# Brendan Cowell

Brendan Cowell is an Australian actor and writer. He is known for his lead role in 2024 television series Plum that he created, based on his 2021 novel of the same name.

## Early life and education

Brendan Cowell was born in Sydney and grew up in the beachside suburb of Cronulla. He credits his mother and high school drama teacher with encouraging him to explore his creative side.
He attended Charles Sturt University in Bathurst to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre/Media.

## Career
### Stage

Cowell won the Patrick White Playwrights' Award for his third play, Bed along with a collection of other awards. His play Ruben Guthrie showed at the Belvoir St Theatre in 2009 to sell-out houses. It had a new production at La Boite Theatre in 2011, starring Gyton Grantley and directed by David Berthold.
He won some acclaim for his portrayal of the title role in Bell Shakespeare's 2008 Production of Hamlet and acted in Sydney Theatre Company's production of True West, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, in 2010.
The Sublime (Melbourne Theatre Company) was shortlisted for the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting in the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards 2015. His play Happy New was performed in London in 2013, starring Joel Samuels, Lisa Dillon and William Troughton. It had previously premiered in Australia.
In 2017 he starred as Galileo Galilei in the Young Vic's production of Bertholt Brecht's Life of Galileo.

### Television

Cowell played the enigmatic Tom on Australian cable TV's Love My Way, for which he also wrote several episodes, and played Todd for the first two seasons on Life Support on SBS TV, for which he also wrote sketches.
In 2017 Cowell joined the cast of the HBO series Game of Thrones in season 7 as Harrag, an Ironborn sea captain allied to Theon Greyjoy.
In 2024 it was announced that Cowell had begun filming for ABC drama Plum based on his novel of the same name. The series aired on 20 October 2024.

### Film

Cowell's acting work in film include roles in the 2007 crime drama Noise, the World War 1 war film Beneath Hill 60, the romantic comedy I Love You Too. and a notable role in Avatar: The Way of Water as Captain Mick Scoresby.

### Other writing

In 2010 Cowell published his first novel, How it Feels.

## Personal life

Cowell dated Rose Byrne for six years until they parted ways amicably in early 2010.

## Filmography
### Film actor

Key :
| † | Denotes productions that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1986 | The Siege of Barton's Bathroom | Dominic Barton | Short film |
| 1999 | Kick | Macca | |
| 2000 | Bored Olives | Robert | |
| 2000 | The Monkey's Mask | Hayden | |
| 2001 | To End All Wars | Wallace Hamilton | |
| 2004 | Floodhouse | Herringbone John | |
| 2005 | Deck Dogz | Kurt | |
| 2006 | Suburban Mayhem | Interviewer | Voice role |
| 2007 | Noise | Graham McGahan | |
| 2008 | Three Blind Mice | Glenn Carter | |
| 2008 | Ten Empty | Shane Hackett | |
| 2010 | Beneath Hill 60 | Oliver Woodward | |
| 2010 | I Love You Too | Jim | |
| 2012 | Save Your Legs! | Rick | |
| 2013 | The Darkside | | |
| 2015 | Last Cab to Darwin | Publican | |
| 2015 | Observance | Employer | |
| 2016 | Broke | Kirk | |
| 2017 | National Theatre Live: Yerma | John | |
| 2017 | The Current War | Confederate Soldier | |
| 2022 | Avatar: The Way of Water | Captain Mick Scoresby | |
| 2024 | Avatar: Fire and Ash | Captain Mick Scoresby | |

### Television actor

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | Monster! | Nate | TV film |
| 2001 | Water Rats | Jonathan Freeman | Episode: "Family Matters" |
| 2001–2002 | Life Support | Todd | Series regular |
| 2002 | Young Lions | Jason Doone | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | White Collar Blue | Daniel Hudson | 1 episode |
| 2003 | Fat Cow Motel | Jack Green | Mini-series |
| 2004 | Salem's Lot | Dud Rogers | Mini-series |
| 2004–2007 | Love My Way | Tom Jackson | Series regular |
| 2008 | Review with Myles Barlow | As himself | Season 1 Episode 3 |
| 2010 | Rush | Blake Fincher | Episode: "Cooked" |
| 2011 | The Slap | Craig | Episode: "Richie" |
| 2011 | Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away | Benny O'Connell | TV film |
| 2012 | Howzat! Kerry Packer's War | Rodney Marsh | Mini-series |
| 2013 | The Borgias | Mattai the Hebrew | 5 episodes |
| 2013 | The Outlaw Michael Howe | British Soldier | TV film |
| 2014 | Wastelander Panda | Isaac | 6 episodes, voice role |
| 2014 | Soul Mates | Harry Cunston | Episode: "Self Destruction" |
| 2014–2016 | Black Comedy | Various roles | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Brock | Allan Moffat | Mini-series |
| 2016 | Comedy Showroom: The Letdown | Harry | TV film |
| 2017 | Game of Thrones | Harrag | 3 episodes |
| 2017–2019 | The Letdown | Harry | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Press | Peter Langley | Series regular |
| 2020 | The End | Christopher Brennan | 4 episodes |
| 2022 | The Twelve | Garry Thorne | 10 episodes |
| 2023 | The Castaways | Mike Brasse | 5 episodes |
| 2024 | Plum | Peter 'The Plum' Lum | 6 episodes |
| 2024 | Dune: Prophecy | Duke Ferdinand Richese | 2 episodes |

### Theatre actor

| Year | Play | Role | Venue | Notes |
| 2000 | The Recruit | Jimmy | Wharf 1 Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales | with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 2000 | Men | Guy | Old Fitzroy Theatre, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales | |
| 2001 | Happy New | Lyle | Old Fitzroy Theatre, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales | |
| 2003 | The Shape of Things | Adam Sorenson | Wharf 1 Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales | with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 2004 | Far Away | Todd | Wharf 1 Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales | with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 2006 | Dissident, Goes Without Saying | Phillipe | Wharf 2Loud Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales | with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 2008 | Hamlet | Prince Hamlet | Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Sydney, New South Wales | with Bell Shakespeare |
| 2010 | True West | Austin | Wharf 1 Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales | with Sydney Theatre Company |
| 2011 | The Dark Room | Stephen | Downstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales | with Company B |
| 2013 | Miss Julie | Jean | Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales | with Belvoir Sydney |
| 2013 | The Wild Duck | Hjalmar Ekdal | Vienna Festival & Holland Festival | with Belvoir Sydney |
| 2014 | Once in Royal David's City | Will Drummond | Upstairs Theatre, Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales | with Belvoir Sydney |
| 2014 | The Wild Duck | Hjalmar Ekdal | Barbican Centre, London & UK Tour | with Belvoir Sydney |
| 2016 | Yerma | Juan | Young Vic, London | |
| 2017 | Life of Galileo | Galileo Galilei | Young Vic, London | |
| 2018 | Dance Nation | Dance Teacher Pat | Almeida Theatre, London | |
| 2018 | Yerma | Juan | Park Avenue Armory, New York City | |

## Writing

| Year | Title | Format | Notes |
| 2000 | Men | Play | |
| 2001 | Bed | Play | Won the Patrick White Playwrights Award and Fellowship in 2001 |
| 2001 | Happy New | Play | |
| 2001–2002 | Life Support | TV series. Satire. Comedy | Writer (with others) in 4 episodes |
| 2002 | Sweet Dreams | Short film | Co-written with Anthony Hayes |
| 2002 | Running Down These Dreams | Short film. Drama | |
| 2002 | Free | Short film. Drama | |
| 2002 | Wasted on the Young | Short film. Comedy | |
| 2002 | I Love U | Short film. Drama | |
| 2002 | Baggage Claim | Short film. Drama | |
| 2002 | The Doppelgangers | Short film. Sci-Fi | |
| 2002 | Chrono-logic | Short film. Drama | |
| 2003 | Rabbit | Play | Won the 2003 Griffin award. |
| 2004 | Morph | Play | |
| 2004-2007 | Love My Way | TV series | 8 episodes |
| 2005 | Europe | Short film. Romance | |
| 2007 | Ten Empty | Film. Drama | |
| 2009 | Ruben Guthrie | Play ISBN 9780868198590 | Cowell adapted this as a film script for the 2015 feature film with the same title |
| 2010 | How It Feels | Debut novel ISBN 9781405039291 | |
| 2011 | The Slap | TV series based on Christos Tsiolkas' novel | 2 episodes: #1.3 Harry, #1.8 Richie |
| 2012 | Save Your Legs! | Feature film. Comedy | |
| 2013 | The Outlaw Michael Howe | TV film. Historical drama. Western | |
| 2014 | The Sublime | Play | |
| 2015 | Ruben Guthrie | Feature film. Dark comedy, drama, romance | |
| 2021 | Plum | Second novel ISBN 9781460760505 | Audiobook read by Cowell (ISBN 9781460789377). Adapted as a TV series, released in 2024. |
| 2024 | Plum | TV series | Writer / Exec producer; 6 episodes |

## Directing credits

| Year | Title |
| 2005 | Europe |
| 2013 | The Outlaw Michael Howe |
| 2015 | Ruben Guthrie |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 2005 | Logie Awards | Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor | Love My Way | Nominated |
| 2006 | Logie Awards | Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor | Love My Way | Nominated |
| 2007 | AFI Awards | Best Lead Actor | Noise | Nominated |
| 2007 | AWGIE Awards | Television - Series | Love My Way | Nominated |
| 2007 | Inside Film Awards | Best Actor | Noise | Nominated |
| 2007 | Logie Awards | Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor | Love My Way | Nominated |
| 2008 | ASTRA Awards | Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor | Love My Way | Nominated |
| 2008 | Film Critics Circle of Australia | Best Actor | Noise | Won |
| 2010 | AFI Awards | Best Lead Actor | Beneath Hill 60 | Nominated |
| 2011 | Film Critics Circle of Australia | Best Actor | Beneath Hill 60 | Nominated |
| 2011 | Sydney Theatre Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production | The Dark Room | Nominated |
| 2012 | AACTA Awards | Best Screenplay in Television | The Slap | Won |
| 2012 | AWGIE Awards | Television Mini-Series - Adaptation (with Emily Ballou, Alice Bell, Kris Mrksa & Cate Shortland) | The Slap | Won |
| 2015 | AACTA Awards | Best Adapted Screenplay | Ruben Guthrie | Nominated |
| 2015 | AWGIE Awards | Feature Film - Adaptation | Ruben Guthrie | Won |
| 2015 | ZOOM Awards | Best Director | The Outlaw Michael Howe | Won |