Matthew Newton

Matthew Joseph Newton (born 22 January 1977) is an Australian actor, writer, and director. His acting career was interrupted by treatment in a psychiatric unit for bipolar disorder after several serious incidents of domestic violence and assault which were widely reported in the Australian media. Newton has relocated to New York City where he has resumed his directing and acting career.

Early life

Newton was born in Melbourne in 1977, and is the son of television personalities Bert and Patti Newton, brother of Lauren Newton, and brother-in-law of gold-medal swimmer Matt Welsh. His father Bert is an icon in Australia media as an award-winning entertainer and radio, theatre and television personality/presenter and an Australian Logie Hall of Fame inductee and quadruple Gold Logie winner. Newton was educated at Xavier College and the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), where he graduated with a degree in Acting in 1998.

Career

Acting

Newton has performed in Australia and abroad on stage, television and movies. In 1988, he starred in Sugar and Spice, a children's television series. In 1992, he starred in Late For School, a drama series that aired briefly on Channel Ten. Over the next few years, Newton had guest roles in various shows. In 2000, he starred alongside Pia Miranda in the film adaptation of the teen novel Looking for Alibrandi. In 2001 he appeared in the Australian/American science fiction show Farscape as the character Jothee, and as the vampire Armand in Queen of the Damned (in 2002).

2002–2008

In 2002, Newton was nominated for a Logie Award for his role in the television series Changi.

In 2004, Newton directed, wrote and starred in his first feature film, Right Here Right Now. The film was produced with private funding. In 2005, Newton starred in The Surgeon, which aired on Channel Ten.

In 2006, he appeared in the first and second seasons of improvisation comedy show Thank God You're Here. Newton also starred in a TV series for TV1 called Stupid, Stupid Man set in the office of a fictional men's magazine called COQ where he plays Nick Driscoll, the features writer.

In 2008, he was reportedly close to being cast for a role as a gangland figure in the first season of Underbelly but did not get the role.^[1] He went on to appear in Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities as protagonist Terry Clark, portraying the New Zealand crime syndicate boss.

Newton wrote, directed and starred in the feature Three Blind Mice, which made its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and won the Critics Prize at the 2008 London Film Festival.

2010

In 2010, Newton was announced as the host of the Australian version of The X Factor on the Seven Network. However, in August 2010 following two domestic violence incidents involving girlfriend Rachael Taylor at a hotel in Rome, Newton had to quit The X Factor due to 'medical advice'.^[2]

2011

In 2011, Newton appeared in Face to Face, an independent Australian film directed by Michael Rymer. Newton also appeared in The Lie (directed by Joshua Leonard) in 2011.

2013–present

In November 2013, Newton directed and starred in an off-Broadway production of Hamlet in New York City.^[3]

Music

Newton performed "The Christmas Song" at the Carols by Candlelight Christmas Eve family event at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in 2009.^[4]

Radio

On 15 January 2007, Newton was sacked from his new role at Nova. He had recently been signed to co-host The Matt and Boothy Show with comedian Akmal Saleh in the prime time drive shift on Fridays.^[5] The Daily Telegraph confirmed that Newton announced the radio station had released him from his contract, reportedly worth up to $200,000 a year.^[6]

The station suspended his involvement in the broadcasts, which were due to begin on 15 January, after allegations were made public that he had assaulted Brooke Satchwell. Television actress Kate Ritchie replaced him at Nova.^[7]

Filmography

Films

Television

Controversies

In 2006, Newton appeared on the New Year's Eve 2006 episode of The Big Night In with John Foreman on Network Ten in which he engaged in simulated sex acts and other suggestive activity as well as bad language. The Daily Telegraph reported his antics and the station received criticism from outraged viewers who complained the show was "sub-standard coverage" and "the worst ever".^[8]

2006 assault charge

In 2006, Newton split with longtime girlfriend, actress Brooke Satchwell. Newton was arrested on 16 October and charged with intimidation and assault occasioning actual bodily harm over incidents alleged to have occurred on 13 September and 6 October. Reportedly, Newton repeatedly punched her in the head on more than one occasion and attempted to gouge her eyes and face. He denied the charges. A court hearing took place in his absence on 17 January 2007.^[9][10] Following a not guilty plea, presented by solicitor Chris Murphy, his matter was adjourned until 31 January.^[11]

Newton was originally charged with four offences, but on 21 May 2007 a court heard he would plead guilty to just one count of common assault – with police agreeing to drop counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and stalking and intimidating Satchwell, intending to cause her to fear physical or mental harm.^[12][13] On 12 June, Newton appeared in court and pleaded guilty to the one count of common assault and was put on a 12-month good behaviour bond.^[14] Magistrate Paul Cloran, who recorded the conviction against Newton, acknowledged that the actor was of good character but felt compelled to record a conviction. Newton received strong support from friends, family and colleagues, who believed the incident with Satchwell to be entirely out of character.^[15]

In July 2007, Newton was successful in having the conviction overturned. Solicitor Chris Murphy tendered a letter from Dr Robert Hampshire, Newton's psychiatrist, which outlined his depressive illness and stated he was unlikely to reoffend. Judge Joseph Moore said, "It does not in any way lead the court to give special consideration to his case because he is a person of high profile", referring to Newton's celebrity status; and, "The way in which he has been given particular media attention has acted as a considerable measure of punishment."^[16]

2009 events

In November 2009, Newton's hotel room in Kings Cross, Sydney, was trashed after the GQ Men's Award Night in Sydney. According to media reports, the damage to the room was over $9,000. The room was booked in the name of his then girlfriend Rachael Taylor and he departed the next day without checking out. New South Wales Police investigated the matter but no charges were laid.^[17]

One day later Newton made news headlines when he caused panic among airline staff and passengers by disembarking from an aircraft shortly after boarding it and storing his luggage. Newton re-boarded the aircraft a short time later. Air safety regulations state that luggage cannot be brought onto an aircraft without the passenger. The incident was reported widely in the Australian media.^[17]

In December 2009, Newton made headlines again after complaining about his hotel room in Mildura, Victoria.^[18]

2010 events

In August 2010 following two domestic violence incidents involving girlfriend Rachael Taylor at a hotel in Rome, where Newton allegedly "punched Taylor in the face before being sedated by ambulance officers." It was reported that Taylor suffered concussion after she hit her head on the hotel's marble floor, and a sprained jaw after the alleged attack. Taylor took out an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) against Newton.^[2] The media also reported his heavy use of alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine at this time.^[19]

2011 events

In February 2011, Newton was charged with breaching the terms of his AVO.^[2] He was released on bail and ordered to appear in Court in March 2011.^[20]

It is alleged that Newton assaulted a 66 year old taxi driver twice in the Sydney suburb of Crows Nest on 4 December 2011. He has been charged with common assault and appeared in court in January 2012.^[21] The matter was originally stood over to April 2012.^[22] The matter was then stood over for a further three months as Newton was facing separate charges in the United States (see below).^[23]

2012 events

In April 2012, Newton was arrested twice in Miami, Florida. In the first incident, on 7 April, he was charged with trespassing and resisting officers.^[24] In a second incident on 17 April, Newton was charged with battery and resisting arrest after he attacked a hotel receptionist. His lawyer called for patience and support for bipolar sufferers and said that Newton is continuing treatment.^[25]

Following these incidents and the criminal charges they brought about, Newton checked into the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California for 90 days of alcohol and drug addiction treatment. While most Betty Ford patients spend the first 28 days of treatment as an inpatient on the center's campus at the Eisenhower Medical Center with the remaining two months living in one of the center's Residential Day Treatment homes, Newton spent the entirety of his 90-day stay as an inpatient before being discharged in mid-July, 2012 and moving to New York City where he was repeatedly seen and photographed with a 19 year-old woman who he had met at Betty Ford and enticed her into leaving treatment with him against medical advice.

On 14 November 2012 both matters were dismissed, conditional upon Newton completing 50 hours of community service, writing a letter of apology to the hotel clerk, Ariel Bory Vargas, paying $US11,500 restitution to Mr. Vargas and staying away from both him and Mr. Moe's, the bar where he was accused of trespass.^[26]

References

External links

• Matthew Newton on IMDb
• TV.com: Matthew Newton. Retrieved 15 January 2006