Richard Roxburgh

Richard Roxburgh (born 23 January 1962) is an Australian actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of a number of accolades across film, television, and theatre, including several AFI and AACTA Awards, Logie Awards, and Helpmann Awards.

He began his career working with the Sydney Theatre Company. He went on to appear in Australian and international productions such as Baz Luhrmann's films Moulin Rouge! (2001) and Elvis (2022), the ABC series Rake (2010–2018), and the action films Mission: Impossible 2 (2000), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), and Van Helsing (2004).

Early life and education Richard Roxburgh was born on 23 January 1962. His parents were John, an accountant, and Mary Roxburgh. He grew up in Albury, New South Wales.

Roxburgh studied economics at the Australian National University in Canberra,

After graduating from ANU, he decided to become an actor and was admitted to the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) on his second audition attempt, graduating in 1986. and also worked with Belvoir St Theatre.

In July 2010, Roxburgh played former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke in a telemovie based on Hawke's life.

In November 2010, Roxburgh co-created and began starring in the critically acclaimed ABC1 television comedy-drama series Rake as the brilliant but self-destructive Sydney criminal barrister Cleaver Greene, a role for which he won the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama in 2012. He stars in Matching Jack, which was released in August 2010, and Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, released in September 2010.

Returning to the stage, Roxburgh played Vanya opposite Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving and John Bell in Sydney Theatre Company's 2010 production of Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya. In 2013, he again performed at the STC with Weaving as the protagonists in Samuel Beckett's play Waiting for Godot, Weaving as Vladimir and Roxburgh as Estragon. In 2014, Roxburgh played the title role in Edmond Rostand's 1897 play Cyrano de Bergerac at the STC. In 2015, Roxburgh appeared in Andrew Upton's adaptation of Chekhov's play Platonov, titled The Present, for the STC. It was directed by John Crowley and featured Cate Blanchett, Jacqueline McKenzie, Marshall Napier, and Toby Schmitz. That production moved in 2016/17 to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City for the Broadway debut of Roxburgh and the rest of the cast.

In 2023, he appeared in Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe as a parody of his previous role in Rake.

In 2024 Roxburgh appeared in the Stan series Prosper, a thriller set in the megachurch community.

Roxburgh played the lead role in the feature film The Correspondent, as journalist Peter Greste. The Correspondent, directed by Kriv Stenders, was screened as the opening film of the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2024, along with the animated feature Lesbian Space Princess, in which he was one of the cast of voice actors.

In June 2025, Roxburgh was announced by Stan Australia that he was playing former Queensland premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen in the TV documentary Joh: The Last King of Queensland.

On 29 January 2026, Roxburgh was named in the Stan co-commissioned series Careless. Roxburgh toured Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide between February and May 2026 with Yasmina Reza's 1994 award-winning play Art as Marc opposite Damon Herriman as Serge and Toby Schmitz as Yvan.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1991 Dead to the World Johnny 1994 Talk Jack / Harry 1995 Lessons in the Language of Love Harry Short film Billy's Holiday Rob McSpedden Hayride to Hell George Weygate Short film 1996 Children of the Revolution Joe 1997 Doing Time for Patsy Cline Boyd Thank God He Met Lizzie Guy Jamieson 1998 Oscar and Lucinda Mr. Jeffries A Little Bit of Soul Sir Samuel Michael Voice In the Winter Dark Murray Jacob 1999 Captain Daventry Passion Percy Grainger 2000 Mission: Impossible 2 Hugh Stamp 2001 Moulin Rouge! 2002 Karl Neil 2003 2004 Van Helsing Count Dracula 2005 Stealth Dr. Keith Orbit Fragile Robert Kerry 2006 Like Minds Martin McKenzie 2007 Romulus, My Father Director and producer 2010 Matching Jack David Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole Boron Voice; Animated Film 2011 Sanctum Frank McGuire 2013 The Turning Vic Lang 2014 Maya the Bee Flip Voice; Animated Film 2015 Blinky Bill the Movie Blinky's dad Looking for Grace Dan 2016 Hacksaw Ridge Colonel Stelzer 2017 Breath Mr. Pike 2018 Swinging Safari Adult Jeff Marsh Narrator only Maya the Bee: The Honey Games Flip Voice; Animated Film 2019 Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan Brigadier David Jackson H Is for Happiness Jim Phee Angel of Mine Bernard 2020 Go Karts Patrick 2022 Elvis Vernon Presley 2023 Force of Nature: The Dry 2 Daniel Bailey 2024 Eden Allan Hancock The Correspondent Peter Greste 2025 Forgive Us All OttoAlso served as executive producer Lesbian Space Princess Problematic Ship Voice; Animated Film 2026 Fing! Mr. Dour

Television Year Title Role Notes 1987 The Riddle of the Stinson Proud Television film 1989 The Saint: Fear in Fun Park Justin 1990 The Paper Man 'Gracie' Fields Miniseries 1992 Tracks of Glory Hugh Mcintosh 1993 Seven Deadly Sins Gluttony / Mark Crimebroker Harrison Television film Police Rescue Tim Warne 1 episode 1995 Halifax f.p. Sergeant Paul Santos Blue Murder Roger Rogerson Miniseries 1996 Twisted Tales Ben 1 episode 1997 The Last of the Ryans Ronald Ryan Television film Frontier Superintendent William Hobbs 2001 Blonde Mr. R Television film 2002 The Road from Coorain Bill Sherlock Holmes 2006 The Silence Richard Treloar 2008–2009 East of Everything Art Watkins 2009 False Witness Charles Van Koors Miniseries 2010 Hawke Bob Hawke Television film 2010–2018 Rake Cleaver Greene Also co-creator and producer 2011 Ice Thom Archer 2015 Australia: The Story of Us Narrator Voice; television docudrama 2017 Blue Murder: Killer Cop Roger Rogerson Miniseries 2019 The Hunting Nick The Pool Narrator 1 episode Catherine the Great Grigory Orlov Miniseries Lovestruck Nigel Valentine Television film 2020 The Crown Bob Hawke Episodes: "Terra Nullius" & "48:1" 2021 Fires Duncan Simpson 2 episodes 2022 Bali 2002 Graham Ashton Miniseries 2023 Aunty Donna's Coffee Cafe Rake The PM's Daughter H.A.N.C. 3 episodes 2024 Prosper Cal Quinn 8 episodes2025Joh: Last King of QueenslandJoh Bjelke-PetersenTV documentaryTBACarelessMikeTV series

Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1977 Death of a Salesman Willy Loman Albury High School 1992 The Homecoming 1994 That Eye, the Sky Henry Warburton Burning House Theatre Company, Sydney, and Playhouse, Melbourne Hamlet Hamlet Company B at Belvoir St Theatre 2007–2008 Toy Symphony Roland Henning Belvoir St Theatre 2010 Uncle Vanya Vanya Sydney Theatre Company for Bell Shakespeare 2013 Waiting for Godot Estragon Sydney Theatre Company 2014 Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac 2015 The Present Mikhail 2016–2017 Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway 2026 Art Marc Sydney Theatre Company, Roslyn Packer Theatre

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref 1992 Sydney Theatre Awards Best Performance in a Supporting Role The Homecoming 1994 Freelance Director That Eye, the Sky Best New Play or Musical Best Performance by an Actor Hamlet 1995 Green Room Awards Best Actor Australian Film Institute Television Awards Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama Halifax f.p. 1996 Australian Film Institute Television Awards Blue Murder Logie Awards Most Outstanding Actor 1997 Verona International Film Festival Best Actor Thank God He Met Lizzie Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role Doing Time for Patsy Cline 1998 Film Critics Circle of Australia Best Actor – Male 1999 Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role Passion 2001 Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Moulin Rouge! Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture 2004 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards Worst Fake Accent – Male Van Helsing 2006 Australian Film Institute Awards Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama The Silence 2007 Logie Awards Most Outstanding Actor Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actor in a Lead Role Toy Symphony Australian Film Institute Awards Best Direction Romulus, My Father 2008 Film Critics Circle of Australia Best Director Helpmann Awards Best Male Actor in a Play Toy Symphony 2010 Equity Ensemble Awards Rake Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actor Uncle Vanya Australian Film Institute Awards Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama Hawke 2011 Seoul International Drama Awards Best Actor Logie Awards Most Outstanding Actor Rake Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels Actor – TV Series Helpmann Awards Best Male Actor in a Play Uncle Vanya 2012 Equity Ensemble Awards Rake AACTA Awards Best Television Drama Series 2013 Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama Sydney Theatre Awards Best Actor Waiting for Godot 2014 Cyrano de Bergerac Helpmann Awards Best Male Actor in a Play Waiting for Godot AACTA Awards Best Television Drama Series Rake Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama 2015 Logie Awards Most Outstanding Actor 2016 Helpmann Awards Best Male Actor in a Play The Present 2017 Logie Awards Most Outstanding Actor Rake 2019 AACTA Awards Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama The Hunting 2020 AACTA Awards Best Actor in a Leading Role H is for Happiness 2021 AACTA Awards Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama Fires 2022 Logie Awards Most Outstanding Actor 2023Logie AwardsMost Outstanding Actor Bali 2002