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Nick Simpson-Deeks

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Nick Simpson-Deeks
Born
Nicholas Deeks

OccupationActor
Years active2001–present
Notable workThe Circuit, Winners & Losers, Deadloch

Nick Simpson-Deeks is a NIDA-trained Australian actor of stage and screen. He is best known for his portrayal of Archie McMahon in the SBS drama series The Circuit, Rhys Mitchell in Seven Network's Winners & Losers, and James King in the Amazon Original crime series Deadloch.

Early life

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Simpson-Deeks was born and raised in Werris Creek, New South Wales, and attended Oxley High School in Tamworth.[1] He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2001.[2] In 2006 he was awarded a Mike Walsh Fellowship which he used to further his actor training at the School at Steppenwolf in Chicago.[3]

Career

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Film and television

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Simpson-Deeks was a series regular in both seasons of the award-winning[4] legal drama The Circuit, the second season of Winners & Losers (after guest starring in the show's first season), and the sci-fi series Stormworld. Additionally, he has guest-starred in Utopia, The Newsreader, Five Bedrooms, Underbelly: Fat Tony & Co., Wentworth, Mr & Mrs Murder, Play School, City Homicide, The Strange Calls, Temptation, and The Postcard Bandit.[5] He plays forensic pathologist James King in the Amazon Original series, Deadloch.[6]

His film credits include roles in the short films After the Credits, Dropbear, A Simple Song, Shades of Grey and Home. He portrayed Irish rider Pat Smullen in the 2011 feature film The Cup, and filmmaker Billy Name in Jim Sharman's Andy X – a musical film based on the death of Andy Warhol.

Theatre

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Simpson-Deeks made his professional theatre debut in Falling on My Left Ear: A Show about George Wallace for the now defunct Railway Street Theatre Company in Parramatta in 2002.[7] The following year, he returned to Railway Street to play the role of Tom in Michael Gow's iconic Australian play, Away.[8] Both productions toured regionally and were directed by Mary-Anne Gifford.[9]

In 2005 he received critical acclaim for his performance in Mark Ravenhill's Handbag at the Seymour Centre.[10] Later that year, he starred in Somewhere – an original musical by Tim Minchin and Kate Mulvany – for Q Theatre.[11]

In 2009, Simpson-Deeks was cast in the ensemble of Jerry Springer: the Opera at the Sydney Opera House as part of Sydney Festival. He joined the original Australian cast of Jersey Boys, in the role of Franki Valli (Alternate), that same year, but left the production prematurely due to health complications.[12] In 2010, he sang the role of Skeets Miller in a one-off concert performance of Adam Guettel's Floyd Collins at City Recital Hall in Sydney.[13]

Simpson-Deeks played the role of Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick in Ned: A New Australian Musical at Bendigo's Ulumbarra Theatre in 2015, and is featured on the show's Official Cast Recording.[14] He reprised the role in concert at The National Theatre, Melbourne in 2017.[15]

He played Chris Bean in the Australian production of The Play That Goes Wrong, and briefly reprised the role during the Australian tour of Peter Pan Goes Wrong in 2019.[16] In between, he toured nationally as Cassius in Bell Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.[17]

Simpson-Deeks has worked extensively with Watch This – a Melbourne-based theatre company dedicated exclusively to the work of Stephen Sondheim – starring in seven of their nine productions to date.[18]

In 2019 he received a Green Room Award for Best Supporting Actor in Musical Theatre for his performance in Falsettos at Melbourne's Chapel Off Chapel. He has been nominated for six Green Room Awards in total.[19]

In 2023, he played the role of Mike Priddle in the Australian premiere of Ghost Stories, at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne.

Other work

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Simpson-Deeks created the character of Daniel "Danno" Bookham for the popular educational video game Murder Under the Microscope, and played the role from 2007 to 2012.

In 2018, Simpson-Deeks was featured in the six-part web series Freudian Slip, alongside writer and commentator Benjamin Law.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Roles Notes
2015 Home Theo Short film
2014 Dropbear Dad Short film
2012 Andy X Billy Name Short film
2011 The Cup Pat Smullen Feature film
2011 The Strange Calls Judd Short film
2010 After the Credits Passenger Short film
2003 Temptation Agent TV movie
2003 The Postcard Bandit Prison Guard Greg TV movie

Television

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Year Title Roles Notes Ref
2023 The Newsreader Paul TV series: 4 episodes
2023 Utopia (Australian TV series) Bryce TV series 1 episode
2023 Deadloch James King TV series, 6 episodes [20]
2021 Five Bedrooms Roger TV series, 1 episode
2018 Freudian Slip Jacob's Super Ego TV series, 7 episodes
2011-14 Winners & Losers Rhys Mitchell TV series, 18 episodes
2014 Fat Tony & Co. Bruno Rich TV miniseries, 3 episodes
2013 Mr & Mrs Murder Tyler Betts TV series, 1 episode
2012 The Strange Calls Nick TV series, 1 episode
2010 City Homicide Lleyton Brenner TV series, 1 episode
2007-10 The Circuit Archie McMahon TV series, 11 episodes [21]
2009 Stormworld Apssed TV series, 13 episodes

Video game

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Year Title Roles Notes
2007–12 Murder Under the Microscope Daniel 'Danno' Bookham Educational video game

Theatre

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Year Title Roles Notes
2000 Road Brink / Mr Iger / Tom Stanley / Blowpipe NIDA Parade Theatre
2000 Masurca Fogo Dancer Sydney Olympic Arts Festival
2000 A Midsummer Night’s Dream Egeus / Puck NIDA Parade Theatre with Night Sky Productions
2001 Kiss Me, Kate NIDA Parade Theatre
2002 Falling on My Left Ear: A Show about George Wallace Young George Wallace Railway Street Theatre Company
2003 Away Tom / Rick Railway Street Theatre Company
2004 Dot by Dot with Sondheim Lover Cabaret @ Bar Me
2004 Into the Woods Rapunzel's Prince
2004 Embalmer! The Musical Craig Naked Theatre Company
2005 In the Raw: The Windows Project Nick Darlinghurst Theatre
2005 Handbag Phil Seymour Centre with Focus Theatre Company
2005 Somewhere: The Magical Musical of Penrith Sam Q Theatre
2005 Much Ado About Nothing Claudio / Dogberry Night Sky Productions
2005 Rosie Willy / Louie / Rita etc Independent Theatre, Sydney[22]
2006 The Paper Wall Troy
2006 Little Black Book Mick
2006 A Midsummer Night’s Dream Lysander
2007 Floyd Collins Skeets Miller Angel Place City Recital Hall, Sydney Theatre with Kookaburra Musical Theatre
2007 Twelfth Night Feste
2008 The Turning Vic Lang Playhouse, Perth with Perth Theatre Company for Perth International Arts Festival
2008 Risky Lunar Love Rabbit CarriageWorks, Sydney with 504 Producers
2009 Jerry Springer the Opera Ensemble Sydney Opera House for Sydney Festival
2009 Jersey Boys Frankie Valli (alternative) Princess Theatre, Melbourne with New Theatricals
2010 The Shakespeare Revue Various
2013–14 Assassins The Balladeer / Lee Harvey Oswald Fortyfivedownstairs, West Gippsland Arts Centre with Watch This
2014 The Parricide Kolya / Mitya La Mama
2014 Pacific Overtures Manjirō Theatre Works, Melbourne with Watch This
2015 Sweet Phoebe Fraser Basement Theatre, Auckland with Both Sides Now Theatre Company
2015/17 Ned: A New Australian Musical Constable Alexander Fitzpatrick Ulumbarra Theatre, Bendigo with Groaning Dam Productions, National Theatre, Melbourne
2015–16 Company Robert Fortyfivedownstairs, Geelong Arts Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre, Ballarat, West Gippsland Arts Centre with Watch This
2016/18 Elegy Iraqi refugee (solo performer) Gasworks Melbourne, Stratford Courthouse Theatre Melbourne, West Gippsland Arts Centre, Ararat Performing Arts Centre, Her Majesty's Theatre Ballarat, Geelong Arts Centre with Lab Kelpie
2017 The Play That Goes Wrong Chris Bean Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Her Majesty's Theatre, Adelaide, Roslyn Packer Theatre, Canberra Theatre, Concert Hall QPAC, His Majesty's Theatre Perth with Mischief Theatre[23]
2018 Falsettos Mendel Chapel Off Chapel with StageArt
2018 Julius Caesar Cassius Australian tour with Bell Shakespeare[24]
2018 A Little Night Music Director / Assistant National Theatre, Melbourne with Watch This
2019 Sunday in the Park with George George Southbank Theatre with Watch This[25]
2019 Peter Pan Goes Wrong Chris Bean Australian tour
2021 The Art of Making Art Online
2022 Into the Woods Wolf / Cinderella's Prince Arts House Meat Market, Melbourne with Watch This[26]
2022 Ghost Stories Mike Priddle Melbourne Athenaeum with Realscape Productions[27]

[28]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
2006 Mike Walsh Fellowship Award Award for Acting Won
2007 Macquarie Bank Youth Award Award for Screenwriting Won
2009 West Australian Screen Awards Best Actor (Short Film) Shades of Grey Nominated
2013 Green Room Awards Supporting Actor (Musical Theatre)[29] Assassins Nominated
2014 Green Room Awards Supporting Actor (Musical Theatre)[30] Pacific Overtures Nominated
2015 Green Room Awards Leading Actor (Musical Theatre)[31] Company Nominated
2019 Green Room Awards Supporting Actor (Musical Theatre)[32] Falsettos Won
2021 Green Room Awards Celebration of Online Performance*[33] The Art of Making Art Nominated
2022 Green Room Awards Supporting Actor (Musical Theatre)[34] Into the Woods Nominated

*Nominated with Sonya Suares, Nick McInerney, Dean Drieberg and Mel Hillman

References

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  1. ^ "A Very (S)Pacific Role | Stage Whispers". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  2. ^ "All alumni". NIDA. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Mike Walsh O.B.E. - Official Website". www.mikewalsh.com.au. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  4. ^ "2010 Award Winners". Cinema Chicago. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Nick Simpson-Deeks". IMDb. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  6. ^ Frater, Patrick (20 February 2022). "Amazon Starts Production of 'Deadloch' Comedy Series in Australia (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Falling On My Left Ear, Railway St Theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 September 2002. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Away, Railway Street Theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 May 2003. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  9. ^ Gifford, Mary-Anne. "Mary-Anne Gifford".
  10. ^ "Handbag, Focus Theatre". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 May 2005. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Q Theatre | The Dictionary of Sydney". dictionaryofsydney.org. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  12. ^ "A Very (S)Pacific Role | Stage Whispers". www.stagewhispers.com.au. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  13. ^ Morgan, Clare (26 February 2010). "Floyd Collins comes back from the grave". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  14. ^ PEDLER, CHRIS (22 May 2015). "Strong cast drives Kelly Gang story: PHOTOS". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  15. ^ "Ned cast reunites for a one night only concert | News". AussieTheatre.com. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  16. ^ BWW News Desk. "Cast Announced for THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  17. ^ "Bell Shakespeare to take on Julius Caesar in 2018". Limelight. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  18. ^ "Watch This". watchthis.net.au. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  19. ^ "Awards – The Green Room Awards". Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  20. ^ Knox, David (21 February 2022). "Cast announced for Deadloch | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  21. ^ Knox, David (27 October 2009). "Returning: The Circuit | TV Tonight". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  22. ^ https://theatregold1.mybigcommerce.com/rosie/
  23. ^ BWW News Desk. "Cast Announced for THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  24. ^ Wilkins, Peter (15 October 2018). "Modernised political thriller exposes truths about human nature". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  25. ^ "Watch This to present Sunday in the Park with George in 2019". Australian Arts Review. 5 December 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  26. ^ "Watch This presents INTO THE WOODS | News". AussieTheatre.com. 29 October 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  27. ^ O'Neill, Bianca (3 August 2022). "The cast for the Aussie premiere of 'Ghost Stories' has been unveiled". Time Out Melbourne. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  28. ^ https://ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/411321
  29. ^ "2013 Green Room Awards Nominations". www.australianstage.com.au. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  30. ^ "Victorian Green Room 2014 Nominations announced | News". AussieTheatre.com. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  31. ^ "Green Room Award nominations revealed". Daily Review: Film, stage and music reviews, interviews and more. 16 February 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  32. ^ "2019 Nominations and Recipients – The Green Room Awards". Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  33. ^ https://www.greenroom.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/WINNERS-Nominations-Acknowledgments-for-Website-V2.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  34. ^ "39th Annual Green Room Awards Nominations" (PDF).
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