Joseph Zada | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joseph Cumpston July 21, 2005 Sydney, Australia |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2019–present |
Joseph Cumpston (born July 21, 2005), known professionally as Joseph Zada, is an Australian actor. He has appeared in television series such as Total Control (2024) and Stan Australia series Invisible Boys (2025), as well as Australian movies Bilched (2019) and The Speedway Murders (2023). He appeared in Amazon Prime Video series We Were Liars (2025). He is set to appear in Netflix series East of Eden , and star in the Lionsgate movie adaptation of Sunrise on the Reaping , a prequel to The Hunger Games , as Haymitch Abernathy.
Zada was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. [1] His father, Jeremy Cumpston, is a director, actor, and doctor. [2] His mother, Jessica Brentnall is a film producer. He has 4 siblings, including Hal Cumpston. [2] Zada previously used the name 'Joseph Cumpston' in his acting career. He has Afghan-Aboriginal heritage through his paternal great-grandmother.
His first notable acting role was as Toby in the 2019 comedy drama Bilched. [1] The film was directed by his father Jeremy and starred his brother Hal. [3] He later appeared as Daniel in several episodes of Australian political drama series Total Control , at the start of the third season. [4] In 2025, Zada starred in the Stan series Invisible Boys as Charlie Roth. The series follows the challenges of teens in Geraldton following the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, a survey designed to gauge the level of support for same-sex marriage in the country. [5] The Guardian stated that Zada, along with co-stars Joe Klocek, Aydan Calafiore and Zach Blampied, played the roles with "depth and complexity". [6]
In May 2024, it was announced that Zada would star in the television adaptation of the 2014 young adult novel We Were Liars by E. Lockhart in the role of Johnny Sinclair, a cousin of main character Cadence. [7] The series released on Amazon Prime Video on June 18, 2025. [8] In October 2024, it was announced that Zada would appear as Cal Trask in the Netflix series East of Eden , an adaptation of the 1952 John Steinbeck novel of the same name. [9] The series is set to be released in 2026. [10]
In April 2025, it was announced that Zada would star as Haymitch Abernathy in the Lionsgate film The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping , based on the best-selling prequel novel to The Hunger Games of the same name. [11] Zada was announced in the role with Whitney Peak, who will play Lenore Dove Baird, Haymitch's girlfriend. [12] Lionsgate co-president Erin Westerman said in a statement: "After auditioning hundreds of gifted performers from around the world, these two stood out—not just for their talent, but for the emotional truth they brought to these iconic roles." [12] Westerman continued: "The Hunger Games franchise has long been a launching pad for remarkable young actors, and Jo and Whitney carry that legacy forward with incredible heart, depth, and fire." [13]
| † | Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Bilched | Toby | [1] | |
| 2023 | The Speedway Murders | Dan | [14] | |
| 2026 | The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping † | Haymitch Abernathy | Main role | [12] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Total Control | Daniel | Guest role; 3 episodes | [14] |
| 2025 | Invisible Boys | Charlie Roth | Main role | [15] |
| We Were Liars | Johnny Sinclair | [7] | ||
| 2026 | East of Eden † | Cal Trask | [9] |