You're Terrible, Muriel! Trivia Quiz

Answer: ABBA

"Muriel's Wedding" is a sleeper hit that made Toni Collette a star. Muriel Heslop is an outcast among her family and friends who, after a fallout with her family, absconds to Sydney to start a new life. In a wild series of events, Muriel accepts money to marry a swimmer from South Africa who needs a visa to become an Australian Olympic athlete.

This ultimately leads to "Muriel's Wedding". Torn between a comedy and dark drama, the movie is soldered together by Muriel's love of ABBA which permeates throughout the film and culminates in the memorable "Waterloo" dance number. Toni Collette's performance was so well-regarded at the time that she won the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award for Best Actress and was nominated for Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical.

Answer: Harriet Smith

"Emma" is a 1996 film directed by Douglas McGrath based on the 1815 novel by Jane Austen. Emma Woodhouse (played by Gwyneth Paltrow) is an up-and-coming socialite in the early 1800s who prides herself on being the perfect matchmaker. To further that end, she takes on the project of transforming Harriet Smith (played by Toni Collette) into a more cultured woman in order to attract a more cultured man. Unfortunately for both, things don't quite go as planned.

The movie was well-received in 1996 and while considered a springboard for Paltrow's career (she would win an Oscar two years later), it also demonstrated Collette's versatility.

Answer: Her mother saw her dance at her recital when she was a child

"The Sixth Sense" is a 1999 film that centers on a boy who has the ability to see ghosts. Terrified through most of the film, Cole (played by Haley Joel Osment) comes to terms with this gift and in an unexpectedly raw moment tells his mom (played by Toni Collette) that his grandmother saw his mom dance during her dance recital many years earlier despite his mom thinking that she had not been there to witness it.

This small, personal moment reveals to Cole's mom that he does actually see beyond the visible world.

In a movie where they are not able to see eye to eye, this finally bonds them. Both performers garnered Oscar nominations for their sensitive portrayals and this terrific movie earned four other nominations including Best Picture.

Answer: Killing Me Softly with His Song

Toni Collette plays Fiona Brewer, mother of Marcus Brewer (played by Nicholas Hoult), who is a single mom suffering from bouts of depression. A lonely Marcus befriends Will Freeman (played by Hugh Grant), an unemployed carefree bachelor who lives off of the royalties of a Christmas tune written by his father.

In a desperate moment to make his mom happy, Marcus goes on stage to sing the Roberta Flack classic, "Killing Me Softly with His Song". To ameliorate the situation, Will joins Marcus on stage and they perform the song together.

This tender comedy garnered terrific reviews for Toni Collette, deepening her recognition as an actress who could effortlessly manage both comedy and gravity in a single role.

Answer: The Hours

"The Hours" is a 2002 film directed by Stephen Daldry based on the novel by Michael Cunningham about three women from different eras and how they cope with the difficulties facing women during each of those decades. Toni Collette has a small role as Kitty, a 1950s homemaker who needs to undergo an operation and, while in the hospital, asks her neighbor Laura (played by Julianne Moore) to watch over her dog. With a cast featuring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris and John C. Reilly, Toni Collette was singled out for her performance by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts with a nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

Answer: A beauty pageant

"Little Miss Sunshine" is a small budget independent film that premiered without a distributor at the Sundance Film Festival and just a year later found itself nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. Toni Collette plays Sheryl Hoover the matriarch of a dysfunctional family.

Her daughter Olive becomes obsessed with trying out for the "Little Miss Sunshine" beauty pageant and even though she does not fit the pageant mold, the family sets out on a journey in their Volkswagen Microbus to let her compete.

The cast includes Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the foul-mouthed grandfather.

Answer: Shirley MacLaine

"In Her Shoes" was directed by "L.A. Confidential" director Curtis Hanson and based on the novel by Jennifer Weiner. Toni Collette plays Rose Feller, a strait-laced lawyer who agrees to let her sister Maggie (played by Cameron Diaz) move into her apartment despite Maggie being unemployed and a complete free spirit.

After finding Maggie with Rose's boyfriend, Rose throws Maggie out and Rose ends up at the doorstep of her grandmother Ella (played by Shirley MacLaine). While generally receiving favorable reviews, Toni Collette's performance was a critical standout and, as a result, she earned an Australian Film Institute Award nomination for Best Actress.

Answer: Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Todd Haynes, a director known for his period pieces such as "Far From Heaven" and "Carol", set "Velvet Goldmine" in the early days of the glam rock movement in the 1970s. He has made no secret that much of the movie parallels the life of legendary artist David Bowie but the film steers clear of any direct comparisons. Toni Collette's character Mandy is shown early in the movie as the spurned wife dealing with the libertine lifestyle of her husband (Jonathan Rhys Meyers in a captivating role) prior to his move to the US and his rock stardom.

The movie was unsuccessful at the box upon its release but has gained quite a cult following given the cast, crew and subject matter.

Answer: Krampus

With the tagline "You better watch out", "Krampus" was released to mixed critical reviews In the US during the 2015 holiday season. With Toni Collette as the mother of Max Engel, a boy who is mocked for still believing in Christmas, the movie features a monster that attacks the family for their lack of faith in the spirit of Christmas. Despite the lackluster reception by critics, the movie was profitable, raking in over $40 million in the US and over $60 million worldwide despite only costing $15 million to produce.

Answer: Hereditary

One of the sleeper hits of 2018, "Hereditary" is the story of a family dealing with the death of their matriarch and the secrets that are uncovered about her and how they end up affecting the family. Toni Collette gives a wonderful performances as a grieving daughter with mixed feelings of guilt and animosity toward the mother she lost. "Rolling Stone" declared, "it's Collette, giving the performance of her career" and further elaborated, "Her tour de force bristles with provocations that for sure will keep you up nights." Reportedly budgeted around $10 million to make, the film has grossed over $70 million dollars worldwide.