Ewen Leslie
Ewen Leslie | |
---|---|
Born |
Fremantle, Western Australia | 27 July 1980
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1993–present |
Ewen Leslie (born 27 July 1980) is an Australian stage, film and television actor.
Early life
He was born in Fremantle and attended South Terrace Elementary School. He gained a scholarship to study theatre at John Curtin College of the Arts and at age 12 was cast in the TV series Ship to Shore after his mum saw an ad in the newspaper calling for auditions. He was accepted into the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts straight out of high school and graduated in 2000.
Career
Theatre
His first work on Sydney stages was performing at the Old Fitzroy Hotel theatre in Woolloomooloo. In 2007 he was cast by Philip Seymour Hoffman in Riflemind, a play by Andrew Upton which premiered at the Sydney Theatre Company.[1]
He joined the STC Actors Company in 2008 and won a Helpmann Award[2] and a Sydney Theatre Award[3] for his performance as Prince Hal/Henry V opposite Cate Blanchett in The War of the Roses (directed by Benedict Andrews).[4]
In 2010 he played Richard III at the Melbourne Theatre Company directed by Simon Philips. Alison Croggon in The Australian wrote: 'This is a deeply intelligent performance, physically and emotionally unafraid. It marks the ascension of a remarkable actor'.[5] He won his second Helpmann Award and a Green Room Award for this performance.
The following year he played Hamlet in a sellout season at the Melbourne Theatre Company[6] (a role he would reprise in 2013 in Sydney for Belvoir St Theatre). He played one of the lead roles in The Wild Duck (directed by Simon Stone)[7] which had successful seasons in Sydney, Melbourne and Oslo for The Ibsen Festival.
In 2013 he was The Player in STC's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead opposite Toby Schmitz and Tim Minchin.[8] In 2015 he travelled to Paris to perform in Simon Stone's production of Thyestes, and played the title role in Belvoir's award-winning production of Ivanov.[9]
Film and television
His first break came when he was cast as the lead role in Jewboy, a film that screened at the Cannes Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival. He’s played lead roles in Three Blind Mice, Dead Europe, The Butterfly Tree and The Daughter. He's also appeared in Kokoda, The Railway Man, Sleeping Beauty, The Mule, Sweet Country and The Nightingale.
Notable roles on TV include Safe Harbour, Fighting Season, Deadline Gallipoli, Devil's Dust, Mabo, Redfern Now and Rake.
In 2017 he won an AACTA Award for his role as Pyke in the second season of Top of the Lake opposite Elizabeth Moss, Nicole Kidman and Alice Englert. Maureen Ryan in Variety wrote that his performance was 'subtle and powerful' whilst Michael Idato in the Sydney Morning Herald wrote, 'In a world where fame is fleeting and often hoisted upon the undeserved, Leslie is a proper revelation. He's a stunning performer, perhaps one of the best on our screens' [10].
Of his performance in Safe Harbour Wenlei Ma of news.com.au wrote ‘Leslie is one of the most talented and captivating actors we have. Leslie’s involvement alone in a project is reason enough to watch something and it is no different with Safe Harbour.’
He will next be seen in BBC drama The Cry opposite Jenna Coleman.
Credits
Feature films
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Peter Rabbit | Pigling Bland | |
2018 | The Nightingale | Goodwin | |
2017 | Sweet Country | Harry March | |
2017 | The Butterfly Tree | Al | Nominated - AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role |
2015 | The Daughter | Oliver Finch | Nominated - AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role Nominated - Film Critics Circle of Australia Award Best Actor Nominated - Australian Film Critics Association Best Actor |
2014 | The Mule | Les Paris | |
2013 | The Railway Man | Thompson | |
2012 | Dead Europe | Isaac | Nominated - Film Critics Circle of Australia Award Best Actor Nominated - Australian Film Critics Association Best Actor Nominated - AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role |
2011 | Sleeping Beauty | Birdmann | |
2008 | Three Blind Mice | Sam | |
2006 | Kokoda | Wilstead | |
2005 | Jewboy | Yuri | Nominated - AACTA Award for Best Achievement in Craft in a Non-Feature Nominated - Movie Extra Filmink Awards - Best Australian Newcomer |
1998 | Justice | Bully #1 |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2018 | Fighting Season | Ted | |
2018 | Safe Harbour | Ryan | Nominated - Silver Logie Most Outstanding Actor |
2017 | Top of the Lake: China Girl | Pyke | Won - AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama |
2016 | Rake | Bevan | 3 Episodes |
2016 | Janet King | Patrick Bocarro | 5 Episodes |
2015 | Deadline Gallipoli | Keith Murdoch | |
2014 | Wonderland | Nick Deakin | 8 Episodes |
2013 | Mr & Mrs Murder | Hugo | 1 Episode: The Course Whisperer |
2012 | Redfern Now | Mr. Parish | 2 Episodes: Stand Up & Pokies |
2012 | Devil's Dust | Matt Peacock | Won - Equity Award for Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Movie or Miniseries |
2012 | Mabo | Bryan Keon-Cohen | Nominated - Equity Award for Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Movie or Miniseries |
2009 | My Place | Mr Bracey | 1 Episode |
2007 | Lockie Leonard | John East | 7 Episodes |
2006 | Love My Way | Duc | 8 Episodes |
2003 | All Saints | Tony Hunter | 3 Episodes |
2002 | The Junction Boys | Luke Mason | TV Film |
2001 | Wild Kat | Morgan | 13 Episodes |
1997 | The Gift | Bully #1 | 1 Episode |
1996 | Bush Patrol | Dave | 1 Episode |
1993 | Ship to Shore | Guido | 52 Episodes |
Short films
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Face | James | Dir: Luke Tierney |
2015 | Death in Bloom | Mr. Crumples | Dir: Dael Oates |
2013 | Scene 16 | Luka | Dir: Katie Wall |
2012 | Suspended | Dave | Dir: Damian Walshe-Howling |
2009 | Apricot | Marcel | Dir: Ben Briand |
2008 | Netherland Dwarf | Dad | Dir: David Michod |
2007 | Katoomba | Don | Dir: Leon Ford |
2005 | The Mechanicals | Toast Man | Dir: Leon Ford |
2004 | Sold Out | Punter | Dir: Luke Doolan |
Theatre
Year | Production | Role | Director | Company | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Ivanov | Ivanov | Eamon Flack | Belvoir St Theatre | Nominated - Sydney Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role |
2015 | Thyestes | Atreus | Simon Stone | Belvoir St Theatre | Performed at Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers in Paris. |
2013 | Hamlet | Hamlet | Simon Stone | Belvoir St Theatre | |
2013 | Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead | The Player | Simon Philips | Sydney Theatre Company | Nominated - Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Nominated - Sydney Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated - Glug Award for Best Supporting Actor |
2013 | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | Brick Pollitt | Simon Stone | Belvoir St Theatre | |
2011 | Hamlet | Hamlet | Simon Phillips | Melbourne Theatre Company | |
2011 | The Wild Duck | Hjalmar Ekdal | Simon Stone | Belvoir St Theatre | Nominated - Green Room Award for Best Male Actor Nominated - Sydney Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role |
2010 | The Trial | Josef K | Matthew Lutton | Malthouse Theatre/Sydney Theatre Company | |
2010 | Richard III | Richard III | Simon Phillips | Melbourne Theatre Company | Won - Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play Won - Green Room Award for Best Male Actor |
2009 | The Promise | Marat | Simon Stone | Belvoir St Theatre | |
2009 | The War of the Roses | Prince Hal/Henry V | Benedict Andrews | Sydney Theatre Company | Won - Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Won - Sydney Theatre Award for Best Actor in a Lead Role |
2008 | Gallipoli | Billy Hughes/Atatürk | Nigel Jamieson | Sydney Theatre Company | |
2008 | The Serpent's Teeth | Sam Lewis | Pamela Rabe and Tim Maddock | Sydney Theatre Company | |
2007 | Riflemind | Lee | Philip Seymour Hoffman | Sydney Theatre Company | |
2007 | Dead Caesar | Cassius | Tamara Cook | Sydney Theatre Company | |
2007 | Paul | Yeshua | Wesley Enoch | Belvoir St Theatre | |
2005 | Shakesperealism | Lewis | Tamara Cook | Tamarama Rock Surfers | |
2004 | This Blasted Earth | Father/Scarlett | Leland Kean | Tamarama Rock Surfers | |
2004 | Cross Sections | Aaron | Chris Mead | Tamarama Rock Surfers | |
2003 | Chicks Will Dig You! | Seb | Tamara Cook | Belvoir St Theatre - Downstairs | |
2003 | Woyzeck | Doctor | Leland Kean | Tamarama Rock Surfers | |
2002 | Etta Jenks | James | Kim Hardwick | Darkinghurst Theatre Company |
Awards and Nominations
References
- ↑ http://www.australianstage.com.au/reviews/sydney/riflemind--sydney-theatre-company-756.html
- ↑ "Past nominees and winners - Helpmann Awards". www.helpmannawards.com.au.
- ↑ "2009 - Sydney Theatre Awards". www.sydneytheatreawards.com.
- ↑ "The War of the Roses — Part 1 and Part 2". 22 January 2009.
- ↑ http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/arts-arc/this-richard-iii-is-one-of-the-greats/news-story/6e74e48ba07c702bb13da8023cff35d5
- ↑ http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/hamlet-too-successful-for-melbourne-theatre-companys-own-good/news-story/e518b6bf8f9e12a1e721f882bc13a6df
- ↑ Woodhead, Reviewed by Cameron (22 February 2012). "The Wild Duck". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ↑ Blake, Jason (11 August 2013). "Alive yet alone, Stoppard players shine together". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ↑ Blake, Jason (24 September 2015). "Ivanov review: Entertaining Ewen Leslie brings dry Australian laughs to Russian tale of woe". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ↑ https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/review-top-of-the-lake-is-nicole-kidmans-finest-hour-20170822-gy1h1u.html
External links
Interviews
- 'Screen was the Obvious Next Stage' Interview with Michael Bodey for The Australian 2016
- 'Australian Theatre's Bold Standard' Interview with Andrew Taylor for Sydney Morning Herald 2013
- 'Dark Star' Interview with John Bailey for The Sunday Age 2011
- Interview with Art Nation ABC TV 2010
- 'He that plays the King' Interview with Alison Croggon for The Australian 2010
- 'From Villain to Victim' Interview with Raymond Gill for The Age 2010
- 'Hue and Cry about Ewen' Interview with Stephen Bevis for The West Australian 2010
- Interview with Frank Hatherley for Stage Whispers 2010