Jacki Weaver is the lion queen of the Animal Kingdom (2010). It is fitting that after playing a succession of downtrodden, disaffected women, she has returned with one of the strongest, and most menacingly formidable, female characters to haunt the cinema screen in recent years. David Michôd’s acclaimed crime drama opens in the UK this week ahead of the Academy Awards, for which Weaver has been nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Weaver’s early work delved deep into the experiences of womanhood. Her AFI award-winning performance in the irreverent comedy Stork (1971) launched her film career, as the promiscuous Annie who attempts to break free of male subjugation. A fleeting, raunchy part in Tim Burstall’s Alvin Purple (1973) was followed by solid performances that dealt with complex issues, such as marriage and infidelity in Petersen (1974), domestic violence in The Removalists (1975), grief and mystery as the school maid in Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) and the social and economic disadvantages faced by women in Caddie (1976).

After an illustrious theatre career, Jacki Weaver has returned to the screen with a role that is in stark contrast to her earlier characters. Critics worldwide have heavily praised Weaver for her chilling portrayal of Melbourne gangland matriarch Janine ‘Smurf’ Cody. Her Oscar nomination has meant rethinking her future plans: ‘I’ve been describing it as the twilight of my career but suddenly it’s the brightly lit mid-afternoon.’

Best of luck Jacki!