Leon Burchill | |
|---|---|
| Born | Leon Lennon Burchill 24 December 1974 Cairns, Queensland |
| Other name | Jina Binya |
| Education | Mosman High School National Institute of Dramatic Art (2003–2005) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Notable work | Stone Bros. (2009) Wyrmwood (2014) |
Leon Burchill is an Australian actor, known for his roles in the films Stone Bros. and Wyrmwood and the television series Redfern Now.
Leon Lennon Burchill was born on 24 December 1974 in the Far North Queensland city of Cairns. His parents (including mother Linda) gave him his middle name after John Lennon. His traditional name, 'Jina Binya', means 'sea eagle'. He is one of six, with two sisters and three brothers.
Burchill was the captain of Mosman High School, and grew up with a grounding in traditional dance. He then began studying drama in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney – with the aim of becoming an actor. He went on to attend Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), after being accepted into the school in 2003 on his second attempt, graduating in 2005. He was the only Aboriginal student there at the time.
Outside of acting, Burchill worked at Taronga Zoo and the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens as an Aboriginal education officer, teaching visitors about bush tucker and medicine.
Burchill co-starred with Luke Carroll in 2009 Aboriginal Australian stoner road trip comedy film Stone Bros., in the role of Charlie. That same year, he portrayed the recurring character Sid in children's television drama series My Place, based on the award-winning picture book of the same name by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins.
Burchill went on to play the role of Frankie in acclaimed ABC drama series Redfern Now, before playing Benny in 2014 cult zombie action-horror film Wyrmwood.
On stage, Burchill played former AFL player Jim Krakouer in Krakouer! which toured in 2011.
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Stone Bros. | Charlie | Feature film | |
| 2011 | The Forgotten Men | Bearded Man | Short film | |
| 2013 | Boat People | Warrior Arthur / Arthur James Smith III | Short film | |
| 2014 | Wyrmwood | Benny | Feature film | |
| 2017 | Wild Squad Adventures | Agent Leon | Short film | |
| 2019 | Utopia | Businessman (uncredited) | Short film | |
| TBA | Dream Kiss Cry | Django's friend | Post-production |
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | False Witness (also The Diplomat) | The Didgeridoo Busker | TV movie | |
| My Place | Sid | 3 episodes | ||
| 2012 | Redfern Now | Frankie | 1 episode | |
| 2019 | Les Norton | Mumbi | 1 episode | |
| 2020 | Thalu | Brother | Miniseries, 1 episode | |
| 2022 | The Australian Wars | Dharug Warrior | Documentary miniseries, 1 episode |