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Brendan Cowell

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Brendan Cowell
Brendan Cowell in February 2013
Born
Sydney, Australia
Occupation(s)Actor, screenwriter, playwright
Years active1986-present

Brendan Cowell is an Australian actor and writer. He is known for his lead role in 2024 television series Plum that he created, based on his 2021 novel of the same name.

Early life and education

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Brendan Cowell was born in Sydney and grew up in the beachside suburb of Cronulla. He credits his mother and high school drama teacher with encouraging him to explore his creative side.[1]

He attended Charles Sturt University in Bathurst to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre/Media.[1]

Career

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Stage

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Cowell won the Patrick White Playwrights' Award for his third play, Bed[2] along with a collection of other awards. His play Ruben Guthrie showed at the Belvoir St Theatre in 2009 to sell-out houses.[3] It had a new production at La Boite Theatre in 2011, starring Gyton Grantley and directed by David Berthold.[4]

He won some acclaim for his portrayal of the title role in Bell Shakespeare's 2008 Production of Hamlet[5] and acted in Sydney Theatre Company's production of True West, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, in 2010.[6]

The Sublime (Melbourne Theatre Company) was shortlisted for the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting in the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards 2015.[7] His play Happy New was performed in London in 2013, starring Joel Samuels, Lisa Dillon and William Troughton. It had previously premiered in Australia.[8]

In 2017 he starred as Galileo Galilei in the Young Vic's production of Bertholt Brecht's Life of Galileo.[9]

Television

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Cowell played the enigmatic Tom on Australian cable TV's Love My Way, for which he also wrote several episodes, and played Todd for the first two seasons on Life Support on SBS TV, for which he also wrote sketches.[citation needed]

In 2017 Cowell joined the cast of the HBO series Game of Thrones in Season 7 as Harrag, an Ironborn sea captain allied to Theon Greyjoy.[citation needed]

In 2024, it was announced that Cowell had begun filming for ABC drama Plum based on his novel of the same name..[10][11] Plum would air on 20 October 2024.

Film

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Cowell's acting work in film include roles in the 2007 crime drama Noise, the World War 1 war film Beneath Hill 60, the romantic comedy I Love You Too.[citation needed] and a notable role in Avatar: The Way of Water as Captain Mick Scoresby.

Other writing

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In 2010 Cowell published his first novel, How it Feels.[12]

Personal life

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Cowell dated Rose Byrne for six years until they parted ways amicably in early 2010.[13]

Filmography

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Film actor

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Key
† Denotes productions that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes
1986 The Siege of Barton's Bathroom[14][15] Dominic Barton Short
1999 Kick Macca
Monster! Nate TV film
2000 Bored Olives Robert
The Monkey's Mask Hayden
2001 To End All Wars Wallace Hamilton
2003 Clutch Brian Short
2004 Floodhouse Herringbone John
2005 Deck Dogz Kurt
2006 Suburban Mayhem Interviewer Voice role
2007 Noise Graham McGahan
2008 Three Blind Mice Glenn Carter
Ten Empty Shane Hackett
2010 Beneath Hill 60 Oliver Woodward
I Love You Too Jim
Bee Sting Tom Stanners Short
2011 Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away Benny O'Connell TV film
2012 Save Your Legs! Rick
I Missed My Mother's Funeral Young Man Short
2013 The Darkside
The Outlaw Michael Howe British Soldier TV film
2015 Last Cab to Darwin Publican
Observance Employer
Black Chook Jim Bloke Short
2016 A Thousand Words James Short
Broke Kirk
Comedy Showroom: The Letdown Harry TV film
2017 National Theatre Live: Yerma John
The Current War Confederate Soldier
2022 Avatar: The Way of Water Captain Mick Scoresby
2024 Avatar: Fire and Ash

Television actor

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Water Rats Jonathan Freeman Episode: "Family Matters"
2001-2002 Life Support Todd Series regular
2002 Young Lions Jason Doone 2 episodes
White Collar Blue Daniel Hudson 1 episode
2003 Fat Cow Motel Jack Green Mini-series
2004 Salem's Lot Dud Rogers Mini-series
2004-2007 Love My Way Tom Jackson Series regular
2008 Review with Myles Barlow As himself Season 1 Episode 3
2010 Rush Blake Fincher Episode: "Cooked"
2011 The Slap Craig Episode: "Richie"
2012 Howzat! Kerry Packer's War Rodney Marsh Mini-series
2013 The Borgias Mattai the Hebrew 5 episodes
2014 Wastelander Panda Isaac 6 episodes, voice role
Soul Mates Harry Cunston Episode: "Self Destruction"
2014-2016 Black Comedy Various roles 4 episodes
2016 Brock Allan Moffat Mini-series
2017 Game of Thrones Harrag 3 episodes
2017-2019 The Letdown Harry 3 episodes
2018 Press Peter Langley Series regular
2020 The End Christopher Brennan 4 episodes
2022 The Twelve Garry Thorne 10 episodes
2023 The Castaways Mike Brasse 5 episodes
2024 Plum Peter 'The Plum' Lum 6 episodes
2024 Dune: Prophecy Duke Ferdinand Richese

Theatre actor

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Year Play Role Venue Notes
2000 The Recruit Jimmy Wharf 1 Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales with Sydney Theatre Company
Men Guy Old Fitzroy Theatre, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales
2001 Happy New Lyle Old Fitzroy Theatre, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales
2003 The Shape of Things Adam Sorenson Wharf 1 Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales with Sydney Theatre Company
2004 Far Away Todd Wharf 1 Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales with Sydney Theatre Company
2006 Dissident, Goes Without Saying Phillipe Wharf 2Loud Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales with Sydney Theatre Company
2008 Hamlet Prince Hamlet Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Sydney, New South Wales with Bell Shakespeare
2010 True West Austin Wharf 1 Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales with Sydney Theatre Company
2011 The Dark Room Stephen Downstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales with Company B
2013 Miss Julie Jean Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales with Belvoir Sydney
The Wild Duck Hjalmar Ekdal Vienna Festival & Holland Festival with Belvoir Sydney
2014 Once in Royal David's City Will Drummond Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales with Belvoir Sydney
The Wild Duck Hjalmar Ekdal Barbican Centre, London & UK Tour with Belvoir Sydney
2016 Yerma Juan Young Vic, London
2017 Life of Galileo Galileo Galilei Young Vic, London
2018 Dance Nation Dance Teacher Pat Almeida Theatre, London
Yerma Juan Park Avenue Armory, New York City

Writing

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Year Title Format Notes
2000 Men Play.
2001 Bed Play. Won the Patrick White Playwrights Award and Fellowship in 2001.[16]
2001 Happy New Play.
2001-2002 Life Support TV Series. Satire. Comedy. Writer (with others) in 4 episodes.
2002 Sweet Dreams Short film. Co-written with Anthony Hayes.
Running Down These Dreams Short film. Drama.
Free Short film. Drama.
Wasted on the Young Short film. Comedy.
I Love U Short film. Drama.
Baggage Claim Short film. Drama.
The Doppelgangers Short film. Sci-Fi.
Chrono-logic Short film. Drama.
2003 Rabbit Play. Won the 2003 Griffin award.[17]
2004 Morph Play.
2004-2007 Love My Way[18][19][20] TV series 8 episodes
episodes: (#1.3) (#1.7) (#2.6) (#2.7) (#2.9) (#3.1) (#3.5) (#3.8)
2005 Europe[21] Short film. Romance.
2007 Ten Empty Film. Drama.
2009 Ruben Guthrie Play. ISBN 9780868198590 Cowell adapted this as a film script for the 2015 feature film with the same title.
2010 How It Feels[22] Debut novel. ISBN 9781405039291
2011 The Slap[21] TV Series. Based on Christos Tsiolkas' novel. 2 episodes:
#1.3 Harry, #1.8 Richie
2012 Save Your Legs![23] Feature film. Comedy.
2013 The Outlaw Michael Howe TV movie. Historical drama. Western.
2014 The Sublime Play.
2015 Ruben Guthrie Feature film. Dark comedy, drama, romance.
2021 Plum Second Novel. ISBN 9781460760505 Audiobook read by Cowell (ISBN 9781460789377).
Adapted as a TV Series, released in 2024.
2024 Plum TV Series. Writer / Exec Producer 6 episodes

Directing credits

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Year Title
2005 Europe
2013 The Outlaw Michael Howe
2015 Ruben Guthrie

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
2005 Logie Awards Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor Love My Way Nominated
2006 Logie Awards Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor Love My Way Nominated
2007 AFI Awards Best Lead Actor Noise Nominated
AWGIE Awards Television - Series Love My Way Nominated
Inside Film Awards Best Actor Noise Nominated
Logie Awards Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor Love My Way Nominated
2008 ASTRA Awards Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor Love My Way Nominated
Film Critics Circle of Australia Best Actor Noise Won
2010 AFI Awards Best Lead Actor Beneath Hill 60 Nominated
2011 Film Critics Circle of Australia Best Actor Beneath Hill 60 Nominated
Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production The Dark Room Nominated
2012 AACTA Awards Best Screenplay in Television The Slap Won
AWGIE Awards Television Mini-Series - Adaptation (with Emily Ballou, Alice Bell, Kris Mrksa & Cate Shortland) The Slap Won
2015 AACTA Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Ruben Guthrie Nominated
AWGIE Awards Feature Film - Adaptation Ruben Guthrie Won
ZOOM Awards Best Director The Outlaw Michael Howe Won

References

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  1. ^ a b "Brendan Cowell – Actor-writer-director-producer". Alumni.csu.edu.au. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  2. ^ "Sydney Theatre Company – Patrick White Playwrights' Award". Sydneytheatre.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 September 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  3. ^ "Ruben Guthrie, Productions | Belvoir St Theatre". Belvoir.com.au. 5 July 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  4. ^ "All things Ruben Guthrie: An Interview with David Berthold (La Boite)". Aussietheatre.com.au. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  5. ^ "Hamlet | Bell Shakespeare". Australianstage.com.au. 19 June 2008. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  6. ^ "True West | Sydney Theatre Company". Australianstage.com.au. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  7. ^ "New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards" (PDF). SL Magazine. 8 (4): 36. Summer 2015.
  8. ^ Bleakley, Paul (28 May 2013). "Happy New | Chickens, childhood and Brendan Cowell". Australian Times News. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Life of Galileo". 6 May 2017.
  10. ^ Knox, David (17 January 2024). "Production underway on new ABC drama Plum | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au.
  11. ^ Slatter, Sean (16 January 2024). "ABC to serve up 'Plum' with Brendan Cowell, Asher Keddie leading the cast". if.com.au.
  12. ^ Theo Chapman (11 January 2011). "How It Feels | Book Review | Brendan Cowell's First Novel". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  13. ^ Dennehy, Luke (7 February 2010). "Rose Byrne and Brendan Cowell split". Sunday Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  14. ^ Leerentveld, Erwin (29 March 2023). "Film : The Cast: Bartons on the Web". Bartons on the Web.
  15. ^ Leerentveld, Erwin (29 March 2023). "Jocelyn Moorhouse Interview". Bartons on the Web.
  16. ^ "Past Winners". www.sydneytheatre.com.au. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  17. ^ "Griffin Award". Griffin Theatre Company. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Screen Australia". Screen Australia. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  19. ^ "Screen Australia". Screen Australia. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  20. ^ "Screen Australia". Screen Australia. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  21. ^ a b "Screen Australia". Screen Australia. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  22. ^ "Pan Macmillan Australia: About the Book". Panmacmillan.com.au. Archived from the original on 10 May 2013. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
  23. ^ "Screen Australia". Screen Australia. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
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