David Roberts (Australian actor)

Last updated

David Roberts
Education Victorian College of the Arts [1]
OccupationActor
Years active1984–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2000)​
Children2

David Roberts is an Australian actor who has appeared in television, film and theatre.

Contents

Early life

Roberts graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 1987. [1]

Career

Television

Roberts began acting on screen in the early 1990s, with guest roles in television series including medical drama The Flying Doctors , sitcom All Together Now and miniseries Seven Deadly Sins . [2] He also played the recurring guest role of Detective Brett Murray in Halifax f.p. alongside Rebecca Gibney. [3]

His first big break was in crime drama series Phoenix playing Detective Russell Howie, followed by a role in newsroom drama Mercury , opposite Geoffrey Rush [2] [4] playing Dave 'Gibbo' Gibson.

In 2005, Roberts joined the cast of ABC family series Holly's Heroes, [2] playing the driven Coach Peterson. [5] He then appeared in long running soap opera Home and Away in 2009, [2] playing ill-fated trawler owner, Lou De Bono, a love interest for Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger). [6] In 2013, he had a lead role in comedy series Please Like Me , [2] playing Alan, the father of Josh Thomas’s character. [7]

In 2019, Roberts played a senior member of Parliament in political series Total Control , alongside Rachel Griffiths and Deborah Mailman in 2019. [8] More recently, he appeared in 2023 SBS drama thriller miniseries Safe Home [9] and opposite his wife Helen Thomson, as Bernie in award-winning television series Colin from Accounts . [10]

Further television credits include Devil's Playground , The Code , Secret City , Rake , Offspring , Bad Mothers , Barons , Queen of Oz , Silver and Sunny Nights . [1]

Film

Roberts is best known for his role as Captain Roland in the 2003 science-fiction action films The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions , [2] alongside Keanu Reeves and Hugo Weaving. He has also appeared in 2007 Marvel Comics adaptation Ghost Rider , starring Nicolas Cage. [11]

In 2008, he was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the role of Raymond Yale in Nash Edgerton's feature film debut, the thriller The Square . [12] [13] In 2014, he appeared in gritty crime drama film The Convict. [14]

He starred opposite his wife in the films Gettin' Square (2002), A Savage Christmas (2023) [15] and Spit (2025), [16] the latter in which he reprised his role from Gettin’ Square .

Other film credits include Me Myself I (2000), alongside Rachel Griffiths, Three Dollars (2005) with David Wenham and Frances O'Connor and US productions Fool's Gold (2008) opposite Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson and Unbroken (2014) by Angelina Jolie. [1]

On 11 April 2025, Roberts was named to appear in the film Posthumous. [17]

Theatre

Roberts has performed in stage productions for Griffin, Belvoir, and Malthouse Theatre. [2]

He appeared in Melbourne Theatre Company productions of Les Liaisons Dangereuses [18] and The Touch of Silk in 1988 [19] followed by The Recruiting Officer and Our Country’s Good in 1989. [20]

He acted together with his wife in a stage production of In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) in 2011. [21]

Personal life

Roberts is married to fellow actor Helen Thomson. Together they have two children and reside at Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. [10] [22]

Awards and nominations

YearTitleAwardCategoryResultRef.
2008 The Square Australian Film Institute Awards Best Lead ActorNominated [23]
2014 Please Like Me Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy SeriesNominated [24]
Power Games: The Packer–Murdoch War Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Miniseries or TelemovieNominated [24]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1984 Attack on Fear Seth AndersenTV movie
1988Miracle at Beekman's PlaceTV movie
1990 Beyond My Reach Christopher BrookesFeature film
Nirvana Street Murder PolicemanFeature film
1997NightrideShort film
1999 Me Myself I Robert DicksonFeature film
2003RoundaboutMichael TaylorShort film
The Matrix Reloaded Captain RolandFeature film
The Matrix Revolutions Feature film
Gettin' Square Niall TooleFeature film
2005A Divided HeartCharles Vickery
Three Dollars GerardFeature film
2006 Small Claims: The Reunion Peter HindmarshTV movie
2007 Ghost Rider Captain Jack Dolan Feature film
SkinShort film
2009 Fool's Gold CyrusFeature film
The Square Raymond YaleFeature film
2010The FoalUncle JohnShort film
2012 Careless Love Mr StevensonFeature film
Fatal Honeymoon Daniel SamuelsTV movie
2013The LandingEdwardShort film
2014The ConvictHarveyFeature film
Unbroken Officer CollierFeature film
2017 My Pet Dinosaur DoctorFeature film
2018 Slam Alan McLearyFeature film
2020 Occupation: Rainfall AbrahamFeature film
2023 A Savage Christmas James Savage SrFeature film
2025 Spit Niall TooleFeature film
Posthumous NeilFilm

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1990 The Flying Doctors Peter Gardiner1 episode
1991 All Together Now Etienne1 episode
Chances Matt Hennessy24 episodes
1993 Seven Deadly Sins AlistairMiniseries, 1 episode
Phoenix Robert Howie10 episodes
Law of the Land Peter Lawrence13 episodes
1996 Snowy River: The McGregor Saga John Archer1 episode
Mercury Dave Gibson13 episodes
1997 Big Sky Pete Martin1 episode
1998 Wildside Murray Anders1 episode
Water Rats Barry Strong2 episodes
2000 Tales of the South Seas Episode: "The Boxer Rebellion"
2000; 2002 Halifax f.p. Detective Murray2 episodes
2001 Do or Die Dr BakerMiniseries
Head Start Stephen Perry1 episode
2002 The Lost World MordenMiniseries, 1 episode
BackBerner David Frost1 episode
Bootleg Martin Burrows3 episodes
2003 Out There Johnathan Archer1 episode
The Secret Life of Us Bruce Lane2 episodes
Blue Heelers Peter Ball1 episode
MDA John Alfrano4 episodes
2005 Last Man Standing Gerry1 episode
Holly's Heroes Alan Peterson26 episodes
2007–2008 Satisfaction Tim3 episodes
All Saints Graeme Collins / Owen Ferguson2 episodes
2009 Rescue: Special Ops Ed Frazer2 episodes
City Homicide Max McKenzie2 episodes
The Jesters Andrew Shrapton1 episode
Underbelly: Razor Frank de Groot 1 episode
2009–2015 Home and Away Judge Menzies / Lou de Bono 20 episodes
2010–2016 Rake Norton4 episodes
2011 Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities Angus Campbell2 episodes
2011–2017 Offspring Phil D'Arabont15 episodes
2012 Tricky Business David Lang1 episode
Devil's Dust Ian Hutchinson2 episodes
2013 The Packer Murdoch Story David McNicollMiniseries, 2 episodes
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Lachlan Pepper1 episode
2013–2016 Please Like Me Dad27 episodes [25]
2014 The Code Peter Lawson3 episodes
2016 Secret City General McAulffie6 episodes
Soul Mates Mayor of Bondi2 episodes
2017 True Story with Hamish & Andy Chris1 episode [26]
2018 The Blacklist Desk Sergeant1 episode
Fighting Season Ian Vogel4 episodes
2019 Bad Mothers Harry5 episodes
Total Control Kevin Cartwright6 episodes [27]
2020 Drunk History Australia Cricketer1 episode
2021 Blue Bloods Lieutenant1 episode
2022 Barons George Thompson4 episodes
Colin From Accounts Bernie2 episodes
2023 Safe Home Gerard Priestly4 episodes [28]
Queen of Oz Richard Steele3 episodes [29]
2025 Scrublands: Silver Vern Jones4 episodes [30]

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1987 King Lear Edmund Guild Theatre, Melbourne [31]
1988 Les Liaisons Dangereuses Le Chevalier Danceny Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC [18]
The Touch of Silk David Ritchie [19]
1989 The Recruiting Officer Costar Piermain [20]
Our Country's Good Midshipman Harry Brewer [20]
1994On the North Diversion Road Beckett Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox [32]
1995The Incorruptible Merlyn Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox / STC [33]
The Head of Mary Merlyn Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox [34]
1998 Natural Life Merlyn Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox & Queen's Theatre, Adelaide with STCSA [35]
2003–2004 King Lear Edgar Merlyn Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox & Tokyo / Nagoya / Seoul tour [36]
2011 In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) Dr Givings Sydney Opera House with STC [21]

Music video

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "David Roberts". Cameron's. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "David Roberts – Movies and TV Shows". SBS . Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Halifax f.p: episode guide, series 5". Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  4. ↑ "Phoenix". Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  5. ↑ "Holly's Heroes: characters". Australian Television Information Archive. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  6. ↑ "Lou De Bono". www.backtothebay.net. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  7. ↑ "Please Like Me – About the Show". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  8. ↑ "DEBORAH MAILMAN IN TOTAL CONTROL: A COVER-UP". National Film and Sound Archive . Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  9. ↑ "From the award-winning producer behind Offspring, SBS Original thriller Safe Home premieres 11 May". www.sbs.com.au. 29 March 2023.
  10. 1 2 Allegretti, Alessandra (4 June 2024). "Helen Thomson (A.K.A Lynelle in Colin from Accounts) spills her favourite Blue Mountains secrets". www.escape.com.au.
  11. ↑ "It's a family affair for the Edgerton brother's first feature". IF Magazine . 29 August 2007. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  12. ↑ "The Landing – Short Film". www.thelandingfilm.com. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  13. ↑ "2008 AFI Awards Nominees". Archived from the original on 14 September 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
  14. ↑ Downs-Woolley, Bree (27 February 2014). "TV Interview: George Basha: new Aussie film, Convict". www.glamadelaide.com.au. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  15. ↑ Slatter, Sean (23 January 2023). "Helen Thomson, Darren Gilshenan gather for Madeleine Dyer's A Savage Christmas". www.if.com.au.
  16. ↑ "Spit". www.orpheum.com.au. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  17. ↑ Slatter, Sean (11 April 2025). "Josh Tanner and Jade van der Lei begin 'Posthumous' journey in Queensland with Sophie Lowe, David Roberts, Doris Younane". IF Magazine . Retrieved 12 April 2025.
  18. 1 2 "Les Liaisons Dangereuses". Theatregold. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  19. 1 2 "The Touch of Silk". Theatregold. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  20. 1 2 3 "The Recruiting Officer". Theatregold. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  21. 1 2 Scrivano, Laura (18 February 2011). "FEATURE: IN THE NEXT ROOM". Sydney Theatre Company .
  22. ↑ Gripper, Ali (14 December 2011). "Blue Mountains country home". www.homestolove.com.au.
  23. ↑ "2008 Winners & Nominees". AACTA Awards . Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  24. 1 2 "Redfern Now, Top of the Lake, Upper Middle Bogan casts win 2014 Equity Ensemble Awards!". www.meaa.org . Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  25. ↑ "Renewed: Please Like Me". TV Tonight . 7 July 2016.
  26. ↑ "Returning: True Story with Hamish & Andy". TV Tonight . 18 July 2017.
  27. ↑ "Black B*TCH: Trailer". TV Tonight . 29 August 2019.
  28. ↑ "Safe Home". TV Tonight . 7 May 2023.
  29. ↑ "BBC One - Queen of Oz, Series 1, Episode 1". BBC . 16 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  30. ↑ Knox, David (5 June 2024). "Filming underway on Scrublands: Silver". TV Tonight .
  31. ↑ "King Lear (1987)". University of Melbourne . 18 October 2025.
  32. ↑ "On the North Diversion Road". Malthouse Theatre . 18 October 2025.
  33. ↑ "The Incorruptible". Malthouse Theatre . 18 October 2025.
  34. ↑ "The Head of Mary". Malthouse Theatre . 18 October 2025.
  35. ↑ "Natural Life". Malthouse Theatre . 18 October 2025.
  36. ↑ "King Lear". Malthouse Theatre . 18 October 2025.
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