pacific Pictures | Various |
| 2018 | Madison Mathers | The Brokenwood Mysteries | South Pacific Pictures | Various |
| 2018 | Mother | Power Rangers Beast Morphers | Power Rangers Productions Ltd | Various |
| 2017 | Marci | Ash v Evil Dead - Season 3 | Starz Evil Dead New Zealand | Mark Beesley |
| 2017 | Margaret Hannah (Guest) | Shortland Street | South Pacific Pictures | Various |
| 2015 | Margaret Hannah (Support) | Shortland Street | South Pacific Pictures | Various |
| 2014 | Emma (Lead) | Nothing Trivial Movie - Telefeature | South Pacific Pictures | Mark Beesley |
| 2013 | Emma (Core) | Nothing Trivial | South Pacific Pictures | Various |
| 2012 | Emma (Core) | Nothing Trivial | South Pacific Pictures | Various |
| 2011 | Emma (Core) | Nothing Trivial | South Pacific Pictures | Various |
| 2009 | Ella | Legend of The Seeker | The Walt Disney Comp (NZ), ABC | Jonathan Brough |
| 2009 | Oh Baby | Dr Roche | Company Theartre Physical | Margaret Mary Hollins |
| 2008 | Staff Member | The Pretender - Season 1 | Great Southern Television | Various |
| 2008 | 3rd Assistant Director | Go Girls - Season 1 | South Pacific Pictures | |
| 2007 | Treena (Regular Recurring) | Outrageous Forturne - Season 3 | South Pacific Pictures | Various |
| 2006 | Tamara | Cinema Parodies | 48 Hour Film Festival | Helena Brooks |
| 2004 | Young Gymnast | Olympic Show-Schools Tour | Company Theatre Physical | Beth Kayes & Debbie Newby-Ward |
| 2004 | Julianne | Beyond Existence | Unitec Productions | |
| 2004 | Diana | Lend Me a Tenor | Fortune Theatre - Dunedin | Murry Hutchinson |
| 2003 | Marcy (Lead) | Cut Out | You've Got A Lot of Heart Kid Productions | Kristina Simons |
| 2003 | Nurse Stephanie/Melanie | Serial Killers | Landtry Productions | Mike Smith |
| 2003 | Tracey Dunsmore | Mercy Peak | South Pacific Pictures | Simon Bennet |
| 2003 | Lead/Core | Get The Message-School Tour | Company Theatre Physical | Beth Kayes & Debbie Newby-Ward |
| 2002 | Roberta | Danny and the Deep Blue Sea | Unitec Productions | Mark Ingram |
| 2002 | Tess | Here I Stand | Unitec Productions | Elizabeth Hawthorne |
| 2002 | Catherine | A View From A Bridge | Unitec Productions | Luke Wheeler |
| 2002 | Anya | Cherry Orchard | Unitec Productions | Vadim Ledogorov |
| 2002 | Cunegonde | Candide | Unitec Productions | Murray Hutchinson |
| 2001 | Debbie Jackson | Street Legal | ScreenWorks | |
| 2001 | Queen Hermione | Shakespeare-The Winters Tale | Unitec Productions | Raymond Hawthorne |
| 2000 | Greek Theatre Actress | Xena Warrior Princess | Pacific Renaissance | |
| 2000 | Nicola Halley (Regular Recurring) | Shortland Street | South Pacific Pictures | Simon Bennet / Various |
| 1996 | Nicola Halley | Shortland Street | South Pacific Pictures | Various |
| 1995 | Emily | Riding High | South Pacifc Pictures | Various |
| 1993 | Kid | 40 Hour Famine-Starring Jason Gunn | World Vision |