Don Hany

Hany was born in 1975 in Hornsby on Sydney's Upper North Shore to an Iraqi[http://www.luckymiles.com.au/v1/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=11# Lucky Miles – Cast] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830192935/http://www.luckymiles.com.au/v1/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10&Itemid=11 |date=30 August 2007 }} father, Tewfiq, and a Hungarian mother, Csilla; his father is a classically-trained pianist and restaurateur, and his mother is a doctor of economics. Hany's maternal great-grandfather was shot dead outside his home in Miskolc by the Red Army, who mistook him for a German soldier. In 1946, Hany's maternal grandfather joined the Hungarian Communist Party. His parents met in Budapest in the 1960s and they emigrated to Australia in 1970. Csilla rejected the communist doctrine of her native country and Tewfiq spurned the Islamic beliefs of his upbringing. His parents divorced during his adolescence, and he and his twin brother were raised by their mother. He grew up on the Central Coast of New South Wales. Hany attended high school in the Netherlands for one year as an exchange student, and later completed a degree in dramatic arts at the University of Western Sydney Nepean.

In 1998, Hany began his television career, starring in the soapie Breakers. In 2000, he had a small role in Water Rats. In 2002, he had a role in the telemovie Heroes' Mountain and in the police drama White Collar Blue.{{cite web|url=http://ten.com.au/offspring-don-hany.htm|title=Offspring - Don Hany|publisher=Network Ten|access-date=28 June 2011}} He later moved to Los Angeles to complete shooting for the short film Winning the Peace. Hany plays an Iraqi-American Marine deployed to Baghdad, and he went on to win the Best Actor award at Method Fest in 2005.[https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0405473/awards/ Awards for Winning the Peace] IMDB. Retrieved on 6 October 2024

In 2006, he returned to Australia to work on the film Lucky Miles, which went on to win the audience award for Best Film at the Sydney Film Festival. Beginning in 2007, Hany starred in the Australian mini-drama series East West 101 for SBS television, in which he played the lead role of Zane Malik. The show was later expanded, running for two more seasons, concluding in 2011.[https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/east-west-101-series/21870/ East West 101] Screen Australia. Retrieved on 5 October 2024 In 2010, Hany won the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor, having been previously nominated for the same role in 2008.[https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/sbs-takes-home-logies-haul/cdmq45s9m SBS takes home Logies haul] SBS. 3 May 2010 In 2012, Hany and the cast won the Equity Award for Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for their work in the third season of the show.[https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/v2454 Equity Awards] Austlit. Retrieved on 6 October 2024

In 2008, he had a recurring role in the first season of Underbelly, an acclaimed Australian television true crime-drama series on the Nine Network. The series depicts the 1995–2004 gangland war in Melbourne, with Hany playing Nik Radev.[https://www.news.com.au/news/tonight-on-tv-with-dianne-butler/news-story/1c261327eb8f70475249fa788c9f6df1 Tonight on TV with Dianne Butler] news.com.au. 30 June 2011 In 2009, Hany also starred in the two-part Australian television mini-series False Witness for BBC UKTV. Hany played the role of Sergei Krousov, a Russian mafia figure.[https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/man-of-many-faces-20100719-10hke.html Man of many faces] The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 July 2010 In the same year, he starred alongside Joel Edgerton in ABC1's drama series Dirt Game.[http://www.australiantelevision.net/dirt_game/ Dirt Game] Australian Television Archive. Retrieved on 6 October 2024

In 2010, he joined the main cast of the Foxtel drama Tangle, playing politician Spiros Georgiades. He also joined Channel Ten's comedy-drama series Offspring, in the role of paediatrician Chris Havel. He played the love interest and colleague of the series' protagonist, Dr Nina Proudman, played by Asher Keddie. In 2011, he was nominated for the Logie Award for Most Popular Actor for his roles in Tangle and Offspring.

In 2011, Hany starred in the Nine Network movie premiere of Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer was Here, reprising his role from Underbelly, Nik Radev. In 2012, he was cast in two telemovies, Jack Irish: Bad Debts and Jack Irish: Black Tide, which are based on the books Bad Debts and Black Tide by Peter Temple, and which aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.{{cite web|url=http://www.encoremagazine.com.au/jack-irish-goes-into-production-monday-11148|title=Jack Irish goes into production|publisher=Encore Magazine|access-date=21 October 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022132830/http://www.encoremagazine.com.au/jack-irish-goes-into-production-monday-11148|archive-date=22 October 2011}}

In 2013, Hany took the lead role of Sam Callaghan in the HBO Asia production Serangoon Road. The following year, Hany appeared in The Broken Shore, a telemovie that aired on the ABC. He also starred in the mini-series Devil's Playground. In the same year, he appeared in the fifth season of Who Do You Think You Are?.[https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/who-do-you-think-you-are/season-5/who-do-you-think-you-are-s5-ep3/24346691506 Who Do You Think You Are? Australia: Season 5 Episode 3] SBS. Retrieved on 6 October 2024 In 2014, he played the lead role in the Australian drama film Healing, alongside Hugo Weaving. Hany plays Viktor, an Iranian prisoner in a low-security correctional centre, close to the end of his 18-year prison sentence.[https://www.sbs.com.au/whats-on/article/healing-don-hany-interview/3rpfp8ubj Healing: Don Hany interview] SBS. 8 May 2014 The film garnered acclaim, including a four-star review from Margaret Pomeranz on At the Movies for ABC.[https://web.archive.org/web/20140506004500/http://www.abc.net.au/atthemovies/txt/s3985194.htm At the Movies] ABC. 1 May 2014[https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/healing_2014/reviews Healing reviews] Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 6 October 2024 Megan Lehmann of The Hollywood Reporter was also enthusiastic Hany's performance: "Weaving is terrific as Matt Perry...But the film belongs to Don Hany, a veteran of Australian television starring in his first major film."[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/healing-film-review-701897/ Healing: Film Review] The Hollywood Reporter. 7 May 2014 Hany was nominated for the Best Actor award at the 2014 Film Critics Circle of Australia, losing out to Russell Crowe for The Water Diviner.[https://sydneyartsguide.com.au/fcca-2014-film-critics-circle-of-australia-awards/ fcca 2014 film critics circle of australia awards] Sydney Arts Guide. 12 March 2015

In 2014, he was cast as the male lead in Warriors, a pilot for the American Broadcasting Company. The medical drama series, with Hany playing a military doctor, was not picked up for a series order.[https://deadline.com/2014/02/aussie-don-hany-nabs-male-lead-in-abc-drama-warriors-as-overseas-actors-eye-another-strong-pilot-season-684911/ Aussie Don Hany Nabs Male Lead In ABC Drama ‘Warriors’ As Overseas Actors Eye Another Strong Pilot Season] Deadline. 18 February 2014[https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/television/don-hany-returns-to-aussie-shores-after-pilot-for-us-military-hospital-drama-warriors-fails-to-get-green-light/news-story/dfb7927b0395e3fc0a322acbdd2ed876 Don Hany returns to Aussie shores after pilot for US military hospital drama Warriors fails to get green light] The Daily Telegraph. 8 November 2014 However, he was later cast as Dr. Jesse Shane, chief of surgery at St. Matthew's Hospital in the NBC medical comedy-drama series Heartbeat (2016).[https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/don-hany-changes-accent-and-scrubs-up-ok-for-medical-drama-heartbeat-20160328-gnsdkk.html Don Hany changes accent and scrubs up OK for medical drama Heartbeat] The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 March 2016 In 2017, he starred in the critically acclaimed Australian romantic comedy Ali's Wedding.[https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/blog/muslim-australian-romcom-alis-wedding-is-getting-raves-wherever-it-screens-082417 Muslim Australian romcom Ali's Wedding is getting raves wherever it screens] Time Out. 24 August 2017 He received a nomination for AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role, losing out to Dev Patel in Lion.[https://www.aacta.org/aacta-awards/winners-and-nominees/7th-aacta-awards/ Winners and nominees] AACTA. Retrieved on 5 October 2024

In 2018, Hany starred in Foxtel's Showcase mystery romantic drama television series Picnic at Hanging Rock, a television adaptation of the 1967 novel of the same name by Joan Lindsay.[https://rts.org.uk/article/who%E2%80%99s-who-picnic-hanging-rock Who’s who in Picnic at Hanging Rock] Royal Television Society. 10 July 2018[https://deadline.com/2017/02/natalie-dormer-picnic-at-hanging-rock-as-aussie-event-series-sets-cast-1201914361/ Natalie Dormer Leads ‘Picnic At Hanging Rock’ As Foxtel Sets Aussie Event Series Cast] Deadline. 16 February 2017[https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/t/picnic-at-hanging-rock-2018/35329/ Picnic at Hanging Rock] Screen Australia. Retrieved on 5 October 2024/ In 2019, Hany played Australian prime minister Ewan Garrety in the second season of the political thriller Secret City, alongside Anna Torv.[https://www.nowtolove.com.au/entertainment/tv/don-hany-andrew-mcfarlane-secret-city-season-two-46431/ Don Hany and Andrew McFarlane join Secret City season two] TV Week. 11 April 2018

The following year, Hany took over the role of Pierce Greyson in Neighbours from Tim Robards for a guest stint.{{cite web|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/a33584136/neighbours-pierce-greyson-recast-don-hany/|title=Neighbours recasts Pierce Greyson as Tim Robards leaves the show early|last=Lee|first=Jess|date=12 August 2020|publisher=Digital Spy|access-date=12 August 2020}} In 2022, Hany was cast alongside Claudia Karvan in the Sydney Theatre Company and State Theatre Company of South Australia co-production The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? by Edward Albee, set for the 2023 season.[https://www.broadsheet.com.au/adelaide/entertainment/article/just-state-theatre-company-south-australia-reveals-its-dynamic-2023-season State Theatre Company South Australia Unveils Its Dynamic 2023 Season] Broadsheet. 17 October 2022 Hany subsequently withdrew from the production for personal reasons and the role was recast with Nathan Page.[https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/-/media/project/sydney-theatre-company/sydney-theatre-company/pdf/2023/media-release-claudia-karvan-returns-to-the-stage-alongside-nathan-page-in-stcs-the-goat-or-who-is-s.pdf?rev=3a342827f1134d65b47088d5a21627e8&hash=F5897E64D2AD6013BD5BFDC7D8EDB187 Media release] Sydney Theatre Company. 18 January 2023

Don has a twin, Roger Hany, a London-based musician. They both attended primary school and high school on the Central Coast of New South Wales.

Hany married actress Alin Sumarwata in 2011. The couple have two daughters.The Advertiser 6 December 2011, page 25.{{cite web|url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/strike-back-star-alin-sumarwata-finding-characters-vice-versa-1541/|title='Strike Back' Star Alin Sumarwata on Finding Your Characters Through Yourself (and Vice Versa)|last=Steves|first=Ashley|date=10 April 2018|work=Backstage|access-date=20 February 2019}}

He is an agnostic atheist.[https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/hes-the-goto-guy-for-ethnic-diversity-so-who-is-don-hany/news-story/a6c3b570ee9e34cf5e057a180ef1c270 He’s the go-to guy for ethnic diversity. So who is Don Hany?] The Australian. 10 May 2014

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Category:1975 births

Category:Australian agnostics

Category:Australian atheists

Category:Australian expatriates in the Netherlands

Category:Australian male film actors

Category:Australian male television actors

Category:Australian male soap opera actors

Category:Australian people of Hungarian descent

Category:Australian people of Iraqi descent

Category:Living people

Category:Logie Award winners

Category:Male actors from Sydney

Category:Male actors from New South Wales

Category:Western Sydney University alumni

Category:20th-century Australian male actors

Category:21st-century Australian male actors