| Birth place | Marrickville, Sydney, Australia |
|---|---|
| Education | Western Sydney University (BA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Partner | Kate Agnew (1994–present) |
David Wenham is an Australian actor who has appeared in film, television and theatre. He is known for his roles as Faramir in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Friar Carl in Van Helsing and Van Helsing: The London Assignment, Dilios in 300 and its sequel 300: Rise of an Empire, Al Parker in Top of the Lake, Lieutenant John Scarfield in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and Hank Snow in Elvis. He is known in his native Australia for his role as Johnny Spitieri in Gettin' Square, Diver Dan in SeaChange and Price Galese in Les Norton.
Early life
Wenham has five older sisters—Helen, Anne, Carmel, Kathryn, and Maree—and one older brother, Peter. He was raised in the Roman Catholic faith and attended Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham, Sydney.[1][2]
Career
Wenham started his career as an actor after graduating from Theatre Nepean at Western Sydney University with a Bachelor of Arts (Performing Arts) in 1987.[3] Wenham's television credits include several films, such as his AFI award-winning role in 1997's Simone de Beauvoir's Babies, and his role as the outwardly laid back but deeply enigmatic diver Dan Della Bosca in the 1998 and 1999 seasons of the ABC television series SeaChange. His role as "Diver Dan" has made the actor something of a sex symbol, although he dislikes thinking of himself as such,[4] and he has been voted Australia's "sexiest man alive".[5] A portrait of Wenham by artist Adam Cullen won the Archibald Prize in 2000.[6][7] Wenham appeared in 1999 for the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Yasmina Reza's play 'Art'.[8]
Australian films Wenham has starred in include The Boys (1998) based on the play of the same name premiered in 1991 with Wenham by Griffin Theatre Company and in turn based on the murder of Anita Cobby, Molokai (1999), based on the life of Father Damien, The Bank (2001), Gettin' Square (2003), Stiff (2004), The Brush-Off (2004), and Three Dollars (2005). Wenham has periodically appeared in Hollywood films; he is known for playing Faramir, son of Denethor II, in New Line Cinema's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
He was seen in Van Helsing playing Hugh Jackman's sidekick, Friar Carl. His character, Dilios, narrated and appeared in the 2007 film 300. He reprises his role of Dilios in both the 2014 sequel 300: Rise of an Empire and the video game 300: March to Glory for Sony PlayStation Portable, which contains a substantial amount of new dialogue. Minor roles of Wenham's in overseas films include in The Crocodile Hunter as a park ranger, and briefly in Moulin Rouge! as Audrey. Wenham stars in the music video for Alex Lloyd's single "Brand New Day". In 2008's Australia, he reunited with Hugh Jackman playing antagonist Neil Fletcher.
In 2009, he appeared in Public Enemies as one of John Dillinger's men. He also returned to the stage, this time as the lead actor, Jerry Springer, in the British musical Jerry Springer: The Opera. During its 6-day run at the Sydney Opera House he played in sold-out performances alongside ARIA award-winning singer Kate Miller-Heidke.[9]
In 2010, he played the character Len in the Australian drama film Oranges and Sunshine. Also in 2010, Wenham starred as the disgraced Melbourne lawyer Andrew Fraser in the Australian television series Killing Time. This ten-part series shows Fraser's fall from grace as he defends many Melbourne criminals during the 1980s and 1990s. It was shown on TV1 in late 2011. On stage, Wenham appeared in Benedict Andrews' production of The Seagull for Belvoir.[8]
Wenham plays New Zealand detective Al Parker[10] alongside Elisabeth Moss in the 2013 BBC series Top of the Lake.
In 2013, Wenham returned to the stage to play the lead role of John Proctor in the Melbourne Theatre Company's mid-year production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible.
In 2014, Wenham starred as Patrick Jones in Paper Planes, released on 15 January 2015. That same year, Wenham voiced the role Jacko a frilled-neck lizard, in Blinky Bill the Movie. In 2016, Wenham played the role of John, the adoptive father of Saroo Brierley in Lion.
Wenham played the role of the villain Harold Meachum in the Netflix original television series Iron Fist, which premiered in March 2017.[11]
In 2018, Wenham played the voice of Johnny Town-Mouse in Peter Rabbit, a role he reprised in the 2021 sequel Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway.
In 2020, it was announced that Wenham was cast as Jasper Queller in the upcoming Netflix thriller series Pieces of Her, which is adapted from the Karin Slaughter novel of the same name.[12]
In 2022, Wenham returned to work with director Baz Luhrmann, playing the role of country singer Hank Snow in the biographical film Elvis.
In November 2022, Wenham played Scrooge in a production of A Christmas Carol at the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne; his performance was praised for showing Scrooge as traumatised.[13]
In October 2025, Wenham was named in the cast for the feature film Zac Power.[14] In 2026, he performed the one-person play An Iliad for the Sydney Theatre Company.[8]
He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2023 Australia Day Honours.[15]
Personal life
Wenham met actress and yoga teacher Kate Agnew at a play at Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney, Australia, in 1994.[16] They began a relationship that year.[17] They have two daughters.[18] As of 2020, they live together in a $2.75 million-dollar house in Brisbane, Australia.[19]
On 20 September 2006, Wenham read a poem called "The Crocodiles are Crying" by Rupert McCall at the memorial service for Steve Irwin.[20][21]
Wenham is a Sydney Swans supporter.[22]
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | A Country Practice | Ambulanceman 1 | Episode: "Mozart Rules – Part 1" | |
| Sons and Daughters | Debt Collector | Episode: "#1.954" | ||
| 1988 | A Country Practice | Scott Galbraith | 2 episodes | |
| 1990 | Come In Spinner | Australian soldier | Mini-series | |
| 1991 | Police Rescue | Ferret | Episode: "The Cosmic Lightbeam" | |
| 1992 | A Country Practice | David Cornish | 2 episodes | |
| 1994 | Blue Heelers | William Cassidy | Episode: "The Folly of Youth" | |
| 1996 | Blue Heelers | Robbie Doyle | Episode: "Happy Families" | |
| 1997 | Simone de Beauvoir's Babies | Ian | all 4 episodes | |
| Return to Jupiter | Dr Ghrobak | 2 episodes | ||
| 1998–1999 | SeaChange | Dan Della Bosca | 15 episodes | |
| 2004 | Murray Whelan: Stiff | Murray Whelan | Telemovie | |
| 2004 | Murray Whelan: The Brush-Off | Murray Whelan | Telemovie | |
| 2006 | Answered by Fire | Mark Waldman | Two-part mini-series | |
| 2009 | Deadliest Warrior | Narrator | Credited as "Drew Skye" | |
| 2011 | Killing Time | Andrew Fraser | 10 episodes | |
| 2012 | Dripping in Chocolate | Bennett O'Mara | ||
| 2013, 2017 | Top of the Lake | Al Parker | 7 episodes | |
| 2013 | Better Man | Julian McMahon | 4 episodes | |
| 2014 | The Code | Ian Bradley | 6 episodes | |
| 2015 | Banished | Captain Arthur Phillip, 1st Governor of New South Wales | ||
| 2017 | Iron Fist | Harold Meachum | 10 episodes | |
| 2018 | Romper Stomper | Jago Zoric | 6 episodes | |
| 2019 | Les Norton | Price Galese | 10 episodes | |
| 2020 | The Letter for the King | Sir Tiuri the Valiant | 2 episodes | |
| 2021 | Pieces of Her | Jasper Queller | Main cast | [12] |
| 2022 | Joe vs. Carole | Don Lewis | 1 episode | |
| 2024 | Fake | Joe Burt | 8 episodes | [25] |
| 2026 | Dalliance | TBA | TV series | [26] |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | Faramir | |
| 2007 | 300: March to Glory | Dilios, Narrator |
Other appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Who Do You Think You Are? | Himself | Series 7, episode 4 |
| 2022 | Shackleton: The Greatest Story of Survival | Self | Documentary |
| 2022 | ABC 90 Celebrate! | Self | TV special |
| 2022–23 | The ABC Of | Self | 10 episodes |
Awards and nominations
- Australian Film Institute Award for Best Lead Actor in Television Drama for Simone de Beauvoir's Babies (1997) – winner[27]
- Australian Film Institute Award for Best Lead Actor in Television Drama for Answered by Fire (2006) – winner[27]
- Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for 300 (2007) – nominated
References
- ^ "Spittin' image". The Age. 5 October 2003.
- ^ Fr Damien role is 'uplifting' – actor Archived 3 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Mendelssohn, Joanna (13 February 2008). "Want to go to art school? Don't live in Western Sydney". Crikey. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ^ Field, Melissa (1 April 2007). "The star of David". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 14 October 2007.
- ^ "David Wenham". AgeOfTheRing.com
- ^ "Biography". David Wenham appreciation site. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ^ Edmond, Martin (30 September 2014). "Declivities and eminences". Sydney Review of Books. Writing and Society Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ^ Jane Albert (26 March 2026). "Why David Wenham is tackling his first Sydney play in 15 years [in print: Back on the Boards]". The Australian. pp. 8–11. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ^ "Jerry Springer: The Opera" by Elissa Blake, The Sydney Morning Herald, 17 April 2009
- ^ "Entertainment: Top of the Lake". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
- ^ Opam, Kwame (21 March 2017). "6 problems that make Iron Fist so frustrating". TheVerge.com. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- ^ Groves, Don (21 May 2020). "David Wenham cast in Netflix thriller with Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote". IF Magazine. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ Tim Byrne (19 November 2022). "A Christmas Carol review – David Wenham is a superb Scrooge for the ages". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (14 October 2025). "ACTF backs teen spy Zac Power". TV Tonight. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
- ^ "Australia Day 2023 Honours: Full list". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
- ^ Rocca, Jane (7 May 2022). "The one question David Wenham's mum asked whenever he landed a role". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "David Wenham on giving his teacher a nervous breakdown". The Daily Telegraph
- ^ "Actor David Wenham Welcomes Daughter Millie". People. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ Emily Power (2022-07-29). "David Wenham discreetly bought in Brisbane". Nine.com.au. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ^ The Crocodile Hunter: A Tribute to Steve Irwin at IMDb
- ^ "Farewell To Steve Irwin". CBS News. 19 September 2006. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
- ^ "Kidman heads army of Swans 'true believers'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 March 2005.
- ^ Jenah Paclibar (19 September 2015). "Pirates of the Caribbean 5 movie news: Orlando Bloom reprises role as Will Turner as franchise goes back to its roots". Vinereport.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ "Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind Voice Cast and Plot Details Revealed". 3 August 2022.
- ^ Knox, David (14 September 2023). "Paramount+ filming new thriller series, Fake". TV Tonight. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
- ^ Slatter, Sean (2026-04-23). "David Wenham, Catherine McClements delve into 'Dalliance'". IF Magazine. Retrieved 2026-04-24.
- ^ "Past Winners, Television 1986–2006". AFI Television Awards. Australian Film Institute. 2006. Archived from the original on 28 November 2007.
External links
- David Wenham at IMDb
- Urban Cinefile Archived 2 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine