Few Australian actors manage to balance a decades-long screen career with building their own production company, but Marta Dusseldorp has done just that, from her breakout role in ‘A Place to Call Home’ to launching Archipelago Productions and starring in ‘Bay of Fires’. This guide covers her career evolution, personal life, and current projects.
Born: 1 February 1973 (age 52) ·
Known for: ‘A Place to Call Home’, ‘Janet King’, ‘Jack Irish’ ·
Spouse: Ben Winspear (m. 2009) ·
Children: 2 ·
Nationality: Australian ·
Profession: Actress and producer
Quick snapshot
- Born 1 February 1973 in Australia (IMDb Biography)
- Best known for A Place to Call Home, Janet King, Jack Irish (IMDb)
- Married to Ben Winspear since 2009 (IMDb)
- Two daughters (IMDb)
- Exact net worth not publicly confirmed (estimates vary)
- Precise current residence not disclosed
- Income from specific projects unknown
- Exact year of move to Tasmania (some sources say 2018, not verified)
- Logie Award nomination year and category (not verified)
- Early television roles before ‘BlackJack’ (if any)
- Wedding date: some sources report February 2006, others 2009
- 2018: Founded Archipelago Productions (Archipelago Productions)
- 2023: Starred in ABC drama Bay of Fires (Now To Love)
- Producing and potentially starring in more Tasmanian stories through Archipelago Productions (Archipelago Productions)
- Continuing to mentor emerging talent (Now To Love)
Ten key facts about Marta Dusseldorp, one takeaway: her career spans both performance and independent production, with a growing focus on regional storytelling.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Marta Dusseldorp |
| Date of birth | 1 February 1973 |
| Age | 52 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Actress, producer |
| Years active | 1995–present |
| Spouse | Ben Winspear (m. 2009) |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Famous TV series | A Place to Call Home, Janet King, Jack Irish |
| Production company | Archipelago Productions |
What is Marta Dusseldorp doing now?
Dusseldorp is currently active in Australian television, most recently starring as Anika Van Cleef in the ABC drama Bay of Fires (2023), which her company Archipelago Productions helped bring to life (Now To Love). She is also producing through Archipelago, focusing on Australian stories and fostering Tasmanian talent (Archipelago Productions).
Marta Dusseldorp recent TV and film roles
- Bay of Fires (2023) – lead role as Anika Van Cleef (Now To Love)
- Stateless (2020) – supporting role (Archipelago Productions)
- Wentworth (2021) – guest role (Archipelago Productions)
Marta Dusseldorp production company
Dusseldorp founded Archipelago Productions in 2018. The company specialises in Tasmanian-based screen projects and women-led stories. She and her husband Ben Winspear created the company with the goal of telling Australian stories and mentoring local crews (Now To Love).
Dusseldorp moved from being a hired actor to a creative producer, a move that gives her more control over the stories she tells. The result is Bay of Fires, a female-led drama shot on Tasmania’s west coast that she describes as “a love letter to Tasmania” (Now To Love).
The pattern: Dusseldorp isn’t just acting — she’s actively shaping Australian screen production from the producer’s chair, betting on regional storytelling as a viable creative direction.
What TV show made Marta Dusseldorp famous?
Dusseldorp gained widespread recognition for her leading role in the Australian period drama A Place to Call Home (2013–2018), where she played Sarah Adams. She also headlined the legal drama Janet King (2014–2017), a spin-off of Crownies (IMDb).
A Place to Call Home
The series, set in 1950s rural Australia, made Dusseldorp a household name. She played Sarah Adams, a nurse returning to Australia after the war. The show ran for six seasons on Channel 7 and later Netflix.
Janet King
In Janet King, Dusseldorp played the title role of a senior crown prosecutor. The series earned her an AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a TV Drama (Archipelago Productions). She also served as an Associate Producer on the show (Archipelago Productions).
These two roles — a period drama lead and a legal drama protagonist — showcase Dusseldorp’s range and her ability to anchor major productions. They also laid the groundwork for her move into producing.
The trade-off: While A Place to Call Home gave her fame, Janet King gave her creative influence as an associate producer, a role she later expanded into running her own company.
Where does Marta Dusseldorp live?
Marta Dusseldorp resides in Australia, near Sydney, with her husband Ben Winspear and their two children. She reportedly moved to Tasmania with her family in 2018 as part of her commitment to producing stories set there (Now To Love NZ).
What this means: Her relocation to Tasmania isn’t just personal — it signals a deliberate creative strategy to base production outside the traditional Sydney/Melbourne axis, tapping into local talent and landscapes.
How did Marta Dusseldorp meet her husband?
Marta Dusseldorp met her husband, actor Ben Winspear, while working together on the Australian legal drama Crownies in 2011 (IMDb). They married in 2009 (some sources say February 2006, but the 2009 date is more widely reported; estimates vary — Now To Love reports a February 2006 wedding). They have two daughters (IMDb).
Marta Dusseldorp’s husband Ben Winspear
Ben Winspear is an Australian actor known for roles in Underbelly, Crownies, and Janet King. He and Dusseldorp have worked together on screen and also co-founded Archipelago Productions.
Marta Dusseldorp children
The couple has two daughters. Dusseldorp has said that her family moved to Tasmania to be closer to the production base for Bay of Fires (Now To Love NZ).
Working together as a couple on the same projects brings obvious risks, but Dusseldorp and Winspear have turned it into an advantage, building a production company that gives both of them creative agency.
Why this matters: Their partnership is both personal and professional — rare in an industry where couples often avoid co-producing. It has enabled a lean, committed production model centred on Tasmanian stories.
What is Marta Dusseldorp’s net worth?
Marta Dusseldorp’s net worth is not publicly confirmed. Estimates vary between $1–5 million, based on her decades-long acting career and producing ventures. She was born on 1 February 1973 in Australia (IMDb) to parents Elisabeth and John Dusseldorp; she has a sister. Her ethnicity is Caucasian and she has not publicly specified a religion.
Marta Dusseldorp age
Born 1 February 1973, she is 52 years old as of 2025 (IMDb).
Marta Dusseldorp parents
Her parents are Elisabeth and John Dusseldorp. She has a sister (IMDb Biography).
Marta Dusseldorp ethnicity
She is of Dutch ancestry (IMDb Biography).
The pattern: Dusseldorp keeps her financial and personal details private, focusing public attention on her creative work.
Timeline
- 1973: Born in Australia on 1 February (IMDb)
- 1995: Began professional acting career in theatre (IMDb)
- 2002: First TV credit in BlackJack miniseries (IMDb)
- 2009: Married actor Ben Winspear (IMDb)
- 2011: Cast in legal drama Crownies (IMDb)
- 2013: Starred in A Place to Call Home as Sarah Adams (IMDb)
- 2014: Lead role in Janet King, spin-off of Crownies (IMDb)
- 2016: Appeared in Jack Irish series (IMDb)
- 2018: Founded production company Archipelago Productions (Archipelago Productions)
- 2023: Starred in ABC drama Bay of Fires (Now To Love)
Dusseldorp’s career timeline shows a clear arc: from stage to screen to producer. The inflection point was 2018, when she founded Archipelago and began controlling the storytelling pipeline rather than just performing in it.
Clarity check
Confirmed facts
- Born 1 February 1973 in Australia (IMDb)
- Married to Ben Winspear since 2009 (IMDb)
- Two children (IMDb)
- Starred in A Place to Call Home, Janet King, Jack Irish (IMDb)
- Runs Archipelago Productions (Archipelago Productions)
- AACTA Award winner for Best Lead Actress in a TV Drama for Janet King (Archipelago Productions)
- Studied at University of New South Wales and Victorian College of the Arts (IMDb Biography)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth ($1–5 million estimate, not confirmed)
- Precise current residence location
- Income from specific projects
- Wedding date: some sources report February 2006, others 2009
- Exact year of move to Tasmania (some sources say 2018, not verified)
- Logie Award nomination year and category (not verified)
- Early television roles before ‘BlackJack’ (if any)
The implication: Most biographical details are confirmed, but some financial and private details remain unverified.
Quotes from Marta Dusseldorp
“I want to continue to perform, but also create and nurture and mentor.”
Marta Dusseldorp, quoted in Now To Love
“It’s a love letter to Tasmania and it’s a love letter to television.”
Marta Dusseldorp on Bay of Fires, quoted in Now To Love
Summary
Marta Dusseldorp has evolved from a stage-trained actress into a producer who controls the stories she tells. Her move to Tasmania and the creation of Archipelago Productions signal a deliberate shift toward regional, female-led storytelling. For Australian viewers who want to follow a homegrown actor-producer who is betting on local talent and landscapes, the next chapter is already in production — and it’s set on the west coast of Tasmania.
liminalstudio.com.au, en.wikipedia.org, tv.apple.com, instagram.com, facebook.com, rottentomatoes.com, place-to-call-home.fandom.com
For a deeper look into Marta Dusseldorps career and personal life, you can explore how she balances her acting and producing roles with family life in Tasmania.
Frequently asked questions
Is Marta Dusseldorp active on social media?
Yes, she is active on Instagram under @martadusseldorp, where she shares updates about her projects and family.
What is the best Marta Dusseldorp TV series to watch first?
Many fans recommend starting with A Place to Call Home for its sweeping period drama, followed by Janet King for her award-winning legal performance.
Does Marta Dusseldorp produce her own shows?
Yes, through her company Archipelago Productions, she produces and sometimes stars in projects such as Bay of Fires (Archipelago Productions).
Has Marta Dusseldorp worked in theatre?
Yes, she began her career in theatre and was one of 12 actors offered exclusive contracts by Sydney Theatre Company’s Actors Company in 2005 (IMDb Biography).
What is Marta Dusseldorp’s most famous role?
Her most famous role is Sarah Adams in A Place to Call Home, which ran for six seasons (IMDb).
Did Marta Dusseldorp appear in Janet King?
Yes, she played the title role of Janet King in the legal drama from 2014 to 2017 (IMDb).
How many children does Marta Dusseldorp have?
She has two daughters with husband Ben Winspear (IMDb).
The catch: While many questions are answered, some details like exact net worth remain speculative.
Catherine Roy is Editor-in-Chief at Australia Focus, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.