Oliver Ackland

Oliver Ackland
Ackland at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival
Born (1979-11-09) 9 November 1979
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationActor
Years active1988–present

Oliver Ackland (born 9 November 1979) is an Australian actor.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

Ackland stumbled upon acting at high school, when the school had a theatre sports competition, and they needed more participants to make up the numbers.[4] He undertook his acting training at the Australian Theatre for Young People and NIDA's Summer School.[5]

Career

Ackland's first small screen role was as Vince Frasca in 2001 family series Outriders, in which he appeared for the duration of its run.[6][5] He appeared in children's fantasy series Pirate Islands as the character Mars in 2003[7] and family comedy-drama series Out There from 2003 to 2004.[8] He also scored guest roles in All Saints, Always Greener and Young Lions,[5] before starring as the romantic lead in miniseries Jessica, opposite Leeanna Walsman and Sam Neill.[5][9]

In 2005, Ackland featured alongside an all-star cast including Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, John Hurt and Emily Watson in John Hillcoat's western feature The Proposition.[10] He later appeared in 2008 telemovie thriller Emerald Falls with Georgie Parker and Vince Colosimo.[11]

After working in bars and as a gardener to make ends meet,[12] in 2009, Ackland was awarded the inaugural Heath Ledger scholarship by Australians in Film.[4] The initiative, established in honour of the late actor, by Ledger's former partner Michelle Williams and Australian director Gregor Jordan, with help from Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman, awards its winners $10,000, flights to LA and introductions to agents and casting directors in the US. Ackland was chosen from 150 applicants, where the judges looked for early career actors with "initiative and exceptional talent with ability to convert ambitions to reality" and "the potential to be outstanding in an international context".[13][12]

Ackland next starred in Ben Lucas' thriller Wasted on the Young,[4][14] which premiered at the 2010 Sydney Film Festival and screened at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. The following year, he appeared as Toby Raven in the miniseries realisation of Tim Winton's award-winning novel Cloudstreet, directed by Matthew Saville,[15] The same year, he also played Rhys in drama miniseries The Slap, adapted from the novel by Christos Tsiolkas, and starring Melissa George, Alex Dimitriades, Sophie Okonedo and Essie Davis.[16]

In 2012, Ackland was seen in the comedy horror film 100 Bloody Acres, in a main role opposite Damon Herriman and Angus Sampson,[17] as well as Richard Gray's sports drama feature Blinder[18] and ABC telemovie The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.[19]

Ackland next featured in 2014 political drama miniseries Party Tricks, playing Tom Worland, opposite Asher Keddie and Rodger Corser.[20] He then landed a recurring guest role as Tristan de Martel in American supernatural drama series The Originals.[21]

In 2019, Ackland played the part of Alex, a lawyer with a troubled past, in drama miniseries Secret Bridesmaids' Business, opposite Irish actress Katie McGrath, former Outriders castmate Abbie Cornish and former Wasted on the Young co-star Georgina Haig.[22][23] The following year, he had a four-episode role as Young Donnie in the second season of sci-fi drama series Bloom, seeing him perform alongside the likes of Bryan Brown, Jacki Weaver, Gary Sweet and Phoebe Tonkin.[24] He then had a recurring guest role as bikie gang member Lloyd in long-running soap opera Home and Away,[25] before appearing as Peter Emery in the series Critical Incident in 2024.[26]

Ackland has also appeared in numerous short films, including Eve (2006), Damian Walshe-Howling's The Bloody Sweet Hit (2007) and Engram (2014, co-starring alongside Isabel Lucas).[27]

A graduate of College of Fine Arts (COFA), Ackland is also a visual artist, who has exhibited around Australia. He has been a finalist in both the 2023 Fishers Ghost Award and the 2024 National Emerging Art Prize. In 2024, he 2024 St Vincent’s Art Exhibition which raises funds for victims of domestic violence.[28]

Awards and nominations

Year Title Role Notes Result Ref.
2009Oliver AcklandAustralians in FilmHeath Ledger ScholarshipWon[4]
2023Oliver AcklandFishers Ghost AwardFinalist[28]
2024Oliver AcklandNational Emerging Art PrizeFinalist[28]
2025Critical IncidentEquity Ensemble AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesFinalist[29]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1999 The Last Paperboy The Paperboy Short film
2000 Therefore I Am Simon Short film
My Drug Buddy Jim Short film
2003 Peter Pan Groom
2005 The Proposition Patrick Hopkins [10]
2006 Eve Jack Short film
2007 The Bloody Sweet Hit Dylan Short film [30]
2009 Emergence Adam Short film
2010 Wasted on the Young Darren [4][14]
2011 50-50 Charlie Short film [31]
Tinman Jim Short film
2012 100 Bloody Acres James [17]
2013 Blinder Tom Dunn [18]
2014 Engram Short film [27]
2019 Dick Dick Short film

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2001 Outriders Vince Frasca 26 episodes [6]
All Saints Nathan
2002 Young Lions Liam Quinlan Episode: "Serial Killer: Part 1" [32]
2003 Always Greener Matt Payne Episode: "Great and Not So Great Expectations" [33]
Home and Away Steven Ross Episode: "1.3479"
Pirate Islands Mars 26 episodes [7]
Out There Peter Logan 2 episodes: "Peggy" & "Some Wombats Have All the Luck" [8]
2004 Jessica Jack Thomas Miniseries [5][9]
Cable Pauli TV movie [34]
2008 Emerald Falls Steve Landers TV movie [11]
2011 Cloudstreet Toby Raven Miniseries [15]
The Slap Rhys 2 episodes: "Hector" & "Anouk" [16]
2012 The Mystery of a Hansom Cab Brian Fitzgerald TV movie [19]
2014 Party Tricks Tom Worland 6 episodes [20]
2015 Satisfaction Julian 1 episode
2015–2016 The Originals Tristan de Martel 11 episodes [21]
2019 Secret Bridesmaids' Business Alex Blake 6 episodes [22]
2020 Bloom Young Donnie 5 episodes [24]
2022–2023 Home and Away Lloyd Stevens 3 episodes [25]
2024 Critical Incident Snr Constable Peter Emery 6 episodes [26][35]

Music videos

Year Artist Title Role Ref.
2015 Mysteries Newly Thrown Dan Burnstall
2016 Broods Heartlines Boyfriend / Waiter [2]

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2000BirdsStock Market AnalystATYP

References

  1. ↑ Foutch, Haleigh (2 July 2013). "Damon Herriman, Anna McGahan, Oliver Ackland, and Jamie Kristian Talk 100 Bloody Acres, the Film's Unique Tone". Collider. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  2. 1 2 Ng, Philiana (29 July 2016). "How Indie Duo Broods' 'Heartlines' Music Video Brought Technology to a New Level". Entertainment Tonight. CBS Studios Inc. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  3. ↑ Abrams, Natalie (27 July 2015). ""Vampire Diaries, 'Originals" add a bunch of new faces". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 7 February 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Toomey, Matthew (3 March 2011). "Interview with Oliver Ackland, star of Wasted on the Young". thefilmpie.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Jessica: characters". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Outriders – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Pirate Islands – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Out There – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Jessica". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  10. 1 2 "The Proposition – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Emerald Falls – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  12. 1 2 Hanmel, Sarah (20 February 2009). "First Ledger scholarship awarded". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  13. ↑ Hanmel, Sarah (20 February 2009). "Hollywood Hopeful Wins First-Ever Heath Ledger Scholarship". People. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  14. 1 2 Toomey, Matthew (27 February 2011). "Review: Wasted On The Young". thefilmpie.com. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Cloudstreet – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  16. 1 2 "The Slap". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  17. 1 2 "100 Bloody Acres – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  18. 1 2 "Blinder – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  19. 1 2 "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
  20. 1 2 "Party Tricks – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  21. 1 2 "The Originals | A Walk on the Wildside". Apple TV. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  22. 1 2 Knox, David (9 May 2019). "Cameras roll on Secret Bridesmaids' Business for Seven". TV Tonight. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  23. ↑ Burrell, Zoe; Machado, Karina (21 October 2019). "Oliver Ackland | My Biggest Challenge". Who Magazine. Retrieved 11 June 2026 – via PressReader.
  24. 1 2 "Bloom: cast". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  25. 1 2 Foster, Dan (10 March 2023). "Home and Away Spoilers – Cash goes rogue and visits Tex in prison". backtothebay.net. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  26. 1 2 Knox, David (16 July 2024). "Airdate: Critical Incident". TV Tonight. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  27. 1 2 Campagna, Giovanna (2 April 2014). "Engram's Best Bet". wmagazine.com. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  28. 1 2 3 "Artist profile | Oliver Ackland". artbid.com.au. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  29. ↑ "Finalists announced for 2025 Equity Ensemble Awards". equityfoundation.org.au. 16 April 2025. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  30. ↑ Knox, David (22 May 2012). "Directing on Damian's mind". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  31. ↑ "Femme Fatale | Prague". ishorts.eu. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  32. ↑ "Young Lions: episode guide". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  33. ↑ "Always Greener: episode guide | Series 2". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  34. ↑ "Telemovies & Miniseries| 2004 | Cable". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  35. ↑ "Critical Incident". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
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