Matt Whelan

Last updated

Matt Whelan
Born
Matthew Whelan

1985 (age 38–39) [1]
Christchurch, New Zealand
Occupation(s) Actor, comedian
Years active2007–present
Awards 2010 – Best Performance by a Supporting Actor

Matt Whelan (born 1985) is a New Zealand actor and comedian. Whelan is known for his roles as Brad Caulfield in the New Zealand television comedy-drama programme Go Girls . He has also played Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in the Amazon Original series American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story . Whelan played DEA agent Van Ness in the third season of Netflix original series Narcos .

Contents

Early life

Whelan was born to a primary school teacher mother and a high school teacher father. [1] He was raised with his three siblings in Christchurch, Canterbury on the South Island of New Zealand by a primary school teacher mother and a high school teacher father. [1] He attended Lincoln High School. [2] [3] He took up an offer to study at Hagley Theatre Company , fostering a love for acting. [2] He had originally intended to pursue a career in radio production. [2]

Whelan later graduated from Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School, one of New Zealand's most prestigious drama schools located in Wellington. [4] Completing a Bachelor of Performing Arts in acting in 2007, [5] immediately upon graduating he joined the cast of Show of Hands , performing alongside Melanie Lynskey. [6] [2]

Career

In 2009, he landed a recurring role as Brad Caulfield in the first season of TVNZ 2 comedy-drama series, Go Girls . He became a series regular from seasons 2-4. [1] In 2011, he starred alongside Michelle Ang in My Wedding and Other Secrets , a New Zealand romantic comedy film. [1]

In April 2017, it was revealed Whelan would be playing the role as Playboy founder, Hugh Hefner, in the 2017 Amazon original docu-series, American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story. [7] [8] The ten-episode series, chronicles the Playboy founder's life, the rise of the magazine and unveils never-before-seen footage from his private archives. [9] Whelan met with Hefner during the filming of the show. [9] It was released just before Hefner's 91st birthday and was partly filmed in Auckland. [9] [10] [11]

After featuring in larger acting roles and gaining popularity playing Hefner in 2017, Whelan landed a role in the third season of Netflix original series, Narcos . [12] [13] [14] Whelan played Daniel van Ness, a young DEA agent partnered with Chris Feistl (played by Michael Stahl-David), who go to Cali, Colombia after the death of Pablo Escobar under the order of Javier Peña (played by Pedro Pascal) in hopes of taking down the Cali Cartel.

In 2020, he starred alongside Rachel Lefevre in the New Zealand-Canadian television mystery drama series, The Sounds . [15] In the same year he appeared in The Luminaries , a miniseries based on the Eleanor Catton novel of the same name. [16]

In 2024, he began starring in A Remarkable Place to Die alongside Rebecca Gibney and Chelsie Preston Crayford. The Queenstown-set crime drama series, is a co-production between TVNZ and Australia's Nine Network. [17] [18] In the same year he starred in the Australian survival thriller film, We Bury the Dead . [19] The Tasmania-set film premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival in November 2024. [20]

Personal life

He currently lives in Taranaki, in the west of New Zealand's North Island. [2]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007 Eagle vs Shark Kissing Boy
2008 Show of Hands Matt
2011 My Wedding and Other Secrets James
2012 The Most Fun You Can Have Dying Michael
2014 3 Mile Limit Richard
2015 25 April John Persson Narrated documentary
2017 Pork Pie Noah
Gary of the Pacific Nelson
2023The TankBen
2024 We Bury the Dead MitchPost-production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007–2008 My Story Regan
2009–2012 Go Girls Brad Caulfield 49 episodes
2013 Top of the Lake Little ShaneEpisode: "No Goodbyes Thanks"
2014 Coverband Alex6 episodes
2016 Of Kings and Prophets MattiyahuEpisode: "Offerings of Blood"
Stake Out SalesmanEpisode: "Salesmans"
2017 American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story Hugh Hefner 10 episodes
Narcos Daniel van Ness 9 episodes
2018 Wanted Alistair Poussin2 episodes
2019 The Brokenwood Mysteries Jack RuddEpisode: "A Real Page Turner"
2020 The Luminaries Cowell Devlin6 episodes
The Sounds Tom CabbottMain role
2021 My Life Is Murder Connor FarrowEpisode: "Wild Life"
2021–2023 Under the Vines Ben5 episodes
2023 The Gone Mayor Ken Armstrong6 episodes
2024-presentA Remarkable Place to DieSimon DelaneySeries regular

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014 Belleville

Awards

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Matt Whelan: Tall order". The New Zealand Herald . 8 March 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Matt Whelan on the ultimate actor’s choice The Press. 22 September 2024
  3. ↑ "Narcos DEA role not to be sniffed at for Kiwi actor". Stuff.co.nz . 26 August 2017.
  4. ↑ "Go Solo 2007 – Many will significantly develop". TheatReview. 10 August 2007.
  5. ↑ "Graduate". www.toiwhakaari.ac.nz. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  6. ↑ "Matt Whelan – Biography". IMDb. 10 July 2018.
  7. ↑ "Amazon's 'American Playboy' tells Hugh Hefner's story straight from the source". Los Angeles Times . 6 April 2017.
  8. ↑ "Who Plays Hugh Hefner On 'American Playboy?' Matt Whelan Isn't The First Actor To Take On The Mogul". Bustle . 7 April 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 "Hugh Hefner Meets the Actor Who's Playing Him in His New Docu-Series". E! News . 7 April 2017.
  10. ↑ "Amazon backs New Zealander to play Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in doco-series". Stuff.co.nz . 31 March 2017.
  11. ↑ "Secrecy surrounds Hugh Hefner TV show shot in Auckland". The New Zealand Herald . 16 August 2016.
  12. ↑ "'Narcos' Adds Pair of Series Regulars Amid Season 3 Shift (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . 20 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "Kiwi actor Matt Whelan lands role on Netflix series Narcos". Stuff.co.nz . 21 October 2016.
  14. ↑ "Narcos season 3 cast announced as Netflix series is shaken up" . The Independent . 22 October 2016. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022.
  15. ↑ Rachelle Lefevre, Matt Whelan Starring in ‘The Sounds’ for Acorn TV, Sky NZ, CBC Variety. 25 September 2019
  16. ↑ The Sounds and Luminaries actor Matt Whelan - a life in Travel The New Zealand Herald. 24 September 2020
  17. ↑ The many mysteries of A Remarkable Place to Die The Spinoff. 8 November 2024
  18. ↑ A Remarkable Place To Die: new crime drama on 9 Screen Hub. 31 October 2024
  19. ↑ Kym Jackson, Matt Whelan and Deanna Cooney Join Daisy Ridley in We Bury the Dead filmink.com.au. February 2024
  20. ↑ Film Festival review: We Bury The Dead InDaily. 4 November 2024
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