Dee Smart

Dee Smart
Born (1966-07-09) 9 July 1966 (age 58)[1]
NationalityAustralian
EducationVictorian College of the Arts
Ensemble Theatre
OccupationActress
Years active1991–present
Notable workHome and Away
Water Rats
Welcome to Woop Woop
Height5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Spouse(s)Steve Balbi (divorced)
Chris Hancock (1998–present)
Children3 Charlie, Zoe and Johnny Hancock

Dierdre Claire Smart (born 9 July 1966) is an Australian actress, model, singer, dancer and painter. After giving up on being a dancer, she rose to prominence portraying Lucinda Croft in the popular soap opera Home and Away from 1991 to 1992. After leaving the show she appeared in a handful of television guest spots, plays and films, including the 1997 comedy Welcome to Woop Woop, and was known for her appearances as Lady Luck on the variety programme The Footy Show before returning to regular television in the police procedural Water Rats, where she portrayed Detective Senior Constable Alex St. Clare from 1999 to 2001.[2] Her more recent roles include having appeared in the 2011 TV movie Panic at Rock Island and the television shows Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries in 2013 and Winter in 2015.

She is also known in Australia for being a permanent fixture in the country's tabloids and for her close friendship with billionaire businessman James Packer, with whom she and her husband Chris Hancock lived for a year, and who introduced her to Scientology, of which she became one of the country's most high-profile members.[3][4] Her eldest daughter, Charlie Hancock, is also an actress and played Verity Darling on the drama series Spirited.[5]

  1. ^ "Dee Smart". Le Forum de Water Rats.
  2. ^ "A quick word with Dee Smart". The New Zealand Herald. 25 March 2000. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  3. ^ Sharp, Annette (29 October 2014). "Kate Ceberano gets International Scientology Freedom Medal for bringing greater freedom to mankind". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney.
  4. ^ Byrne, Fiona (27 July 2008). "Jodhi Meares puts faith in Scientology". Herald Sun. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  5. ^ Casamento, Jo (12 September 2010). "Smart casting". The Sun-Herald.