Nick Simpson-Deeks is a NIDA-trained Australian actor of stage and screen. He is best known for his portrayal of Archie McMahon in the SBS drama series The Circuit, Rhys Mitchell in Seven Network's Winners & Losers, and James King in the Amazon Original crime series Deadloch.
Nick Simpson-Deeks | |
|---|---|
 Nick Simpson-Deeks at the 'Deadloch' premiere in Sydney, Australia | |
| Born | Nicholas Deeks Werris Creek, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Notable work | The Circuit, Winners & Losers, Deadloch |
Early life edit
Simpson-Deeks was born and raised in Werris Creek, New South Wales, and attended Oxley High School in Tamworth.[1] He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2001.[2] In 2006 he was awarded a Mike Walsh Fellowship which he used to further his actor training at the School at Steppenwolf in Chicago.[3]
Career edit
Film and television edit
Simpson-Deeks was a series regular in both seasons of the award-winning[4] legal drama The Circuit, the second season of Winners & Losers (after guest starring in the show's first season), and the sci-fi series Stormworld. Additionally, he has guest-starred in Utopia, The Newsreader, Five Bedrooms, Underbelly: Fat Tony & Co., Wentworth, Mr & Mrs Murder, Play School, City Homicide, The Strange Calls, Temptation, and The Postcard Bandit.[5] He plays forensic pathologist James King in the Amazon Original series, Deadloch.[6]
His film credits include roles in the short films After the Credits, Dropbear, A Simple Song, Shades of Grey and Home. He portrayed Irish rider Pat Smullen in the 2011 feature film The Cup, and filmmaker Billy Name in Jim Sharman's Andy X – a musical film based on the death of Andy Warhol.
Theatre edit
Simpson-Deeks made his professional theatre debut in Falling on My Left Ear: A Show about George Wallace for the now defunct Railway Street Theatre Company in Parramatta in 2002.[7] The following year, he returned to Railway Street to play the role of Tom in Michael Gow's iconic Australian play, Away.[8] Both productions toured regionally and were directed by Mary-Anne Gifford.[9]
In 2005 he received critical acclaim for his performance in Mark Ravenhill's Handbag at the Seymour Centre.[10] Later that year, he starred in Somewhere – an original musical by Tim Minchin and Kate Mulvany – for Q Theatre.[11]
In 2009, Simpson-Deeks was cast in the ensemble of Jerry Springer: the Opera at the Sydney Opera House as part of Sydney Festival. He joined the original Australian cast of Jersey Boys, in the role of Franki Valli (Alternate), that same year, but left the production prematurely due to health complications.[12] In 2010, he sang the role of Skeets Miller in a one-off concert performance of Adam Guettel's Floyd Collins at City Recital Hall in Sydney.[13]
Simpson-Deeks played the role of Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick in Ned: A New Australian Musical at Bendigo's Ulumbarra Theatre in 2015, and is featured on the show's Official Cast Recording.[14] He reprised the role in concert at The National Theatre, Melbourne in 2017.[15]
He played Chris Bean in the Australian production of The Play That Goes Wrong, and briefly reprised the role during the Australian tour of Peter Pan Goes Wrong in 2019.[16] In between, he toured nationally as Cassius in Bell Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.[17]
Simpson-Deeks has worked extensively with Watch This – a Melbourne-based theatre company dedicated exclusively to the work of Stephen Sondheim – starring in seven of their nine productions to date.[18]
In 2019 he received a Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actor in Musical Theatre for his performance in Falsettos at Melbourne's Chapel Off Chapel. He has been nominated for six Green Room Awards in total.[19]
In 2023, he played the role of Mike Priddle in the Australian premiere of Ghost Stories, at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne.
Other work edit
Simpson-Deeks created the character of Daniel "Danno" Bookham for the popular educational video game Murder Under the Microscope, and played the role from 2007 to 2012.
In 2018, Simpson-Deeks was featured in the six-part web series Freudian Slip, alongside writer and commentator Benjamin Law.
Filmography edit
Film edit
| Year | Title | Roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Home | Theo | Short film |
| 2014 | Dropbear | Dad | Short film |
| 2012 | Andy X | Billy Name | Short film |
| 2011 | The Cup | Pat Smullen | Feature film |
| 2011 | The Strange Calls | Judd | Short film |
| 2010 | After the Credits | Passenger | Short film |
| 2003 | Temptation | Agent | TV movie |
| 2003 | The Postcard Bandit | Prison Guard Greg | TV movie |
Television edit
| Year | Title | Roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Deadloch[20] | James King | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 2021 | Five Bedrooms | Roger | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2018 | Freudian Slip | Jacob's Super Ego | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 2011-14 | Winners & Losers | Rhys Mitchell | TV series, 18 episodes |
| 2014 | Fat Tony & Co. | Bruno Rich | TV miniseries, 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Mr & Mrs Murder | Tyler Betts | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2012 | The Strange Calls | Nick | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2010 | City Homicide | Lleyton Brenner | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2007-10 | The Circuit[21] | Archie McMahon | TV series, 11 episodes |
| 2009 | Stormworld | Apssed | TV series, 13 episodes |
Video game edit
| Year | Title | Roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007–12 | Murder Under the Microscope | Daniel 'Danno' Bookham | Educational video game |
Theatre edit
| Year | Title | Roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Road | Brink / Mr Iger / Tom Stanley / Blowpipe | NIDA Parade Theatre |
| 2000 | Masurca Fogo | Dancer | Sydney Olympic Arts Festival |
| 2000 | A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Egeus / Puck | NIDA Parade Theatre with Night Sky Productions |
| 2001 | Kiss Me, Kate | NIDA Parade Theatre | |
| 2002 | Falling on My Left Ear: A Show about George Wallace | Young George Wallace | Railway Street Theatre Company |
| 2003 | Away | Tom / Rick | Railway Street Theatre Company |
| 2004 | Dot by Dot with Sondheim | Lover | Cabaret @ Bar Me |
| 2004 | Into the Woods | Rapunzel's Prince | |
| 2004 | Embalmer! The Musical | Craig | Naked Theatre Company |
| 2005 | In the Raw: The Windows Project | Nick | Darlinghurst Theatre |
| 2005 | Handbag | Phil | Seymour Centre with Focus Theatre Company |
| 2005 | Somewhere: The Magical Musical of Penrith | Sam | Q Theatre |
| 2005 | Much Ado About Nothing | Claudio / Dogberry | Night Sky Productions |
| 2005 | Rosie | Willy / Louie / Rita etc | Independent Theatre, Sydney[22] |
| 2006 | The Paper Wall | Troy | |
| 2006 | Little Black Book | Mick | |
| 2006 | A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Lysander | |
| 2007 | Floyd Collins | Skeets Miller | Angel Place City Recital Hall, Sydney Theatre with Kookaburra Musical Theatre |
| 2007 | Twelfth Night | Feste | |
| 2008 | The Turning | Vic Lang | Playhouse, Perth with Perth Theatre Company for Perth International Arts Festival |
| 2008 | Risky Lunar Love | Rabbit | CarriageWorks, Sydney with 504 Producers |
| 2009 | Jerry Springer the Opera | Ensemble | Sydney Opera House for Sydney Festival |
| 2009 | Jersey Boys | Frankie Valli (alternative) | Princess Theatre, Melbourne with New Theatricals |
| 2010 | The Shakespeare Revue | Various | |
| 2013–14 | Assassins | The Balladeer / Lee Harvey Oswald | Fortyfivedownstairs, West Gippsland Arts Centre with Watch This |
| 2014 | The Parricide | Kolya / Mitya | La Mama |
| 2014 | Pacific Overtures | Manjirō | Theatre Works, Melbourne with Watch This |
| 2015 | Sweet Phoebe | Fraser | Basement Theatre, Auckland with Both Sides Now Theatre Company |
| 2015/17 | Ned: A New Australian Musical | Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick | Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo with Groaning Dam Productions, National Theatre, Melbourne |
| 2015–16 | Company | Robert | Fortyfivedownstairs, Geelong Arts Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Ballarat, West Gippsland Arts Centre with Watch This |
| 2016/18 | Elegy | Iraqi refugee (solo performer) | Gasworks Melbourne, Stratford Courthouse Theatre Melbourne, West Gippsland Arts Centre, Ararat Performing Arts Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre Ballarat, Geelong Arts Centre with Lab Kelpie |
| 2017 | The Play That Goes Wrong | Chris Bean | Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide, Roslyn Packer Theatre, Canberra Theatre, Concert Hall QPAC, His Majesty’s Theatre Perth with Mischief Theatre[23] |
| 2018 | Falsettos | Mendel | Chapel Off Chapel with StageArt |
| 2018 | Julius Caesar | Cassius | Australian tour with Bell Shakespeare[24] |
| 2018 | A Little Night Music | Director / Assistant | National Theatre, Melbourne with Watch This |
| 2019 | Sunday in the Park with George | George | Southbank Theatre with Watch This[25] |
| 2019 | Peter Pan Goes Wrong | Chris Bean | Australian tour |
| 2021 | The Art of Making Art | Online | |
| 2022 | Into the Woods | Wolf / Cinderella's Prince | Arts House Meat Market, Melbourne with Watch This[26] |
| 2022 | Ghost Stories | Mike Priddle | Melbourne Athenaeum with Realscape Productions[27] |
Awards and nominations edit
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Mike Walsh Fellowship Award | Award for Acting | Won | |
| 2007 | Macquarie Bank Youth Award | Award for Screenwriting | Won | |
| 2009 | West Australian Screen Awards | Best Actor (Short Film) | Shades of Grey | Nominated |
| 2013 | Green Room Awards | Supporting Actor (Musical Theatre)[29] | Assassins | Nominated |
| 2014 | Green Room Awards | Supporting Actor (Musical Theatre)[30] | Pacific Overtures | Nominated |
| 2015 | Green Room Awards | Leading Actor (Musical Theatre)[31] | Company | Nominated |
| 2019 | Green Room Awards | Supporting Actor (Musical Theatre)[32] | Falsettos | Won |
| 2021 | Green Room Awards | Celebration of Online Performance*[33] | The Art of Making Art | Nominated |
| 2022 | Green Room Awards | Supporting Actor (Musical Theatre)[34] | Into the Woods | Nominated |
*Nominated with Sonya Suares, Nick McInerney, Dean Drieberg and Mel Hillman
References edit
- ^ "A Very (S)Pacific Role | Stage Whispers". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "All alumni". NIDA. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Mike Walsh O.B.E. - Official Website". www.mikewalsh.com.au. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "2010 Award Winners". Cinema Chicago. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Nick Simpson-Deeks". IMDb. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (20 February 2022). "Amazon Starts Production of 'Deadloch' Comedy Series in Australia (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Falling On My Left Ear, Railway St Theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 September 2002. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Away, Railway Street Theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 May 2003. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ Gifford, Mary-Anne. "Mary-Anne Gifford".
- ^ "Handbag, Focus Theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 May 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Q Theatre | The Dictionary of Sydney". dictionaryofsydney.org. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "A Very (S)Pacific Role | Stage Whispers". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ Morgan, Clare (26 February 2010). "Floyd Collins comes back from the grave". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ PEDLER, CHRIS (22 May 2015). "Strong cast drives Kelly Gang story: PHOTOS". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Ned cast reunites for a one night only concert | News". AussieTheatre.com. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ BWW News Desk. "Cast Announced for THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Bell Shakespeare to take on Julius Caesar in 2018". Limelight. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Watch This". watchthis.net.au. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Awards – The Green Room Awards". Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/02/cast-announced-for-deadloch.html
- ^ https://tvtonight.com.au/2009/10/returning-the-circuit.html
- ^ https://theatregold1.mybigcommerce.com/rosie/
- ^ BWW News Desk. "Cast Announced for THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ Wilkins, Peter (15 October 2018). "Modernised political thriller exposes truths about human nature". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Watch This to present Sunday in the Park with George in 2019". Australian Arts Review. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ "Watch This presents INTO THE WOODS | News". AussieTheatre.com. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
- ^ O'Neill, Bianca (3 August 2022). "The cast for the Aussie premiere of 'Ghost Stories' has been unveiled". Time Out Melbourne. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/411321
- ^ "2013 Green Room Awards Nominations". www.australianstage.com.au. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ "Victorian Green Room 2014 Nominations announced | News". AussieTheatre.com. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ "Green Room Award nominations revealed". Daily Review: Film, stage and music reviews, interviews and more. 16 February 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ "2019 Nominations and Recipients – The Green Room Awards". Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ https://www.greenroom.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/WINNERS-Nominations-Acknowledgments-for-Website-V2.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "39th Annual Green Room Awards Nominations" (PDF).