Erika Heynatz (born 25 March 1975) is an Australian model, actress, singer, and television personality. She joined long-running Australian TV series Home and Away in June 2015, as villainous biology teacher Charlotte King.

Erika Heynatz
Heynatz in 2012
Born (1975-03-25) 25 March 1975 (age 49)
NationalityAustralian
Occupation(s)Singer, actress, model, television personality
Years active2000–present
SpouseAndrew Kingston (m. 2007)
Children1
Musical career
Genres
LabelsEMI Music

Career

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Heynatz hosted the first two cycles of the Foxtel reality TV show Australia's Next Top Model[1] and the only season of the Ten Network's The Hot House. She demonstrated a commitment to a singing career by leaving her Australia's Next Top Model job, which went to Australian lads mag girl Jodhi Meares. Heynatz left Australia's Next Top Model to pursue her singing and her commitment to appear on the Seven Network's celebrity singing contest It Takes Two in 2006.[2] Paired with David Hobson as her tutor, she eventually won the contest.

In 2003, she starred in the television movie Mermaids,[3] and has since appeared in numerous other feature film roles. She also appeared as a guest star in the sci-fi series Farscape in the episodes "Terra Firma" and "Unrealized Reality". In 2007, Heynatz starred in the motion picture Gabriel.[4]

Heynatz has starred in an Olay commercial and was the co-host of the third series of It Takes Two.[5] She was a special guest judge during Cycle 8 of America's Next Top Model where one of the episodes was filmed in Sydney.[6]

On 15 April 2008, Heynatz performed a cover of the Rosi Golan song "Slide"[7] on It Takes Two and impressed the critics with the performance.

Heynatz had a recording contract with EMI Music Australia. Her debut single, "Kingdom", was released on 12 February 2010.[8] The video for the clip was filmed in the US. Her second single, "Bullet", was released on 18 June 2010.[9] Her debut album, Sweeter Side, was released on 16 July 2010, which contains the singles "Kingdom" and "Bullet".[10]

Heynatz appears in Rockstar Games' L.A. Noire, as Elsa Lichtmann, which is produced using advanced motion capture technology.[11] Although her character performs several 1940s-style songs in the game, synthpop singer Claudia Brücken performed the vocals.

In 2013, she appeared in the musical Legally Blonde as Brooke Wyndham. Also in 2014 she starred as the Usherette and Magenta in the Australian tour of The Rocky Horror Show.

In 2015, it was announced that Heynatz had joined Seven Network soap opera Home and Away in a recurring role as school teacher Charlotte King. She first appeared on screen in June and departed in December of the same year, when her character was murdered by main character, Josh Barrett, played by Jackson Gallagher.[citation needed]

Personal life

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Heynatz's grandfather immigrated to Australia at the age of fourteen and a half from Denmark.[12][failed verification]

On 8 March 2007, she married long-term partner Andrew Kingston.[13] She has a child.[citation needed]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2003 George of the Jungle 2 Kowalski Video
2006 Voodoo Lagoon Penny
2007 Gabriel Lilith
2020 Children of the Corn June Willis

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Head Start Guest "New Beginnings"
2001 Crash Palace Katrina "1.17"
2002 Heroes' Mountain Nicola TV film
2002–03 Farscape Caroline Wallace "Unrealized Reality", "Terra Firma"
2003 Mermaids Diana TV film
2005–2006 Australia's Next Top Model Herself (host)
2007 America's Next Top Model (cycle 8) Herself (guest judge)
2015–16 Home and Away Charlotte King Recurring role
2017–19 The Family Law Diane Recurring role

Video Games

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Year Title Role Notes
2011 L.A. Noire Elsa Lichtmann (voice & motion capture) Video game

References

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  1. ^ "Erica Heynatz". Archived from the original on 24 January 2010.
  2. ^ "Erika Heynatz goes commercial". The Age. 25 May 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  3. ^ "Mermaids Spotted in Queensland Waters" (PDF).[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Erika Heynatz enjoys horror ride". The Daily Telegraph. 18 August 2008.
  5. ^ "It Takes Two". 7 Perth. 7 July 2023.
  6. ^ "America's Next Top Model: The Girls Who Go Down Under".
  7. ^ Rosi Golan's song 'Slide' which she co-wrote with Jamie Hartman and Peter Gordeno was officially released as part of her debut record The Drifter and The Gyspy in November 2008.[citation needed]
  8. ^ "Kingdom – Single by Erika". iTunes (Australia). January 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  9. ^ "Bullet – Single by Erika". iTunes (Australia). January 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  10. ^ "Sweeter Side by Erika". iTunes (Australia). 16 July 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Climbing Out of the Uncanny Valley". 20 December 2010.
  12. ^ Mornings with Bob Rogers, Radio 2CH, 09:38 ADST, 3 March 2010.
  13. ^ "Weddings, Babies and Life in General". Archived from the original on 8 July 2009. Retrieved 14 January 2011.
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