Brendan Cowell
Born 16 August 1976
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Brendan Cowell (born 16 August 1976) is an Australian actor, screenwriter, comedian and director. Cowell was born in Sydney. He stumbled upon acting by accident while waiting for his sister to come out of a rehearsal; he was then cast in a commercial at age 8. He went to Charles Sturt University, in Bathurst, to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre/Media, originally considering journalism as a career option.
Cowell won the Patrick White Playwrights’ Award for his third play Bed[2] along with a collection of other awards. His play Ruben Guthrie showed at the Belvoir St Theatre in 2009 to sell-out houses. It has a new production at La Boite Theatre in 2011, starring Gyton Grantley and directed by David Berthold. His most famous acting role is playing the enigmatic Tom on Australian cable TV’s Love My Way, for which he also wrote several episodes, and playing Todd for the first two seasons on Life Support on SBS TV, for which he also wrote sketches.
His most recent foray into film have included roles in the 2007 crime drama Noise, World War 1 war film Beneath Hill 60 and romantic comedy I Love You Too. He won some acclaim for his portrayal of the title role in Bell Shakespeare’s 2008 Production of Hamlet[5] and acted in Sydney Theatre Company’s production of True West, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, in 2010. Brendan lives in Newtown, New South Wales Sydney and is a committed supporter of the Cronulla Sharks rugby league team.
In 2010 he published his first novel How it Feels.
In 2017 he starred as Galileo Galilei in the Young Vic’s production of Bertholt Brecht’s Life of Galileo.
Also in 2017, Cowell joined the cast of the HBO series Game of Thrones in Season 7 as Harrag, an Ironborn sea captain allied to Theon Greyjoy.
Personal life
Brendan was born to parents Yvonne and Bruce ‘Bruiser’ Cowell. He has two older sisters, Belinda and Jacqui (who was part of pop group Girlfriend). Was a self-confessed loner at primary school, which he said was due to his reading poems out at assembly and making up little plays and forcing people to watch them. He dated Rose Byrne for six years until they amicably parted ways in early 2010.
Brendan was criticised by media and political figures for perceived political opportunism for participating in a video condemning Prime Minister Tony Abbott for not doing enough to secure the lives of convicted drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in the days before their execution. In the video Brendan made personal attacks on the Prime Minister in a close up to camera, “Tony, if you had any courage and compassion you’d go to Indonesia and bring these boys home. Show some balls.” He later apologised on Twitter and closed his Twitter account.
Acting credits
Game of Thrones (2017) – Harrag, episodes: “The Queen’s Justice”, “The Spoils of War”
Brock – Allan Moffat
NRL Footy Show (2015) – Himself (3 episodes)
Ruben Guthrie (2015)
Belvoir’s Once in Royal David’s City (2014) – Will[11]
The Borgias (2013) – Mattai the Hebrew
The Outlaw Michael Howe (2013) – British soldier (uncredited)
Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War (2012) – Rod Marsh
Save Your Legs! (2012)[12]
The Slap – Episode #1.8: “Richie” (2011)[13] – Craig[14]
Sydney Theatre Company’s True West (2010)[6]
I Love You Too (2010)
Beneath Hill 60 – Oliver Woodward (2010 Anzac Day release)
Rush – Blake Fincher (2010, one episode)
Bell Shakespeare’s Hamlet – Hamlet (stage production) (2008)[5]
Noise – Constable Graham McGahan (2007)[15]
Love My Way – Tom Jackson (2005)
Deck Dogz (2005) – Kurt
Salem’s Lot – Dud Rogers
Fat Cow Motel (2003) TV Series – Jack Green[16]
Clutch (2003) – Brian[17]
Floodhouse (2003) – Herringbone John[18]
White Collar Blue – Episode #1.12 (2002) TV Episode – Daniel Hudson
Young Lions – Episode #1.4 (2002) TV Episode – Jason Doone
Life Support (2001) TV Series – Todd No. 1 (2001–2002)
To End All Wars (2001) – Wallace Hamilton
Water Rats – Family Matters (2001) TV Episode – Jonathan Freeman
The Monkey’s Mask (2000) – Hayden, Cercle intime (France), Maschera di scimmia, La (Italy), Poetry, Sex (Japan: English title)
City Loop (2000) – Robert, Bored Olives (UK: new title)[19]
Kick (1999) – Macca – aka James
Monster! (1999) (TV) – Nate
Home and Away – Colt (1998)
Writing
Ruben Guthrie (2015)
The Outlaw Michael Howe (2013)
Save Your Legs! (2012)[12]
The Slap (2011)[14] – Episode #1.3: “Harry”[20]
Ten Empty (2007)[21]
How It Feels (2010)[22]
Europe (2005)[23]
Love My Way (2004 – 2005 – 2007)[24][25][26]
Chrono-logic (2002)
The Doppelgangers (2002)
Baggage Claim (2002)
I Love U (2002)
Wasted on the Young (2002)
Free (2002/II)
Running Down These Dreams (2002)
Sweet Dreams (2002)