Robert Taylor (Australian actor)

Last updated

Robert Taylor
OAM
Born
Robert John Taylor

1963 (age 6162)
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Alma mater Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
OccupationActor
Years active1988–present
Spouse
(m. 2017)
Children1

Robert John Taylor OAM (born 1963) is an Australian actor who has appeared in many films and television series in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. On television, he is known for playing the lead role of Walt Longmire in the A&E/Netflix television series Longmire . His film credits include Agent Jones in The Matrix (1999), and also had roles in Vertical Limit (2000) and The Meg (2018).

Contents

Early life and education

Robert Taylor was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia. [1] His parents separated when he was nine, and he moved to a mining town in Western Australia to live with his aunt and uncle. [1] [2] [3]

He attended university three times. [1] [2] [4] [ further explanation needed ] He worked as a miner when he was a teenager. [1] [3]

At age 21, Taylor went to work on an oil rig in the Indian Ocean. [1] [2] [3] His ship collided with another and sank off the west coast of Australia, but he and two crew mates escaped on a lifeboat. Taylor suffered a broken arm and ribs. [4]

While recovering in hospital, he saw an advertisement for auditions for drama school in Perth, at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), [4] which he joined after a successful audition at the age of 24. [1] [2] [3]

Career

Taylor started acting professionally in 1988 after graduating from WAAPA. His first major role was in 1989 as Nicholas Walsh in the Australian television soap Home and Away . [5] His first lead role came in 1993 when he was cast as David Griffin in the Australian miniseries The Feds . [6] [7] He then appeared in various guest roles and on television films in Australia, such as Blue Heelers and Stingers , often being cast as a police officer.[ citation needed ]

Taylor's big break in Hollywood came when he was cast as one of the Agents in the 1999 blockbuster The Matrix . [8] In 2000, he appeared in the action thriller Vertical Limit . [9] His other film credits include The Hard Word (2002), Storm Warning (2007), Rogue (2007), and Coffin Rock (2009). [9]

In 2000, Taylor played Father Vincent Sheehan in Ballykissangel , a British television drama set in Ireland. [10] His television credits after that include MDA (2002), Satisfaction (2010), Cops L.A.C. (2010) and Killing Time (2011). [9] [11] In 2011, Taylor was cast for the lead role of Walt Longmire in A&E's crime drama series Longmire . [12] The series moved to Netflix after the third season. Its sixth and final season was released in 2017. [13] [14]

In April 2024, as his film Kid Snow was in post-production, Taylor was cast as Jackson Gibbs in NCIS: Origins . [15] He plays Colin Lawson in the 2024 Netflix drama series Territory . [16]

In 2025, he was nominated for a Logie award for his work on the Netflix series Territory . [17]

Personal life

Taylor is married to producer Ayisha Davies; they have a daughter, Scarlet. [1] [4]

Taylor co-founded Veg Out, a farmer's market and community gardens in St Kilda, Victoria. [18]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997PhageCalhoun
1999 The Matrix Agent Jones
2000 Muggers Detective Constable Porter
Vertical Limit Skip Taylor
After the RainJack Behring
2002 The Hard Word Frank Malone
2003 Ned Kelly Sherritt Trooper
2007 Storm Warning Rob
Rogue Everett Kennedy
2008 Long Weekend Bartender
2009 Coffin Rock Rob Willis
2014 Healing Vander
Turkey Shoot Ramrod
2015 Focus McEwen
What Lola Wants Jed
Downriver Wayne
2016The Menkoff MethodClive Struthers
2017 Kong: Skull Island Captain of the Boat
Don't Tell Robert Brewster
2018 The Meg Dr. Heller
2019 Into the Ashes Frank Parson
Blood Vessel Captain Malone
2022 We Are Still Here Riley
2024 Kid Snow Ed
2024 Just a Farmer Owen

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1988 Danger Down Under KingTelevision film
Rafferty's Rules Constable HanksEpisode: "Confessions"
Barracuda (aka The Rocks)Constable GottliebTelevision film
Something Is Out There 1st officer2 episodes
The Clean Machine Constable Ron HealyTelevision film
The Flying Doctors Lachlan McGregorEpisode: "Clapped Out"
Fragments of War: The Story of Damien Parer Lt. EllisTelevision film
1989 Brotherhood of the Rose Pollux2 episodes
Home and Away Nicholas Walsh 21 episodes
1990 Yellowthread Street Detective Peter Marenta7 episodes
The Paper ManJohnny Coates6 episodes
G.P. Greg MawsonEpisode: "Longing"
1992Steel JusticeDetective Lieutenant David NashTelevision film
1993–1996 The Feds David GriffinLead role
1995 The Last Bullet Sergeant CaldwellTelevision film
1996 Twisted Tales PeterEpisode: "A Sure Thing"
Flipper Captain WhitakerEpisode: "Fish Out of Water"
The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years Jack ClearyTelevision film
1998 Good Guys, Bad Guys Andrew CostelloEpisode: "Blood is Thicker Than Walter"
1999 Wildside Clayton ClarkEpisode #2.8
Blue Heelers Detective Barry CraigEpisodes: "Dirty Money" & "Web of Lies"
Stingers Detective Sergeant Mick Foley4 episodes
First Daughter MasonTelevision film
2000 Tales of the South Seas Tall Bounty HunterEpisode: "Isabelle's Brother"
2001 Ballykissangel Father Vincent Sheehan8 episodes
2002 MDA Paul Bennett8 episodes
2004 The Mystery of Natalie Wood Nicholas RayTelevision film
2005 Hercules Chiron2 episodes
2008 City Homicide Kevin SteeleEpisode: "Spoils of War"
2010 Satisfaction John McCoy6 episodes
Cops L.A.C. Tom O'NeillEpisode: "The Learning Curve"
2011 Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer was Here Deputy Commissioner Graham SinclairTelevision film
Killing Time Tim Watson-Munro 5 episodes
Twentysomething TrevorEpisode: "You Only Get One Special Day"
2012–2017 Longmire Sheriff Walt Longmire Lead role
2013 Mr & Mrs Murder Alistair TraversEpisode: "A Flare for Murder"
2016 Wolf Creek Roland ThorogoodEpisode: "Billabong"
2019 Dolly Parton's Heartstrings Reverend CovernEpisode: "Down from Dover"
2021–23 The Newsreader Geoff Walters12 episodes
2023 Scrublands Harley Reagan4 episodes
2024 Apples Never Fall WilliamEpisode: "Joy"
NCIS: Origins Jackson GibbsRecurring role
Territory Colin Lawson6 episodes

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Week of March 3, 2014: Ballykissangel's Robert Taylor". Tea with Heather. Maryland Public Television.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Myskow, Nina (2 March 2001). "The Real Me: Robert Taylor". The Mirror. UK.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Moore, Frazier (23 May 2013). "Robert Taylor: arresting as TV lawman 'Longmire'". AP.org. Associated Press.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Lee, Luaine (1 June 2012). "Robert Taylor stars in new A&E series 'Longmire'". North Jersey. McClatchy-Tribune News Service.
  5. "Aussie star at home in west". news.com.au . 12 November 2013.
  6. "Four decades of Aussie cop shows". The Sydney Morning Herald . 21 September 2004.
  7. "The Feds: Abduction". AustLit. AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource.
  8. Barron, Frank (8 July 2012). "'Longmire' stars Robert Taylor on A&E – Big Sky country setting for modern western Longmire". Entertainment Today.
  9. 1 2 3 "Robert Taylor as Walt Longmire". ninemsn.com.au.
  10. Pennells, Steve (13 August 2000). "Ballykissangel Answers Actor's Prayers". The Sun-Herald via WA Television.
  11. Jeffery, Morgan (16 February 2011). "'The Matrix' star joins A&E pilot". Digital Spy .
  12. Andreeva, Nellie (14 February 2011). "'Matrix' Actor Robert Taylor Gets The Lead In A&E's Pilot 'Longmire'". Deadline Hollywood .
  13. Andreeva, Nellie (2 November 2016). "'Longmire' Renewed For Sixth & Final Season By Netflix". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
  14. Dietz, Jason (2 June 2016). "2016-17 TV Season Scorecard". Metacritic.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  15. "Robert Taylor NCIS Origins cast: Meet Longmire star playing Gibbs' dad". Express. 21 April 2024.
  16. Bentley, Jean (24 October 2024). "Territory: Everything to Know About the Australian Outback Drama". Netflix Tudum. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  17. Rawling, Caitling; Winter, Velvet; Story, Hannah (3 August 2025). "Logies 2025: Lynne McGranger wins Gold Logie, Fisk sweeps up comedy awards — as it happened". ABC News . SILVER LOGIE — Best Lead Actor in a Drama. Archived from the original on 4 August 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  18. Tomazin, Farrah (1 February 2003). "Community gardeners veg out in the suburbs". The Age . Australia: Fairfax Digital . Retrieved 3 June 2016.