Ian Bliss
Ian Bliss | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 30, 1966 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Education | National Institute of Dramatic Art |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Known for | |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Ian Bliss (born June 30, 1966) is an Australian film, television, and stage character actor. With a career that has spanned 30 years, he has appeared in numerous Australian television dramas including Heartbreak High, Wentworth, Underbelly and more.
Education[edit]
Bliss graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art.[1] He also attained a Bachelor of Education while studying his acting degree at NIDA.[2]
Career[edit]
Bliss starred in an episode of Halifax f.p. in 1996. Bliss is best known for his role as Bane and Agent Smith in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (2003), for which he was chosen by the Wachowskis because of his accurate impersonation of Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith's program form), and also his partial resemblance to Weaving.
After the Matrix sequels, Bliss took minor roles in the feature films Stealth and Superman Returns. He also played the Peacekeeper scientist Drillic in the Farscape episode "Losing Time". Bliss also appeared on episode 8 of the 2010 HBO miniseries The Pacific as Capt. Le Francois and surf series The Reef. He has also appeared in several Australian television drama series including Heartbreak High,[3] Underbelly, Blue Murder and Canal Road. Stage performances include the lead role in War Horse, in Sydney's Lyric Theatre.[4]
Bliss appeared in Underbelly adaptation Informer 3838 as Commissioner Simon Overland, Overland in the gangland war would announce numerous task forces including Task Force Purana and Task Force Petra, the later used to investigate the murders of Christine and Terence Hodson.. Informer 3838 was Bliss's third appearance in the Underbelly universe, having also appeared in the original Underbelly as "Mr L" and in Fat Tony and Co.[5][6]
In 2018 Bliss also appeared in season 6 of Wentworth, playing Senior Detective Collins; he reprised the role in the final series of Wentworth, appearing in a total of 6 episodes.[7]
Bliss is also a sought-after voice-over artist and has provided his voice to many animated series such as Big Words, Small Stories, Kuu Kuu Harajuku, Get Ace and SheZow.[8][9] Bliss has also given his voice to the Bowel Cancer Australia campaigns that went to air every year from 2018. Bliss also provided his voice for numerous audiobooks including Dinner with the Schnabels and Final Act. [10][11]
Bliss in 2022 joined the cast for SBS drama Safe Home (TV series) where he played Detective O'Connor.[12]
Bliss in 2023 appeared in horror movie Late Night With The Devil in the role of Carmichael Haig.[13][14][15] Bliss revealed later in an interview that he originally was hired as a reader for the movie's audition process and was set to play a different role but 4 days prior to shooting he was called in to take over the role of Haig.[16] In the same interview, Bliss confirmed that he will appear in Netflix series The Survivors.
In 2023 Bliss appeared in theatre play My Sister Jill.[17][18]
Personal life[edit]
Bliss has been married to fellow actress Jacquie Brennan since 2001.[19] They met on the set of the theatre play Silhouette at a cast barbeque where they formed a close bond as he would pick Brennan up for rehearsal. They have a son and a daughter together.
Filmography[edit]
Film appearances[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Precious | Jean | Short film |
| Country Life | David Archdale | Feature film | |
| 1999 | Siam Sunset | Martin | Feature film |
| Passion | Army Officer | Feature film | |
| Powerburn | Dex | ||
| 2000 | Bound | Carter | Short film |
| 2001 | The Bank | Executive #1 | Feature film |
| 2003 | The Matrix Reloaded | Bane / Agent Smith | Feature film |
| The Long Lunch | Italo Julep | ||
| The Matrix Revolutions | Bane / Agent Smith | Feature film | |
| 2005 | Man-Thing (film) | Rodney Thibadeaux | Feature film |
| Stealth (film) | Lt. Aaron Shaftsbury | Feature film | |
| Danya | Patrick | Short film | |
| 2006 | Superman Returns | Shuttle Commander | Feature film |
| 2008 | Playing for Charlie | Drew Hobbs | |
| 2009 | Together Alone | Vladimus | Short film |
| 2016 | Waster of Time | Time Traveller | Short film |
| 2020 | Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears | Vincent Montague | feature film |
| 2023 | Late Night with the Devil | Carmichael Haig |
Television appearances[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Pugwall | Man on Phone | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1995 | Blue Murder[20] | Bobby Chapman | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1995-1996 | Heartbreak High[21] | Andrew Bell | TV series, 23 episodes |
| 1996 | Halifax f.p. | Garry | TV series, episode: "Cradle and All" |
| 1996-2000 | Water Rats | Colin Fleetwood / Max Prescott | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1997 | Big Sky | James McCourt | TV series, episode: "The McCourt Family" |
| Home and Away | Kye Lyons | TV series, 6 episodes | |
| Murder Call | Scott McKenna | TV series, episode: "Ashes to Ashes" | |
| 1998 | Good Guys Bad Guys | Keith McLeod | TV series, episode: "Blood Is Thicker Than Walter" |
| 1999-2001 | BackBerner | Various | TV series, 11 episodes |
| 2000 | Tales of the South Seas | TV series, wpisode: "Blackbirding" | |
| 2000-2003 | Stingers | Nick Lynch / Masely / Marty Stockwell | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 2001 | Farscape | PK Scientist Drillic | TV series, episode: "Losing Time" |
| 2002 | The Lost World[22] | Professor Hamilton | TV series, episode: "Suspicion" |
| Bootleg | Darius Crowe | TV series, 3 episodes | |
| 2002-2007 | All Saints | Kevin Maguire / Jimmy 'Buzz' Beasley | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 2003 | The Postcard Bandit | Potter | TV movie |
| Blue Heelers | Dave Williams | TV series, episode: "Safety Last" | |
| Making Time | Col Bryant | TV movie | |
| 2004-2006 | Love My Way | Darren Longman | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 2005-2007 | McLeod's Daughters | Detective Christopher Montello | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Tripping Over | Ken | TV series 4 episodes |
| 2007 | The Catalpa Rescue | John Breslin | TV movie |
| Gumnutz: A Juicy Tale | Larry / Peer Point J. Marino (voice) | TV movie | |
| 2007-2010 | City Homicide | Lance Hardwick / Toby Hendricks | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Underbelly | Mr. L | TV series, 6 episodes |
| Canal Road | Bradley Thompson | TV series, 1 episode | |
| Very Small Business | Tony Orsini | TV series, 5 episodes | |
| Monash: The Forgotten Anzac | Charles Bean | TV movie | |
| 2009 | Dirt Game | Bart | TV series, episode: "Boab Dreaming" |
| Rush | Ollie Godard | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 2010 | The Pacific | Capt. Le Francois | TV miniseries, episode: "Iwo Jima" |
| 2011 | Killing Time[23] | Detective Inspector Patteron | TV series, 2 episodes |
| Twentysomething | Auctioneer | TV series, episode: "Lost and Found" | |
| Crownies | Inspector Red Bindall | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 2012 | Underground: The Julian Assange Story | Vince | TV movie |
| 2013 | The Doctor Blake Mysteries | Keith Morrisey | TV series, episode: "Still Water" |
| Mr & Mrs Murder | Robin Boydell | TV series, episode: "A Dog's Life" | |
| 2014 | Fat Tony & Co. | Bernie Edwards | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| The Time of Our Lives | Tony Bridges | TV series, episode: "The Negotiation" | |
| Get Ace[24] | Professor Pringle (voice) | TV series, 9 episodes | |
| ANZAC Girls | Colonel Constantine de Crespigny | TV series, wpisode: "Love" | |
| It's a Date | Alan | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 2015 | Gallipoli | Colonel Brazier | TV miniseries, episode: "The Breakout" |
| 2015-2018 | Kuu Kuu Harajuku | Commander Bo-ring / General No Fun / Various | TV series, 156 episodes; voice roles |
| 2016 | Wanted | Luke Delaney | TV series, 2 episodes |
| Hunters | Burton | TV series, episode: "The Beginning & the End" | |
| Winners & Losers | Colin Gammell | TV series, 2 episodes | |
| The Wrong Girl | Gareth | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 2017 | Sherazade: The Untold Stories | Yunan (voice) | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 2018 | Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You | Val Guest (uncredited) | TV miniseries, 1 episode |
| Wrong Kind of Black | Police Officer 1 | TV series, 4 episodes | |
| 2018-2021 | Wentworth | Senior Detective Collins | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 2019 | Reef Break | Jones | TV series, episode: "The Hohenzollern Collection" |
| 2020 | Informer 3838 | Simon Overland | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Fires | Gary Saunders | TV series, 1 episode |
| Big Words, Small Stories | Grandpa Rex, Chaz, Various (voices) | TV series, 65 episodes | |
| Harrow (TV series) | Charlie Oberg | TV series, 1 episode | |
| 2023 | Safe Home | Detective O'Connor | TV series, 4 episodes |
| Utopia (Australian TV series) | Doug | TV series, 1 episode | |
| South of the River[25] | Self | Podcast series, 1 episode | |
| TBA | The Survivors | Geoff Mallott | TBA |
Audio books[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Dinner with the Schnabels | Narrator | Author: Tony Jordan |
| 2021 | Final Act | Narrator | Author: Sarah Bailey |
| 2016 | Clade | Narrator | Author: James Bradley |
Video game[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Enter the Matrix | Bane / Agent Smith | Video game |
Theatre[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | My Sister Jill | Jack | Melbourne Theatre Company |
| 2018 | Jasper Jones[26] | Mr Bucktin/Warick | Queensland Theatre Company |
| 2017 | Dream Lover | Ensemble | |
| 2016 | Jasper Jones | Mr Bucktin/Warick | Queensland Theatre Company |
| 2014-15 | North By Northwest | Budnikov | Melbourne Theatre Company |
| 2013 | War Horse | Ted Narracott / Colonel Strauss | AustralIan tour |
| 2011 | Hamlet | Marcellus | Melbourne Theatre Company |
| Apologia | Peter | ||
| 2010 | Richard III | Clarance / Ratcliff | |
| 2009 | Savage River | Kingsley | Griffin Theatre Company |
| 1999 | Silohoutte | Inspector Brunton | Marian Street Theatre |
| 1997 | Jake and Pete | Crow / Snake | Theatre of Image |
| Lone Star | Cletis | ||
| 1994 | The Happy Prince | Mayor | |
| 2001-08 | Jake and Pete | Crow / Snake | International tour |
| Journey's End | Stanhope |
References[edit]
- ^ Jary, Marta. "State of Bliss: Australian Actor Ian Bliss Has a Distinctive Face That Has Been Seen in Homegrown Film Productions Such as Siam Sunset (John Poison, 1999) and the Bank (Robert Connolly, 2001)". Metro Magazine. No. 141 (Summer 2004 ed.).
- ^ "Ian Bliss | Careers Talk AUS". Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ "Australian Television: Heartbreak High: cast pictures". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ Palathingal, George (28 March 2013). "My perfect weekend: Ian Bliss, actor". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
- ^ "Australian Television: Informer 3838: cast". www.australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
- ^ "Australian Television: Underbelly: Cast".
- ^ "Australian Television: Wentworth: series 6 cast". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
- ^ "KuuKuu Harajuku series 1 (2016) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia". www.screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ "Big Words, Small Stories (2021) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia". www.screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Final-Act-Audiobook/B09CG47KJ5?qid=1699882165&sr=1-1&ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=771c6463-05d7-4981-9b47-920dc34a70f1&pf_rd_r=ZDDVY2RW7EK2QMBJ48Z9&pageLoadId=svMKq6tHqTo9uWpF&ref_plink=not_applicable&creativeId=adcc4fec-4d90-49d1-997e-8be21d68ce7f
- ^ https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Dinner-with-the-Schnabels-Audiobook/B09TBJRLMK?qid=1699882165&sr=1-2&ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_2&pf_rd_p=771c6463-05d7-4981-9b47-920dc34a70f1&pf_rd_r=ZDDVY2RW7EK2QMBJ48Z9&pageLoadId=svMKq6tHqTo9uWpF&ref_plink=not_applicable&creativeId=adcc4fec-4d90-49d1-997e-8be21d68ce7f
- ^ "SBS reveal cast for new Australian thriller series Safe Home". SBS Corporate. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ "Stomach-Ripping And Throat-Slitting: LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL At SXSW". FANGORIA. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Mendelsohn, Jon (24 June 2022). "David Dastmalchian to Star in Indie Horror 'Late Night With the Devil'". Collider. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ Keast, Jackie (12 January 2023). "'Late Night with the Devil', 'Monolith', 'Talk to Me' off to SXSW". IF Magazine. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ NIDA (18 April 2024). "Behind the Scenes with Ian Bliss: Exploring the Making of Late Night with the Devil". www.nida.edu.au. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
- ^ On, Thuy (29 September 2023). "Theatre review: My Sister Jill, Southbank Theatre". www.artshub.com.au. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "What's On". www.mtc.com.au. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "How We Met: 'He said if I made him a bread and butter pudding, he'd propose'". honey.nine.com.au. 25 April 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
- ^ Australian Television: Blue Murder: cast
- ^ Australian Television: Heartbreak High: episode guide: series 3
- ^ Australian Television: The Lost World: guest stars
- ^ Australian Television: Killing Time: cast
- ^ "Get Ace (2014) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia". www.screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ "South of the River host Alli Harding chats with actor Ian Bliss and true crime writer Emily Webb – podcast now available – 88.3 Southern FM". Southern FM. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ "Jasper Jones". www.mtc.com.au. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
External links[edit]
- ^ "- RMK Voices". www.rmk.com.au. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
- ^ "follow.this.bliss • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 24 December 2022.