# AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama

The AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama is an accolade given by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA), a non-profit organisation whose aim is to "identify, award, promote and celebrate Australia's greatest achievements in film and television." The award is handed out at the annual AACTA Awards, which rewards achievements in feature film, television, documentaries and short films. From 2000 to 2010, the category was presented by the Australian Film Institute (AFI), the Academy's parent organisation, at the annual Australian Film Institute Awards (known as the AFI Awards). When the AFI launched the Academy in 2011, it changed the annual ceremony to the AACTA Awards, with the current prize being a continuum of the AFI Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama.
The award was first presented in 2000 as Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role in a Television Drama Series until 2002, when the title was changed to Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama. In the following year, the title was changed to Best Actor in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama or Comedy. By 2006, a separate comedy accolade was established, and the name changed to the current one.
The AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama is given for performances in television drama series, miniseries, telefeature, children's animation or children's drama series. Candidates for this award must be human and male, and cannot be nominated for best lead actor in a television drama in the same year, for the same production. Damon Herriman has received four nominations, more than any other actor, winning one in 2016.

## Winners and nominees

In the following table, the years listed correspond to the year that the television programme aired on Australian television; the ceremonies are usually held the following year. The actor whose name is emphasised in boldface and highlighted in yellow have won the award. Those that are neither highlighted nor in bold are the nominees. When sorted chronologically, the table always lists the winning actor first and then the other nominees.

### Best Performance by an Actor in a Guest Role in a Television Drama Series

| Year | Actor | Program | Character(s) | Episode/Series | Network |
| 2000 (42nd) |
| 2000 (42nd) | Chris Haywood | Stingers | A.J. Blackburn | Series 2, Episode 18: "Men in the Dark" | Nine Network |
| 2000 (42nd) | Aaron Blabey | Stingers | Michael Callum | Series 3, Episode 17: "Second Chance" | Nine Network |
| 2000 (42nd) | Daniel Daperis | Stingers | Adam Hauser | Series 3, Episode 2: "Forced Perspective" | Nine Network |
| 2000 (42nd) | David Field | Grass Roots | Daryl Kennedy | Series 1, Episode 2: "Late September" | ABC |
| 2001 (43rd) |
| 2001 (43rd) | Gary Day | Blue Heelers | Commander Reginald Jones | Series 8, Episode 29: "The Poisoned Fruit Part 2" | Seven Network |
| 2001 (43rd) | Steve Adams | Something in the Air | Father Brian | Series 2, Episode 24: "That One Defining Moment" | ABC |
| 2001 (43rd) | Travis McMahon | Stingers | Jonah Day | Series 4, Episode 2: "Rich Man's World" | Nine Network |
| 2001 (43rd) | Damian Walshe-Howling | The Secret Life of Us | Mac | Series 1, Episode 10: "State Of Limbo" | Network Ten |

### Best Actor in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama

| Year | Actor | Program | Character(s) | Episode/Series | Network |
| 2002 (44th) |
| 2002 (44th) | Clayton Watson | Always Greener | Mickey Steele | Series 1 | Seven Network |
| 2002 (44th) | Gary Waddell | Bad Cop, Bad Cop | Steve McClure | Episode 8: "Yesterday's Zero" | ABC |
| 2002 (44th) | Tom Long | Heroes' Mountain: The Thredbo Story | Paul Featherstone | | Network Ten |
| 2002 (44th) | Angus Grant | MDA | Dr. Jamie Lawless | Series 1, Episode 7: "When it Rains, it Pours" | ABC |

### Best Actor in a Supporting or Guest Role in a Television Drama or Comedy

| Year | Actor | Program | Character(s) | Episode/Series | Network |
| 2003 (45th) |
| 2003 (45th) | John Clayton | Grass Roots | Harry Bond | Series 2, Episode 10: "By-Election" | ABC |
| 2003 (45th) | Francis Greenslade | Welcher & Welcher | Peter-Paul Cohen and Claude Buzzo | | ABC |
| 2003 (45th) | Samuel Johnson | After the Deluge | Toby Kirby | | Network Ten |
| 2003 (45th) | Damien Richardson | The Secret Life of Us | Ken | Series 3, Episode 11: "The Day No Trumpets Sounded" | Network Ten |
| 2004 (46th) |
| 2004 (46th) | Matthew Le Nevez | Marking Time | Bullet Sheather | | ABC |
| 2004 (46th) | Ray Barrett | All Saints | Doc Connelly | Series 7, Episode 26: "Falling from Grace" | Seven Network |
| 2004 (46th) | Lech Mackiewicz | Marking Time | Hassan | | ABC |
| 2004 (46th) | Glenn Robbins | Kath & Kim | Kel Knight | Series 3 | ABC |

### Best Guest or Supporting Actor in Television Drama

| Year | Actor | Program | Character(s) | Episode/Series | Network |
| 2005 (47th) |
| 2005 (47th) | Max Cullen | Love My Way | Gerry Jackson | Series 1, Episode 8: "A Different Planet" | Fox8 |
| 2005 (47th) | Tony Barry | Hell Has Harbour Views | Frank Flannery | | ABC |
| 2005 (47th) | Steve Bisley | Hell Has Harbour Views | Bruce Kent | | ABC |
| 2005 (47th) | Frank Gallacher | MDA | Rupert Carr | Series 3, Episode 12: "A Human Cost (Part 4)" | ABC |
| 2006 (48th) |
| 2006 (48th) | Marcus Graham | Blue Heelers | Pilgrim Bond | Series 13, Episode 8: "Moonlighting" | Seven Network |
| 2006 (48th) | Luke Carroll | RAN: Remote Area Nurse | Paul Gaibui | | SBS |
| 2006 (48th) | Aaron Fa'aoso | RAN: Remote Area Nurse | Eddie Gaibui | | SBS |
| 2006 (48th) | John Waters | All Saints | Dr. Miklos 'Mike' Vlasek | Series 9 | Seven Network |
| 2007 (49th) |
| 2007 (49th) | David Ngoombujarra | The Circuit | Harry Pope | Series 1 | SBS |
| 2007 (49th) | Mark Priestley | All Saints | Nurse Dan Goldman | Series 10 | Seven Network |
| 2007 (49th) | Justin Smith | Bastard Boys | Josh Bornstein | | ABC |
| 2007 (49th) | Jack Thompson | Bastard Boys | Tony Tully | | ABC |
| 2008 (50th) |
| 2008 (50th) | Damian Walshe-Howling | Underbelly | Andrew "Benji" Veniamin | Episode 7: "Wise Monkeys" | Nine Network |
| 2008 (50th) | Vince Colosimo | Underbelly | Alphonse Gangitano | Episode 2: "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" | Nine Network |
| 2008 (50th) | Gary Files | Dogstar | Ramon Ridley | Episode 26: "Tail's End" | Nine Network |
| 2008 (50th) | Taffy Hany | East West 101 | Rahman Malik | Series 1, Episode 1: "The Enemy Within" | SBS One |
| 2009 (51st) |
| 2009 (51st) | Damian De Montemas | Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities | Brian Alexander | Episode 11: "The Brotherhood" | Nine Network |
| 2009 (51st) | Bille Brown | 3 Acts of Murder | George Ritchie | | ABC1 |
| 2009 (51st) | Richard Roxburgh | False Witness | Charles Van Koors | "Episode 2" | UKTV |
| 2009 (51st) | Jeremy Lindsay Taylor | False Witness | Mark Wilson | "Episode 2" | UKTV |
| 2010 (52nd) |
| 2010 (52nd) | Damien Garvey | Underbelly: The Golden Mile | Graham "Chook" Fowler | Episode 2: "Hurt on Duty" | Nine Network |
| 2010 (52nd) | Rhys Muldoon | Lockie Leonard | Sarge Leonard | Season 2, Episode 11: "Snake Hide Oil" | Nine Network |
| 2010 (52nd) | John Waters | Offspring | Darcy Proudman | Series 1 | Network Ten |
| 2010 (52nd) | Ben Winspear | My Place | Michaelis | Series 1, Episode 5: "1968 Sofia" | ABC3 |
| AACTA Awards ||||||
| 2011 (1st) |
| 2011 (1st) | Richard Cawthorne | Killing Time | Dennis Allen | "Episode 2" | TV1 |
| 2011 (1st) | Aaron Fa'aoso | East West 101 | Detective Sonny Koa | Season 3, Episode 8: "The Price of Salvation" | SBS One |
| 2011 (1st) | Jacek Koman | Spirited | Potter The Man | Series 2, Episode 2: "Time After Time" | W |
| 2011 (1st) | Todd Lasance | Cloudstreet | Quick Lamb | "Part 3" | Showcase |
| 2012 (2nd) |
| 2012 (2nd) | Aaron Jeffery | Underbelly: Badness | Frank O'Rourke | Episode 3: "The Loaded Dog" | Nine Network |
| 2012 (2nd) | Luke Carroll | Redfern Now | Lenny | Season 1, Episode 6: "Pretty Boy Blue" | ABC1 |
| 2012 (2nd) | Abe Forsythe | Howzat! Kerry Packer's War | John Cornell | "Part 1" | Nine Network |
| 2012 (2nd) | Dan Wyllie | Puberty Blues | Roger Knight | Season 1, "Episode 4" | Network Ten |
| 2013 (3rd) |
| 2013 (3rd) | Luke Ford | Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War | Kerry Packer | "Part 2" | Nine Network |
| 2013 (3rd) | Alexander England | Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War | Clyde Packer | "Part 1" | Nine Network |
| 2013 (3rd) | Peter Mullan | Top of the Lake | Matt Mitcham | Episode 5: "The Dark Creator" | UKTV |
| 2013 (3rd) | David Wenham | Better Man | Julian McMahon | "Part 2" | SBS |
| 2014 (4th) |
| 2014 (4th) | Eamon Farren | Carlotta | Danny / Ava | | ABC |
| 2014 (4th) | Andrew McFarlane | Devil's Playground | Father Marco Andrassi | Episode 1.5: "The Whirlwind and The Storm" | Foxtel – Showcase |
| 2014 (4th) | Andy Ryan | INXS: Never Tear Us Apart | Andrew Farriss | "Part 1" | Seven Network |
| 2014 (4th) | Daniel Wyllie | Rake | Mal | Series 3, Episode 1 | ABC |
| 2015 (5th) |
| 2015 (5th) | Ky Baldwin | Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door | Young Peter Allen | Episode 1 | Seven Network |
| 2015 (5th) | John Bach | Gallipoli | Sir Ian Hamilton | Episode 6 | Nine Network |
| 2015 (5th) | Lachy Hulme | The Secret River | Thomas Blackwood | "Part 1" | ABC |
| 2015 (5th) | Rahel Romahn | The Principal | Tarek Ahmad | Episode 2 | SBS |
| 2016 (6th) |
| 2016 (6th) | Damon Herriman | Secret City | Kim Gordon | Episode 1: "A Donation to the Struggle" | Showcase |
| 2016 (6th) | Russell Dykstra | Rake | Barney Meagher | Series 4, Episode 8 | ABC |
| 2016 (6th) | Ben Gerrard | Molly | Caroline | "Part 1" | Seven Network |
| 2016 (6th) | Hamish Michael | Janet King – The Invisible Wound | Richard Stirling | Episode 8: "The Long Goodbye" | ABC |
| 2017 (7th) |
| 2017 (7th) | Ewen Leslie | Top of the Lake: China Girl | | | Foxtel/BBC First |
| 2017 (7th) | Anthony LaPaglia | Sunshine | | | SBS |
| 2017 (7th) | Matt Nable | Blue Murder: Killer Cop | | | Seven Network |
| 2017 (7th) | David Wenham | Wake in Fright | | | Ten Network |
| 2018 (8th) |
| 2018 (8th) | Wayne Blair | Mystery Road | | | |
| 2018 (8th) | Damien Garvey | Rake | | | |
| 2018 (8th) | Xavier Samuel | Riot | | | |
| 2018 (8th) | Dan Wyllie | Romper Stomper | | | |
| 2018 (8th) | Ashley Zukerman | Friday on My Mind | | | |
| 2019 (9th) |
| 2019 (9th) | Richard Roxburgh | The Hunting | Nick | | |
| 2019 (9th) | Damon Herriman | Lambs of God | Father Bob | | |
| 2019 (9th) | Damon Herriman | Mr Inbetween | Freddy | | |
| 2019 (9th) | Ewen Leslie | Fighting Season | Captain Edward "Ted" Nordenfelt | | |
| 2019 (9th) | John Stanton | Bloom | Max McKinnon | | |
| 2020 (10th) |
| 2020 (10th) | Darren Gilshenan | Stateless | | | |
| 2020 (10th) | Rob Collins | Mystery Road | | | |
| 2020 (10th) | Damon Herriman | The Commons | | | |
| 2020 (10th) | Callan Mulvey | Mystery Road | | | |
| 2020 (10th) | Ed Oxenbould | Bloom | | | |
| 2021 (11th) |
| 2021 (11th) | William McInnes | The Newsreader | | | |
| 2021 (11th) | Harry Greenwood | Wakefield | | | |
| 2021 (11th) | Matt Nable | Mr Inbetween | | | |
| 2021 (11th) | Stephen Peacocke | The Newsreader | | | |
| 2021 (11th) | Justin Rosniak | Mr Inbetween | | | |
| 2022 (12th) |
| 2022 (12th) | Thomas Weatherall | Heartbreak High | | | |
| 2022 (12th) | Steve Bisley | Mystery Road: Origin | | | |
| 2022 (12th) | Brendan Cowell | The Twelve | | | |
| 2022 (12th) | Daniel Henshall | Mystery Road: Origin | | | |
| 2022 (12th) | Damon Herriman | The Tourist | | | |