# Ben Winspear

Ben Winspear is an Australian actor and director. He has an extensive history performing various roles for theatre, and on screen is known for appearing in the comedy drama series Bay of Fires (2023). He is co-owner, with his wife Marta Dusseldorp, of film production company Archipelago Productions, in Hobart, Tasmania.

## Early life

Ben Winspear was born around 1976 in Wagga Wagga.

## Career
### Stage

Winspear has had a long career in various roles in theatre, including as actor, adaptor, assistant director, director, dramaturge, lighting designer, performer, scenic artist, set and/or property maker, and flyman. His first credited role was as flyman for a production of Don Pasqualein 1990 at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music in Hobart, Tasmania.
In 2002 Winspear appeared in Same, same But Different, a major work created by Kate Champion and performed by dance theatre company Force Majeure, along with dancer Roz Hervey, actor Nathan Page, and others. The work was performed at Sydney Festival, Brisbane Festival, Sydney Opera House, and the Melbourne Festival. Also in 2002, he appeared in Great Expectations at the Drama Theatre (Sydney Opera House).
He was resident director at Sydney Theatre Company for three years (2003–2005), during which time he directed Morph, These People, This Little Piggy, The Metamorphosis, and Thyestes.
In 2009 he appeared in Baghdad Wedding for Company B.
He appeared with Marta Dusseldorp in Joanna Murray-Smith's adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's 1973 film Scenes from a Marriage for Queensland Theatre in 2017.
Winspear was an associate artist for the Griffin Theatre Company in Sydney, and has worked as assistant director with Barrie Kosky, Robyn Nevin, Howard Davies, Garry McDonald, and Jean-Pierre Mignon. Later, for Archipelago Productions, he directed sellout seasons of The Maids by Jean Genet, and Winterreise by Franz Schubert, as well as productions of The Bleeding Tree by Angus Cerini, which re-opened the Theatre Royal, and Venus and Adonis.

### Screen

Screen roles Winspear has played includes the TV series A Place to Call Home. and Underbelly: Badness and the 2014 film The Babadook and Bad Girl.
He also appears in Bay of Fires (2023), which was co-produced by Archipelago Productions, a company he co-founded with his wife Marta Dusseldorp.

## Other activities

Winspear has been on the judging panel for the Patrick White Award and Young Writers Award.

## Awards and nominations

* 2002: Nominated, Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play, for his performance in Great Expectations
* 2009: Winner, Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play, for his performance in Baghdad Wedding
* 2010: Nominated, Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama, for his performance in the TV series My Place

## Personal life

Winspear's partner is Marta Dusseldorp and they have two children.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2023 | Bay of Fires (TV series) | Rowan | 2 episodes |
| 2020-21 | Rosehaven | Sam | 3 episodes |
| 2021 | Finding Jedda | | Short |
| 2017 | Remembering Agatha | Bill | Short |
| 2017 | Pile | Father | Short |
| 2017 | The Suitor | Mr Sappleton | Short |
| 2016 | Bad Girl | Peter Anderson | |
| 2016 | Perry | Ben's Mate | Short |
| 2016 | Emerald City Live | Mike | |
| 2014-15 | A Place to Call Home (TV series) | René Nordmann | 11 episodes |
| 2015 | House of Hancock | Con Heliotis | 1 episode |
| 2015 | Breeding in Captivity | Andrew | Film |
| 2014 | Black Comedy | Guest | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | Old School | Rodger | 1 episode |
| 2014 | Rake (Australian TV series) | Sebastian Strong | 3 episodes |
| 2014 | The Babadook | Oskar | |
| 2013 | The Last Goodbye | Joel | |
| 2012 | Riccohet | Oliver | Short |
| 2012 | Underbelly | Tim Browne | 8 episodes |
| 2011 | Loveless | Max | Short |
| 2011 | Crownies | Dr Preston | 1 episode |
| 2011 | Panic at Rock Island | Baz Gaha | TV Movie |
| 2009 | My Place | Michaelis | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Every Other Weekend | Bart | Short |