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Tony Briggs

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Tony Briggs
Briggs in 2012
Born (1967-07-03) 3 July 1967 (age 57)
Australia
Occupation(s)Actor, writer
Years active1987–present
SpouseDamienne Pradier[1]
Children3[1]

Tony Briggs (born 3 July 1967) is an Aboriginal Australian actor. He is best known for creating the stage play The Sapphires (later a 2012 film), which tells the true story of an Aboriginal singing girl group who toured Vietnam during the war. Briggs is also a former track and field athlete.

Early life

Tony Briggs was born on 3 July 1967.[2] He is the son of Laurel Robinson, one of The Sapphires,[3] and is a Yorta Yorta / Wurundjeri man.[4]

He attended Scotch College, Melbourne as a boarding student from 1980 to 1985, and proved to be an outstanding athlete there. He was in the athletics team each year, and in 1985 was made Captain of Athletics. As of 2016 he held the school record for the 400m, the 110m hurdles (under-15, under-17 and open), and the under-16 100m hurdles. Believed to be the first Indigenous Australian student at the school, Briggs was a School House Prefect in his final year.[5]

Career

Television

Between 1987 and 1988, Briggs had the recurring role of banker Pete Baxter on television soap opera Neighbours. This was followed by many roles in television series such as Blue Heelers, Stingers and The Man From Snowy River. From 1997 he appeared in children's television series Ocean Girl as Dave Hartley.[6]

From 2009, Briggs appeared in the television series The Circuit as Mick Mathers.[7] In 2011, Briggs played Bilal in The Slap, based on the book by Christos Tsiolkas.[8]

He also had a role in Redfern Now in 2012. In 2016, he played the role of Boondee in the television drama series Cleverman and Brett in Nowhere Boys: Two Moons Rising. In 2017 he had a role in Seven Types of Ambiguity and was involved in creating and writing the series The Warriors as well as appearing in a small role.[4][9]

In 2024, Briggs was announced as part of the cast for Population 11.[10]

Theatre

Briggs wrote the Helpmann Award-winning play The Sapphires, first performed in 2004. It tells the story of The Sapphires, a singing group of four Koori women who tour Vietnam during the war.[11][12] It is inspired by the true story of his mother, Laurel Robinson, and aunt, Lois Peeler, who toured Vietnam as singers in 1968.[13] Briggs adapted the play for the 2012 film The Sapphires.[14]

Film

His movie roles include Australian Rules in 2002,[15] Bran Nue Dae in 2009, Healing in 2014,[16] and Joey in 1997.[3][17]

Briggs is the founder and artistic director of the Birrarangga Film Festival, launched in 2019 in Melbourne.[18] The biennial festival showcases films by indigenous filmmakers from around the world.[19]

Recognition and awards

Both the drama and film of The Sapphires won or were nominated for several awards, including winning the Helpmann Award in 2005 for best Australian New Work. Apart from these, Briggs was also the recipient of personal awards and recognition:[3]

  • 2012: Co-winner, Deadly Award – Jimmy Little Lifetime Achievement Award for Contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music, co-winner with the original Sapphires
  • 2013: Awarded the Bob Maza Fellowship by Screen Australia to further his international career,[20] which allowed him to attend an intensive course on directing and filmmaking in New York City
  • 2013: NAIDOC Award – Artist of the Year

Athletics career

Briggs was a successful 400m hurdler, and was runner-up at the Australian Athletics Championships from 1990 to 1992.[2] He also finished third at the 1990 Championships in the 110m hurdles.[2]

He was an Australian Institute of Sport athletics scholarship holder from 1986 to 1987.

Other activities and roles

In 2016 Briggs became patron of his alma mater Scotch College's foundation to perpetually endow the Scotch College Indigenous Scholarship programme.[5]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2024 Population 11 Jimmy James TV series
2023 The Newsreader Uncle Owie 1 episode
2022 The Twelve (Australian) Warri Saunders TV series, 2 episodes
2021 Preppers Kevin TV series, 1 episode
Fires IC Greg Hoy TV series, 1 episode
2019 Rosehaven Brian 1 episode
2018 Rake Greg Peters TV series, 3 episodes
2016-17 Cleverman Boondee/Trevor TV series, 8 episodes
2017 The Warriors Stuart TV series, 1 episode
Seven Types of Ambiguity Detective Threlfall TV series, 2 episodes
2016-17 Nowhere Boys Brett TV series, 4 episodes
2015 Ready For This Neville Preston TV series, 2 episodes
2014 Wentworth Steve Faulkner TV series, 4 episodes
2013 The Broken Shore Paul Dove TV movie
Hard Rock Medical Nick TV series, 1 episode
2012 Redfern Now Paul Maccoy TV series, 1 episode
Howzat! Kerry Packer's War Clive Lloyd TV miniseries, 2 episodes
2011 The Slap Bilai TV miniseries, 2 episodes
2009-10 The Circuit Mick Mathers TV series, 6 episodes
2004 Stingers Agent James Honey TV series, 1 episode
2000 Eugene Sandler PI Ice Cream Vendor TV series, 1 episode
1998 The Genie from Down Under 2 Mr Repo TV series, 1 episode
Gargantua Police Chief TV movie
1996-97 Ocean Girl Dave Hartley TV series, 37 episodes
1995 Snowy River: The McGregor Saga Toby King TV series, 1 episode
1994 Blue Heelers Tony Dixon TV series, 1 episode
1991 Ratbag Hero TV series
1987-88 Neighbours Pete Baxter TV series, 18 episodes

Film / Shorts

Year Title Role Notes
2023 Force of Nature: The Dry 2 Ian Chase Feature film
2019 Ties That Bind Police Officer Short film
2014 Healing Travis Feature film
2012 The Osyterman Joe Short film
2009 Bran Nue Dae Scary Black Man Feature film
2005 The Djarn Djarns Frankie Senior Short film
2001 One the Nose Michael Miller
1999 The Order Roy Short film
1997 Joey Mick
1995 The Life of Harry Dare Dan
1993 Everybody's Business Tony

References

  1. ^ a b O'Brien, Kerrie (21 June 2019). "We don't say 'the white actor Cate Blanchett': Tony Briggs on racism". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Tony Briggs". Australian Athletics Historical Results. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
  3. ^ a b c "Tony Briggs". AustLit. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Tony Briggs". VicScreen. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  5. ^ a b Shearer, Tim (3 October 2016). "Great Scot". Scotch College. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Ocean Girl". australiantelevision.net. Archived from the original on 24 November 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  7. ^ "The Circuit". sbs.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  8. ^ "The Slap". australiantelevision.net. Archived from the original on 21 November 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  9. ^ Tony Briggs at IMDb
  10. ^ Keast, Jackie (30 January 2024). "Ben Feldman leads Stan and Lionsgate's 'Population 11'". IF Magazine. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  11. ^ Cultural Dissent, Green Left Weekly issue 614 9 February 2005. Black sisters singing up a storm
  12. ^ "The Sapphires, Company B". Sydney Morning Herald]. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012.
  13. ^ "Sparkle, in any colour". theage.com.au. 15 November 2004. Archived from the original on 17 April 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  14. ^ "The Sapphires". filmink.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  15. ^ "Australian Rules". urbancinefile.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  16. ^ "Bran Nue Dae (2009) - News". imdb.com. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  17. ^ Joey at IMDb
  18. ^ "Tony Briggs talks all things Birrarangga Film Festival" (Video + text). VicScreen. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  19. ^ Gbogbo, Mawunyo (19 March 2023). "Birrarangga Film Festival to showcase Indigenous films from around the world in Naarm". ABC News. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  20. ^ "Bob Maza Fellowship". AustLit. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
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