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Christopher Sommers

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Christopher Grantley Sommers (30 June 1977) is an Irish-born actor who moved to Australia.

Education

He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting) from the Queensland University of Technology (2000-2002). He undertook Master Classes at the 16th Street Studio (Melbourne) in 2012 with Ellen Burstyn, 2014 with Carl Ford and with Larry Moss in 2014 and 2016. He also attended a Masterclass with Ivana Chubbuch in Los Angeles in 2016.[1]

Acting career

While undertaking his degree Sommers acted in several stage productions, starting in 2001 in Uncle Vanya. Following his graduation he acted with several major companies mainly in Queensland although he did travel interstate with touring productions.[2]

His first role was in a short film, The Machine, in 2002 and he has since appeared in short film, television series and feature films.[3]

He has worked with Russell Crowe in The Water Diviner (2014), with Ethan Hawk and Sarah Snook in Predestination (2014) and John Cusack in Drive Hard (2014). Sommers stars in a feature film a zombie western Bullets for the Dead (set for release 2016) the first film for a joint venture between a Brisbane-based Cathartic Pictures and UK sales agent Stealth Media Group. It is intended to film a number of low budget genre films to be sold internationally.[4]

Sommers has played diverse characters including a scientist, a bush bashing yokel, a soldier and comedy and says that growing older and changing your appearance allows you to play different roles.[5]

Teaching

Sommers is a co-creator of the 21 Day Actors Challenge. Together with Angela Olyslager and Tanya Schneider they have put together a program to assist actors. The program is online and it includes acting exercises that will help participant be better prepared for stage and film roles.[6] They also run Weekend Workshops.[7]

Reviews

In the 2010 production of Fat Pig at the Bille Brown Studio he was described in a review by ABC radio as, " the always interesting Christopher Sommers" and "In fact all performances were of the very highest quality. Sommers was likewise wonderfully sensitive".[8]

In the production of Beautiful (2008) the review in Stagediary stated,

... Christopher Sommers, as the mysterious almost sinister left-behind school friend, is the best example of this, and his triumph in this performance is to make his character almost seem like a bad actor who hasn’t learned his lines, until we notice the utter control he has over his movement and his voice. Stage presence doesn’t have to shout “Look at me acting!” – in this case, it’s all done by understatement.[9]

Nathanael Cooper in the Courier Mail review of Orphans (2011) wrote of Sommers,

The play is not easy to watch. It is troubling and harrowing and one particular scene sees Christopher Sommers absolutely own the audience as he describes, in gruesome detail, some of the darkest sides of life.[10]

Awards

2006 Matilda Awards Emerging Artist[11]

2010 Matilda Awards nominated Best Male Actor in a Leading Role[12]

Filmography

Film

Title Year Role Notes
The Machine 2002 Scarred Man Short film
Counter 2007 James Dalton Short film
Unfinished Sky 2007 Mike Potter
All My Friends Are Leaving Brisbane 2007 Kane/Negative Man
The Horseman 2008 Pauly
The Prams 2008 Earl Short film
Jucy 2010 Nate
Attached 2011 Michael Short film
Silver Stilletto 2012 Trevor Fenton Short film
Jacob Fights Giants 2012 Neil Rockford Short film
Cough 2013 Brett Short film
Predestination 2014 Mr. Miller
Sailboats 2014 Adam Short film
Ouroboros 2014 Linden Connor Short film
Drive Hard 2014 Gas Station Attendant
Letter to Annabelle 2014 James Short film
The Water Diviner 2014 Tucker
Inverse 2014 John Short film
Power State 2014 Martin Andrews Short film
The Fear of Darkness 2015 Detective Constable Gardiner
Actor's Apocalypse 2015 Social Services Officer Short film
The Girlfriend 2015 Steve Short film
Bullets for the Dead 2015 James Dalton
Brothers 2015 Police Officer Short film
The Insect & the Alien 2016 Owen Short film
Emporium 2017 Kent Short film
Australia Day 2017 Desk Sergeant
Slaughter at Lonesome Rock 2017 Sergeant Matthew Cooper Short film
A Picture of Other People 2018 Paramedic Short film
A Guide to Dating at the End of the World 2019 Ken
Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan 2019 Group Captain Peter Raw
Burden 2019 The Man Short film

Television

Title Year Role Notes
Love Bytes 2004 Neal 4 episode
Monarch Cove 2006 Mechanic Episode: "Episode 11"
The Starter Wife 2007 Clarity Harbor Staffer #2 Episode: "Hour 3"; miniseries
The Strip 2008 Barry Barrington Episode: "House of Ill Repute"
Sea Patrol 2011 Jason Merritt Episode: "Dead Zone"
Terra Nova 2011 Earl Episode: "Genesis: Part 1"
Fatal Honeymoon 2012 Inmate 1 Television film
Reef Doctors 2013 Liam Episode: "Episode 5"
Parer's War 2014 Dr. Bill McLean Television film
Texas Rising: The Lost Soldier 2015 Settler Episode: "Chapter 1"; miniseries
Mako: Island of Secrets 2015 Mr. Johnson Episode: "The Siren"
Wanted 2016 Dirk Episode: "Detour"
Hunters 2016 Sterling Martinez 2 episodes
Dirty, Clean & Inbetween 2017 James Television pilot
Harrow 2018 Detective Leichhardt 2 episodes
The Bureau of Magical Things 2018–present Professor Maxwell Main role (18 episodes)
Secret City: Under the Eagle 2019 John Smith Episode: "Broken Bird"
Nevernight 2019 Hangman Main role; miniseries
The End 2020 Beau 2 episodes
Sweet Tooth 2021† Spaghetti Episode: "Part One"; filming
Interface 2021† Lucian 5 episodes; pre-production
Key
Denotes television series that have not yet been aired

Theatre[2]

Christopher Sommers as actor unless otherwise stated

Year Title Venue Year Title Venue
2001 Uncle Vanya QUT Gardens Theatre, Brisbane 2001 (25 Oct-23 Nov) The Merchant of Venice QUT Gardens Theatre, Brisbane
2002 Song of the Yellow Bittern QUT Gardens Theatre, Brisbane 2002 (7-23 Mar) The Jungle Woodward Theatre, Kelvin Grove
2002 (23 May - 1 Jun) Building The Wall QUT Gardens Theatre, Brisbane 2003 (10 -13 Dec) Stained Darlinghurst Theatre, Darlinghurst
2004 (24 May-26 Jun) Proof Cremorne Theatre, South Brisbane 2004 (3-5 Nov) Sleeping Around Belvoir Street Downstairs Theatre, Surry Hills
2005 The Oracle Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm 2005 (8 -13 Feb) Trance Newtown Theatre, Newtown
2005 (Apr-Aug) Zigzag Street Touring Qld, NT, NSW, WA, Vic 2006 Trivia Metro Arts, Brisbane
2006 (24 Jan -4 Feb) Omon Ra Brisbane Powerhouse, New Farm 2006 (8 May) Hoods The Studio (Sydney Opera House),
2007 (8-18 Aug) Closer Sue Benner Theatre, Brisbane 2007 (23 Oct-3 Nov) The Laramie Project Visy Theatre, New Farm
2008 (Apr/May) Hoods NSW, Qld, SA 2008 (22 - 23 May) The People Next Door Metro Arts Studio, Brisbane
2008 (26 Nov-6 Dec) Anatomy Titus Fall of Rome Merlyn Theatre, Southbank 2008 (29 Nov-8 Dec) Beautiful The Loft, Kelvin Grove
2009 (18 Mar-4Apr) The Pillowman (Producer) Sue Benner Theatre, Brisbane 2009 (13-22 May) The Exception and the Rule Bille Brown Studio, Brisbane
2009 (Jul/Aug) The School of Arts Touring Qld 2009 (18-20 Sep) My Night with Harold (Assistant Director) Metro Arts Warehouse, Brisbane
2009 (26 Oct-14 Nov) The Crucible Playhouse, Southbank, Brisbane 2010 (6 Feb-14 Mar) Hamlet Roundhouse Theatre, Kelvin Grove
2010 (7-25 Apr) Blackbird (Producer) Roundhouse Theatre, Kelvin Grove 2010 (31 May-26 Jun) Fat Pig Bille Brown Studio, Brisbane
2011 (6-23 Apr) The Ugly One (Assistant Director/Producer) Metro Art Galleries 2011 (23 Jun-9 Jul) Orphans Bille Brown Studio, Brisbane
2011 (7-27 Nov) Pygmalion Playhouse, Southbank

References

  1. ^ "Christopher Sommers Resume". IMDb. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Christopher Sommers". AusStage. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Filmography". IMDb. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  4. ^ "Bullets for the Dead heralds Oz-UK co-venture BY Don Groves 24 May 2013". if. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  5. ^ "Filmmaking in Brisbane : an interview with chris sommers By Willem Whilfield 19 Jan 2016". The Creative Issue. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Ten top tips - Christopher Sommers 5 August 2015". MEAA. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Workshop/Resources". 21 Day Actor Challenge. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Fat Pig reflects the audience By Nigel Munro-Wallis 9 June 2010". ABC Radio Brisbane. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Beautiful by Alison Cotes [28 November 2007]". StageDiary. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  10. ^ "Review: Orphans at Bille Brown Studio By NAthanael Cooper 28 June 2011". Courier Mail. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  11. ^ "Emerging Artists 2006". Matilda Awards. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  12. ^ "2010 Awards". Matilda Awards Archive. Retrieved 25 June 2017.