Colin Friels

Colin Friels
Friels in 2009
Born	(1952-09-25) 25 September 1952 (age 74) Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland
Education	National Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1976–present
Known for	Malcolm (1986) Water Rats (1996–1999)
Spouse	Judy Davis ​ (m. 1984)​
Children	2

Colin Friels (born 25 September 1952) is an Australian actor of stage, film and television.

Early life

Colin Friels was born on 25 September 1952 in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland. His mother was a mill worker and French polisher, and his father a carpenter. He lived in Kilbirnie until 1963, when his family moved to Australia, arriving in Darwin, Northern Territory before settling in the Melbourne suburb of Bentleigh. He worked as a bricklayer's labourer before studying at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), graduating in 1976.

Career

After graduating from NIDA, Friels' career began in theatre, predominantly in productions for the State Theatre Company of South Australia, before going on to perform with Nimrod Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company from 1980.

In 1980, he also began working as a presenter on the Australian version of children's series Play School. His first feature film role was in the unreleased Prisoners (1981), appearing with David Hemmings and Tatum O'Neal. His first appearance in a released feature film was in Hoodwink (1981), alongside his future wife, Judy Davis. He also featured in Monkey Grip opposite Noni Hazlehurst in 1982.

In 1983, Friels appeared in drama miniseries For the Term of His Natural Life, opposite Anthony Perkins and Diane Cilento, and co-starred in comedy film Buddies with Harold Hopkins. He then played the pivotal role of one of two brothers competing to win an Ironman Triathlon in The Coolangatta Gold (also known as The Gold and the Glory) in 1984. While the film was not a box office success, it led to the establishment of the ongoing real life Ironman race of the same name, after the producers decided to run the race as an actual competition (won that first year by Guy Leech).

Friels next played the title role in 1986 comedy film Malcolm, about a shy mechanical genius, for which he was awarded the AFI Award for Best Actor. That same year, he co-starred with wife Judy Davis in drama film Kangaroo. In 1987, he was nominated again for the Best Actor award, this time for his role as Harvey Denton in Ground Zero, but did not win. The film received mixed reviews, with one describing him as "a proficient enough actor, but...miscast". A role in crime film Grievous Bodily Harm followed in 1988, in which he starred with John Waters.

In 1990, Friels appeared as a megalomaniac corporate executive in American superhero film Darkman, alongside Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand and had a lead role in comedy film Weekend with Kate. The following year, he was nominated for the AFI Award for Best Actor, for his performance as the title character in 1991 film Dingo, but lost to Hugo Weaving for his role in Proof. He also appeared in legal thriller Class Action with Gene Hackman and Laurence Fishburne.

In 1993, Friels starred as Australian billionaire Sly Morgan in comedy sci-fi miniseries Stark, opposite Ben Elton. The following year, he landed the role of womanising British diplomat Morgan Leafy in comedy film A Good Man in Africa, alongside Sean Connery and had a starring role in the Halifax f.p. telemovie Hard Corps, The latter earned him another AFI Award in 1995. He then played a psychopath, opposite Paul Mercurio in the thriller Back of Beyond and appeared in drama film Angel Baby with John Lynch and Jacqueline McKenzie. before reuniting with McKenzie the following year in Mr. Reliable, the true story of petty criminal Wally Mellish, who conducted an eight day siege together with his girlfriend.

From 1996 to 1999, Friels began his first long-term television role, playing the lead character of Frank Holloway in crime drama series Water Rats, a role which won him the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor at the 1997 awards. He was nominated again for the same award in 2000. During this time, Friels also played the role of Walenski in 1998 sci-fi fantasy film Dark City, starring Kiefer Sutherland and Jennifer Connelly. In 1999, he also took on the title role in a Sydney Theatre Company production of Macbeth.

Friels landed the role of David Myers in 2001 comedy film The Man Who Sued God, in which he starred alongside comedian Billy Connolly and wife Judy Davis. He played George Temple in American Disney TV movie Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story and the lead role of Bob Inkster in crime drama TV movie My Husband, My Killer. He also co-starred with Greta Scacchi as Tom Cooper in drama miniseries The Farm. The following year saw Friels play Father Tom Dixon, opposite Robert Carlyle, Charles Dance and Ben Mendelsohn in 2002 court drama film Black and White. His 2002 portrayal of Heisenberg in a Sydney Theatre Company production of Copenhagen saw him win both a Mo Award and a Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor.

From 2003, Friels began appearing as the main character of Sydney detective Jack Kempson in the BlackJack series of telemovies. The following year he took on the title role in drama film Tom White, about an architect who experiences a mental breakdown. His performance saw him nominated for the AFI Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, losing out to Sam Worthington for Somersault. He also appeared opposite Michael Weatherly as Nick Gurdin in 2004 American docudrama miniseries The Mystery of Natalie Wood.

In 2005, Friels played Ray Gill, opposite Samuel Johnson in dark comedy film The Illustrated Family Doctor. The following year, he played the lead role of Sydney stand-over man Jack Barrett in feature film Solo. He also had a role in 2006 suspense drama film The Book of Revelation.

Friels appeared with William McInnes and Stephen Curry, playing Doug Lamont in 2008 film The Informant. He then played the lead role of Geoff Brewster in drama thriller film Blind Company in 2009. The following year, Friels starred in Killing Time, where he portrayed notorious real world underworld figure Lewis Moran, opposite David Wenham. He also had a role in drama film Matching Jack, alongside James Nesbitt, Jacinda Barrett, Richard Roxburgh and Yvonne Strahovski, and appeared as Dr Clements in sci-fi drama film Tomorrow, When the War Began, based on the 1993 John Marsden novel of the same name.

In 2011, Friels featured opposite Charlotte Rampling, Geoffrey Rush and wife Judy Davis in drama film The Eye of the Storm, and appeared with Deborah Mailman in 2012 TV docudrama Mabo, documenting the story of Torres Strait Islander land rights activist Eddie Mabo.

Friels then began a run of theatre appearances, including playing the lead role of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman in 2012. His performance as Loman earned him the 2013 Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play. Friels narrated the "Ash Wednesday" segment of 2013 anthology film The Turning, and the following year, he portrayed Mick Corby in TV film Schapelle, based on the story of convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby. In 2015, he then voiced the character of Terry the Tug in ABC4Kids animated series Sydney Sailboat.

Friels had a recurring role opposite Jessica Mauboy in feel-good drama series The Secret Daughter in 2016, playing Jack Norton. In 2018, he played Tony Ballantyne in the first season of mystery drama series Mystery Road, again opposite Judy Davis (as cop, Emma James) and Aaron Pedersen.

In 2021, Friels appeared as Jack Ramsay in the second season of the ABC series Total Control, a Coalition MP facing off against independent candidate Alex Irving (Deborah Mailman). He also appeared in a 2021 episode of Wakefield, his performance earning him the 2022 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actor. He then had a role in 2022 action adventure film Interceptor, playing Frank Collins, alongside Luke Bracey and Elsa Pataky. That same year, he appeared in Vanishing Act, an installment of the Underbelly crime drama franchise.

More recently, Friels was seen playing the role of Gareth Reid in 2026 Amazon Prime suspense miniseries Last Seen, with Patrick Brammall and Brendan Cowell.

Personal life

Friels has been married to actress Judy Davis since 1984; the couple has two children. Their relationship was briefly in the media when Judy Davis was granted a domestic violence court order against Friels, however, they remained together.

Friels' daughter Charlotte is an actor, and featured alongside him in a Belvoir production of King Lear, as Goneril, Lear’s eldest daughter. His niece Elizabeth Friels is also an actor, having appeared in the television drama series Stingers and All Saints.

In late 1997, Friels was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. However, his treatment was successful, and he is one of the very few sufferers of this disease to go into long-term remission. During his treatment, he continued to work on the set of Water Rats, until eventually the impact of the chemotherapy stopped him working, and he chose to have his character written out of the series by sending him on a sailing journey around the world. At this time, however, he also continued his stage work, and was performing in Sydney Theatre Company's Macbeth.

Filmography

Theatre

Source:

Awards & nominations

References

External links

• Colin Friels at IMDb
• Colin Friels at Shanahan
• Colin Friels at AusStage