Deborah is the matriarch of the McManus family and – she'd like to think – of the whole Manly community. She's strategic, scheming and calculating, and is not one to forgive and forget.
As a teenager, she not only fell in with the wrong crowd but helped create it – always able to evade responsibility, until she met George McManus.
After they wed, she soon discovered the man she married and once idolised was a violent drunk, a gambler and not too concerned about family values. At least he did as she demanded and provided money, even if it wasn't by an honest day's work.
Although she was much smarter than George, Deborah could never match his physical strength, so her eldest son, Philip, took on the role of protector for her and younger son, Daniel, until the day George shot through on them.
After George left, Deborah was determined to support her family, so she created her own empire through questionable real estate deals, shady stock market trading and making sure the council were onside.
Deborah is both proud and vain about her appearance – keeping herself and her home in immaculate condition. She is very protective of keeping the family together, especially now her son, Philip, has returned with his wife, Tess, who's expecting Deborah's first grandchild.
Diane Craig plays Deborah McManus
Diane Craig was born in Northern Ireland and moved to Australia in 1960.
She attended the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) but left after a year to star in the feature film Ned Kelly alongside Mick Jagger.
Since then, Diane has enjoyed an outstanding career across television, film and theatre. Diane's many television credits include Homicide, Snake Gully With Dad And Dave, Certain Women, Boney, Matlock Police, Division 4, The Sullivans, Cop Shop, The Restless years, Chopper Squad, Prisoner, Young Ramsay, The Flying Doctors, Mission Impossible, Chances, Acropolis Now, A Country Practice, E Street, Home And Away, Heartbreak High, Murder Call, Never Tell Me Never, Wildside and All Saints.
As well as Ned Kelly, Diane has starred in numerous feature films including The Mango Tree, Double Deal, Travelling North, Southern Cross, Scorpio, One Of The Lucky Ones and most recently How To Change In Nine Weeks alongside Guy Pearce and Sam Neill.
Diane's theatrical credits include Two Brothers (Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Theatre Company – tour); Wicked Sisters, A Conversation, Face To Face, Money And Friends, Three Hotels (Ensemble Theatre); Scam (Belvoir St Theatre); Arms And The Man, Wallflowering (Railway Street Theatre); Double Act, Heidi Chronicles (Perth Theatre Company); Emerald City (Sydney Theatre Company); The Marginal Farm (Melbourne Theatre Company) and Hobson's Choice (Old Tote Theatre).
Image and text © BBC
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