Nathaniel Dean Biography

Nathaniel Dean is an Australian actor and voice over artist. His most recent performance was his portrayal of William Thornhill in the Neil Armfield's, The Secret River, based on Kate Grenville's book of the same name and adapted by Andrew Bovell for the Sydney Theatre Company production.

In 2002, he won an AACTA Award, Australia"?s highest film award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Tony Ayres"? acclaimed Walking on Water.

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.

Early life

Dean grew up in the Yarra Valley in Victoria. During his final year of high school he successfully resuscitated a woman at his local swimming pool. This event would later become the subject of Dean"?s first dramatic work.

After performing in numerous productions in Melbourne"?s independent theatre scene Dean auditioned for NIDA (The National Institute for Dramatic Art). He was accepted with a scholarship.

His classmates included Toby Schmitz, Damon Gamaeu, Matt Lenevez, and Mark Priestly.

Career 2002 - 2006

After graduation, Dean and 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 Awards award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Tony Ayres"? "Walking on Water".

In 2004, Dean was nominated again for the same award for his role in Cate Shortland"?s "Somersault". He also played Jothee in Brian Henson"?s science fiction film Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars.

Dean played alongside Heath Ledger in Candy - Neil Armfield"?s adaptation of Luke Davies"? novel by the same name.

It would be the first of four times Dean Dean would work with the award-winning Director; he went on to perform the plays Peribanez and Tommy Murphy"?s Gwen in Purgatory at Belvoir St Theatre and later The Secret River at the Sydney Theatre Company.

Career 2007 - Present

In 2007, 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.

That same year, Dean played Fred Klein in Rain Shadow - a desperate and suicidal farmer whose livelihood is threatened by drought. The ABC series was nominated for 'Best Tele feature, Mini Series or Short Run Series' at the AFI Awards. Dean then played a psychotic serial killer addicted to Crystal Methamphetamine on East West 101. The program won that same award the following year.

As a character, this wouldn"?t be Dean"?s first brush with the law. In 2008, he was cast as a psychotic criminal in TV drama "?Rush"?, and bikie and drug land murderer Sidney Martin in the first of the Underbelly.

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, 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 Australian production of Kate Grenville"?s book, The Secret River.