Nicholas Brown (actor)
 |
Nicholas Brown | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 January 1980 |
| Other names | Nick Brown |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, screenwriter, playwright, singer and songwriter |
| Years active | Since 1994 |
Nicholas Brown(born 1 January 1980) is an Australian actor, screenwriter, playwright, singer and songwriter.
Personal life
[edit]Brown grew up in the Western Sydney suburb ofGreystaneswith parents Roy and Patricia Brown and older sister Tracey. He attendedNewtown High School of the Performing Artsin years 11 and 12. Whilst at NHSPA he represented the school in various drama and music festivals including OnStage and was elected School Captain in 1997.[1]
In 1998, Brown was accepted into the Australian drama school theNational Institute of Dramatic Artand was said to be both one of the youngest students and the first student to be accepted directly from high school.[2]
In 2007, Brown moved from Sydney toMumbaiwhere he lived on and off until 2015. He appeared in several Bollywood films includingKites,Love You to Death,Unindian,PrattichayaandSedition.
In 2011, Brown lived inLos Angeleswhere he recorded and performed with the funk bands Knuckle Funk and Luck Now.[citation needed]
In 2010, Brown was aCleo Bachelor of the Year[3]nominee.
Acting career
[edit]On stage in 2022 Brown playedEdmond RostandoppositeAngie MillikeninQueensland Theatre'sproduction ofBernhardt/Hamlet.On screen he played the role of Chubba inTim Minchin'sUprightSeason 2, Hamish in the Netflix filmA Perfect Pairing,Paul in Channel 9's drama seriesAfter the Verdictand Rahul inJoe vs. Carole.[citation needed]In 2021 he played the role of Miles in the Stan filmChristmas on the Farm,appeared in the drama seriesWakefieldand playedSigrid Thornton'slove interest Dr. Omar Sebastian in the Channel 9 drama seriesAmazing Grace.From 2019 to 2020 Brown appeared in the smash hit stage musicalCome from Awayas Kevin J at theComedy Theatre, Melbourne.From 2015 to 2019, Brown appeared in the TV showsThe Unlistedfor Netflix,Harrow,The LetdownandThe Code2. He played the lead role of Sid in the filmLakaand was cast as a regular presenter onPlay School.From 2016 to 2019 Brown appeared in the playsLighten UpatGriffin Theatrein Sydney,Still Point TurningforSydney Theatre Company,The Long Forgotten Dream(Sydney Theatre Company) and theHelpmann Award-winning playCounting and Cracking at BelvoirforSydney Festival.In 2015 Brown played the role of Jesus inJesus Christ Superstardirected byAlyque Padamseein Mumbai. He also played Lumiere in Disney India'sBeauty and the Beastwhich toured to Mumbai and Delhi. Earlier TV credits includeMr & Mrs Murder,Packed to the Raftersand the real life heroin drug smuggler Supahaus Chowdury in the Australian television showUnderbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away.Brown has also appeared in the police seriesCity Homicide,Anh Do's Channel 7 comedy pilotLucky Dragon,[4]and Australian feature filmsThe Characters,TemptationandA Man's Gotta Do.His other television credits includeHome and Away,[5]White Collar Blue,Heartbreak High,Drama SchoolandThe Cooks.[6]
Acting in many international theatre festivals, in 2010 Brown performed in three new plays at the Australian National Play Festival inBrisbane,in Rehaan Engineer's ‘'Seven Jewish Children'’ byCaryl Churchill,Project 88 Art Gallery in Mumbai andDoctrine: How to Survive Under SiegeinBrussels,Belgium, for the Kunsten Festival Des Arts.[7]Brown also represented theNIDAcompany at theUNESCO2007 drama schools festival in Transylvania Romania, playingOrestesinAeschylus's Ancient Greek tragedyThe Oresteian Trilogy.[8]
Shortly after moving toMumbaiin 2007, Brown was cast as the villain Tony Grover oppositeBollywoodsuperstarHrithik Roshanin the filmKites,directed by Anurag Basu and produced byRakesh Roshan.The film was re-cut for an English audience by Brett Ratner and was released worldwide asKites The Remix.Kiteswas released worldwide in May 2010. Brown was typecast as the villain in India for several years playing the negative role in the filmUnindianoppositeBrett Leeand the villain Nikhil Madhvani oppositeShilpa ShettyinMiss Bollywood,which toured Germany and the UK including London'sWest End.[9]Other theatre credits includeThere Is No Need To Wake Upat theSydney Opera Housedirected byBarrie Kosky;Kurt Weill'sBerlin to Broadway,directed byJim Sharman;Spunksat theStables Theatre;FrozenforCompany BBelvoir St Theatre,directed by Kate Gaul; Toad in theAustralian Shakespeare Company's productions ofThe Wind in the Willows,and Martin Crimp'sFewer Emergenciesat theOld Fitzroy Theatre[10]and 2005Hi-5Space Magic – World Tour.[11]
In May 2021, Brown played Petruchio in William Shakespeare'sThe Taming of the ShrewwithQueensland Theatre(in theBille Brown Theatre,Brisbane), directed by Damien Ryan.[12]
Writer
[edit]Nicholas wrote episode 12 of theNetflix/ABC MeseriesThe Unlisted,and episode 16 of theABC KidsTV showThe Wonder Gang.He co-wrote his first playLighten Up,which premiered at Sydney'sGriffin Theatre.Lighten Upwas published byCurrency Press,and amonologuefrom the play was included in the 2016 edition of the bookContemporary Australian Monologues for Men.[citation needed]
He co-wrote the playLost In Books,which was part ofSydney Festival,andTrue Westfor the National Theatre of Parramatta.
Brown's playSex Magickwas produced byGriffin Theatrein 2023.[13]Published by Currency Press, it won the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting at the 2024New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards.[14][15]
Brown did some production work on an Indo-AustralianBollywoodfilm in 2010,[16]withOlivia Newton-John.[17][better source needed]
Music
[edit]Brown was the lead singer of the LA based funk band Knuckle Funk in 2011–2012. The group became a duo a few years later and released two singles renaming themselves Luck Now. The first single 'I Spent My Rent On A Record' was released in 2015 and was co-written by Brown. It received regular airplay on MTV Indies and VH1 in India. He also co-wrote and recorded lead vocals for the song Unpredictable (The Robot Song) in 2013. As a singer/songwriter, Brown also recorded the album 'Big Score' in 2005 with his Australian disco funk band The Modernists[18]in 2004 and performed at Australian venues such as The Basement and The Metro. The album received radio airplay on Sydney radio stations FBI and 2SER.[citation needed]
In 2005, he was the male understudy for the children's internationally recognised pop groupHi-5[19]on their world tour.
Brown was also invited to sing at ‘Raise the Roof’ at Sydney's State Theatre in a special concert to raise funds for the Tsunami Appeal in 2006.[20]In 2007, before moving to Mumbai, Nick wrote and recorded an unreleased album with the electro rock duo ‘Listen Like Thieves.’
Radio presenter
[edit]From 2012 to 2014 Brown was hostingSBSRadio's PopDesi – a radio programme for Bollywood, Bhangra and Desi pop music playing on Australian digital radio, online and mobile[21]
Awards
[edit]In 2004 Brown was a recipient of TheMike Walsh Fellowship.[22]
Community work
[edit]His charity work includes:
- 2013 – Performed at the 'National Asbestos Awareness Day Lighting the Sails' of theSydney Opera Houseevent in memory of the victims of asbestos related disease.
- 2012 – Supporting the work of the National Youth Theatre Company Foundation[23]as an ambassador and through facilitating youth welfare programs.
- 2010 – The official male Ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Australia's 2010 Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month campaign[24]
- 2006 – Raise The Roof – Tsunami Appeal special appearance for the Red Cross
- 2005 –Royal Prince Alfred HospitalFoundation – official MC and voice of the RPA Foundation Research Prize
- 2004 –Royal Prince Alfred Hospital– RPA Health Festival volunteer and special guest
- 2003 – Music For Timor – Master of Ceremonies and performer at Music benefit concert to support the work of the Bairo Pite Clinic[25]
Credits
[edit]Film appearances
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBA | Jimpa | Mr Mason | |
| TBA | Final Trap | John | |
| TBA | Sedition | Shiva | |
| 2023 | Companion | Makrand | |
| 2022 | Clerks III | Car Sex Selfie Snapper | |
| The Perfect Pairing | Hamish | ||
| 2020 | Awake | Nikhil | Short |
| 2019 | Martha The Monster | Kevin | Short |
| 2018 | Laka | ||
| 2017 | Khana Khanzana | Gaurav | Short |
| The Casting Game | Ted | ||
| Dance Academy: The Movie | Tutor Stuart | ||
| 2015 | Moose | Jimmy | Short |
| UnIndian | Samir | ||
| 2014 | Imperfectly Frank | Frank | Short |
| 2014 | Time 2 Settle | Host | Video |
| 2013 | Pink Balloons | Reg | Short |
| 2012 | Project Top Clown | Eric | Short |
| The Shadower In | Dani | Short | |
| Love You to Death | John | ||
| 2011 | Random 8 | Michael Henderson | |
| The 5 | Kris | Short | |
| 2010 | After the Credits | Actor | Short |
| 2010 | Kites | Tony | |
| 2009 | Bani Ibrahim | Ghazali | Short |
| 2007 | Don't Panic | Abe | Short |
| 2004 | A Man's Gotta Do | Young Doctor | |
| 2003 | The Man on the Boat | Driver | Short |
Television appearances
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fake | Anton | TV series: 8 episodes |
| 2023 | NCIS: Sydney | Quarter Master Rennie | TV series 1 episode |
| The PM's Daughter | Mr Derek Stevens | TV series; 8 episodes | |
| In Our Blood | Paul Kemble | TV series: 4 episodes | |
| 2022 | Upright (TV series) | Chubba | 5 episodes |
| After the Verdict | Paul | TV miniseries | |
| Joe vs Carole | Rohul | 1 episode | |
| 2021 | Christmas On the Farm | Miles | TV movie |
| Amazing Grace (Australian TV series) | Omar Sebastian | TV series: 8 episodes | |
| Wakefield (TV series) | Kiran | TV series: 3 episodes | |
| 2019 | The Unlisted | Rahul Sharma | TV series: 14 episodes |
| 2018 | Harrow (TV series) | Peter Sharma | TV series: 1 episode |
| 2017 | The Letdown | Sorab | TV series: 1 episode |
| 2016 | The Code | Bailey | TV series: 1 episode |
| 2014 | The Casuals | Rezwan | TV series: 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Cha Do | Ajay | TV series: 2 episodes |
| Mr & Mrs Murder | Dt Mukajee | TV series | |
| The Elegant Gentleman's Guide to Knife Fighting | Xavier | TV series | |
| 2012 | Home and Away | Dr Padley | TV series |
| 2012 | Packed to the Rafters | Yuppie | TV series |
| 2011 | Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away | Supahaus Chowdury | TV movie |
| 2010 | City Homicide | Sanjay Roshan | TV series |
| 2010 | Lucky Dragon | Ranjit | TV pilot |
| 2007-13 | Home and Away | Mark Davidson / Padley | TV series |
| 2004 | The Cooks | Sachin (main role) | TV series, episodes 1–13 |
| 2003 | White Collar Blue | Damien Lewis | TV series |
| 2003 | Temptation | Sachin | TV movie |
| 2001 | Life Support | Guest | TV series |
| 1983 | All The Rivers Run | Gordon | TV series 2 episodes |
Stage
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Company & Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-15 | Jesus Christ Superstar | Jesus | Raell Padamsee's Ace Productions, Alyque Padamsee |
| 2013 | The Wind in the Willows | Mr Toad | Australian Shakespeare Company, Marian Bragge |
| 2012 | The Wind in the Willows | Badger | Australian Shakespeare Company, Marian Bragge |
| 2010 | The New Black,Tilt,Student Body | Various | 2010 National Playwrights Festival, Chris Mead |
| 2009 | Seven Jewish Children | 1 | Industrial Theatre Company, Rehaan Engineer |
| 2008 | How to Survive Under Siege | Xerxes | Kunsten Festival Des Arts (Brussels), Rehaan Engineer |
| 2007 | Miss Bollywood – TheShilpa ShettyMusical | Nick | Cineyug European, UK andRoyal Albert Halltour |
| 2007 | The Oresteia | Orestes | NIDACompany, Mark Gaal Australian representative company at the UNESCO Festival Transylvania |
| 2006 | Fewer EmergenciesbyMartin Crimp | Various | Old Fitzroy Theatre/Tamarama Rock Surfers.Anyroad |
| 2005 | Hi-5Space Magic – World Tour | Understudy / Swing | Kids Like Us, Lisa Freshwater |
| 2003 | Burning Bridges – A Musical Odyssey | Various | Opera X, Andrew Davidson |
| 2003 | The Wind in the Willows | Mr Toad | Australian Shakespeare Company, Marian Bragge |
| 2003 | Frozen | Patrick | Belvoir (theatre company)B Sharp,Siren Theatre Company, Kate Gaul |
| 2002 | Spunks | Chad | Push Up Theatre atThe Stables Theatre,Melita Rowston |
| 2002 | Sticks and Stones | Joe | Brainstorm Productions, Jenny Johnson |
| 2002 | Pokie Face | Luigi Jnr | Short and Sweet,Mark Cleary |
References
[edit]- ^NHSPA Annual Report.Newtown High School of the Performing Arts. 2008.
- ^"NIDA Calls".Parramatta Advertiser.12 February 2008.
- ^"Triple Treat".MX Brisbane.17 February 2010.
- ^"Ben Bangay".Archived fromthe originalon 8 August 2013.
- ^"Home & Away – Youtube".YouTube.8 February 2008.Retrieved27 April2013.
- ^"Australian Television: The Cooks".australiantelevision.net.
- ^"Kunstenfestivaldesarts".
- ^"2007 Annual Report". National Institute of Dramatic Art. 26 March 2008.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^"Miss Bollywood - Nicholas Brown & Anousha Dandekar".14 October 2007 – via Flickr.
- ^"Nicholas Brown - actor, singer, songwriter and screenwriter - starring in the International Blockbuster Bollywood film Kites".nicholasbrowntown.
- ^Litson, Jo (5 May 2010). "Nick Flies High".The Sunday Telegraph.
- ^"Taming of the shrew, 8 May – 5 Jun".Queensland Theatre.Retrieved8 May2021.
- ^"Sex Magick".Griffin Theatre Company.Retrieved20 May2024.
- ^Story, Hannah (20 May 2024)."Aboriginal poet wins $40,000 at major literary awards with 'profound' verse novel".ABC News.Retrieved20 May2024.
- ^"Sex Magick".AustLit: Discover Australian Stories.The University of Queensland.Retrieved20 May2024.
- ^Ganguly, Prithwish (26 May 2010)."Grammy winner's Indian 'love affair'".DNA India.
- ^Chiu, David (11 September 2010)."Olivia Newton-John Could Be Bollywood-Bound".NBC New York.
- ^"Myspace".
- ^"Sunny Shah Events".Archived fromthe originalon 30 June 2013.
- ^"Raising the roof for tsunami victims".The Sydney Morning Herald.29 January 2005.
- ^"SBS Radio".SBS.
- ^"Mike Walsh O.B.E. - Official Website".mikewalsh.au.
- ^"NYTC Foundation Official Website".Archived fromthe originalon 19 April 2013.
- ^"Ovarian Cancer Australia Media Release"(PDF).Ovarian Cancer Australia.
- ^"Bairo Pite Hospital".