Editing Toni Collette (section)

== Early life and education ==
[[File:Nida dusk.jpg|alt=An outside, night-time shot of the building. It is well lit and has almost full-length glass panels. At the right side is the name of the drama school and also the lettering for Parade Theatres. An interior stairway is visible on the left side and a rounded wooden structure at right.|thumb|The [[National Institute of Dramatic Art]] (NIDA) in [[Kensington, New South Wales]], where Collette studied acting]]
Collette is the eldest of three children having two younger brothers.<ref name="SBS Who?"/><ref name="Hume"/> She was raised in the Sydney suburb of [[Glebe, New South Wales|Glebe]] until the age of six, then in [[Blacktown]], New South Wales.<ref name="Denton">{{cite web | url = http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s951646.htm | title = Toni Collette | last = Denton | first = Andrew |author-link = Andrew Denton | work = [[Enough Rope]] | date = 22 September 2003 | via = National Library of Australia | archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20100125102016/http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s951646.htm | archive-date=25 January 2010 | access-date = 20 October 2020 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Her father, Bob Collett, was a truck driver, and her mother Judy (''[[Given name|née]]'' Cook) was a [[Customer service representative|customer-service representative]].<ref name="SBS Who?"/> Collette later learned on an episode of ''[[Who Do You Think You Are? (Australian TV series)|Who Do You Think You Are?]]'' that Bob was possibly born as a result of his mother Norma's (''née'' McWhinney) having an [[Affair|extramarital affair]] with a [[Chief petty officer (United States)|US Navy chief petty officer]] stationed in Australia during and after [[World War II]].<ref name="SBS Who?">{{cite web | url = https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/492916803932/who-do-you-think-you-are-toni-collette | title = Season 7 Episode 2: Toni Collette | work = [[Who Do You Think You Are? (Australian TV series)|Who Do You Think You Are?]] | publisher = [[SBS (Australian TV channel)#SBS On Demand|SBS On Demand]] | date = 11 August 2015 | access-date = 4 April 2020 | archive-date = 19 July 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190719015617/https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/492916803932/who-do-you-think-you-are-toni-collette | url-status = dead }} Note: previously available in Australia.</ref> Norma and her husband (Harold "Stanley" Collett)<ref name="Parry">{{cite news | url = http://www.artemisfilms.com/_blog/Artemis_News/post/toni-collettes-family-secrets-unravel/ | title = Toni Collette's Family Secrets Unravel | last = Parry | first = Jessica | publisher = Artemis Media | date = 21 July 2015 | access-date = 7 April 2020 | archive-date = 7 April 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200407015334/http://www.artemisfilms.com/_blog/Artemis_News/post/toni-collettes-family-secrets-unravel/ | url-status = live }}</ref> were going through a divorce, and Bob's DNA test determined that Stanley was not his biological father.<ref name="SBS Who?"/> Despite a public appeal in August 2015, her biological grandfather's name is not known.<ref name="SBS Who?"/><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.universityfox.com/stories/man-reunites-with-birth-mother-51-years-after-she-held-him-for-six-hours/ | title = Man reunites with birth mother 51 years after she held him for just six hours | last = Wiltons | first = Rebbekah | date = 4 April 2019 | website = University Fox | access-date = 5 January 2020 | archive-date = 5 September 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190905025227/http://www.universityfox.com/stories/man-reunites-with-birth-mother-51-years-after-she-held-him-for-six-hours/ | url-status = live }}</ref>

Collette has described her family as "[not] the most communicative" but has said that despite her parents' lack of money, they were supportive and made their children feel cared for.<ref name="McLean">{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/apr/26/artsfeatures | title = Interview: Toni Collette | last = McLean | first = Gareth | date = 26 April 2002 | work = [[The Guardian]] | access-date = 5 January 2020 | issn = 0261-3077 | oclc = 60623878 | archive-date = 10 March 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170310054700/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/apr/26/artsfeatures | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news | url = https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/straight-to-the-top-20030927-gdhgvf.html | title = Straight to the top | date = 27 September 2003 | work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | issn = 0312-6315 | oclc = 226369741 | access-date = 5 January 2020 | archive-date = 15 July 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200715224759/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/straight-to-the-top-20030927-gdhgvf.html | url-status = live }}</ref> She has fond memories of growing up in Blacktown, where she and her mother watched Saturday afternoon movie matinees presented by [[Bill Collins (television presenter)|Bill Collins]].<ref name=":1">{{cite news | url = https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/dont-call-her-muriel-20120903-2593l.html | title = Don't call her Muriel | date = 7 September 2012 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald | issn = 0312-6315 | oclc = 226369741 | access-date = 5 January 2020 | archive-date = 8 June 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200608141446/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/dont-call-her-muriel-20120903-2593l.html | url-status = live }}</ref> She described her younger self as having "crazy" amounts of confidence.<ref name=":2">{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jun/10/toni-collette-hereditary-interview-i-dont-like-horror-films | title = Toni Collette: 'I don't like horror films – I'm too petrified' | last = Ellen | first = Barbara | date = 10 June 2018 | work = [[The Observer]] | access-date = 5 January 2020 | issn = 0029-7712 | archive-date = 24 July 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190724133236/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/jun/10/toni-collette-hereditary-interview-i-dont-like-horror-films | url-status = live }}</ref> When she was 11, she believed she had [[appendicitis]] and convinced her doctors: She was taken to an [[emergency department]] and had the appendix removed.<ref name=":2" /><ref name="Bhattacharya">{{cite web | url = https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/aug/20/features.magazine | title = Sanjiv Bhattacharya meets Hollywood's leading lady Toni Collette : Film | last = Bhattacharya | first = Sanjiv | work = The Guardian | date = 20 August 2006 | access-date = 9 April 2020 | issn = 0261-3077 | oclc = 60623878 | archive-date = 22 August 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170822160656/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/aug/20/features.magazine | url-status = live }}</ref> As a student at [[Blacktown Girls High School]], her favourite activities included [[netball]], [[Tap dance|tap dancing]] and swimming,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{cite news | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10681592/Toni-Collette-interview-If-I-couldnt-work-Id-wither-and-die.html | title = Toni Collette interview: 'If I couldn't work, I'd wither and die' | last = Harrod | first = Horatia | work = [[The Daily Telegraph]] | date = 13 March 2014 | access-date = 5 January 2020 | issn = 0307-1235 | oclc = 49632006 | archive-date = 15 July 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200715170013/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10681592/Toni-Collette-interview-If-I-couldnt-work-Id-wither-and-die.html | url-status = live }}</ref> and she took part in local singing competitions.<ref name=":1"/> Her ambition was to perform in [[Musical theatre|musicals]], as she loved to sing and dance.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.ft.com/content/15f94540-7a09-11e6-97ae-647294649b28 | title = The Inventory: Australian actor Toni Collette | work = [[Financial Times]] | url-access = subscription | access-date = 5 January 2020 | issn = 0307-1766 | archive-date = 18 September 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190918021123/https://www.ft.com/content/15f94540-7a09-11e6-97ae-647294649b28 | url-status = live }}</ref>

Collette's first acting role was a high school performance of ''[[Godspell]]'' at the age of 14; she auditioned by singing Whitney Houston's "[[Saving All My Love for You]]".<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{cite journal | url = https://www.biography.com/actor/toni-collette | title = Toni Collette | journal = [[Biography (TV program)|Biography]] | access-date = 5 January 2020 | archive-date = 14 December 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191214125903/https://www.biography.com/actor/toni-collette | url-status = live }}</ref> She decided to become an actor the following year,<ref name="McLean"/> and was influenced by [[Geoffrey Rush]]'s stage performance in ''[[Diary of a Madman (Nikolai Gogol)#Adaptions|The Diary of a Madman]]'' (July–August 1989).<ref name="Denton"/><ref name="AusStage Rush">{{cite web | url = https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/1875 | title = Event: ''The Diary of a Madman'' | publisher = [[AusStage]] | access-date = 9 April 2020 | archive-date = 15 July 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200715154652/https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/1875 | url-status = live }}</ref> In 1989, with her parents' approval, she transferred to the [[Australian Theatre for Young People]], later explaining, "I was 16. And it's not like I wasn't good at school, or I didn't enjoy it, I did. I just loved acting more. I don't regret that decision, but I can't believe I made it."<ref name=":3" /> The actor returned the extra "e" at the end of her [[Last name|surname]]<ref name="SBS Who?"/> which Stanley Collett had removed<ref name="Parry"/> as it sounded better for a [[stage name]].<ref name="Hume"/> She started at [[National Institute of Dramatic Art]] (NIDA) in early 1991, but left after 18&nbsp;months to appear as Sonya in ''[[Uncle Vanya]]'' (August–September 1992), directed by [[Neil Armfield]], alongside Rush in the [[Title character|title role]].<ref name="Denton"/><ref name=":1" /><ref name="AusStage List"/>