Luke Carroll

Luke Carroll is an Australian stage, television, and film actor. He is known for his role in the television drama The Alice, and as a host of the children's program Play School.

Early life and education Luke Carroll was born in Sydney in 1982 and is an Aboriginal Australian man of the Wiradjuri and Ngunnawal peoples. and worked in education for more than 30 years, as an Aboriginal education aid in Sydney primary and secondary schools. He has a brother Darren who is eight years older. Rarely seeing his father, Carroll somewhat regarded his brother as a father figure.

Carroll's maternal grandfather was African American and met his grandmother when he was based out of Sydney with the U.S. Navy for three years from 1941. He died when Carroll's mother was two, when his ship was bombed by the Japanese after being posted to the Philippines. followed by a role in ABC children's series Lift Off!, as Paul Jordan – the eldest child and step-brother to Aku.

He then had a recurring role as Jason Sutton in ABC drama miniseries Heartland in 1994, alongside Ernie Dingo and Cate Blanchett. In 1999, he also had a recurring role in Heartbreak High, playing the character of Mo. He had guest roles in several other Australian series, including The Flying Doctors, The Man from Snowy River, G.P., Ocean Girl, All Saints and Water Rats. The same year, he had a lead role in short film Free, winning the POV competition award for Best Actor in 2003. That same year, Carroll had a recurring role as intern doctor Lewis Rigg, in long-running soap opera Home and Away.

Carroll appeared opposite Rose Byrne and Hugo Weaving in 2008 film The Tender Hook, playing the role of Alby O'Shea. The film was renamed The Boxer and the Bombshell for the American market. Also in 2008, Carroll hosted annual indigenous awards ceremony The Deadlys, for SBS. He co-hosted the awards again in 2010, with singer Naomi Wenitong, and once more in 2013, with singer Casey Donovan.

In 2009, Carroll had a starring role as Eddie in the Aboriginal stoner comedy film Stone Bros., earning a 2009 Deadly Award for Male Actor of the Year. The following year, he portrayed Nelson in horror film Needle, alongside Michael Dorman, Travis Fimmel and Ben Mendelsohn.

In 2010, Carroll began a long-running presenting role with children's television series Play School, appearing alongside Teo Gebert in his first episode. He marked 16 years with the series in 2026.

Carroll had a major guest role in an episode of indigenous drama series Redfern Now in 2012, before playing a minor part in drama suspense film Strangerland, opposite Nicole Kidman and Joseph Fiennes, the following year.

Between 2016 and 2020, Carroll made numerous guest appearances in comedy sketch series Black Comedy.

In 2022, Carroll played two recurring roles in Grey Nomads and MaveriX, before landing the role of Tim Billiberliary in big budget Disney+ series The Artful Dodger in 2023. The series serves as a follow up to Oliver Twist, but set in 1850s Australia. He reprised the role in the second season in 2025. Carroll also had a recurring role as Jonny in Mystery Road: Origin, the 2025 second season of Mystery Road, which saw him nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama. going on to play the part of Scotty Waaliti. In June 2025, he was named in the cast for ABC drama miniseries Goolagong. The biopic, chronicling the career of tennis champion Evonne Goolagong Cawley premiered in January 2026, with Carroll in the role of Kenny Goolagong.

Carroll is also part of the presenting team of Channel Seven's Sydney Weekender. He has also appeared in an Australian Government advertisement about being "Climate Clever", as well as advertisements for Colgate and Nestle Quik. including a 2013 Yirra Yaakin / Belvoir production of Bob Merritt's 1975 play The Cake Man, about Aboriginal life on a mission. His role as Sweet William before going on to Hobart.

Awards and recognition Year Work Award Category Result Ref. 2002 Australian Rules AFI Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role 2009 Stone Bros. Deadly Awards Male Actor of the Year 2013 Redfern Now Deadly Awards Male Actor of the Year Redfern Now (episode 6: "Pretty Boy Blue") AACTA Awards Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama 2014 The Cake Man Helpmann Awards Best Male Actor in a Play 2020 Black Cockatoo BroadwayWorld Sydney Awards Best Actor in a Play – Professional 2024 The Artful Dodger Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2026 Mystery Road: Origin AACTA Awards Best Supporting Actor in a Drama

Other activities , Carroll is ambassador for Education, Action & Change, a resource pack for schools, at Reconciliation SA. He is also an ambassador for the Cathy Freeman Foundation and My Forever Family NSW, and has had a long association with medical organisation, Malpa.

In 2022, Carroll joined Officeworks and the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation (ANLF), in supporting their annual appeal to help close the literacy gap for First Nations, refugee and other vulnerable Australian children across Australia, via community-led literacy and language programs.

Personal life Carroll is a supporter of rugby league club the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Carroll has two sons, the youngest of whom, he had together with his partner, Danica Sarno, and was the first baby born in Sydney in 2014.