Nathan Phillips (actor)

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Nathan Phillips
OccupationActor
Years active1999–present
Known for Australian Rules (2002)
Wolf Creek (2005)
Snakes on a Plane (2006)
These Final Hours (2014)

Nathan Phillips is an Australian actor.

Early life

Phillips studied English literature [1] at La Trobe University in Melbourne, with the intention of becoming a teacher, before he turned to acting as a career. [2]

Contents

Career

His professional acting career began in 1999, with a role on the popular Australian soap opera Neighbours . His television career was later followed by roles in Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story, Blue Heelers , Something in the Air and The Saddle Club .

In 2002, he made his feature film debut with a role in Warriors of Virtue: The Return to Tao (also starring Kevin Smith, Shedrack Anderson III and Nina Liu). His next role, the lead in Australian Rules , earned him a nomination for the Film Critics Circle of Australia's Best Actor award, alongside David Gulpilil, Guy Pearce and Vince Colosimo.

Phillips's film career has seen him star in both Australian productions, such as Take Away (with Rose Byrne), One Perfect Day (with Abbie Cornish) and Under the Radar , and Hollywood productions such as Chernobyl Diaries , Redline and Surfer, Dude and most notably Snakes on a Plane . He is perhaps most known for his role as backpacker Ben Mitchell in the 2005 hit horror film Wolf Creek . [3] After the success of this film, Phillips moved to Los Angeles, where he was based for several years. [4]

Although tipped for big things in Hollywood after the success of Wolf Creek, Phillips chose to go travelling for long periods of time, rather than focus on his career as an actor. [5] Phillips' career has, to date, consisted mostly of roles in low budget films and television work, such as his role as Tom Wills, Australia's first significant cricketer and father of Australian rules football. [6] In 2020, Phillips appeared in the Nine Network series Halifax: Retribution .

From 2019, Phillips has been back living in his native Australia, working on television and film projects. [7] In addition to acting, Phillips was a producer of 2019's Blood Vessel .

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002 Australian Rules Gary "Blacky" BlackFeature film
Warriors of Virtue: The Return to Tao Ryan JeffersFeature film
2003 Take Away DaveFeature film
2004 Under the Radar BrandonFeature film
One Perfect Day TrigFeature film
2005 Wolf Creek Ben MitchellFeature film
You and Your Stupid Mate PhilipFeature film
2005The Opposite of VelocityKevinShort film
2006 Snakes on a Plane Sean JonesFeature film
2007 West JerryFeature film
Redline CarloFeature film
2008 Surfer, Dude Baker SmithFeature film
Dying Breed JackFeature film
2009 Balibo Malcolm RennieFeature film
Message from the CEOEricShort film
2010Summer CodaJoeyFeature film
QuitBenjiFeature film
2012Satellite of LoveSamuel / Catherine's ex-boyfriendFeature film
Chernobyl Diaries MichaelFeature film
DegenerateYoung BlairFeature film
2013 These Final Hours JamesFeature film
2014The AmateurJimmyFeature film
2019 Blood Vessel SinclairFeature film
Tuscaloosa DeputyFeature film
3 Day Weekend SchnappsieFeature film
2021 The Devil Below CainFeature film
2023KaneFrankieFeature film
2024 Kid Snow BillyFeature film
13th Summer Ben TrainorFeature film
2024AccidentMickShort film
TBAHomewardMorganIn post-production
TBASpinesLoganIn production

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1999 Neighbours John "Teabag" Teasdale TV series, 13 episodes
2000 Eugénie Sandler P.I. Leo2 episodes
2001 Frontline Phoenix1 episode
Child Star: The Shirley Temple StoryHughTV movie
Blue Heelers Cameron Sharpe1 episode
The Saddle Club Red O'MalleyTV series, 26 episodes
2002 The Saddle Club: Adventures at Pine Hollow Red O'MalleyDirect-to-video movie
Something in the Air Angus Moore12 episodes
2004 Stingers Charlie Sanderson1 episode
2012 Outlaw Country TV movie
2013Tiny CommandoCJMiniseries, 2 episodes
2014 The Bridge Jack Dobbs7 episodes
2016 Hunters Flynn CarrollTV series, 13 episodes
2016Tom Wills Tom Wills TV movie
2020 Halifax: Retribution Jack McCarthy2 episodes
2021 RFDS Mikey1 episode
2025 NCIS: Sydney Finn1 episode
Good Cop/Bad CopTommy BoucherSeason 1, episode 8: "Skeleton"

Awards and nominations

YearWorkAwardCategoryResult
2002 Australian Rules Film Critics Circle of Australia Best Actor – MaleNominated [8]
2002 Australian Rules IF Awards Best ActorNominated
2014 These Final Hours Sitges Film Festival Best ActorWon
2015 These Final Hours AFCA Awards Best ActorNominated
2019 Blood Vessel FilmQuest CthulhuBest Actor – FeatureNominated
2019 Blood Vessel FilmQuest CthulhuBest Ensemble Cast – FeatureNominated
2019 Blood Vessel FilmQuest CthulhuBest Feature FilmNominated

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References

  1. "A Chat with Nathan Phillips – Blood Vessel, Acting in Australia, and Living with Yowies". www.thecurb.com.au. 24 August 2020.
  2. "Snaking his way through pack". www.news.com.au. 17 August 2006.
  3. "'Snakes on a Plane' and the Simple Pleasures of Silly Horror Movies - Bloody Disgusting". 17 April 2020.
  4. "Nathan Phillips". www.moviefone.com. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  5. "These Final Hours star Nathan Phillips lives life like there's no tomorrow". Interfax-Ukraine. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  6. "Tom Wills one hell of a story". The Age. 5 August 2016.
  7. "A Chat with Nathan Phillips – Blood Vessel, Acting in Australia, and Living with Yowies". The Curb . 4 August 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  8. "In the running". The Age. 16 October 2002.