Damian Walshe-Howling

Damian Walshe-Howling is an Australian actor, well known for his role as Andrew 'Benji' Veniamin in the Australian underworld drama Underbelly, for which he won the Best Supporting or Guest Actor in a Drama Series at the 2008 AFI Awards.

Early life and education Walshe-Howling was born in the inner south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. His Italian mother, Iris (née. Romanella) was an actress, involved in the theatre at La Mama and the Pram Factory, a director and drama teacher. His father was a professor of third generation Irish background. Aspiring to be an actor too, Walshe-Howling performed in small theatre shows as a child. He started professionally in the industry around the age of 19.

Career

Television Walshe-Howling appeared in an episode of the 1990 anthology series More Winners. He left in 1998, and returned for the series finale in 2006. His first major television role after leaving the series, was as rock singer Mac in The Secret Life of Us (2001),

In 2008, Walshe-Howling's next major break was starring as real-life crime figure Andrew 'Benji' Veniamin in the first season of Channel Nine’s Australian underworld drama Underbelly.

In 2010, Walshe-Howling hosted the Nine Network’s reality show Customs; He then starred in the 2006 modern day reimagining of Macbeth

He next starred in survival horror film The Reef with former Underbelly co-star Gyton Grantley. The movie was released in Australian cinemas in March 2011. In 2013, he had a supporting role in crime film Mystery Road. alongside Ryan Kwanten.

Theatre In 2008, Walshe-Howling appeared in the Bell Shakespeare production of Pericles, Prince of Tyre. He also went back to his theatre roots with a lead role as Neil in B Sharp production of A View of Concrete.

His 2012 short film Suspended, which he wrote, produced and directed, screened in official competition at Flickerfest, the 2012 Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, the 2013 Canberra Short Film Festival, Slamdance Film Festival and Cannes Cinephiles.

His 2016 short film Unspoken, which he wrote and directed, was awarded Best Short CinefestOZ in 2024, before taking out the International Grand Prize at the 2025 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France’s second-largest film festival after Cannes.

Walshe-Howling taught an advanced acting course at Brave Studios at the Cotton Mills in Footscray, Melbourne. Luke

Monkeys Friend 2 Short film Post Apocalyptic Man Shade Short film 2012 Summer Suit Dad Short film

Mystery Road Wayne Silverman Around the Block Brent Graham 2017 Goodnight Sweetheart Tyson Short film

House Party Knives Short film Desert Dash Ivan Short film 2020 2067 Billy Mitchell 2022 Darklands John Kolt As director / producer / writer

Theatre