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.
Tony Briggs | |
|---|---|
 Briggs in 2012 | |
| Born | 3 July 1967 Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, writer |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Spouse | Damienne Pradier[1] |
| Children | 3[1] |
Early life
editTony 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[update] 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
editTelevision
editBetween 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
editBriggs 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
editHis 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
editBoth 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
editBriggs 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
editIn 2016, Briggs became patron of his alma mater Scotch College's foundation to perpetually endow the Scotch College Indigenous Scholarship programme.[5]
Filmography
editTelevision
edit| 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
edit| 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
edit- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c "Tony Briggs". Australian Athletics Historical Results. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
- ^ a b c "Tony Briggs". AustLit. 9 July 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ a b "Tony Briggs". VicScreen. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ a b Shearer, Tim (3 October 2016). "Great Scot". Scotch College. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ "Ocean Girl". australiantelevision.net. Archived from the original on 24 November 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ^ "The Circuit". sbs.com.au. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ^ "The Slap". australiantelevision.net. Archived from the original on 21 November 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ^ Tony Briggs at IMDb
- ^ Keast, Jackie (30 January 2024). "Ben Feldman leads Stan and Lionsgate's 'Population 11'". IF Magazine. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ Cultural Dissent, Green Left Weekly issue 614 9 February 2005. Black sisters singing up a storm
- ^ "The Sapphires, Company B". Sydney Morning Herald]. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012.
- ^ "Sparkle, in any colour". theage.com.au. 15 November 2004. Archived from the original on 17 April 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ^ "The Sapphires". filmink.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
- ^ "Australian Rules". urbancinefile.com.au. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
- ^ "Bran Nue Dae (2009) - News". imdb.com. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- ^ Joey at IMDb
- ^ "Tony Briggs talks all things Birrarangga Film Festival" (Video + text). VicScreen. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ^ Gbogbo, Mawunyo (19 March 2023). "Birrarangga Film Festival to showcase Indigenous films from around the world in Naarm". ABC News. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
- ^ "Bob Maza Fellowship". AustLit. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
External links
edit
- Tony Briggs at IMDb