Wiki: Colin Friels - upcScavenger

Colin Friels (born 25 September 1952) is an Australian actor of stage, film and television. He has received numerous accolades, including AACTA Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (for the 1986's Malcolm) and Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama (for Nine Network's Halifax f.p.), two Helpmann Awards for Best Male Actor in a Play, and two Logie Awards.

Early life

Friels was born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland.Interview with Colin Friels, George Negus Tonight (ABC Television), 26 August 2004. http://www.abc.net.au/gnt/profiles/Transcripts/s1186644.htm , retrieved May 2007. 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

Friels career began with work mostly in theatre and television. In 1980, Friels was a presenter on the Australian version of Play School, the series for young children. His first film role was in the unreleased Prisoners (1981), appearing with David Hemmings and Tatum O'Neal.

His first appearance in a released film was in Hoodwink (1981), alongside his future wife, Judy Davis.

In 1986, he played the title role in Malcolm, about a shy mechanical genius, for which he was awarded the 1986 AFI Award for Best Actor. Friels was also nominated for the Best Actor award the following year, for his role in Ground Zero, but did not win: the film received mixed reviews, with one describing him as "a proficient enough actor, but...miscast".Hinson, Hal (1988). Ground Zero (review), Washington Post, 30 September 1987. Friels later won another AFI Award in 1995 for his starring role in the 1994 Halifax f.p. telemovie Hard Corps. Friels has played a range of other roles. He was a megalomaniac corporate executive in the 1990 feature film Darkman.

From 1996 to 1999, he played Frank Holloway on Water Rats,Australian Television Information Archive: Water Rats http://www.australiantelevision.net/water_rats/waterrats.html a role which won him the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor at the 1997 awards.

Since 2003, Friels has appeared as the main character in the BlackJack series of telemovies. In 2010 he also starred in Killing Time where he played notorious underworld figure Lewis Moran. In 2018, he played Tony Ballantyne in the TV miniseries Mystery Road, again opposite Judy Davis.

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.

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 an argument led to a domestic violence court order against Friels: however, they remained together.Graeme Webber and Anthony Stavrinos, "Judy Davis takes out violence order against Colin Friels", The Age, 31 October 2002, http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/10/30/1035683474314.html

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.

Political views

Friels believes that social and political awareness comes with acting, and is known for his engagement in policy debates, including industrial issues such as workplace relations and free trade. He publicly criticised Bush administration policy in the Middle East, and supported the Sydney Peace Foundation.Sydney Peace Foundation, Tell Me the Truth About Peace (event), 2005, http://www.spf.arts.usyd.edu.au/events_2005.shtml#TruthAboutPeace, retrieved May 2007. His engagement with social issues has been evident in his acting work, with two prominent examples being his lead role in Ground Zero, in which he played a cameraman investigating British nuclear testing in South Australia, and his appearance in the ABC television drama Bastard Boys, in which he played union official John Coombs.

Filmography

Film

Short film

TV movie

Feature film

Short film

Feature film

Animated TV movie

Feature film

TV movie

Feature film

TV movie

Feature film

TV movie

Feature film

TV movie

TV movies

Feature film

Documentary film

TV movie

Documentary film

Feature film

TV movie

Feature film

Documentary film

TV movie

Short film

Anthology feature film (segment: "Ash Wednesday")

TV movie

Short film

Feature film

Television

TV series

Miniseries, 3 episodes

TV series, season 2, episode 9: "Reasons to Live"

Miniseries, 1 episode: "Pride"

Miniseries, 3 episodes

TV series, season 1, episode 5: "Hard Corps"

TV series, pilot episode

TV series, 109 episodes

Miniseries, 3 episodes

Documentary miniseries, 2 episodes

Miniseries, episode 1

Miniseries, 1 episode

Miniseries

Documentary TV series

Miniseries, 8 episodes

TV series, episode 11

Animated TV series, 52 episodes

Documentary series, 3 episodes

Miniseries, episode 2: "ANZACS"

3 episodes

TV series, 6 episodes

Documentary TV series, 3 episodes

Documentary TV series

TV series, season 1, 6 episodes

Miniseries, episode 7

TV series, season 2, 6 episodes

TV series, episode 6

Miniseries, 3 episodes

Theatre

NIDA with Old Tote Theatre Company

NIDA Theatre, Sydney

Newcastle, NIDA Theatre, Sydney

NIDA Theatre, Sydney