Brendan Cowell
Encyclopedia
Brendan Cowell is an Australian actor, screenwriter and director. Cowell was born in Sydney. He stumbled upon acting by accident while waiting for his sister to come out of a rehearsal; he was then cast in a commercial at age 8. He went to Charles Sturt University
, in Bathurst
, to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre/Media, originally considering journalism as a career option.
Although he is generally known as an actor, he also has many off-screen credits to his name, such as writing and directing. He 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 has a new production at La Boite Theatre in 2011, starring Gyton Grantley
and directed by David Berthold
. His most famous acting role is playing the enigmatic Tom on Australian cable TV's Love My Way
, for which he also wrote several episodes, and playing Todd for the first two seasons on Life Support
on SBS TV
, for which he also wrote sketches.
His most recent foray into film have included roles in the 2007 crime drama Noise
, World War 1 drama Beneath Hill 60
and the rom-com penned by Melbourne funny man Peter Helliar
entitled I Love You Too
. He won some acclaim for his portrayal of the title role in Bell Shakespeare's 2009 Production of Hamlet
and acted in Sydney Theatre Company
's production of True West
, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman
, in 2010. Brendan lives in Newtown, Sydney and is a committed supporter of the Cronulla Sharks rugby league team.
Even though Cowell is best known for his acting/script writing career, he recently published his first novel: How it Feels.
). Was a self confessed loner at primary school, which he said was due to his reading poems out at assembly and making up little plays and forcing people to watch them. Dated Rose Byrne
for seven years until they amicably parted ways in early 2010.
Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University is an Australian multi-campus university located in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory. It has campuses at Bathurst, Canberra, Albury-Wodonga, Dubbo, Goulburn, Orange, Wagga Wagga and Burlington, Ontario...
, in Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
, to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre/Media, originally considering journalism as a career option.
Although he is generally known as an actor, he also has many off-screen credits to his name, such as writing and directing. He won the Patrick White Playwrights' Award
Patrick White Playwrights' Award
The Patrick White Playwrights' Award is an annual Australian literary award established jointly by the Sydney Theatre Company and The Sydney Morning Herald in honour of Patrick White's contribution to Australian theatre...
for his third play Bed along with a collection of other awards. His play Ruben Guthrie showed at the Belvoir St Theatre
Belvoir St Theatre
Belvoir St Theatre is an Australian theatre venue in Sydney. The venue in Belvoir Street, Surry Hills previously operated as the Nimrod Theatre, and was founded as "Belvoir St" in 1984 by Sue Hill and Chris Westwood...
in 2009 to sell-out houses. It has a new production at La Boite Theatre in 2011, starring Gyton Grantley
Gyton Grantley
Gyton Grantley is a Logie Award and AFI Award-winning Australian actor, best known for his portrayal of convicted murderer and drug trafficker Carl Williams in the hit Australian television show Underbelly, for which he was nominated for both Most Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series and Most...
and directed by David Berthold
David Berthold
David Berthold is a leading Australian theatre director. He has directed for most of Australia's major theatre companies, as well as internationally. Since November 2008, he has been Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of La Boite Theatre Company...
. His most famous acting role is playing the enigmatic Tom on Australian cable TV's Love My Way
Love My Way
Love My Way was a Logie Award winning and critically acclaimed Australian television drama series. It won the AFI award for Best Television Drama Series for each of its three seasons ....
, for which he also wrote several episodes, and playing Todd for the first two seasons on Life Support
Life Support (TV series)
Life Support was a comedy programme on Australia's SBS network which satirised lifestyle television programs. It ran for three seasons. On Australia Day 2006, a Life Support Marathon was shown on the Comedy Channel showing the first series and half of the second.-Concept:A satirical, sometimes...
on SBS TV
SBS TV
SBS One is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 24 October 1980, it is the responsibility of SBS's television division, and is available nationally...
, for which he also wrote sketches.
His most recent foray into film have included roles in the 2007 crime drama Noise
Noise
In common use, the word noise means any unwanted sound. In both analog and digital electronics, noise is random unwanted perturbation to a wanted signal; it is called noise as a generalisation of the acoustic noise heard when listening to a weak radio transmission with significant electrical noise...
, World War 1 drama Beneath Hill 60
Beneath Hill 60
Beneath Hill 60 is a 2010 Australian war film directed by Jeremy Sims and written by David Roach.Set during World War I, the film tells the story of the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company’s effort to mine beneath a German bunker and detonate an explosive charge to aid the advance of British troops...
and the rom-com penned by Melbourne funny man Peter Helliar
Peter Helliar
Peter Jason Matthew Helliar is an Australian comedian, actor and writer. Most famous for his work on television as Rove McManus' sidekick on The Loft Live from 1997 to 1998 and on Rove from 1999 and 2009...
entitled I Love You Too
I Love You Too
I Love You Too may refer to:*I Love You Too , an album by Ted Hawkins*I Love You Too , a Dutch film directed by Ruud van Hemert*I Love You Too , an Australian film directed by Daina Reid...
. He won some acclaim for his portrayal of the title role in Bell Shakespeare's 2009 Production of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
and acted in Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
's production of True West
True West
Depending on the context, True West refers to:*True West , Paisley Underground band which flourished in the early 1980s.*True West Magazine, which began publication in 1953.*True West written by Sam Shepard....
, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman is an American actor and director. Hoffman began acting in television in 1991, and the following year started to appear in films...
, in 2010. Brendan lives in Newtown, Sydney and is a committed supporter of the Cronulla Sharks rugby league team.
Even though Cowell is best known for his acting/script writing career, he recently published his first novel: How it Feels.
Personal life
Brendan was born to parents Yvonne and Bruce 'Bruiser' Cowell. He has two older sisters, Belinda and Jacqui (who was part of pop group GirlfriendGirlfriend (band)
Girlfriend was a five-girl pop group from Australia, formed in the early 1990s. Their debut album Make It Come True was released in 1992 and became a major hit in Australia with hit songs such as "Take It From Me" and "Without You"...
). Was a self confessed loner at primary school, which he said was due to his reading poems out at assembly and making up little plays and forcing people to watch them. Dated Rose Byrne
Rose Byrne
Mary Rose Byrne is an Australian actress.Byrne made her screen debut in 1994 with a small role in the film Dallas Doll...
for seven years until they amicably parted ways in early 2010.
Acting credits
- The SlapThe Slap (TV series)The Slap is an Australian television drama series produced by Matchbox Pictures for ABC1, screening each Thursday night at 8:30pm in October and November 2011 - repeats air the following night each week on ABC2...
- Episode #1.8: "Richie" (2011) - Craig - Sydney Theatre CompanySydney Theatre CompanyThe Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
's True WestTrue WestDepending on the context, True West refers to:*True West , Paisley Underground band which flourished in the early 1980s.*True West Magazine, which began publication in 1953.*True West written by Sam Shepard....
(2010) - I Love You TooI Love You Too (2010 film)I Love You Too is a 2010 Australian romantic comedy film, and the directorial film debut of Daina Reid. The screenplay was written by first-time writer Peter Helliar. It stars Brendan Cowell, Peter Dinklage, Yvonne Strahovski, Peter Helliar and Megan Gale, and was produced by Princess Pictures on a...
(2010) - Beneath Hill 60Beneath Hill 60Beneath Hill 60 is a 2010 Australian war film directed by Jeremy Sims and written by David Roach.Set during World War I, the film tells the story of the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company’s effort to mine beneath a German bunker and detonate an explosive charge to aid the advance of British troops...
http://www.beneathhill60.com.au – Oliver Woodward (2010 Anzac Day release) - RushRush (2008 TV series)-DVD releases:-Achievements:-International distribution:-External links:...
– Blake Fincher (2010, one episode) - Bell Shakespeare's HamletHamletThe Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
– Hamlet (stage production) (2008) - Noise – Constable Graham McGahan (2007)
- Love My WayLove My WayLove My Way was a Logie Award winning and critically acclaimed Australian television drama series. It won the AFI award for Best Television Drama Series for each of its three seasons ....
– Tom Jackson (2005) - Deck DogzDeck DogzDeck Dogz is a 2005 Australian skater film, written and directed by Steve Pasvolsky and starring Sean Kennedy, Ho Thi Lu and Richard Wilson with a guest appearance by Tony Hawk. It was filmed in and around Adelaide and Sydney, Australia...
(2005) – Kurt - Salem's Lot (2004) (TV) – Dud Rogers
- Fat Cow Motel (2003) TV Series – Jack Green
- Clutch (2003) – Brian
- Floodhouse (2003) – Herringbone John
- White Collar BlueWhite Collar BlueWhite Collar Blue was an Australian television series made by Knapman Wyld Television for Network Ten from 2002 to 2003.Starring Peter O'Brien as Joe Hill and Freya Stafford as Harriet Walker, the series dealt with a division of the police force working in the city of Sydney and the personal and...
– Episode #1.12 (2002) TV Episode – Daniel Hudson - Young LionsYoung Lions (TV series)Young Lions was an Australian TV police drama broadcast on the Nine Network in 2002 and in Ireland on RTÉ Two.The series was based around the professional and private lives of four rookie detectives, the Young Lions, of South West 101, an inner city Sydney police station.The program rated poorly...
– Episode #1.4 (2002) TV Episode – Jason Doone - Life SupportLife Support (TV series)Life Support was a comedy programme on Australia's SBS network which satirised lifestyle television programs. It ran for three seasons. On Australia Day 2006, a Life Support Marathon was shown on the Comedy Channel showing the first series and half of the second.-Concept:A satirical, sometimes...
(2001) TV Series – Todd #1 (2001–2002) - To End All Wars (2001) – Wallace Hamilton
- Water RatsWater Rats (TV series)Water Rats is an Australian TV police procedural broadcast on the Nine Network from 1996 to 2001. The series was based around the men and women of the Sydney Water Police who fight crime across Sydney Harbour and surrounding locales. The show was set on and around Goat Island in Sydney...
– Family Matters (2001) TV Episode – Jonathan Freeman - The Monkey's Mask (2000) – Hayden, Cercle intime (France), Maschera di scimmia, La (Italy), Poetry, Sex (Japan: English title)
- City Loop (2000) – Robert, Bored Olives (UK: new title)
- Kick (1999) – Macca – aka James
- Monster! (1999) (TV) – Nate
Writing
- The SlapThe Slap (TV series)The Slap is an Australian television drama series produced by Matchbox Pictures for ABC1, screening each Thursday night at 8:30pm in October and November 2011 - repeats air the following night each week on ABC2...
(2011) - Episode #1.3: "Harry" - How It Feels (2010)
- Europe (2005)
- Love My Way (2005)
- Chrono-logic (2002)
- The Doppelgangers (2002)
- Baggage Claim (2002)
- I Love U (2002)
- Wasted on the Young (2002)
- Free (2002/II)
- Running Down These Dreams (2002)
- Sweet Dreams (2002)