Paul O'Brien
Born (1978-04-14) 14 April 1978[1]
South Africa
OccupationActor
Years active2004–present

Paul O'Brien (born 14 April 1978) is a South African-Australian actor, known for his role as Jack Holden in the television soap opera Home and Away, for which he won the Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent in 2006.

Early life

O'Brien was born in South Africa. Growing up, he lived in South Africa, Mauritius and Australia, before his family settled on the Gold Coast.[2] He has a brother and a sister.[1] O'Brien was a chef, before he moved to Melbourne when he was 21 to pursue a career in acting. While searching for work, he performed stand-up comedy and starred in various short films and stage productions.[2]

Career

O'Brien made his stage debut in a production of Julia Britton's Five Minute Call at The Butterfly Club in 2004.[3] He joined the cast of soap opera Home and Away as police constable Jack Holden in 2005. O'Brien relocated to Sydney from Melbourne for the role. One of his character's most notable storylines was an on-again-off-again romance with Jodi Gordon's Martha Mackenzie.[4] For his portrayal of Jack, O'Brien won the Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent in 2006,[5] and was further nominated for Most Popular Actor in 2007 and 2008.[6][7] He was named the runner-up, behind comedian Andy Lee, in the 2006 Cleo Bachelor of the Year competition.[8]

In 2008, O'Brien took part in the third series of It Takes Two, an Australian reality show in which celebrities compete against each other by singing. O'Brien was partnered with pop singer Jade MacRae and they finished in fourth position.[2][9] O'Brien left Home and Away in 2008 and his character was killed off, with his last scenes airing in early 2009.[10] After leaving the serial, O'Brien joined the cast of Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer was Here as murdered police officer Rodney Miller. Fellow Home and Away actor Todd Lasance also starred in the series, but O'Brien said he did not think their characters' paths would cross.[11]

O'Brien began to pursue a film career, beginning with a part in John Doe: Vigilante (dir. Kelly Dolen) before securing the role of ex-assassin Ryan Teller in Message Man (dir. Corey Pearson).

In October 2013, it was announced that he had joined the cast of Neighbours in the guest role of Eric Edwards.[12] O'Brien starred in The Subjects (dir. Robert Mond), short films Peacekeeper and Without A Shirt, before appearing in Project Eden: Vol I as Agent Williams.

In December 2017, O'Brien was cast as the lead opposite John Jarrett in the Christmas comedy Christmas Down Under, directed by Louis Mandylor. Christmas Down Under was released in 2018.[13] In 2018, O'Brien was cast opposite Catherine Bell in Hallmark's A Summer to Remember. That same year, he starred in the Indonesia set film Message Man as a ruthless hitman who comes out of retirement to avenge a poor Indonesian family who are being terrorized by modern-day child slavers.

In March 2023, O'Brien began shooting the Australian feature film The Gorge in Queensland, alongside fellow Home and Away actor Lincoln Lewis.[14]

Paul O'Brien Acting

Logo for Paul O'Brien Acting

O'Brien launched his acting school, Paul O'Brien Acting, to help actors become working actors.[15] O'Brien felt that a lot of what was taught to him was outdated or redundant in the world of film and television acting.

Based in South Yarra, Victoria, O'Brien has helped many of his students get agents, get auditions and book roles. He stands by the Flow Technique as being the most effective approach to acting and auditions.

Selected filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2005–2009 Home and Away Jack Holden Series Regular
2011 Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer was Here Rod Miller Supporting
2013 Neighbours Eric Edwards Guest
2014 John Doe: Vigilante Jack Callahan Supporting
2015 The Subjects John Lead
2017 Project Eden: Vol I Agent Williams Supporting
2018 Message Man Ryan Teller Lead
2018 Christmas Down Under Aaron Parker Lead
2018 A Summer to Remember Trevor Lead

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2006 48th Logie Awards Most Popular New Male Talent Home and Away Won
2007 49th Logie Awards Most Popular Actor Nominated
2008 50th Logie Awards Most Popular Actor Nominated
2016 3rd Connect Film Festival Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Acting Award (shared with the cast) Peacekeeper Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 "Paul O'Brien plays Jack Holden". Yahoo!7. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Paul O'Brien – Biography". Yahoo! Australia. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  3. ↑ "Five Minute Call". The Age. 22 November 2004. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  4. ↑ Scott, Gavin (19–25 November 2005). "New life". TV Week. No. 47. pp. 10–11.
  5. ↑ "Logie Award winners". The Age. 8 May 2006. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "2007 Logie nominees". The Age. 6 May 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  7. ↑ Ganska, Helen (2 May 2008). "Logie nominations: who will win?". The West Australian. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "Andy Lee bachelor of the year". news.com.au. 15 September 2006. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  9. ↑ "Paul O'Brien departs from It Takes Two on a high". eBroadcast.
  10. ↑ Harvey, Kerry (11 April 2019). "Home And Away cop longs to be killed off". Stuff. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "Home and Away's Paul O'Brien and Todd Lasance in Underbelly TV movie". The West Australian. 28 June 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  12. ↑ Dainty, Sophie (2 October 2013). "Former 'Home and Away' star joins cast of 'Neighbours' in guest role". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  13. ↑ "Showcast".
  14. ↑ "Wally Lewis' son to star in new thriller that showcases Sunshine Coast hinterland". Sunshine Coast News. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  15. ↑ "Paul O'Brien Acting". Archived from the original on 4 June 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
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