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Ian Bliss

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ian Bliss
Born (1966-06-30) 30 June 1966 (age 58)
EducationNational Institute of Dramatic Art
OccupationActor
Years active1991–present
Known for
Spouse
(m. 2001)
Children2

Ian Bliss (born 30 June 1966) is an Australian film, television, and stage character actor. With a career that has spanned 30 years, he has appeared in numerous Australian television dramas including Heartbreak High, Wentworth, Underbelly and more.

Education

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Bliss graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art.[1] He also attained a Bachelor of Education while studying his acting degree at NIDA.[2]

Career

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Bliss starred in an episode of Halifax f.p. in 1996. Bliss is best known for his role as Bane and Agent Smith in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions (2003), for which he was chosen by the Wachowskis because of his accurate impersonation of Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith's program form), and also his partial resemblance to Weaving.

After the Matrix sequels, Bliss took minor roles in the feature films Stealth and Superman Returns. He also played the Peacekeeper scientist Drillic in the Farscape episode "Losing Time". Bliss also appeared on episode 8 of the 2010 HBO miniseries The Pacific as Capt. Le Francois and surf series The Reef. He has also appeared in several Australian television drama series including Heartbreak High,[3] Underbelly, Blue Murder and Canal Road. Stage performances include the lead role in War Horse, in Sydney's Lyric Theatre.[4]

Bliss is also a sought-after voice-over artist [5] and has provided his voice to many animated series such as Big Words, Small Stories, Kuu Kuu Harajuku, Get Ace and SheZow.[6][7] Bliss has also given his voice to the Bowel Cancer Australia campaigns that went to air every year from 2018. Bliss also provided his voice for numerous audiobooks including Dinner with the Schnabels and Final Act.[8][9]

Bliss appeared in Underbelly adaptation Informer 3838 as Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland, Overland in the gangland war would announce numerous task forces including Task Force Purana and Task Force Petra, the later used to investigate the murders of Christine and Terence Hodson with the reward money of $1 million on any information during the height of the gang war still active to this day.. Informer 3838 was Bliss's third appearance in the Underbelly universe, having also appeared in the original Underbelly as "Mr L" and in Fat Tony & Co as Bernie Edwards.[10][11]

In 2018 Bliss also appeared in season 6 of Wentworth, playing Senior Detective Collins; he reprised the role in the final series of Wentworth, appearing in a total of 6 episodes.[12]

Bliss in 2022 joined the cast for SBS drama Safe Home where he played Detective O'Connor.[13]

Bliss in 2023 appeared in horror movie Late Night With the Devil in the role of Carmichael Haig.[14][15][16] Bliss had revealed later in an interview that he originally was hired as a reader for the movie's audition process and that he was set to play a different role in the film but 4 days prior filming was about to begin he was called in to take over the role of Haig.[17] In the same interview, Bliss confirmed that he would appear in upcoming Netflix series The Survivors.

In 2023 Bliss appeared in theatre play My Sister Jill.[18][19]

Personal life

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Bliss has been married to fellow actress Jacquie Brennan since 2001. They met on the set of the theatre play Silhouette. Bliss and Brennan have two children together.[20]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1994 Precious Jean Short film
Country Life David Archdale Feature film
1999 Siam Sunset Martin Feature film
Passion Army Officer Feature film
Powerburn Dex
2000 Bound Carter Short film
2001 The Bank Executive #1 Feature film
2003 The Matrix Reloaded Bane / Agent Smith Feature film
The Long Lunch Italo Julep
The Matrix Revolutions Bane / Agent Smith Feature film
2005 Man-Thing (film) Rodney Thibadeaux Feature film
Stealth (film) Lt. Aaron Shaftsbury Feature film
Danya Patrick Short film
2006 Superman Returns Shuttle Commander Feature film
2008 Playing for Charlie Drew Hobbs
2009 Together Alone Vladimus Short film
2016 Waster of Time Time Traveller Short film
2020 Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears Vincent Montague feature film
2023 Late Night with the Devil Carmichael Haig feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
1991 Pugwall Man on Phone TV series, 2 episodes
1995 Blue Murder Bobby Chapman TV miniseries, 2 episodes [21]
1995-1996 Heartbreak High Andrew Bell TV series, 23 episodes [22]
1996 Halifax f.p. Garry TV series, episode: "Cradle and All"
1996-2000 Water Rats Colin Fleetwood / Max Prescott TV series, 4 episodes
1997 Big Sky James McCourt TV series, episode: "The McCourt Family"
Home and Away Kye Lyons TV series, 6 episodes
Murder Call Scott McKenna TV series, episode: "Ashes to Ashes"
1998 Good Guys Bad Guys Keith McLeod TV series, episode: "Blood Is Thicker Than Walter"
1999-2001 BackBerner Various TV series, 11 episodes
2000 Tales of the South Seas TV series, wpisode: "Blackbirding"
2000-2003 Stingers Nick Lynch / Masely / Marty Stockwell TV series, 3 episodes
2001 Farscape PK Scientist Drillic TV series, episode: "Losing Time"
2002 The Lost World[23] Professor Hamilton TV series, episode: "Suspicion"
Bootleg Darius Crowe TV series, 3 episodes
2002-2007 All Saints Kevin Maguire / Jimmy 'Buzz' Beasley TV series, 7 episodes
2003 The Postcard Bandit Potter TV movie
Blue Heelers Dave Williams TV series, episode: "Safety Last"
Making Time Col Bryant TV movie
2004-2006 Love My Way Darren Longman TV series, 4 episodes
2005-2007 McLeod's Daughters Detective Christopher Montello TV series, 2 episodes
2006 Tripping Over Ken TV series 4 episodes
2007 The Catalpa Rescue John Breslin TV movie
Gumnutz: A Juicy Tale Larry / Peer Point J. Marino (voice) TV movie
2007-2010 City Homicide Lance Hardwick / Toby Hendricks TV series, 2 episodes
2008 Underbelly Mr. L TV series, 6 episodes
Canal Road Bradley Thompson TV series, 1 episode
Very Small Business Tony Orsini TV series, 5 episodes
Monash: The Forgotten Anzac Charles Bean TV movie
2009 Dirt Game Bart TV series, episode: "Boab Dreaming"
Rush Ollie Godard TV series, 1 episode
2010 The Pacific Capt. Le Francois TV miniseries, episode: "Iwo Jima"
2011 Killing Time Detective Inspector Patteron TV series, 2 episodes [24]
Twentysomething Auctioneer TV series, episode: "Lost and Found"
Crownies Inspector Red Bindall TV series, 1 episode
2012 Underground: The Julian Assange Story Vince TV movie
2013 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Keith Morrisey TV series, episode: "Still Water"
Mr & Mrs Murder Robin Boydell TV series, episode: "A Dog's Life"
2014 Fat Tony & Co. Bernie Edwards TV miniseries, 2 episodes
The Time of Our Lives Tony Bridges TV series, episode: "The Negotiation"
Get Ace Professor Pringle (voice) TV series, 9 episodes [25]
ANZAC Girls Colonel Constantine de Crespigny TV series, wpisode: "Love"
It's a Date Alan TV series, 1 episode
2015 Gallipoli Colonel Brazier TV miniseries, episode: "The Breakout"
2015-2018 Kuu Kuu Harajuku Commander Bo-ring / General No Fun / Various TV series, 156 episodes; voice roles
2016 Wanted Luke Delaney TV series, 2 episodes
Hunters Burton TV series, episode: "The Beginning & the End"
Winners & Losers Colin Gammell TV series, 2 episodes
The Wrong Girl Gareth TV series, 1 episode
2017 Sherazade: The Untold Stories Yunan (voice) TV series, 5 episodes
2018 Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You Val Guest (uncredited) TV miniseries, 1 episode
Wrong Kind of Black Police Officer 1 TV series, 4 episodes
2018-2021 Wentworth Senior Detective Collins TV series, 6 episodes
2019 Reef Break Jones TV series, episode: "The Hohenzollern Collection"
2020 Informer 3838 Simon Overland TV series, 2 episodes
2021 Fires Gary Saunders TV series, 1 episode
Big Words, Small Stories Grandpa Rex, Chaz, Various (voices) TV series, 65 episodes
Harrow (TV series) Charlie Oberg TV series, 1 episode
2023 Safe Home Detective O'Connor TV series, 4 episodes
Utopia (Australian TV series) Doug TV series, 1 episode
Sounds of the River Self Podcast series, 1 episode [26]
TBA The Survivors Geoff Mallott TBA

Audio books

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Year Title Role Notes
2022 Dinner with the Schnabels Narrator Author: Tony Jordan
2021 Final Act Narrator Author: Sarah Bailey
2016 Clade Narrator Author: James Bradley

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2003 Enter the Matrix Bane / Agent Smith Video game

Theatre

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
2023 My Sister Jill Jack Melbourne Theatre Company
2018 Jasper Jones Mr Bucktin/Warick Queensland Theatre Company [27]
2017 Dream Lover Ensemble
2016 Jasper Jones Mr Bucktin/Warick Queensland Theatre Company
2014-15 North By Northwest Budnikov Melbourne Theatre Company
2013 War Horse Ted Narracott / Colonel Strauss AustralIan tour
2011 Hamlet Marcellus Melbourne Theatre Company
Apologia Peter
2010 Richard III Clarance / Ratcliff
2009 Savage River Kingsley Griffin Theatre Company
1999 Silohoutte Inspector Brunton Marian Street Theatre
1997 Jake and Pete Crow / Snake Theatre of Image
Lone Star Cletis
1994 The Happy Prince Mayor
2001-08 Jake and Pete Crow / Snake International tour
Journey's End Stanhope

References

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  1. ^ Jary, Marta. "State of Bliss: Australian Actor Ian Bliss Has a Distinctive Face That Has Been Seen in Homegrown Film Productions Such as Siam Sunset (John Poison, 1999) and the Bank (Robert Connolly, 2001)". Metro Magazine. No. 141 (Summer 2004 ed.).
  2. ^ "Ian Bliss | Careers Talk AUS". Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Australian Television: Heartbreak High: cast pictures". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  4. ^ Palathingal, George (28 March 2013). "My perfect weekend: Ian Bliss, actor". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  5. ^ "Ian Bliss". scoutmanagement.com.au. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  6. ^ "KuuKuu Harajuku series 1 (2016) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia". www.screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  7. ^ "Big Words, Small Stories (2021) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia". www.screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  8. ^ https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Final-Act-Audiobook/B09CG47KJ5?qid=1699882165&sr=1-1&ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=771c6463-05d7-4981-9b47-920dc34a70f1&pf_rd_r=ZDDVY2RW7EK2QMBJ48Z9&pageLoadId=svMKq6tHqTo9uWpF&ref_plink=not_applicable&creativeId=adcc4fec-4d90-49d1-997e-8be21d68ce7f [bare URL]
  9. ^ https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Dinner-with-the-Schnabels-Audiobook/B09TBJRLMK?qid=1699882165&sr=1-2&ref_pageloadid=not_applicable&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_2&pf_rd_p=771c6463-05d7-4981-9b47-920dc34a70f1&pf_rd_r=ZDDVY2RW7EK2QMBJ48Z9&pageLoadId=svMKq6tHqTo9uWpF&ref_plink=not_applicable&creativeId=adcc4fec-4d90-49d1-997e-8be21d68ce7f [bare URL]
  10. ^ "Australian Television: Informer 3838: cast". www.australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Australian Television: Underbelly: Cast".
  12. ^ "Australian Television: Wentworth: series 6 cast". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  13. ^ "SBS reveal cast for new Australian thriller series Safe Home". SBS Corporate. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  14. ^ "Stomach-Ripping And Throat-Slitting: LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL At SXSW". FANGORIA. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  15. ^ Mendelsohn, Jon (24 June 2022). "David Dastmalchian to Star in Indie Horror 'Late Night With the Devil'". Collider. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  16. ^ Keast, Jackie (12 January 2023). "'Late Night with the Devil', 'Monolith', 'Talk to Me' off to SXSW". IF Magazine. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  17. ^ NIDA (18 April 2024). "Behind the Scenes with Ian Bliss: Exploring the Making of Late Night with the Devil". www.nida.edu.au. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  18. ^ On, Thuy (29 September 2023). "Theatre review: My Sister Jill, Southbank Theatre". www.artshub.com.au. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  19. ^ "What's On". www.mtc.com.au. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  20. ^ Preston, Kahla (25 April 2020). "How We Met: 'He said if I made him a bread and butter pudding, he'd propose'". honey.nine.com.au. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  21. ^ Australian Television: Blue Murder: cast
  22. ^ Australian Television: Heartbreak High: episode guide: series 3
  23. ^ Australian Television: The Lost World: guest stars
  24. ^ Australian Television: Killing Time: cast
  25. ^ "Get Ace (2014) - The Screen Guide - Screen Australia". www.screenaustralia.gov.au. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
  26. ^ "South of the River host Alli Harding chats with actor Ian Bliss and true crime writer Emily Webb – podcast now available – 88.3 Southern FM". Southern FM. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  27. ^ "Jasper Jones". www.mtc.com.au. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
[edit]
  1. ^ "follow.this.bliss • Instagram photos and videos". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 24 December 2022.