Ewen Leslie

Film and television Leslie's first break came when he was cast as the lead role in 2005 drama Jewboy, a film that screened at the Cannes Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival. He has since played lead roles in several drama films – Three Blind Mice (2008), Dead Europe (2012), The Daughter (2015) and The Butterfly Tree (2017). His other film appearances include war film Kokoda (2006), erotic psychological horror drama Sleeping Beauty (2011), war drama The Railway Man (2013), black comedy The Mule (2014), outback drama Sweet Country (2017) and colonial thriller The Nightingale (2017). Leslie also voiced the character of Pigling Bland in the live action / animated Peter Rabbit films.

His notable television roles include Operation Buffalo, The Luminaries, The Gloaming, The Cry, Safe Harbour, Fighting Season, Deadline Gallipoli, Devil's Dust, Mabo, Redfern Now and Rake.

In 2017, Leslie won an AACTA Award for his role as Pyke in the second season of Top of the Lake, opposite Elisabeth Moss, Nicole Kidman and Alice Englert. Maureen Ryan in Variety wrote that his performance was "subtle and powerful", while Michael Idato in the Sydney Morning Herald wrote, "In a world where fame is fleeting and often hoisted upon the undeserved, Leslie is a proper revelation. He's a stunning performer, perhaps one of the best on our screens".

In 2024, Leslie appeared in Stan thriller series Exposure and drama series Prosper. In December 2024, Leslie was named in the cast for Foxtel drama The Twelve.

Leslie has also performed voiceover work on television commercials for My State Bank, Subaru, McDonald's McCafé, University of Melbourne, Repco RACQ and BMG.

Personal life Leslie's partner of over 20 years is award-winning film producer Nicole O'Donohue, and together they have two children, Elliot and Eve.

Filmography Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations Year Ceremony Category Work Result 2005 Australian Film Institute Awards Outstanding Achievement in Craft in a Non-Feature Jewboy 2006 Movie Extra Filmink Awards Best Australian Newcomer 2009 Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actor in a Lead Role The War of the Roses Helpmann AwardsBest Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play 2010 Best Male Actor in a PlayRichard III Green Room Awards Best Male Actor 2011 Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actor in a Lead Role The Wild Duck 2012 Australian Film Critics Association Awards Best Actor Dead Europe Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Best Actor Green Room Awards Best Ensemble – Theatre Companies The Wild Duck Best Male Actor 2013 Equity Ensemble Awards Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Movie or Miniseries Mabo Devil's Dust Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead 2014 Glugs Theatrical Awards Best Supporting Actor Helpmann Awards Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play AACTA Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role Dead Europe 2015 Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actor in a Lead Role Ivanov 2016 AACTA Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role The Daughter Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Best Actor 2017 Australian Film Critics Association Awards Best Actor AACTA Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role The Butterfly Tree Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama Top of the Lake 2018 Logie Awards Most Outstanding Actor Safe Harbour 2019 Australian Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor Sweet Country Equity Ensemble Awards Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Television Movie or Miniseries Safe Harbour Logie Awards Most Outstanding Supporting Actor Fighting Season AACTA Awards Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama Fighting Season AACTA Awards Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama The Cry 2020New Zealand Film and Television AwardsBest Supporting ActorThe Luminaries 2020 AACTA Awards AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama Operation Buffalo