Rhys Wakefield

Rhys Wakefield

Wakefield at the 2013 Tropfest
Born (1988-11-20) 20 November 1988
Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Occupation Actor, director
Years active 2000–present

Rhys Wakefield (born 20 November 1988) is an Australian film/television actor and director, best known as Thomas Mollison in the 2008 film The Black Balloon,[1] as Lucas Holden[2] on Home and Away, the Polite Leader in The Purge and Josh McGuire in James Cameron's 2011 thriller/drama Sanctum.

Life and career

Wakefield was born in Cairns, Queensland, to a medical standards officer mother and a father who serves in the navy.[3] Before appearing as Lucas in Home and Away, Wakefield had been acting for more than six years. He attended classes at McDonald College of Performing Arts where he won the acting scholarship in 2003[4], during which time he performed in numerous Shakespeare festivals, working with both Opera Australia and the Australian Ballet.[2] Wakefield graduated in 2006.[5]

His first professional acting role was on the Australian TV series Don't Blame Me, where he appeared in two episodes. Wakefield played his first leading role in a feature film in The Black Balloon as Thomas Mollison which led to a nomination for Best Actor by the Australian Film Institute and the Australian Film Critics Circle.

The film opened on 6 March 2008 in Australia after premiering at the Berlin International Film Festival in Germany, where it received the Crystal Bear as the best feature-length film in the Generation 14plus category.[6]

Wakefield co-wrote and directed the short film A Man Walks Into a Bar which was a finalist at the 2013 Tropfest International Short Film Festival in Sydney.[7] His screenplay, entitled Please Close the Gate was a feature finalist at the 2016 Cinequest Film Festival Screenwriting competition[8] and was officially selected for the Beverly Hills Film festival that same year.[9]

Deadline.com announced that Wakefield will make his directorial debut with the feature film Untitled Hollywood Hills Project, starring Nick Cannon. Wakefield wrote the script which he developed with producer William Day Frank. Principal photography is scheduled for early 2017.[10]

Home and Away

In August 2005, Wakefield was cast as Lucas Holden in the long running Australian Soap opera Home and Away. His character was the youngest child of the Holden family until his dad Tony and stepmother Rachel had his baby brother Harry. His performance on the series led to a Logie Nomination for 'Best New Talent' in 2006. During his time on the show he was involved in a controversial storyline which led the Australian broadcasting regulator (ACMA) to conclude that scenes had breached the Australian broadcasting code, a finding which was responsible for the series being re-classified as PG.[11]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Bootmen Dancing kid
2008 Black Balloon, TheThe Black Balloon Thomas Mollison Nominated — AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role
2009 Broken Hill Scott Price
2011 Sanctum Josh McGuire
2012 Nobody Walks David
2013 The Purge Polite Leader Fright Meter Award for Best Supporting Actor
2013 +1 David
2013 After the Dark James
2014 Endless Love Keith Butterfield
2015 Echoes of War
2015 Cardboard Boxer J.J.
2016 Paint it Black Post-production
2017 You Get Me Chase
2017 Untitled Hollywood Hills Project Director, Writer

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Don't Blame Me Brad Episodes 11 & 12
2005–08 Home and Away Lucas Holden Regular role
2013 Rita TV movie

Short films

Title Year Role
"Actor Prepares, AnAn Actor Prepares" 2006 Himself
"Mirror, TheThe Mirror" 2008
"Clearing the Air" 2008 David
"Scent" 2009 Dan
"A Man Walks Into a Bar" 2013 Man, director

References

  1. ↑ "Black Balloon". Australian Film Commission. Retrieved 3 February 2007.
  2. 1 2 "Rhys Wakefield profile". Home and Away Official Site. Retrieved 3 February 2007.
  3. ↑ "Rhys Wakefield". Mattmueller.co.uk. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Matrics Management website". Retrieved 3 February 2007.
  5. ↑ "Rhys Wakefield (Year 12 – 2006)". The McDonald College website. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 20 October 2007.
  6. ↑ Staff. "Berlin Film Festival – Awards & Prizes" (in German). Retrieved 16 February 2008.
  7. ↑ "Tropfest International Short Film Festival-2013". Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  8. ↑ "Cinequest Screenplay Submissions". Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "Cinequest Film Festival-2016". Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  10. ↑ "Hollywood Hills Project". Retrieved 27 February 2017.
  11. ↑ "'Home and Away' rapped by regulator". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 October 2007.
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