Lynette Forday

Lynette Forday followed a Bachelor of Arts from Queensland University of Technology with acting training at NIDA in Sydney. In 1994 she broke primetime ground on Kiwi TV for an Asian actor, with a lead role on Shortland Street. She played fun-loving doctor Grace Kwan until 1997 (and performed a tracheotomy on Chris Warner, with a Star Trek pen). The character returned in 2013, to play a surrogate Mum for Warner’s baby. In between, Forday became a real-life parent, and had roles in The Strip, Go Girls, and a Qantas Award-nominated part in boy racer drama Ride with the Devil. She has also reported for Asia Downunder.

Acting doesn't change, but I had changed. I had a busy life outside of acting. I had become a mother – you can give up a lot of your life [to be a mother], so it was great finding that other side of me again. Lynette Forday on returning to Shortland Street after a 15 year hiatus, TV Guide, 13 October 2013