Nick Barkla is an Australian actor, known for his roles in the films Em 4 Jay,[1][2] Embedded[3][4] and Blind Company.[5][6]

Nick Barkla
NationalityAustralian
EducationAtlantic Theater
Steppenwolf Theater
OccupationActor
Years active1997–present
Notable workEm 4 Jay
Embedded
Blind Company
SpouseLaura Gordon

Early life

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Barkla undertook his acting studies at the Atlantic Theater in New York, Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, and with Margie Haber in Los Angeles. He also studied dialects and voice with Anna McCrossin-Owen, Jessica Drake, Jenny Kent and Tyler Coppin.[7]

Career

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Barkla has appeared in television guest roles in The Doctor Blake Mysteries, Rush, The Secret Life of Us and Blue Heelers. In 2024 he had a recurring a recurring role in U.S. series Hotel Cocaine.

Barkla's first film role was in 2004 drama Tom White (alongside Colin Friels). He has played the lead roles in the films Em 4 Jay (2008, opposite Laura Gordon), Blind Company (2009, with Colin Friels again) and Embedded (2016, once more with Laura Gordon).

He has also appeared on stage in Uncle Bob at Red Stitch Actors Theatre in 2002 (upon which the film Blind Company was based),[8] and A Steady Rain at Sydney's Old Fitzroy Theatre in 2015.[9][10]

Barkla directed and produced award-winning documentary film The Healing.[11]

In 2007 Barkla received the first AFI Fellowship.[12]

Personal life

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Barkla is married to fellow actress Laura Gordon, with whom he starred in Em 4 Jay, Embedded and Hotel Cocaine.[13]

Filmography

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Film (as actor)

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Tom White Darren Burrows Feature film
2005 Rupture The Friend Short film
2006 Em 4 Jay Jay Feature film
2010 Blind Company Josh Brewster Feature film
2012 Lest We Forget Trevor Short film
2012 Road to Recovery Eric Short film
2016 Embedded Frank Feature film
2019 Tâm DJ Short film
2023 US Gavin

[14]

Film (as producer/director/writer)

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Year Title Role Notes
2019 Tâm Associate Producer Short film
2010 Blind Company Associate Producer Feature film
2011 Hail Executive Producer Feature film
2014 Inside Fighter Director / Producer / Writer / Cinematographer
2019 The Horses Director / Producer / Co-writer Documentary short film
2023 The Healing Director / Producer / Writer Documentary feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1997 Blue Heelers Byron Helford TV series, season 4, episode 16: "Lean on Me"
1999 Blue Heelers Craig Ryan TV series, season 6, episode 17: "The Stag"
2002 Blue Heelers Campbell Ferguson TV series, season 9, episode 27: "The Last Jar"
2002 The Secret Life of Us Tom TV series, season 2, episode 9: "Controlling the Universe"
2011 Rush Detective Reynolds TV series, season 4, episode 6: "In His Nature"
2015 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Alec Richardson TV series, season 4, episode 6: "A Difficult Lie"
2024 Hotel Cocaine Congressman Landon TV series, 4 episodes

[15]

Theatre

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Year Title Role Venue / Co.
1999 Equus Alan Strang
2002 The Lights Various
2002 Uncle Bob Josh Red Stitch Actors Theatre
2003 A-Framed Simon / Damian The Store Room, Melbourne
2006 Sugar Mountain Cinema Nova, Melbourne
2014 Glengarry Glen Ross Williamson Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
2015 A Steady Rain Joey Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney with Red Line Productions

[16][17]

Awards

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Year Work Award Category Result
2007 Nick Barkla AFI Awards Fellowship Award Won
2016 Inside Fighter Melbourne Documentary Film Festival Audience Award Nominated
2019 The Horses One-Reeler Short Film Competition Award of Excellence Won
2022 The Healing Santa Monica Film Festival Best Documentary Feature Nominated (Honourable Mention)
2022 The Healing Veterans Film Festival Best Short Film Won

References

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  1. ^ Schembri, Jim (15 September 2006), "Em 4 Jay", The Age
  2. ^ Edwards, George (21 September 2006), "Em 4 Jay", Variety
  3. ^ Cockrell, Eddie (17 June 2016). "Film Review: 'Embedded'". Variety. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  4. ^ Pfeiffer, Oliver (5 December 2014), "The Boys scribe moves to directing with 'conceal and reveal' erotic drama Embedded", SBS Movies
  5. ^ Paatsch, Leigh (20 May 2010), "Moody message from exile", Courier Mail
  6. ^ Saeed, Saeed (17 May 2010), "Movie spotlight", Leader - Melbourne/Yarra Leader
  7. ^ https://nickbarkla.com/acting/
  8. ^ Usher, Robin (15 March 2002), "Why buy a house when you can build a theatre?", The Age
  9. ^ Blake, Elissa (18 September 2015), "Intimacy at heart of gritty cop drama", The Sydney Morning Herald
  10. ^ Blake, Jason (28 September 2015), "Floodgates open as drama hits gothic highs", The Sydney Morning Herald
  11. ^ https://nickbarkla.com/directing/
  12. ^ Kalina, Paul (1 November 2007), "Barkla first AFI fellow", The Age
  13. ^ https://numeronetherlands.squarespace.com/interviews/in-conversation-with-laura-gordon
  14. ^ https://nickbarkla.com/acting/film/
  15. ^ https://nickbarkla.com/acting/television/
  16. ^ https://nickbarkla.com/acting/theatre/
  17. ^ https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/231663
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