William McInnes
Encyclopedia
William McInnes is an Australian film and television actor
and writer.
in 1990, McInnes appeared in series such as Bligh, Ocean Girl
, and Snowy before making his name as Senior Constable
Nick Schultz
on Blue Heelers
in 1994. McInnes starred on the show until 1998, when he left to focus on other work. In 1999, he joined the cast of SeaChange
as Max Connors
, the new love interest of neurotic main character Laura Gibson (Sigrid Thornton
) after Diver Dan
(David Wenham
) left the series.
In 2002, McInnes was part of the cast of Marshall Law
, which was cancelled after one season; and he returned for several episodes of Blue Heelers
in 2004 and 2005. He also had a recurring role as Colin in 2003's CrashBurn
; and a noted comic turn as Sandy Freckle in two episodes of Kath & Kim
, under the pseudonym "Rock Hampton
". In 2006 he completed the telemovie Stepfather of the Bride.
William was the first guest host of Let Loose Live
on 29 May 2005; the show was axed by the Seven Network
after just two weeks. He also appeared as himself on Micallef Tonight
on the Nine Network
but it was also quickly axed. McInnes lent his voice for the Nine Network factual series The Code: Crime and Justice also known as Crime and Justice. William is sometimes credited as 'Rock Hampton' (e.g. in Kath & Kim and the 2005 film You and Your Stupid Mate
). In 2007 he played the title role in the telemovie Curtin
.
In late 2007, he had the lead role in SBS
's East West 101
. In 2008, he also appeared in Network Ten
's telemovie The Informant.
(2001), Do Or Die (2001), Dirty Deeds
(2002) and the TV Movie The Shark Net
(2003).
McInnes featured in the lead role in Look Both Ways
(2005), directed by his wife Sarah Watt
. Subsequent film roles include in 2006 Irresistible
, with Susan Sarandon
, and Kokoda
, the lead role in the romantic drama Unfinished Sky
in 2007, and in 2009 Prime Mover, featuring Andrew S. Gilbert
, Ben Mendelsohn
and Anthony Hayes
, and Sarah Watt's follow-up film My Year Without Sex
.
, then Special Minister of State
and Cabinet Secretary
, appointed McInnes as the new Chair of the Advisory Council of the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
. McInnes has spoken in many of his media appearances about the museum and its work and the importance of democratic values and civics
education. He succeeded Doug Anthony
as Chair of the Council.
Won
Nominated
Acting
Acting is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play....
and writer.
Television
After a recurring role on A Country PracticeA Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
in 1990, McInnes appeared in series such as Bligh, Ocean Girl
Ocean Girl
Ocean Girl is an Australian science fiction TV series aimed for family audiences and starring Marzena Godecki as the lead character...
, and Snowy before making his name as Senior Constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
Nick Schultz
Nick Schultz (Blue Heelers)
Nick Schultz was a fictional character from Blue Heelers. He was portrayed by William McInnes. He starred in the series between 1994 and 1998 and returned for guest appearances in 2004 and 2005...
on Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :...
in 1994. McInnes starred on the show until 1998, when he left to focus on other work. In 1999, he joined the cast of SeaChange
SeaChange
SeaChange was a popular Australian television show that ran for 39 episodes from 1998 to 2001 on the ABC. It was created by Andrew Knight and Deborah Cox and starred Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham, William McInnes, John Howard, Tom Long and Kerry Armstrong...
as Max Connors
Max Connors
Max Connors is a fictional character on the popular Australian television drama SeaChange, portrayed by William McInnes.-Character:...
, the new love interest of neurotic main character Laura Gibson (Sigrid Thornton
Sigrid Thornton
Sigrid Thornton is an Australian multi-award winning actress.-Early years:Thornton was born in Canberra, the daughter of Merle, a teacher of women's studies and writer, and Neil Thornton, an academic. She spent most of her formative years growing up and attending school at St. Peter's Lutheran...
) after Diver Dan
Daniel Della Bosca
Diver Dan is a fictional character on the popular Australian television drama SeaChange, portrayed by David Wenham.-Personal history:...
(David Wenham
David Wenham
David Wenham is an Australian actor who has appeared in movies, television series and theatre productions. He is known in Hollywood for his roles as Faramir in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Carl in Van Helsing and Dilios in 300 and Neil Fletcher in Australia...
) left the series.
In 2002, McInnes was part of the cast of Marshall Law
Marshall Law
Marshall Law was an Australian television series, which aired on the Seven Network in 2002, starring Lisa McCune and Alison Whyte as lawyers and sisters.- History :...
, which was cancelled after one season; and he returned for several episodes of Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :...
in 2004 and 2005. He also had a recurring role as Colin in 2003's CrashBurn
CrashBurn
CrashBurn was an Australian 13-part drama series airing on Network Ten, about surviving long-term relationships in an age where multiple partners and multiple orgasms are considered a birthright....
; and a noted comic turn as Sandy Freckle in two episodes of Kath & Kim
Kath & Kim
Kath & Kim is a Logie Award-winning character-driven Australian television situation comedy series. The series was created by, and is written by Jane Turner and Gina Riley who play the title characters: a suburban mother and daughter with a dysfunctional relationship...
, under the pseudonym "Rock Hampton
Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
". In 2006 he completed the telemovie Stepfather of the Bride.
William was the first guest host of Let Loose Live
Let Loose Live
Let Loose Live was an hour-long Australian live sketch comedy television programme that was loosely based on Saturday Night Live. It was broadcast on the Seven Network on Sunday nights at 8:30 PM. It was axed after just two episodes due to disappointing ratings...
on 29 May 2005; the show was axed by the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
after just two weeks. He also appeared as himself on Micallef Tonight
Micallef Tonight
Micallef Tonight is a short-lived Aria Award–winning Australian variety show that aired on the Nine Network in 2003. It was hosted by comedian Shaun Micallef and also featured the talents of Francis Greenslade, Jason Geary, Livinia Nixon and Pete Smith....
on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
but it was also quickly axed. McInnes lent his voice for the Nine Network factual series The Code: Crime and Justice also known as Crime and Justice. William is sometimes credited as 'Rock Hampton' (e.g. in Kath & Kim and the 2005 film You and Your Stupid Mate
You and Your Stupid Mate
You and Your Stupid Mate is an Australian comedy film directed by Marc Gracie.-Cast:*Nathan Phillips as Philip*Angus Sampson as Jeffrey*Rachel Hunter as Karen*Madeleine West as Emma-Plot:...
). In 2007 he played the title role in the telemovie Curtin
Curtin (2007 film)
Curtin is a telemovie about the wartime Prime Minister of Australia, John Curtin.-Plot:The film covers the period from just before Curtin became Prime Minister until the return of the 6th and 7th Divisions to Australia at the start of the Pacific war....
.
In late 2007, he had the lead role in SBS
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
's East West 101
East West 101
East West 101 is a critically acclaimed and award-winning drama series airing on the SBS network. The series was produced and created by Steven Knapman & Kris Wyld, the team behind other drama series such as Wildside and White Collar Blue....
. In 2008, he also appeared in Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
's telemovie The Informant.
Film
Early film roles include My Brother JackMy Brother Jack
My Brother Jack is a classic Australian novel by writer George Johnston. It is part of a trilogy centring on the character of David Meredith...
(2001), Do Or Die (2001), Dirty Deeds
Dirty Deeds (2002 film)
Dirty Deeds is a 2002 film shot in Australia. It was directed by noted fringe director David Caesar and stars Bryan Brown, Toni Collette, Sam Neill, Sam Worthington and John Goodman and produced by Nine Films and Television, the film and television production arm of the Nine Network, owned by PBL...
(2002) and the TV Movie The Shark Net
Robert Drewe
Robert Duncan Drewe is an Australian journalist, novelist and short story writer.-Biography:Drewe was born in Melbourne, but moved with his family to Perth, Western Australia at the age of six. He was educated at Hale School, and in his final year was appointed School Captain...
(2003).
McInnes featured in the lead role in Look Both Ways
Look Both Ways
Look Both Ways is a 2005 Australian independent film, written and directed by Sarah Watt, starring an ensemble cast, which was released on 18 August 2005. The film was supported by the Adelaide Film Festival fund and opened the 2005 festival. It won four AFI Awards, including Best Film and Best...
(2005), directed by his wife Sarah Watt
Sarah Watt
Sarah Ann Watt was an Australian film director.Born in Sydney, Watt completed a Graduate Diploma of Film and Television at the Swinburne School of Film and Television, Melbourne in 1990. Her student film "Catch of the Day" was to reflect the style of future work...
. Subsequent film roles include in 2006 Irresistible
Irresistible (film)
Irresistible is a 2006 film directed by Ann Turner. It stars Susan Sarandon, Sam Neill and Emily Blunt.- Plot :The film begins with Sophie, a popular illustrator for books, running home because she left the iron on. When she arrives home, she finds that someone had already switched it off...
, with Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
, and Kokoda
Kokoda (film)
Kokoda is a 2006 Australian film directed by Alister Grierson and is based on the experiences of Australian troops fighting Japanese forces during the 1942 Kokoda Track campaign....
, the lead role in the romantic drama Unfinished Sky
Unfinished Sky
Unfinished Sky is a 2007 drama film written and directed by Peter Duncan. It is based on the 1998 Dutch film De Poolse bruid.- Plot :...
in 2007, and in 2009 Prime Mover, featuring Andrew S. Gilbert
Andrew S. Gilbert
Andrew S. Gilbert is an Australian actor best known for his AFI Award-winning role in Kiss or Kill and other supporting work in Look Both Ways and The Dish and his recent role as Gavin Braithwaite on the ABC series, Bed of Roses. He is also known for his collaboration with Director David Caesar on...
, Ben Mendelsohn
Ben Mendelsohn
Paul Benjamin "Ben" Mendelsohn is an Australian actor.-Early life:Mendelsohn was born in Melbourne, Australia, the son of Carole Ann and Frederick Mendelsohn. He attended Heidelberg Primary School and Banyule High School. His father is a prominent medical researcher who heads the Howard Florey...
and Anthony Hayes
Stevie Plunder
Stevie Plunder was an Australian guitarist, singer and songwriter, best known as founding member and guitarist for Australian piano-based rock band The Whitlams.-Early years:...
, and Sarah Watt's follow-up film My Year Without Sex
My Year Without Sex (film)
My Year Without Sex received strongly favourable reviews, and was touted by The Sydney Morning Herald as "possibly the best" Australian film of 2009 as well as "the most accomplished" local film of 2009 by The Age....
.
Books
William released his first book A Man's Got to Have a Hobby on 1 August 2005. His second book Cricket Kings was released in 2006 and his third, That'd Be Right, in August 2008. His fourth book, The Making of Modern Australia, was released in 2010; it was accompanied by a television documentary series of the same name on the ABC that McInnes narrated.Other
On 16 February 2009, John FaulknerJohn Faulkner
John Philip Faulkner is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since 1989, representing the state of New South Wales. Following a period serving on various Senate Committees and as Deputy Whip, he was a Minister in the Keating Labor government 1993-96...
, then Special Minister of State
Special Minister of State
The Special Minister of State , currently the Special Minister of State for the Public Service and Integrity is a ministerial portfolio in the Australian Government Department of Finance and Deregulation responsible for various parliamentary, electoral, financial and oversight affairs.Other areas...
and Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
, appointed McInnes as the new Chair of the Advisory Council of the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
Old Parliament House, Canberra
Old Parliament House, known formerly as the Provisional Parliament House, was the house of the Parliament of Australia from 1927 to 1988. The building began operation on 9 May 1927 as a temporary base for the Commonwealth Parliament after its relocation from Melbourne to the new capital, Canberra,...
. McInnes has spoken in many of his media appearances about the museum and its work and the importance of democratic values and civics
Civics
Civics is the study of rights and duties of citizenship. In other words, it is the study of government with attention to the role of citizens ― as opposed to external factors ― in the operation and oversight of government....
education. He succeeded Doug Anthony
Doug Anthony
John Douglas Anthony, AC, CH , is a former Australian politician. He was leader of the National Party from 1971 to 1984, and Deputy Prime Minister from 1971 to 1972 and again from 1975 to 1983.-Early life:...
as Chair of the Council.
Awards
McInnes has won, and been nominated for, several awards including:Won
- 2002 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie AwardLogie AwardThe TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
s, for My Brother Jack - 2008 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for East West 101
- 2008 – Best Actor in a Leading RoleAustralian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleThe AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role is an award in the annual AACTA Awards, presented by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts...
at the 50th Australian Film Institute Awards50th Australian Film Institute AwardsThe 49th Australian Film Institute Awards ceremony, honoring the best in film for 2007, was broadcast from the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in Melbourne, Australia on the Nine Network. Geoffrey Rush hosted the show, for the second time. He previously presided over the 48th Australian...
for Unfinished Sky
Nominated
- 1997 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for Blue Heelers
- 1998 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for Blue Heelers
- 2000 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for SeaChange
- 2001 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for SeaChange
- 2001 – Most Popular Actor at the Logie Awards, for SeaChange
- 2001 – Best Actor in a telemovie at the AFI AwardsAustralian Film Institute AwardsThe Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award, known as the AACTA Award , is an accolade presented annually by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts . The awards recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry and television industry, including directors,...
, for My Brother Jack - 2001 – Best Actor in a Television Series at the AFI Awards, for SeaChange
- 2004 – Most Outstanding Actor at the Logie Awards, for The Shark Net
- 2005 – Best Lead Actor at the AFI Awards, for Look Both Ways
- 2008 – Best Lead Actor at the AFI Awards, for East West 101