At just 16 years old, most teenagers are worried about homework and weekend plans. Maddison Brown was boarding a plane to New York City, leaving high school behind to chase modeling contracts. That bold leap would set the foundation for a career spanning two decades, multiple continents, and industries from high fashion to television drama to beauty entrepreneurship.
Maddison Brown is an Australian actress, model, and entrepreneur who transformed from a Melbourne child actor into an internationally recognized television star. Born Maddison Amy Brown, this Australian actress and model achieved global recognition through her complex portrayal of Kirby Anders in The CW’s Dynasty reboot, while building a successful beauty business that addresses real-world health concerns.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Maddison Amy Brown |
| Born (Age) | April 23, 1997 (28 years old as of July 2025) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Birthplace | Melbourne, Australia |
| Gender | Female |
| Height | 1.78 meters (5 feet 10 inches) |
| Occupation | Actress, Model, Entrepreneur |
| Active Years | 2004 – Present |
| Notable For | Kirby Anders in Dynasty, Strangerland, The Kettering Incident, Outside Beauty & Skincare founder |
| Current Project | Home and Away (2025-present) |
| Business Venture | Co-founder of Outside Beauty & Skincare |
| Social Media | Active on Instagram (@maddisonbrown) |
What Drove Maddison Brown’s Early Career Decisions?
Maddison Brown was born on April 23, 1997, in Melbourne, Australia, making her an Aries by zodiac sign. Her entertainment career began at age five with a role in the 2004 television movie “Go Big” alongside Australian actress Justine Clarke. This early exposure taught her to handle rejection before most children learn multiplication tables.
Brown has two older sisters, including Allyson, who represented Australia in basketball before becoming her business partner. The Brown family created a supportive environment that encouraged risk-taking and international ambition.
By age 12, Brown had shifted focus to modeling, and at 16 made the dramatic decision to leave Melbourne and relocate to New York City. Her parents initially accompanied these trips, but she soon operated independently in one of the world’s most competitive fashion markets.
Her early acting experience proved invaluable for modeling resilience. As Brown told Wonderland Magazine in 2015: “Acting as a child helped me deal with rejection from a very young age. It made the first few years as a model easier.”
How Did International Modeling Shape Her Acting Return?
Brown’s modeling career with globally recognized high-fashion brands including Calvin Klein, Miu Miu, Jason Wu, and Jasper Conran established her international profile. She secured major ambassadorships with Pantene and Longines, demonstrating crossover appeal between fashion and mainstream consumer markets.
The fashion industry’s recognition peaked when Miu Miu selected Brown for their Fall/Winter 2015 “Subjective Reality” campaign, photographed by Steven Meisel alongside emerging actresses Mia Goth, Stacy Martin, and Hailee Gates. This high-profile campaign positioned her among Hollywood’s rising talent.
Her return to acting arrived through Strangerland (2015), where she played Lily Parker opposite Nicole Kidman. The psychological thriller marked her feature film debut and provided experience working with established Australian cinema talent. This role demonstrated her ability to hold her own alongside internationally acclaimed actors.
Why Did Dynasty Become Maddison Brown’s Breakthrough Role?
In 2018, Brown landed the career-defining role of Kirby Anders in The CW’s Dynasty television drama series. The character description revealed someone who “grew up in the staff’s living quarters” with “a fraught history with the Carringtons, specifically a tempestuous relationship with Fallon.”
Dynasty’s global streaming success introduced Brown to audiences across multiple continents. The series aired on The CW in the United States while streaming internationally on Netflix and other platforms. This exposure created a genuinely global fanbase for both the show and Brown’s character.
The filming location in Atlanta required Brown to relocate from Australia to the United States. Initial homesickness challenged her, but she adapted to American television production rhythms. Brown remained with Dynasty through its complete five-season run, concluding in 2022.
Industry Impact: Brown’s Kirby Anders brought psychological complexity to what could have been a standard soap opera antagonist, earning critical recognition for elevating genre expectations through nuanced performance choices.
How Did Media Attention Affect Maddison Brown’s Personal Life?
Maddison Brown’s brief but highly publicized relationship with actor Liam Hemsworth in October 2019 thrust her into international celebrity news coverage. The relationship occurred shortly after Hemsworth’s high-profile separation from Miley Cyrus, creating intense media scrutiny around Brown’s personal life.
The brief but highly publicized relationship demonstrated Brown’s ability to maintain professional focus while navigating celebrity media pressure. Rather than leveraging the attention for additional publicity, she continued prioritizing her acting commitments and personal privacy.
Brown has spoken candidly about the challenges of forming connections due to her unconventional career path. In a 2014 Vice interview, she explained: “I had trouble connecting to people my own age because I had lived on my own overseas and had been working for so long.” Brown does not have any publicly known children.
What Inspired Maddison Brown’s Entrepreneurship in Beauty?
Brown co-founded Outside Beauty & Skincare with sister Allyson Popovic in January 2023, driven by a personal tragedy: their father’s best friend died from melanoma. This experience motivated them to create elevated sun protection products that people would actually want to use daily.
Outside Beauty & Skincare has become one of Australia’s most successful SPF beauty brands, with their SPF50+ Lip to Cheek balm achieving significant sales success, reportedly becoming a bestseller during peak summer seasons. The brand combines medical-grade sun protection with aesthetic appeal.
Brown describes their approach as creating “the Aesop of sunscreen brands.” Their environmental commitment includes 1% for the Planet membership and planting one tree per order, reflecting Brown’s environmental advocacy work with organizations like Parley for the Oceans.
Strategic retail partnerships followed rapidly, with Australian fashion retailer DISSH picking up the brand in October 2024 and leading Australian online beauty retailer Adore Beauty launching it two months later. These partnerships demonstrate the brand’s commercial viability beyond celebrity endorsement.
What Current Projects Define Maddison Brown’s Career Direction?
After returning to Australia in 2024, Brown joined Home and Away’s main cast as Jo Langham, first appearing on June 9, 2025. This casting represents a strategic return to Australian television after achieving international recognition through Dynasty.
Brown also stars as Dani in “To Kill A Wolf” (2024), a modern Little Red Riding Hood adaptation directed by Kelsey Taylor. The film premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival, showcasing Brown’s dramatic range in intimate, character-driven storytelling set in Oregon’s wilderness.
Her current focus balances acting commitments with expanding Outside Beauty & Skincare’s market reach. Brown maintains an active social media presence that engages audiences with both entertainment content and business ventures.
Career Strategy: Brown’s decision to return to Australian television while maintaining international visibility demonstrates sophisticated career management, avoiding the common mistake of abandoning domestic opportunities for overseas recognition.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maddison Brown
• Q: How old is Maddison Brown and when was she born?
A: Maddison Brown is 28 years old, born on April 23, 1997.
• Q: What is Maddison Brown’s nationality and where is she from?
A: Maddison Brown is Australian, born and raised in Melbourne, Australia.
• Q: What is Maddison Brown most famous for?
A: Brown is internationally known for playing Kirby Anders in The CW’s Dynasty and for co-founding the successful skincare brand Outside Beauty & Skincare.
• Q: Did Maddison Brown date Liam Hemsworth?
A: Yes, Maddison Brown and Liam Hemsworth were publicly linked in a brief relationship during October 2019.
• Q: What TV shows and movies has Maddison Brown appeared in?
A: Brown has appeared in Dynasty, The Kettering Incident, Home and Away, Strangerland, To Kill A Wolf, and the TV movie Go Big.
• Q: How tall is Maddison Brown?
A: Maddison Brown is 1.78 meters tall, which equals approximately 5 feet 10 inches.
• Q: What is Outside Beauty & Skincare?
A: Outside Beauty & Skincare is an Australian sun protection and skincare company co-founded by Brown and her sister, specializing in eco-friendly, high-SPF products inspired by their personal experience with melanoma.
Maddison Brown’s Impact on Australian Entertainment and Global Beauty
Maddison Brown’s career trajectory offers a template for Australian talent seeking international recognition without abandoning domestic roots. Her ability to move fluidly between modeling, television, film, and entrepreneurship demonstrates rare versatility in industries that typically demand specialization.
Her entrepreneurial success with Outside Beauty & Skincare illustrates how contemporary celebrities can build meaningful businesses addressing genuine consumer needs. The brand’s focus on sun safety education, born from personal loss, shows how authentic storytelling drives commercial success while serving public health interests.
Brown’s return to Australian television through Home and Away after achieving international recognition via Dynasty challenges traditional career progression assumptions. Rather than viewing domestic projects as career regression, she positions herself as a bridge between Australian and international entertainment markets.
Her influence extends beyond entertainment into public health advocacy, where her sun safety work contributes to important melanoma prevention conversations. Through Outside Beauty & Skincare’s success, she demonstrates that Australian-made products can compete globally while maintaining authentic local connections.
Discover more inspiring biographies of global entertainment figures on Feelepa and explore how talented individuals from Australia continue making their mark on international stages while preserving their cultural identity.
