Frances O’Connor was born on June 12, 1967, in Wantage, Oxfordshire, England, to a pianist mother and a physicist father. She was raised in Perth, Western Australia, after her family relocated there when she was two years old. She attended Mercedes College and later studied literature at Curtin University before pursuing acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), graduating in 1992.
O’Connor began her acting career in Australia, appearing in various television series and films. Her early work included roles in the Australian television shows Law of the Land and Halifax f.p.. She quickly gained recognition for her performances, establishing herself as a talented and versatile actress.
O’Connor’s breakthrough role came in the Australian film Love and Other Catastrophes (1996). This led to further roles in international productions, including: