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Matthew Nable

b. 1972

Australian rugby league footballer, and actor

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About Matthew Nable

Born 1972. Matthew Nable is an Australian rugby league player, writer, novelist, rugby union player, actor and children's writer.

Matthew Nable (born 8 March 1972) is an Australian film and television actor, writer, sports commentator and former professional rugby league footballer. After playing in the Winfield Cup Premiership during the 1990s for the Manly-Warringah and South Sydney clubs, he wrote and starred in the rugby league-centred drama The Final Winter in 2007. Nable went on to act in films such as Killer Elite and Riddick. He appeared on Mr Inbetween and as Ra's al Ghul in The CW's Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow.

Early life Nable grew up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and also, as a young boy, spent two years at Portsea, Victoria, when his father, Dave, a soldier, was stationed there,

Rugby league career Nable rose through the junior ranks at the Manly-Warringah club Nable quit football and then tried his hand at boxing, fighting for the state light-heavyweight title as an amateur. He then worked as a beer salesman and personal trainer, but eventually decided to leave paid employment to become a writer.

Writing and acting career

After encouragement from his mentor, Booker Prize-winning novelist Thomas Keneally, With friends he also managed to raise $1.6m and they worked together to make the film which was released in 2007, and earned critical praise but was a box office failure.

Nable went on to act in the United States as a Los Angeles detective in the 2008 television movie S.I.S..

In 2009, his book We Don't Live Here Anymore was published, in 2011 he published his second book Faces in the Clouds, which won critical praise.

He worked as a writer on Channel 7's rugby league comedy programme, The Matty Johns Show.

Nable appeared in the main cast of critically acclaimed and award-winning SBS drama series, East West 101, and in the 2011 action film Killer Elite alongside Clive Owen, Robert De Niro,

In March 2014, it was reported that Nable would appear in the Nine Network's upcoming miniseries Gallipoli.

On 4 September 2014, Stephen Amell announced on Facebook that Nable would portray the role of Ra's al Ghul on the third season of Arrow. Despite Liam Neeson (Ra's al Ghul in The Dark Knight Trilogy) expressing an interest in reprising his role for the television series' third season and the CW Network reaching out to him, he was unavailable and Nable was cast as Ra's instead. IGN's Jesse Scheeden said he brought "charisma and danger to the part". Nable portrayed the character in ten episodes of the third season. He reprised his role in a first season episode of Legends of Tomorrow.

In October 2019, Nable starred in the opening cinematic of the 2019 Bathurst 1000, broadcast on Fox Sports Australia. Nable has since featured in numerous Fox Sports cinematics, promotions and advertisements, primarily for their Rugby League division, Fox League.

From 2018 to 2021 he had a recurring role in the Australian black-comedy crime drama Mr Inbetween.

On 19 November 2024, Nable was named as part of an extended cast for Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar.

Filmography

Film +Key Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

Awards and nominations

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
St Paul's Catholic College, Manly
Also known as
Matt Nable

People in Matthew Nable's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Matthew Nable's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Matthew Nable?

Australian rugby league footballer, and actor

When was Matthew Nable born?

Matthew Nable was born on 8 March 1972 in Australia.

What is Matthew Nable's occupation?

Matthew Nable is a rugby league player, writer, novelist, rugby union player, actor and children's writer.

What nationality is Matthew Nable?

Matthew Nable is Australian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Matthew Nable

· Wikidata: Q6006485

· DBpedia: Matt Nable

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Matthew Nable. https://biography.guide/matthew-nable/

MLA: "Matthew Nable." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/matthew-nable/.

Chicago: "Matthew Nable." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/matthew-nable/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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