Mark Coles Smith
Mark Coles Smith | |
---|---|
AACTA International Award for Best Actor in a Series (2022) |
Mark Coles Smith (born 1987), also known by his musical identity as Kalaji, is an
In 2023 he became the first
Early life and education
Coles Smith was born in 1987
His parents separated when he was young, and travelled around the country (including at Southern Cross University in Lismore, New South Wales; and in Brisbane, Perth, and Broome) with his mother, who was an academic who lectured in Indigenous mental health. He did not reconnect with his father, who ran art projects in remote communities, until he was around 10 or 11 years old. He felt an instant rapport and familiarity with his father, who he described as possessing a kind of "German eccentricity".[4]
He made his debut in the
In 2007, Coles Smith received the
Career
Coles Smith has worked in acting, sound design, field recording, writing, and composing music.[3]
Film and television
After filming his role in The Gods of Wheat Street in 2014, Coles Smith was cast in an episode of American sitcom Modern Family, playing a tour guide called Koora in an episode filmed in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.[7]
Coles Smith won critical acclaim for his performance as Tilly in Last Cab to Darwin, and was awarded with FCCA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 2015.[8]
In 2021, Coles Smith was cast in Mystery Road: Origin, a prequel to the original two series.[9][10] In the prequel, Coles Smith played a younger version of detective Jay Swan, a role originated by Aaron Pedersen.[11]
Following Chris Brown's defection from Network 10 to the Seven Network in 2023, Coles Smith succeeded Brown as the narrator of The Dog House Australia.[12]
Coles Smith features as narrator and interviewer in the documentary Keeping Hope, directed by Tyson Mowarin, which examines the high rates of
In
Stage acting
Coles Smith has performed in several stage plays. He gave his first stage performance as a child, Crabbing at High Tide,
His 2016 performance in
Coles Smith played a leading role opposite
Music
Coles Smith was the
Under the stage name Kalaji (the
In December 2021, under the name Kalaji, he released an
Narration (audio)
In 2020, Coles Smith narrated an extract from the Banjo Paterson's poem " The Man From Snowy River" on RN Breakfast.[31]
Coles Smith narrated the
Recognition and awards
- 2007: Yvonne Cohen Award, Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development[6]
- 2015: FCCA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for Last Cab to Darwin[8]
- 2017: Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play, for his role in The Drover's Wife[22]
- 2022: AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Series at the (domestic) 12th AACTA Awards, for his portrayal of Detective Jay Swan in Mystery Road: Origin[33][34][a]
- 2023: AACTA International Award for Best Actor in a Series at the 12th AACTA International Awards, for his portrayal of Detective Jay Swan in Mystery Road: Origin[36][3][37][b]
- 2023: Nominated for Gold Logie[17]
Personal life
Coles Smith was deeply affected by the suicide of a close friend in 2011, when he was 23 years old, but kept his experience and feelings hidden until several weeks into the making of the documentary Keeping Hope ten years later.[16]
In an appearance on Take 5, a show hosted by Zan Rowe on ABC Television and in an hour-long interview on Double J in October 2023, Coles Smith revealed the five songs that he had found most centering, or grounding, in his life:[4]
- Crystal Waters – "100% Pure Love"
- David Bowie – "New Killer Star"
- Benjamin Clementine – "I Won't Complain"
- Jónsi – "Go Do"
- M83 – "Outro"
Also on Take 5, Coles Smith said that his grandmother was Ningali Lawford, then a dancer at Bangarra Dance Theatre in Sydney (later an actress). He said that she had a three-month relationship with David Bowie, who asked her to accompany him back to Berlin, but she refused.[39]
Coles Smith moved to Melbourne in 2015.[40] After many years of living on the east coast of Australia, he had returned to his hometown Broome by 2023.[3]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | Ocean Star | Spider | 12 episodes |
2005 | Blue Heelers | Luke Parnell | Episode: "One Good Turn" |
2007–2010 | The Circuit | Billy Wallan | 8 episodes |
2009 | Dirt Game | Willie | Episode: "Boab Dreaming" |
2013 | Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries | Tom Derrimut | Episode: "Deadweight" |
2013–2018 | Hard Rock Medical | Gary Frazier | |
2014 | Modern Family | Australian Guide | Episode: "Australia" |
2014 | The Gods of Wheat Street | Tristan Freeburn | 6 episodes |
2014 | Old School | Jason Dhurkay | 8 episodes |
2015 | Airlock | Jonah Ashbrook | |
2016 | Hunters | Dylan Briggs | 13 episodes |
Please Like Me | Ricky | 1 episode | |
2017 | Doctor Doctor | Dan | 2 episodes |
2017-23 | Little J & Big Cuz | Uncle Nick | 20 episodes |
2018 | Picnic at Hanging Rock | Tom | 6 episodes |
2018 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 | Specialist Crash (voice) | |
2017-20 | Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell | Various (incl. Bumfrey Moo) | 14 episodes |
2019 | Lift | Guy | TV series |
KGB | William | 5 episodes | |
Les Norton | Jack 'Palings' Murphy | 1 episode | |
2019 | Zero-Point | Kyle Burton | 4 episodes |
2020 | Halifax: Retribution | Kip Lee | TV series; 7 episodes |
2022 | Savage River | Joel Thorpe | TV series; 6 episodes |
Mystery Road: Origin | Jay Swan | Series 3 main, succeeded Aaron Pedersen | |
2023 | The Clearing | Wayne Dhurrkay | TV series |
Erotic Stories | Manny | 1 episode (Imperfect Paw Paw) | |
TBA | Apple Cider Vinegar | TBA | Filming |
Film appearances
Year | Title | Roles | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
TBA | We Bury the Dead | TBA | Post-production |
2023 | Combat Wombat: Back 2 Back | Reginald | |
2023 | Scarygirl | River Bandit (voice) | |
2022 | Sweet As | Ian | [41] |
2022 | Akoni | Sammy | |
2021 | Jarli | Cuzzo | Short |
2020 | The Story of Lee Ping | Jack | Short |
2020 | Occupation: Rainfall | Captain Wessex | |
2016 | Miro | Miro | Short |
2016 | Messiah | Short | |
2015 | Last Cab to Darwin | Tilly | FCCA Award for Best Supporting Actor Nominated – AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role[3] Won – AFCA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role[8] |
Pawno | Pauly | Nominated – AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated – FCCA Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
2014 | Wurinyan | Henry | Short |
2013 | Around The Block | Steve Wood | |
2012 | Ace of Spades | Christian | Short |
2010 | Beneath Hill 60 | Billy Bacon |
Self appearances / presenter
Year | TItle | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2023 | The Dog House Australia | Narrator | |
2020 | Outback Ringer | Narrator | |
2019 | Will Australia ever have a black Prime Minister? | Presenter |
Footnotes
References
- ^ "Smith, Mark Coles (1987-)". City Libraries, City of Gold Coast. Gold Coast City Council. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023.
The person, Smith, Mark Coles (1987-) represents an individual associated with resources found in City Libraries, City of Gold Coast
- ^ a b Byram, Vickii (10 July 2022). "Mystery Road Origin reveals Jay Swan's beginnings as a detective". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Smith, Mark Coles (25 July 2023). "Mark Coles Smith" (PDF). National Indigenous Times (Interview). Style Up. Interviewed by Smith, Shahna: 12-13.
- ^ ABC Listen. Interviewed by Rowe, Zan. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "My first job: Mark Coles Smith, actor". The New Daily. 3 March 2014. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ a b "Mark Coles Smith". CPMGT. 1 March 2015. Archived from the original on 1 March 2015. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ Domjen, Briana (17 March 2014). "Aussie actor Mark Coles Smith steered clear of Modern Family sex bomb Sofia Vergara because she was 'absolutely gorgeous'". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ a b c "2015 Awards". FCCA Awards. Film Critics Circle of Australia. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
Best Actor - Supporting Role: Mark Coles Smith (Last Cab to Darwin)
- ^ Quinn, Karl (21 August 2021). "'Big boots to fill': Mark Coles Smith inherits Aaron Pedersen's iconic role". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ Bailey, John (31 May 2023). "Mystery Road star's ghosts: 'sometimes I can feel them nearby'". The Age. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ Byram, Vickii (13 July 2022). "A drive down Mystery Road with Mark Coles Smith is a journey back to detective Jay Swan's origins". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (9 February 2023). "Mark Coles Smith narrates The Dog House". TV Tonight. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- SBS On Demand. 10 September 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Keeping Hope". Sydney Film Festival. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Keeping Hope: Mark Coles Smith's powerful and deeply personal documentary". NITV. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ a b Dow, Steve (29 August 2023). "'We need to be strong together': Mark Coles Smith on Australia's 'deeply offensive' Indigenous suicide crisis". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ a b c Knox, David (28 July 2023). "Mark Coles Smith makes history as first Indigenous actor nominated for Gold Logie". TV Tonight. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ Karvelas, Patricia (29 July 2023). "'Stoked to be included': Mark Coles Smith on Logie nomination". RN Breakfast. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Mark Coles Smith". AusStage. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ "Crabbing at High Tide". AusStage. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ "The Drover's Wife". AusStage. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ a b Harmon, Steph (24 July 2017). "Helpmanns 2017: The Drover's Wife and Adelaide festival claim Australian theatre awards". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ "Black Ties". AusStage. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Which Way Home". AusStage. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Kalaji Discography". Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ a b Woods, Cat (7 December 2021). "Kalaji – 'Kalaji' review: Sweeping, evocative electronic soundscapes by Mark Coles Smith". NME. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Night River at YIRRAMBOI Festival". WeekendNotes. 28 April 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ a b "Kalaji – Kalaji (2021, red with black swirl vinyl, Vinyl)". Discogs. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- YouTube, published by Heavy Machinery Records, 29 November 2021.
- ^ "Ungarinyin Religion". Encyclopedia.com. 19 October 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Friday Poem: Mark Coles Smith reads from 'The Man From Snowy River', Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 24 July 2020, retrieved 31 October 2023
- ISBN 978-1-004-03018-7 – via Trove
- ^ "Winners Announced for the 2022 AACTA Awards". AACTA. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ "Winners Announced for the 12th AACTA International Awards". AACTA. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Cain, Sian (23 October 2022). "Baz Luhrmann's Elvis leads 2022 Aacta award nominations". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (24 February 2023). "AACTA International Awards 2023: winners". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
ABC's Mystery Road: Origin taking home Best Drama Series and Mark Coles Smith was named Best Lead Actor in a Series.
- ^ "Winners announced for the 12th AACTA International Awards". FilmInk. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (23 February 2023). "Australia's International Awards: 'Avatar: The Way Of Water', Cate Blanchett & Austin Butler Take Top Prizes – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ Hitch, Georgia (31 October 2023). "Mark Coles Smith reveals family and personal connections to David Bowie". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 1 November 2023.
- ^ O'Brien, Mary (31 July 2015). "My secret Melbourne: actor Mark Coles Smith goes looking for the doorway to love". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 April 2016.
- ^ Bailey, John (31 May 2023). "Mystery Road star's ghosts: 'sometimes I can feel them nearby'". The Age. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
External links
- Mark Coles Smith at IMDb