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Tahyna MacManus
Tahyna MacManus
Tahyna MacManus
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Tahyna MacManus (née Tozzi; born 24 April 1986) is an Australian actress, director, writer and producer. Tahyna starred in several television series and film blockbusters including X-Men Origins: Wolverine before moving to roles behind the lens focusing on directing and producing. Tahyna co-founded an all female led production company, Neon Jane Productions alongside producer Kelly Tomasich. In 2020 the duo launched The Australian Womens Film Festival, a short film festival celebrating women in film and honouring those who have made a significant contribution to the industry.

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

MacManus grew up in the Sydney beach-side suburb of Cronulla with her Italian father, Dutch mother and younger sister, model Cheyenne Tozzi. She began modelling at eight years old.[1]

Career

[edit]

MacManus played Perri Lawe on the ABC drama Blue Water High in 2005. She returned to the series for the second-to-last episode of the second series, which aired in December 2006. Following that, she starred in Beautiful, her first feature film, playing 17-year-old provocateur Suzy.[2]

In 2009, she appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine as Emma, a mutant able to turn her skin into diamond.[3][4]

Tahyna starred in the film Trophy Kids alongside David Gallagher and Ryan Eggold, which won Best Ensemble Cast at the Breckenridge Festival of Film.[5] In the same year Tozzi also starred in the psychological thriller Needle, which was directed by John V. Soto.[6] She does the voice acting and her likeness was used for a character named Daina Le Guin in the 2011 sci-fi horror game, Dead Space 2.

In 2017, she began filming her feature documentary Misunderstandings Of Miscarriage (M.u.M) which aims to shatter the silence and grief surrounding pregnancy loss through interviews with women across the world. The film also includes interviews with obstetricians, gynaecologists, psychologists and endocrinologists whilst simultaneously documenting Tahyna's own traumatic journey through miscarriage. The film features Claire Holt and Deborra-Lee Furness and will be released in 2020.

In 2020, she co-founded The Australian Womens Film Festival alongside Kelly Tomasich.

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2009 Beautiful Suzy Feature film
2009 X-Men Origins: Wolverine Emma Silverfox / Emma Frost Feature film
2010 Needle Mary Feature film
2011 Trophy Kids Quinn Thorndike Feature film
2013 The Last Light Jenny Feature film
2014 Julia Sadie Feature film
2014 The Ever After Ms. Sanders Feature film

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2005–06 Blue Water High Perri Lawe TV series, 27 episodes
2008 The Strip Kristal Cade TV series, 3 episodes
2008 CSI: NY Quinci Feeney TV series, season 5: episode 11: "Forbidden Fruit"
2009 Eleventh Hour Gorgeous Model TV series, season 1: episode 17: "Olfactus"
2009 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Olivia Hamilton TV series, season 10: episode 1: "Family Affair
2011 Charlie's Angels Amanda Kane TV series, season 1: episode 3: "Bon Voyage, Angels"
2015 Scary Endings Sasha TV series, season 1: episode 1: "We Always Come Back"

Personal life

[edit]

On 25 January 2014, Tahyna married dancer Tristan MacManus.[7] On 5 April 2016, she gave birth to a daughter named Echo Isolde. On 14 March 2019, she gave birth to a son named Oisín Lír.[citation needed] Tahyna gave birth to her third child, a son named Tadhg Nuada on 3 May 2021.

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Tahyna MacManus

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Tahyna MacManus (born Tahyna Valentina Tozzi; 24 April 1986) is an Australian , director, , and producer recognized for her early roles in television and film, including Perri Lawe in the ABC series (2005–2008) and Emma Frost in (2009). Born in Cronulla, New South Wales, MacManus began her career as a model at age eight and later pursued acting, appearing in guest roles on international series such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2009), (2008), and (2011). Her film credits also include supporting parts in Beautiful (2009), Needle (2010), and Julia (2014), showcasing her versatility in both drama and thriller genres. Transitioning to behind-the-camera roles, MacManus co-founded the all-female production company Neon Jane Productions with Kelly Tomasich, focusing on unique storytelling by women filmmakers. In 2020, they launched the Australian Women's Film Festival (AWFF), an annual event celebrating female talent in s and honoring industry pioneers, which reached its fifth year in 2025. As a director, she has helmed projects like the Oren (2014) and MuM: Misunderstandings of Miscarriage (2020), which explores personal and societal experiences of pregnancy loss. Her most recent directorial effort, & Elvis in the (2025), highlights her commitment to innovative Australian narratives.

Early life

Upbringing and family

Tahyna MacManus was born Tahyna Valentina Tozzi on 24 April 1986 in Cronulla, a beachside suburb of , , . She is the daughter of Nicola Tozzi, of Italian descent, and Yvonne Tozzi, of Dutch descent and a former model. MacManus has a younger sister, Cheyenne Tozzi, who pursued a career in modeling, reflecting a family inclination toward the world. Raised in the coastal environment of Cronulla, MacManus enjoyed an active, outdoor-oriented youth surrounded by beaches, sun, and , which shaped her early experiences. This lifestyle included participation in activities, fostering a sense of community and physical engagement typical of the suburb's residents.

Education and initial pursuits

MacManus attended Woolooware High School in Sydney's , where she focused on creative pursuits. She graduated in 2003, earning high distinction in and . She is proficient in playing the guitar, , saxophone, and . This formal training laid the foundation for her interests in and early aspirations in . Parallel to her education, MacManus began her modeling career at the age of eight, starting with local gigs in that gradually built toward national exposure. These early opportunities, supported by her family's encouragement from her Cronulla upbringing, provided initial professional experience in the industry. Following high school, MacManus moved to New York at age 19 to pursue broader opportunities in modeling and , including theater studies. This relocation marked her transition from local endeavors to an international stage, bridging her educational background with professional ambitions.

Career

Acting beginnings

MacManus began her acting career in Australian television with the role of Perri Lawe in the ABC drama series (2005–2006), a character depicted as a spoiled yet evolving teen surfer that highlighted her emergence as a young actress. Her prior experience as a model served as an entry point to auditions, though it initially contributed to perceptions of her as more of a glamour figure than a serious performer. Building on this foundation, she expanded into international television with guest appearances that showcased her range across genres, including the role of Quinci Feeney in the crime drama (2008), Olivia Hamilton in (2009), and Amanda Kane in the action series (2011). These roles allowed her to portray diverse characters in high-stakes procedural and ensemble formats, transitioning from domestic teen narratives to global crime and adventure stories. Her move to film marked a significant progression in 2009, starting with the supporting role of Suzy, a determined young woman, in the Australian thriller Beautiful, which explored themes of vengeance and identity. This performance led directly to her Hollywood breakthrough as Emma Frost, the sister of Kayla Silverfox, a mutant with diamond-hard skin—in the superhero blockbuster X-Men Origins: Wolverine, exposing her to a major international audience and solidifying her presence in action-oriented cinema. Throughout these early years, MacManus encountered challenges, particularly stemming from her modeling past, where she was often viewed as a "party-girl princess" suited primarily for superficial roles rather than substantive dramatic ones. She actively countered this by selecting parts that demanded vulnerability and growth, such as Perri Lawe, to reshape industry perceptions and demonstrate her acting depth.

Transition to directing and producing

Following her extensive acting career, which provided a foundational understanding of , Tahyna MacManus began transitioning to roles behind the camera in the mid-2010s, starting with her directorial debut on the Oren in 2014, followed by documentaries such as MuM: Misunderstandings of (2020) and & Elvis in the (2025). This shift was driven by a growing interest in controlling narratives and amplifying underrepresented voices in film. MacManus's motivations stemmed from her personal experiences navigating the industry, including limited agency during her acting years in Hollywood and the broader revelations of the #MeToo movement, which highlighted persistent gender imbalances in filmmaking. She sought to champion women's stories and address these disparities by prioritizing female perspectives in production. In 2018, MacManus co-founded Neon Jane Productions, an all-female-led company, alongside producer Kelly Tomasich, with the explicit goal of fostering unique, female-driven projects and countering underrepresentation in Australian cinema. The company has since focused on developing content that elevates diverse narratives, emphasizing collaboration among women filmmakers. Building on this, MacManus and Tomasich launched the Australian Women's Film Festival in 2020 as a platform to celebrate and promote , requiring entries to pass the and feature at least three female key creatives (writer, director, , , or editor). Originally scheduled for March 2020, the inaugural event was postponed due to the and held in 2021, with the festival continuing annually to honor significant contributions by women and support emerging talent, including its fifth edition in 2025. Through these initiatives, MacManus has advocated for greater diversity in Australian film, prioritizing projects that reflect multifaceted women's experiences.

Filmography

Television credits

MacManus made her television debut in a leading role as Perri Lawe, a competitive surfer and aspiring professional from the Gold Coast, in the Australian teen drama series (2005–2006), appearing in 27 episodes across the first two seasons. In 2008, she portrayed Kristal Cade, a young woman caught up in Melbourne's seedy scene and associated criminal activities, in a recurring capacity across three episodes of the Australian crime drama The Strip. That same year, MacManus guest-starred as Quinci Feeney, a free-spirited partygoer implicated in a case involving poisoned fruit, in the episode "" (season 5, episode 11) of . She appeared uncredited as a Gorgeous Model in the 2009 episode "Olfactus" (season 1, episode 17) of the American science thriller Eleventh Hour. In another guest spot, MacManus played Olivia Hamilton, an up-and-coming Hollywood actress who becomes the victim in a high-profile car crash investigation, in the 2009 episode "Family Affair" (season 10, episode 1) of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Her last acting appearance on television during this period was as Amanda Kane, a mysterious passenger aboard a entangled in a disappearance case, in the 2011 episode "Bon Voyage, Angels" (season 1, episode 3) of the action series .

Film acting credits

Tahyna MacManus began her feature film career in 2009 with a lead role in the Australian thriller Beautiful, where she portrayed Suzy, a provocative teenager uncovering dark secrets in a suburban neighborhood. That same year, she appeared in the superhero action film , playing the mutant Emma Silverfox, a character with diamond-form abilities, alongside stars and . In 2010, MacManus starred as Mary Matthews in the supernatural horror thriller Needle, a story involving a cursed antique that brings death to its owners, co-starring Travis Fimmel and Michael Dorman. Her next role came in 2011 in the comedy-drama Trophy Kids, where she played Quinn Thorndike, one of several overachieving young adults navigating post-college life, with co-stars Ryan Eggold and David Gallagher. MacManus's 2014 releases included the horror thriller The Last Light, in which she portrayed Jenny, a figure central to a tale of survival and mystery, appearing with Edward Furlong and Yvonne Zima. Also in 2014, she took on the role of Sadie in the neo-noir horror film Julia, supporting the lead in a revenge-driven narrative involving trauma and unconventional therapy, alongside Ashley C. Williams and Jack Noseworthy.

Directing and producing credits

MacManus made her directorial debut with the short film in 2014, a exploring themes of loss and recovery through a chance encounter between a grieving woman and a homeless man. The film premiered on the international festival circuit in 2015, winning Best International Short at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. In 2020, she directed and produced the documentary MUM: Misunderstandings of , which addresses the stigma surrounding through personal stories and expert insights, premiering at film festivals that year. The project was developed under Neon Jane Productions, the all-female production company she co-founded with Kelly Tomasich in 2017, to support women-led storytelling. As a producer, MacManus has been involved in various Neon Jane projects, including festival shorts such as The Prelude (2018), The Fifty (2018), and Bread (2024), which highlight emerging female voices in independent cinema. She served as co-producer on anthology-style shorts for women's film initiatives, contributing to collections showcased at events like the Australian Women's Film Festival, which Neon Jane launched in 2020. Her feature directorial effort, & Elvis in the (2025), is a musical documenting a rural Australian town's effort to host the world's first tribute blended with Elvis performances to revive their community; MacManus directed and produced the film through Neon Jane.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Tahyna MacManus, formerly known as Tahyna Tozzi, married Irish-Australian television host and former dancer on 25, 2014, in a held in Sydney's Kurnell suburb, . The couple had met in 2011 through mutual friends at a Thai in , during MacManus's time pursuing her acting career in the . They dated for five years, splitting their time between and before relocating to following their wedding. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Isolde MacManus, on April 5, 2016. Their second child, son Lír MacManus, was born on March 14, 2019, followed by their third child, son Nuada MacManus, on May 3, 2021. Early in their marriage, the family divided their time between and the , balancing professional commitments on both continents, before settling primarily in to raise their children. In September 2025, after more than a decade of , MacManus and her reportedly separated amicably, with sources indicating the split had occurred privately several months earlier. The pair, who share custody of their three children, have prioritized co-parenting amid the change. This development followed a period of family-focused life in , where raising their children influenced MacManus to take breaks from her career in and .

Advocacy and public experiences

MacManus experienced a challenging four-year period from 2015 to 2019 marked by three , which she has openly discussed in interviews, highlighting the profound emotional toll and societal barriers to addressing loss. Her first miscarriage in 2015 left her "completely devastated," compounded by dismissive medical advice and a lack of emotional resources, while subsequent losses in 2017 and 2018 involved traumatic physical experiences like prolonged bleeding and sudden , fostering feelings of isolation, , and over the nature of the topic. Despite affecting one in four women, she noted the societal silence that exacerbates psychological impacts, preventing adequate support and normalization of such . This personal ordeal directly inspired MacManus to create the 2020 documentary Misunderstandings of Miscarriage (MuM), channeling her experiences into a platform for advocacy by documenting her journey alongside stories from celebrities including and , who shared their own encounters with loss to challenge stigma and promote open dialogue. The film, which marked her debut as a director, blends intimate with expert insights to educate on the physical, emotional, and psychological dimensions of . Post-release, MacManus has sustained her advocacy as a patron of the Pink Elephants Support Network, an Australian organization providing resources for those affected by pregnancy and infant loss, using her platform to foster awareness and support. She has participated in podcasts and interviews, such as those on Good Mourning in 2021, to discuss resilience in the face of and the need to dismantle stigmas, contributing to ongoing public conversations around .

References

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