Adam Zwar

Adam Zwar (born 13 January 1972) is an Australian actor, voice artist and writer. He is best known for co-creating the Australian comedy series Squinters, Lowdown and Wilfred and also creating the Ten Network comedy Mr. Black as well as the popular factual series Agony Aunts, Agony Uncles, The Agony of Life, The Agony of Modern Manners and Agony. Zwar also presented and produced seminal cricket documentaries Underarm: The Ball That Changed Cricket and Bodyline: The Ultimate Test which took a forensic look at the infamous 1932–1933 Ashes series between Australia and England.

Early life Zwar was born on 13 January 1972 in Cairns, Queensland, where he was also raised. His parents bought the family home from actor Leo McKern. Zwar is the son of author Desmond Zwar, who wrote the best-selling book The Loneliest Man in the World about Rudolf Hess. Zwar's mother, Delphine, was a long-time writer for the House and Garden magazine.

From the age of twelve, Zwar attended Smithfield High School and then Brisbane Grammar School, where he was captain of the cross-country team in his senior year. After high school he completed a journalism degree at the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba. He subsequently began studying acting. He undertook a journalism cadetship at The Cairns Post and subsequently moved to Melbourne to work for the Sunday Herald Sun.

After some time working at the Sunday Herald Sun, Zwar decided to pursue his interest in the film industry. In 1997, he left his full-time journalism job to do two jobs - as a freelance journalist and freelance actor. He performed in theatre and numerous television commercials and had guest roles in Neighbours, Blue Heelers and Sea Change. Each year, Zwar would save a portion of his income (usually around $A4000 In 2017, Adam co-created the series, Squinters with Trent O'Donnell and in 2018, created Mr. Black for the Ten Network. He has also written six episodes of Austin for the ABC. In 2021, he released his memoir Twelve Summers.

Adam also co-wrote and co-starred in the movie Rats and Cats, which premiered to sell-out audiences and critical acclaim at the 2006 Melbourne International Film Festival and went on to screen at the SXSW Film Festival in 2009. From 2006 to 2010, he was head writer on the AFI Awards screened on the Nine Network, working alongside hosts Geoffrey Rush and Stephen Curry. Zwar's other acting credits include playing Martin Gero in Series 1 of 2 of the Network Ten crime drama Rush, as well as the SBS series Carla Cametti PD, the ABC television movie Valentine's Day, the crime drama Underbelly for Channel Nine. In 2016, Zwar joined the main cast of Foxtel's drama Top of the Lake and in 2023, played a leading role in the crime series, Scrublands for STAN.

Zwar's other screen-acting credits include both seasons of the Network Ten sketch comedy series The Wedge, Blue Heelers, Stingers, CrashBurn, SeaChange, BackBerner, Foxtel's drama Tangle and MDA. His stage-acting credits include Kissing for Australia, for which he received a Green Room Award nomination, and Cyrano de Bergerac for the Melbourne Theatre Company.

He has also written the plays Kissing for Australia, Primrose Hill, The Inner Sanctum and The Fall and Fall of Jeremy Hawthorn.

Zwar is one of Australia's leading voice-over artists lending his voice to Ford, Australia Post, ISelect, the Herald Sun, Honda, HBA, Boag's, RACV, Bundaberg Rum, AHM and Blackmores.

Personal life Zwar was married to Amanda Brotchie, an AFI award-winning filmmaker, from 2003 until her death from cancer in 2025.

Writing credits Year Title Type Other notes 1994 The Fall and Fall of Jeremy Hawthorn Play 2002 Wilfred Film Short, co-written with Jason Gann 2005 The Inner Sanctum Play 2006–2007 Rats and Cats Film Co-written with Jason Gann 2008 Kissing for Australia Play 2008 Primrose Hill Play 2010–2012 Lowdown TV series Co-creator with Amanda Brotchie; executive producer; writer - 15 episodes 2007–2010, 2011–2014 Wilfred TV series Co-creator with Jason Gann and Tony Rogers; writer - 16 episodes 2012–2015 Total Agony TV series documentary Host; director; executive producer; writer - 34 episodes 2017 No Activity TV series Co-writer with Trent O'Donnell and Patrick Brammall - episode "The Crow" 2019 Mr. Black TV series Creator; executive producer; writer - 8 episodes 2018–2019 Squinters TV series Co-creator with Trent O'Donnell; executive producer; head writer - 12 episodes 2022 Darby and Joan TV series writer - 1 episode 2024-2025 Austin TV series writer - 7 episodes

Acting credits Television Year Title Role Other notes 1998 Neighbours Mark Billings 2 episodes 1999–2000 SeaChange Const. George Velos 4 episodes 1999–2001 Stingers Reuben/Grubby Kane 2 episodes 1998–2002 Blue Heelers Mike Schneider/Arnie Violet 2 episodes 2003 CrashBurn Tat Episode "One Hundred Years of Solitude" 2002–2005 MDA Peter Munro 5 episodes 2006–2007 The Wedge Various characters 48 episodes 2008 Underbelly Gregg Hildebrandt Episode "Team Purana" 2008 Bogan Pride Mr. Laffer 2 episodes 2009 Carla Cametti PD Hank Episode "In Sickness and in Health" 2008–2009 Rush Martin Gero 2 episodes 2007–2010 Wilfred Adam Douglas/Detective Delaney 16 episodes 2010 Tangle Huey Moss 2 episodes 2011 The Match Committee Adam Harrington 3 episodes 2011 Some Say Love Various characters Episode "Pilot" 2012 Howzat! Kerry Packer's War Peter McFarline 2 episodes 2012 Rake Bob Oakley Episode "R vs Alford" 2010–2012 Lowdown Alex Burchill 16 episodes 2014 Party Tricks Trevor Bailey 6 episodes 2015 The Beautiful Lie Comedy Host Episode "#1.2" 2016 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Herbert Jones Episode "The Open Road" 2016 The Legend of Gavin Tanner Marshall Episode "The Legend of Gavin and the New Best Mate" 2017 Top of the Lake Carson 4 episodes 2018 Sando Tony's Commercial (voice only) Episode "Family Business" 2019 Mr. Black Jim (Mr. Black's Doctor) Episode "#1.7" 2018–2019 Squinters Radio Announcer/Traffic Reporter 12 episodes 2023 Scrublands Robbie Haus-Jones 4 episodes 2024 Darby and Joan Laurie Sallaway 1 episode

Film Year Title Role Director Other notes 2000 Narcosys Orbit Mark Bakaitis 2002 Wilfred Adam Douglas Tony Rogers Short film 2007 Rats and Cats Ben Baxter Tony Rogers 2007 Little Deaths Daniel/Toxicman Toby Angwin, Chris Benz (director), Melanie Brunt 2008 Valentine's Day Beak Peter Duncan TV movie 2010 The Wedding Party Tommy Amanda Jane 2016 Emo the Musical Principal Stephens Neil Triffett 2021 Fraud Festival Radio Announcer (voice only) Sam Petersen TV movie

Awards and nominations AACTA: Won with Amanda Brotchie and Nicole Minchin Best Television Comedy for Lowdown (2012). AACTA: Won with Amanda Brotchie and Nicole Minchin Best Light Entertainment for Agony Aunts (2012). Australian Film Institute Awards (Television): Won with Jason Gann Best Screenplay in Television Wilfred (2007) AWGIE (Australian Writers Guild) Award: Won with Amanda Brotchie Best Comedy – Situation or Narrative for Lowdown (2010) Episode 7 – "Who's Your Baddy?" AWGIE (Australian Writers Guild) Award: Nominated for Best Comedy – Situation or Narrative for Wilfred (2007) Episode 6 – "Dog Eat Dog" Wilfred (2007) Australian Film Institute Awards (Television): Won Best Actor in a Television Comedy Wilfred (2007) The Green Room Awards (Theatre): Nominated for Best Actor – Kissing for Australia Accolade Competition: Award for Excellence in Comedy – Lowdown Accolade Competition: Award for Excellence for Leading Actor – Lowdown