# Jeffrey Walker (director)

Jeffrey Walker (born 10 July 1982) is an Australian director and former actor, best known to the Australian public for his appearances as a child actor in Ocean Girl and Round the Twist. He moved on to direct episodes of Australian soaps Neighbours, Home and Away, and H$_2$O: Just Add Water, and now directs feature films and TV series in Australia and the US. He is married to American-born Australian actress Brooke Harman-Walker.

## Career

Walker's first acting credit was a small role in The Flying Doctors in 1989. He also appeared in the 1991 film Proof in flashback sequences of Hugo Weaving's character as a child. In 1992, he took over the role of Bronson Twist in the television series Round the Twist, based on the books by Paul Jennings. In 1994 he received a leading role in Ocean Girl as "Brett Bates". He had another major role as the brother Royce on Mirror, Mirror.
Walker received leading roles in The Wayne Manifesto in 1996 (for which he received a Young Actor's Award from the Australian Film Institute) and Thunderstone (1999), in which he played Wayne and Noah Daniels respectively.
Since his appearance in Thunderstone, Walker has focused his efforts on directing, working on soaps such as Neighbours and Home and Away and series such as Holly's Heroes and children's series Dance Academy, Wicked Science, H$_2$O: Just Add Water, The Elephant Princess and Blue Water High.
Walker has directed episodes of US TV series including Modern Family, Bones, Young Sheldon and Young Rock.
Walker was closely associated with the Dance Academy children's franchise. He was the setup director for the first five episodes of the TV series, and directed eight episodes in total, plus the 2017 spinoff feature film Dance Academy: The Movie.
He made his feature film directorial debut with the romantic comedy Ali's Wedding, adapted from a memoir by Osamah Sami.
He has directed numerous well-received miniseries and limited series for streaming, including the BBC's historical drama Banished; Lambs of God for Foxtel; The Commons for Stan; and The Clearing for Disney+.

## Awards

Walker has won two AACTA Awards: in 2019 for Best Television Direction, for Lambs of God; and in 2013 for the telemovie Jack Irish: Bad Debts.
He has also been nominated for AACTA Awards in 2024 for his work on The Clearing; in 2018 for the telemovie Riot; in 2017 for the romantic comedy film Ali's Wedding; in 2015 for the drama series Banished; and in 2012 for Small Time Gangster.
He was also nominated for an Australian Film Institute (AFI) Award for Best TV Direction in 2010 for Dance Academy.
Walker has won three Australian Directors' Guild Awards: in 2015 for Best Direction in a Telemovie, for Jack Irish: Dead Point; in 2012, for Best Direction in a Comedy Series, for Angry Boys; and in 2010, for Best Direction in Children's Television, for Dance Academy.
In 2012 he won the ADG's Esben Storm Award for Best Direction in a Children's TV Program, for Just Add Water.
He has also been nominated for ADG Awards for his work on The Artful Dodger, The Clearing and The Portable Door.

## Personal life

Walker met future wife Brooke Harmon while they worked together on The Wayne Manifesto. Together they have three sons, Boston Scott Walker (b. 24 June 2013), Ace Jackson Walker (b. 24 June 2015), and Leo Walker (b. 19 October 2018).
Walker appeared in the video clip of the John Butler Trio's song titled 'Something's Gotta Give'.
Walker played guitar in Sydney band Ballet Imperial, which formed in 2006 and released a self-titled EP in 2007.

## Filmography
### Actor

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | The Flying Doctors | Mikey Maguire | "Dad's Little Bloke" |
| 1990 | The Man in the Blue and White Holden | Colin | Film |
| 1991 | Proof | Young Martin | Film |
| 1991 | Pugwall | Banziel Wall | "Christmas Hocking" |
| 1992 | Round the Twist | Bronson Twist | Main role |
| 1992 | Good Vibrations | Jack | TV miniseries |
| 1993 | Police Rescue | Tommy Campbell | "Rush Hour" |
| 1993–94 | Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left | Qwrk | Main role |
| 1994 | Sky Trackers | Timothy Bolderwood | "Trees a Crowd" |
| 1994–97 | Ocean Girl | Brett Bates | Main role |
| 1995 | The Man from Snowy River | Jamie Ross | "The Railroad" |
| 1995 | Mirror, Mirror | Royce Tiegan | Main role |
| 1996 | Blue Heelers | Rowdy Yates | "A Fair Crack of the Whip: Parts 1 & 2" |
| 1996-97 | The Wayne Manifesto | Wayne Wilson | Main role |
| 1999 | Blue Heelers | Tim Sullivan | "Miracle at Rabbit Creek" |
| 1999–2000 | Thunderstone | Noah Daniels | Main role |
| 2007 | Spy Shop | Dale Deakin | TV series |

### Director

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2003-04 | Neighbours | 32 episodes |
| 2004 | Fergus McPhail | TV series |
| 2004 | Blue Heelers | "Secrets & Lies", "Bring It On" |
| 2005 | Home and Away | 3 episodes |
| 2005 | Last Man Standing | "1.11", "1.15" |
| 2005 | Holly's Heroes | "Double Team", "Rejection" |
| 2005–06 | All Saints | "Life's Lottery", "Dead Girl Walking" |
| 2006 | Wicked Science | 5 episodes |
| 2006–10 | H2O: Just Add Water | 38 episodes |
| 2007–08 | City Homicide | 4 episodes |
| 2008 | The Elephant Princess | "Coming of Age" |
| 2010 | Not Available | TV short |
| 2010 | Dance Academy | 8 episodes |
| 2010–12 | Rake | "R v Chandler", "R v Langhorn", "R v Turner", "R v Alford" |
| 2011 | Small Time Gangster | 8 episodes |
| 2011 | Angry Boys | 12 episodes |
| 2011 | Wild Boys | "1.1", "1.2" |
| 2012 | Jack Irish: Black Tide | TV film |
| 2012 | Jack Irish: Bad Debts | TV film |
| 2013 | Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 | "Paris...", "The D..." |
| 2013 | Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous | 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Super Fun Night | "Three Men and a Boubier" |
| 2013–14 | The Neighbors | 3 episodes |
| 2013–14 | Bones | "The Friend in Need", "The Repo Man in the Septic Tank" |
| 2013–19 | Modern Family | 7 episodes |
| 2014 | Raising Hope | "Hey There, Delilah" |
| 2014 | Rake | "Man's Best Friend" |
| 2014 | Jack Irish: Dead Point | TV film, also co-producer |
| 2014 | Mixology | "Bruce & Maya" |
| 2015 | Banished | 4 episodes |
| 2015 | Backstrom | "Corkscrewed" |
| 2015–17 | Difficult People | 26 episodes |
| 2017 | Ali's Wedding | |
| 2017 | Dance Academy: The Movie | |
| 2017 | Fresh Off the Boat | 1 episode |
| 2017 | Life in Pieces | 1 episode |
| 2018 | Riot | TV film |
| 2018 | LA to Vegas | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Lambs of God | series |
| 2021-22 | Young Rock | 2 episodes |
| 2023 | The Portable Door | film |
| 2023 | The Clearing | miniseries |
| 2025 | Apple Cider Vinegar | 6 episodes |