Nathaniel Dean (born 21 February 1971) is an Australian actor and voiceover artist. His most recent performances include Sergeant Hallett in Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant (2017), as well as colonial Australian settler William Thornhill in The Secret River for the Sydney Theatre Company.[1]

Nathaniel Dean
Born
Nathaniel Dean

(1971-02-21) 21 February 1971 (age 53)
Australia
EducationNational Institute of Dramatic Art
Occupation(s)Actor and voice artist
Years active2000–present

In 2002, he won an AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Tony Ayres' acclaimed Walking on Water.[2]

Dean has performed in numerous stage plays, TV series, short films and Australian feature films. He has been the voice of numerous advertising campaigns and productions including Recipe to Riches, the AFL, Victoria Bitter and Holden.[3]

Early life

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Dean grew up in the Yarra Valley region of Victoria, Australia. During his final year of high school, he resuscitated a woman at his local swimming pool. This event would later become the subject of Dean's first dramatic work.[citation needed]

After performing in numerous productions in Melbourne's independent theatre scene, Dean auditioned for the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). He was accepted with a scholarship.

Career

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After graduation, Dean and NIDA classmate Toby Schmitz worked together on Howard Korder's Boys Life. The production was selected to open the Sydney Fringe Festival. The pair appeared together soon after in Schmitz's first play, Dream a Little Dream at Belvoir St Theatre.

In 2002, Dean played Patch in the TV series Always Greener, which was nominated for an International Emmy Award. That same year, he received an AFI Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Tony Ayres' film Walking on Water.[4] In 2004, Dean was nominated for the same award for his role in Cate Shortland's Somersault.[5] He also played Jothee in Brian Henson's science fiction film Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars.[6]

Dean played alongside Heath Ledger in Candy - Neil Armfield's adaptation of Luke Davies' novel of the same name. Armfield would later direct Dean in the plays Peribanez and Tommy Murphy's Gwen in Purgatory[7] at Belvoir St Theatre and later The Secret River at the Sydney Theatre Company.

In 2008, Dean played a Rugby League star in Matt Nable's Australian film, The Final Winter, which told the story of how big business entered the NRL during the 1980s.[8]

That same year, Dean played Fred Klein in Rain Shadow, a desperate and suicidal farmer whose livelihood is threatened by drought. Dean then played a psychotic serial killer addicted to Crystal Methamphetamine on East West 101.

Dean went on to play Sergeant Mick Scanlon in Channel Seven's period drama Wild Boys and Kraut in Channel Ten's Bikie Wars. He also appeared in the AFI winning series Puberty Blues.

More recently,[when?] Dean has spent more time on stage, starring in Belvoir St Theatre's production of Gwen in Purgatory, written by Tommy Murphy, and directed by Neil Armfield.

In 2013, he starred as William Thornhill in the Sydney Theatre Company's landmark adaptation of Kate Grenville's book, The Secret River.[9]

Dean plays Tyson Black in the 2019 crime-thriller film Locusts.[10]

Dean plays Nash Mason in Foxtel/Binge crime drama High Country.[11]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2002 Walking on Water Simon
2003 Ned Klan Policeman
The Rage in Placid Lake Lachie
2004 Somersault Stuart
2006 Candy Paul Hillman
2007 The Final Winter Trent
2017 Alien: Covenant Hallett
2018 The Nightingale Stoakes
2019 Locusts Tyson Black

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Home and Away Scott Phillips 3 episodes
2001–2003 Always Greener Patch 26 episodes
2004 Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars Jothee 2 episodes
2005 Heartbreak Tour Nick Television film
2005–2006 All Saints James Byrne / Nathan Giles 6 episodes
2006 HeadLand Toby Martin 14 episodes
2007 Hammer Bay Brad Abbot Television film
Rain Shadow Fred Klein 6 episodes
East West 101 Warren Johns Episode: "Hunt for the Killer"
2008 Underbelly Sidney Martin Episode: "I Still Pray"
2009 City Homicide Joel Morrison Episode: "Mission Statement"
2009–2010 Rush Andrew Kronin 5 episodes
2010 Satisfaction Gus 4 episodes
2011 Killing Time Detective East Episode #1.6
Wild Boys Mick Scanlon 10 episodes
2012 Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms Kraut 5 episodes
Puberty Blues Shane Episode #1.6
2014 Parer's War George Warfe Television film
Old School Jackson 2 episodes
ANZAC Girls Major Lionel Quick 2 episodes
2019 Secret City Dunn 3 episodes
Wentworth Chocco Episode: "Payback"
2024 Boy Swallows Universe Raymond Leary 2 episodes
High Country Nash Mason 4 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Deeply Moving Evocation of a Tragic Conflict". The Australian. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  2. ^ "Australian Film Inst". Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  3. ^ Evans, Kathy. "Voice Management".
  4. ^ "Nat and the Cat". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 March 2003. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  5. ^ "Red Carpet Films". Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Farscape Canada". Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Review: Gwen in purgatory at Belvoir St Theatre". The Daily Telegraph. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  8. ^ "At The Movies". ABC.
  9. ^ "The Secret River". ABC Arts. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  10. ^ "Nathaniel Dean". IMDb. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  11. ^ Knox, David (4 May 2023). "More cast added to High Country | TV Tonight". tvtonight. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
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