Tuuli Narkle is an Australian actress of Noongar Aboriginal and Finnish descent who rose to national prominence after winning the 2022 AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama for her role in Mystery Road: Origin. Born in Western Australia in 1996, she is now best known internationally as Constable Evie Cooper in the hit series NCIS: Sydney.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Tuuli Narkle is a Noongar Aboriginal and Finnish-Australian actress, born in Western Australia in 1996, aged 29 as of 2025.
- She won the 2022 AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in Television Drama for her role as Mary Swan in Mystery Road: Origin.
- She has played AFP Constable Evie Cooper in NCIS: Sydney since 2023 and is currently filming Season 3.
- She trained at John Curtin College of the Arts and graduated from NIDA with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2018.
- She keeps her personal life strictly private and has not confirmed any romantic relationship.
Tuuli Narkle's profile summary
Full name | Tuuli Amaris Narkle |
Date of birth | 1996 (exact date not public) |
Age | 30 years old (as of 2026) |
Place of birth | Western Australia, Australia |
Nationality | Australian |
Ethnicity | Noongar Aboriginal (Yued and Wiilman) and Finnish |
Siblings | Jada (younger sister) |
Education | John Curtin College of the Arts; National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) |
Profession | Actress |
Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
Net worth | 1–5 million (est.) |
Tuuli Narkle's age and early start in acting
Tuuli Narkle was born in 1996 in Western Australia, making her 30 years old as of 2026. She has not publicly shared her exact date of birth. She grew up in modest circumstances, raised largely by her mother. As she told the Sydney Morning Herald:
I grew up with my mum, mostly — my dad was kind of in and out — and I have a little sister, Jada.
Narkle's passion for performance started in primary school. A single audition changed the course of her life. "One day I decided I wanted to be in my primary school's performance assembly," she recalled in a Melbourne Theatre Company Q&A. "I was terrified, but the thrill just electrified me."
Source: Original
1. Tuuli is of Noongar Aboriginal and Finnish descent
Narkle is a Noongar woman of the Yued and Wiilman cultural blocs, with ancestral ties to the York and Goldfields regions of Western Australia. Her mother's Finnish heritage gives her a dual cultural identity she has spoken about with pride. The Australian actress also learned cultural dance from a young age, which informed her formal training.
2. She grew up with her younger sister Jada
Tuuli was raised primarily by her mother alongside her younger sister Jada. Her father was not consistently present during her childhood. The family bond has remained a grounding influence throughout her career.
3. Narkle built a stage career before appearing on screen
Before her first on-screen role, Narkle established herself in Australian theatre. She played Ruby in Jane Harrison's Stolen, directed by Leah Purcell. In 2019, she appeared in Winyanboga Yurringa at Belvoir Street Theatre, then joined Nakkiah Lui's Black is the New White at the Sydney Theatre Company that same year.
Later stage credits include Evonne Goolagong Cawley in Sunshine Super Girl (2021) and Helen in Emme Hoy's adaptation of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (2022).
4. Tuuli trained at John Curtin College of the Arts and NIDA
Narkle studied acting at the John Curtin College of the Arts in Perth, where she also trained in classical, contemporary, and character dance at the Charlesworth Ballet Institute. The talented actress later earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 2018, one of Australia's most prestigious performing arts credentials.
5. Her first on-screen role came in 2021
Tuuli made her screen debut in the ABC comedy series All My Friends Are Racist, appearing in five episodes in 2021. The show marked her transition from stage to screen.
6. Mystery Road: Origin was her breakout role
Narkle played Mary Swan in the ABC prequel series Mystery Road: Origin, a performance that earned her the 2022 AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama. The series won seven AACTAs that year, with co-star Mark Coles Smith also taking Best Lead Actor.
Season 2 of Mystery Road: Origin premiered on ABC in September 2025, reuniting her with the role that made her name.
7. Tuuli has been an NCIS fan since high school
Long before joining the cast, Narkle watched NCIS with her mother at home. As she told the National Indigenous Times:
I remember watching it in high school and being like, 'God, I want to do that one day.'
8. She stands 168 cm tall
Narkle is around 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm) tall. She has not publicly confirmed her weight, and figures circulated on third-party sites are unverified.
9. Narkle plays Constable Evie Cooper in NCIS: Sydney
Since 2023, Narkle has starred as AFP liaison officer Constable Evie Cooper in NCIS: Sydney — the first international spin-off of the long-running NCIS franchise. She is a main cast member who appeared across Seasons 1 and 2 and is currently appearing in Season 3, which began airing in late 2025.
Beyond the flagship roles, her recent screen credits include Miss Lacey in the Stan drama Bad Behaviour (2023, four episodes) and Keeley Redford in the Netflix series Territory (2024, five episodes).
10. She has not confirmed any romantic relationship
Narkle keeps her personal life strictly private. She is not married and has not publicly confirmed any relationship. Some outlets have reported an unverified connection to director Sherene Stewart, but Narkle has not addressed this claim, and it cannot be independently corroborated.
11. Tuuli Narkle's net worth estimation
Years of stage work and a string of high-profile television roles have made Tuuli a multi-millionaire according to online sources, but her exact net worth is not publicly verified. Her income sources include:
- Lead-actress fees for ABC drama productions
- Main-cast billing on the internationally broadcast NCIS: Sydney
- Supporting roles in Netflix and Stan series
- A sustained career across major Australian theatre companies, including the Sydney Theatre Company and Belvoir Street Theatre
Latest news
Narkle's profile is at an all-time high in 2026. Season 2 of Mystery Road: Origin premiered on ABC in September 2025, earning strong reviews and bringing her AACTA-winning performance to a new audience.
Season 3 of NCIS: Sydney began airing in late 2025, with Narkle confirmed as a main cast member throughout. She has also received a 2026 AACTA Award nomination for her work on Mystery Road: Origin, a recognition that cements her standing among Australia's premier screen performers.
FAQs
- What ethnicity is Tuuli Narkle? She is a Noongar Aboriginal woman of the Yued and Wiilman cultural blocs, with Finnish heritage on her mother's side. She holds Australian nationality.
- Is Tuuli Narkle married? No. Tuuli Narkle is not married and has not confirmed any relationship.
- Is Tuuli Narkle in a relationship? She has not publicly confirmed a relationship. Some outlets have linked her to director Sherene Stewart, but Narkle has not addressed this claim.
- Does Tuuli Narkle have children? There is no public information indicating she has children.
- Who is Tuuli Narkle's sister? Her younger sister is named Jada.
- What TV shows and films has Tuuli Narkle appeared in? Her key screen credits are All My Friends Are Racist (ABC, 2021), Mystery Road: Origin (ABC, 2022–2025), Bad Behaviour (Stan, 2023), NCIS: Sydney (2023–present), and Territory (Netflix, 2024).
- What is Tuuli Narkle's Instagram? She is active on Instagram at @tuuli.narkle.
- What award did Tuuli Narkle win? She won the 2022 AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama for her role as Mary Swan in Mystery Road: Origin.
Conclusion
The interest in Tuuli Narkle's age and story reflects her rising profile in acting. From early stage performances to award-winning TV work, she has steadily built a respected and inspiring career.
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Source: Briefly News