Nicholas Brown (actor)
{{Short description|Australian actor and singer}}
{{BLP primary sources|date=December 2017}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nicholas Brown
| other_names = Nick Brown
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|01|01|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sydney, Australia
| occupation = Actor, screenwriter, playwright, singer and songwriter
| years_active = Since 1994
}}
Nicholas Brown (born 1 January 1980) is an Australian actor, screenwriter, playwright, singer and songwriter.
Early life
Brown grew up in the Western Sydney suburb of Greystanes with parents Roy and Patricia Brown and older sister Tracey. He attended Newtown High School of the Performing Arts in years 11 and 12. Whilst at NHSPA he represented the school in various drama and music festivals including OnStage and was elected School Captain in 1997.{{cite book|title=NHSPA Annual Report|year=2008|publisher=Newtown High School of the Performing Arts}}
In 1998, Brown was accepted into the Australian drama school the National Institute of Dramatic Art and was said to be both one of the youngest students and the first student to be accepted directly from high school.{{cite news|title=NIDA Calls|newspaper=Parramatta Advertiser|date=12 February 2008}}
Career
=Film and television=
Brown's first on-screen role was as a teenager in the original series of Heartbreak High.
Some of Brown's guest roles include White Collar Blue (2003), Home and Away (in both 2007 and 2013),{{cite web|title=Home & Away – Youtube| website=YouTube | date=8 February 2008 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjxgtJJoj4o|access-date=27 April 2013}} Heartbreak High, Drama School, City Homicide (2010), Packed to the Rafters (2012), Mr & Mrs Murder (2013) and Anh Do's Channel 7 comedy pilot Lucky Dragon.{{cite web|title=Ben Bangay|url=http://www.benbangay.com/index.php?/portfolio/the-lucky-dragon/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808012417/http://benbangay.com/index.php?%2Fportfolio%2Fthe-lucky-dragon%2F|archive-date=8 August 2013|df=dmy-all}} He also had a recurring role on The Cooks from 2004 to 2005.{{Cite web|url=http://www.australiantelevision.net/cooks/cooks.html|title=Australian Television: The Cooks|website=www.australiantelevision.net}}
He appeared in Australian feature films The Characters, Temptation in 2003, A Man's Gotta Do in 2004.
Shortly after moving to Mumbai from Sydney in 2007, Brown was cast opposite Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan as villain Tony Grover in the film Kites, directed by Anurag Basu and produced by Rakesh Roshan. The film was re-cut for an English audience by Brett Ratner and was released worldwide as Kites The Remix. Kites was released worldwide in May 2010. Brown lived in Mumbai on and off until 2015, where he was typecast as the villain for several years, including in Unindian, opposite Brett Lee in 2015. Other Bollywood film credits to his name include Love You to Death, Prattichaya and Sedition.
Brown played real life heroin drug smuggler Supahaus Chowdury in the 2011 Australian television show Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away. From 2015 to 2019, he appeared in the TV shows The Code, The Letdown, Harrow and Netflix series The Unlisted. He played the lead role of Sid in the film Laka and was cast as a regular presenter on children's series Play School.
In 2021 Brown played Sigrid Thornton's love interest Dr. Omar Sebastian in the Channel 9 drama series Amazing Grace, Miles in the Stan film Christmas on the Farm and appeared in the drama series Wakefield.
In 2022, Brown played the role of Rahul in U.S. miniseries Joe vs. Carole (based on Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}), Paul in Channel 9's drama series After the Verdict, Hamish in the Netflix film A Perfect Pairing and Chubba in season 2 of Tim Minchin's Upright.
In 2023, Brown played one of the lead roles Paul Kemble in the ABC musical series In Our Blood and Derek Stevens in season 2 of The PM's Daughter. In 2024 he starred opposite Asher Keddie and David Wenham in the drama series Fake and played Makrand in the Indian Australian film Sahela/Companion.
In 2025 Brown played Gall in Alex Proyas's film R.U.R.
=Theatre=
On stage, Brown played villain Nikhil Madhvani (opposite Shilpa Shetty) in Miss Bollywood, which toured Germany and the UK including London's West End.{{Cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/4dreams/1571161038/|title=Miss Bollywood - Nicholas Brown & Anousha Dandekar|date=14 October 2007|via=Flickr}} He appeared in There Is No Need To Wake Up at the Sydney Opera House directed by Barrie Kosky; Kurt Weill's Berlin to Broadway, directed by Jim Sharman; Spunks at the Stables Theatre; Frozen for Company B Belvoir St Theatre, directed by Kate Gaul; Toad in the Australian Shakespeare Company's productions of The Wind in the Willows, and Martin Crimp's Fewer Emergencies at the Old Fitzroy Theatre.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nicholasbrowntown.com/nicholas_brown.html|title=Nicholas Brown - actor, singer, songwriter and screenwriter - starring in the International Blockbuster Bollywood film Kites|website=www.nicholasbrowntown.com}} He also performed in the 2005 Hi-5 Space Magic – World Tour.{{cite news|last=Litson|first=Jo|title=Nick Flies High|newspaper=The Sunday Telegraph|date=5 May 2010}}
In 2010 Brown performed in several international festivals, including representing NIDA at the UNESCO 2007 drama schools festival in Transylvania, Romania, playing Orestes in Aeschylus's Ancient Greek tragedy The Oresteian Trilogy.{{cite journal|publisher=National Institute of Dramatic Art|title=2007 Annual Report|date=26 March 2008}} He also appeared in Project 88 Art Gallery in Mumbai, Doctrine: How to Survive Under Siege in Brussels, Belgium, for the Kunstenfestivaldesarts (2008){{cite web| title=Kunstenfestivaldesarts|url=http://archive.kfda.be/projects/projects/2008/doctrine-how-survive-under-siege/more}} and Rehaan Engineer's Seven Jewish Children by Caryl Churchill (2009). He then appeared in three new plays (The New Black, Tilt and Student Body) at the 2010 Australian National Play Festival in Brisbane.
In 2015 Brown played the role of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar directed by Alyque Padamsee in Mumbai. He also played Lumiere in Disney India's Beauty and the Beast which toured to Mumbai and Delhi.
From 2016 to 2019 Brown appeared in the plays Lighten Up at Griffin Theatre in Sydney, Still Point Turning and The Long Forgotten Dream for Sydney Theatre Company and the Helpmann Award-winning play Counting and Cracking for Belvoir Theatre Company at Sydney Festival.
From 2019 to 2020 he appeared as Kevin J in the smash hit stage musical Come from Away at the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne. In May 2021, he played Petruchio in William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew with Queensland Theatre (in the Bille Brown Theatre, Brisbane), directed by Damien Ryan.{{cite web |title=Taming of the shrew, 8 May – 5 Jun |url=https://queenslandtheatre.com.au/plays/taming-of-the-shrew |website=Queensland Theatre |access-date=8 May 2021}} In 2022 Brown played Edmond Rostand opposite Angie Milliken in Queensland Theatre's production of Bernhardt / Hamlet. In 2024 Brown appeared on stage in the Belvoir Theatre production of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time.
=Writing=
Nicholas wrote episode 12 of the Netflix/ ABC Me series The Unlisted, and episode 16 of the ABC Kids TV show The Wonder Gang. He co-wrote his first play Lighten Up, which premiered at Sydney's Griffin Theatre. Lighten Up was published by Currency Press, and a monologue from the play was included in the 2016 edition of the book Contemporary Australian Monologues for Men.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}
He co-wrote the play Lost In Books, which was part of Sydney Festival, and True West for the National Theatre of Parramatta.
Brown's play Sex Magick was produced by Griffin Theatre in 2023.{{Cite web |title=Sex Magick |url=https://griffintheatre.com.au/whats-on/sex-magick/ |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=Griffin Theatre Company |language=en-AU}} Published by Currency Press, it won the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting at the 2024 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards.{{Cite news |last=Story |first=Hannah |date=2024-05-20 |title=Aboriginal poet wins $40,000 at major literary awards with 'profound' verse novel |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-20/nsw-premiers-literary-awards-ali-cobby-eckermann-aboriginal-poet/103869188 |access-date=2024-05-20 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |title=Sex Magick |url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/25144122 |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=AustLit: Discover Australian Stories |publisher=The University of Queensland}}
In 2024 Brown wrote an autobiographical chapter in the book Growing Up Indian In Australia published by Black Inc. Books.{{Cite web |title=Growing Up Indian In Australia|url=https://blackincbooks.com.au/books/growing-indian-australia}}
Brown did some production work on an Indo-Australian Bollywood film in 2010,{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-grammy-winner-s-indian-love-affair-1387947|title=Grammy winner's Indian 'love affair'|first=Prithwish|last=Ganguly|date=26 May 2010|website=DNA India}} with Olivia Newton-John.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nbcnewyork.com/entertainment/movies/Olivia-Newton-John-Could-Be-Bollywood-Bound-102679759.html|title=Olivia Newton-John Could Be Bollywood-Bound|first=David|last=Chiu|website=NBC New York|date=11 September 2010 }}https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/nicholas-brown-interview/
=Music=
In 2011, Brown lived in Los Angeles where he was the lead singer of funk band 'Knuckle Funk' in 2011–2012. The group became a duo a few years later and released two singles renaming themselves 'Luck Now'. The first single "I Spent My Rent On A Record" was released in 2015 and was co-written by Brown. It received regular airplay on MTV Indies and VH1 in India. He also co-wrote and recorded lead vocals for the song "Unpredictable (The Robot Song)" in 2013. As a singer/songwriter, Brown also recorded the album "Big Score" in 2005 with his Australian disco funk band The Modernists{{Cite web|url=http://www.myspace.com/modernistsfeaturingnickbrown/friends/all/page/2|title=Myspace}} in 2004 and performed at Australian venues such as The Basement and The Metro. The album received radio airplay on Sydney radio stations FBI and 2SER.{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}
In 2005, Brown was the male understudy for the children's internationally recognised pop group Hi-5{{cite web |title=Sunny Shah Events |url=http://sunnyshahevents.com/nicholas_brown/profile.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130630092956/http://sunnyshahevents.com/nicholas_brown/profile.html |archive-date=30 June 2013 |df=dmy-all }} on their world tour.
Brown was also invited to sing at "Raise the Roof" at Sydney's State Theatre, in a special concert to raise funds for the Tsunami Appeal in 2006.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/raising-the-roof-for-tsunami-victims-20050129-gdkl4y.html|title=Raising the roof for tsunami victims|date=29 January 2005|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}} In 2007, before moving to Mumbai, Brown wrote and recorded an unreleased album with the electro rock duo "Listen Like Thieves".
In 2023, Brown released the Italo disco inspired song "Up And Coming" which received radio airplay on Radio One in India, on ABC Radio and FBI. The song was accompanied by an animated music video.{{Cite web |title=Premiere: Watch Nicholas Brown's New Music Video 'Up And Coming'|url=https://scenestr.com.au/music/premiere-watch-nicholas-brown-s-new-music-video-up-and-coming-20230322}}
In February 2025, Brown released the Bollywood inspired dance song "Strange Shadow" produced by Sydney DJ Dave Winnel. The sultry music video starred Betty Grumble, was directed by David Charley and choreographed by Shaun Parker. Two remixes of the song were also released by Luke Million and Mind Electric.{{Cite web |title=Exclusive single premiere Nicholas Brown Strange Shadow 2025/|url=https://theaureview.com/music/exclusive-single-premiere-nicholas-brown-strange-shadow-2025/}}
In March 2025, Brown released the Nu-Disco dance song "Don't Mind Me" which was accompanied by an animated music video.{{Cite web |title=Premiere: Watch Nicholas Brown's New Music Video Don't Mind ME|url=https://scenestr.com.au/music/premiere-watch-nicholas-browns-new-music-video-dont-mind-me-20250327}}
=Radio presenter=
From 2012 to 2014 Brown was hosting SBS Radio's PopDesi – a radio programme for Bollywood, Bhangra and Desi pop music playing on Australian digital radio, online and mobile{{cite web|title=SBS Radio|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/radio/|publisher=SBS}}
=Community work=
Brown's charity work has included:
- 2013 – Performing at the National Asbestos Awareness Day Lighting the Sails of the Sydney Opera House event in memory of the victims of asbestos related disease.
- 2012 – Supporting the work of the National Youth Theatre Company Foundation{{cite web|title=NYTC Foundation Official Website|url=http://www.nytcfoundation.org.au/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419063603/http://www.nytcfoundation.org.au/|archive-date=19 April 2013|df=dmy-all}} as an ambassador and through facilitating youth welfare programs.
- 2010 – The official male Ambassador for Ovarian Cancer Australia's 2010 Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month campaign{{cite web|title=Ovarian Cancer Australia Media Release|url=http://www.insightcommunications.net.au/PDF/MEDIA_ALERT_NICHOLAS_BROWN_TEAMS_WITH_CARIN_HILLMAN-VARMA_2010.pdf|publisher=Ovarian Cancer Australia}}
- 2006 – Raise The Roof – Tsunami Appeal special appearance for the Red Cross
- 2005 – Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Foundation – official MC and voice of the RPA Foundation Research Prize
- 2004 – Royal Prince Alfred Hospital – RPA Health Festival volunteer and special guest
- 2003 – Music For Timor – Master of Ceremonies and performer at Music benefit concert to support the work of the Bairo Pite Clinic{{cite web|title=Bairo Pite Hospital | url=http://www.bairopitehospital.org/#!untitled/zoom/cnw9/image24f7}}
Personal life
Nicholas's life story has been documented on the ABC Conversations (radio program) with Sarah Kanowski - A wild Bollywood adventure — from Sydney to Mumbai and back again.{{Cite web |title=A Wild Bollywood Adventure|url=https:/.abc.net.au/listen/programs/conversations/nicholas-brown-bollywood-india-acting/104365604}}
Acting credits
=Film=
==As actor==
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |
| 2003
| The Man on the Boat | Driver | Short film |
| 2004
| Young Doctor | Feature film |
| 2007
| Don't Panic | Abe | Short film |
| 2009
| Bani Ibrahim | Ghazali | Short film |
| 2010
| Kites | Tony | Feature film |
| 2010
| After the Credits | Actor | Short film |
| rowspan="2" |2011
| The 5 | Kris | Short film |
| Random 8
| Michael Henderson | |
| rowspan="3" |2012
| John | Feature film |
| The Shadower In
| Dani | Short film |
| Project Top Clown
| Eric | Short film |
| 2013
|Pink Balloons | Reg | Short film |
| 2014
| Time 2 Settle | Host | Video |
| 2014
| Imperfectly Frank | Frank | Short film |
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| Moose | Jimmy | Short film |
| UnIndian
| Samir | Feature film |
| rowspan="3" | 2017
| Tutor Stuart | |
| The Casting Game
| Ted | |
| Khana Khanzana
| Gaurav | Short film |
| 2018
| Laka | | |
| 2019
| Martha the Monster | Kevin | Short film |
| 2020
| Awake | Nikhil | Short film |
| rowspan="2" | 2022
| The Perfect Pairing | Hamish | |
| Clerks III
| Car Sex Selfie Snapper | Feature film |
| 2023
| Companion | Makrand | |
| 2025
| Jimpa | Mr Mason | Feature film |
| TBA
| Sedition | Shiva | |
| TBA
| Final Trap | John | |
==As crew==
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes | |||
| 2011 | The End | Directors Assistant | |
| 2011 | The 5 | Assistant to Producer | Short film |
| 2012 | Love You to Death | Directors Assistant | Feature film |
| 2012 | The Shadower in 3D | Directors Assistant | Short film |
| 2017 | The Tribes of Palos Verdes | Production Assistant | Feature film |
=Television=
==As actor==
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |
| 1983
| Gordon | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2001
| Guest | TV series |
| rowspan="2" |2003
| Sachin | TV movie |
| White Collar Blue
| Damien Lewis | TV series |
| 2004
| Sachin (main role) | TV series, episodes 1–13 |
| 2007–13
| Mark Davidson / Padley | TV series |
| rowspan="2" |2010
| Lucky Dragon | Ranjit | TV pilot |
| City Homicide
| Sanjay Roshan | TV series |
| 2011
| Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away | Supahaus Chowdury | TV movie |
| 2012
| Yuppie | TV series |
| 2012
| Dr Padley | TV series |
| rowspan="3" |2013
| The Elegant Gentleman's Guide to Knife Fighting | Xavier | TV series |
| Mr & Mrs Murder
| Dt Mukajee | TV series |
| Cha Do
| Ajay | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2014
| The Casuals | Rezwan | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 2016
| The Code | Bailey | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2017
| Sorab | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2018
| Harrow | Peter Sharma | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2019
| Rahul Sharma | TV series, 14 episodes |
| rowspan="3" |2021
| Kiran | TV series, 3 episodes |
| Amazing Grace
| Omar Sebastian | TV series, 8 episodes |
| Christmas on the Farm
| Miles | TV movie |
| rowspan="3" |2022
| Rohul | TV series, 1 episode |
| After the Verdict
| Paul | TV miniseries |
| Upright
| Chubba | TV series, 5 episodes |
| rowspan="3" |2023
| Paul Kemble | TV series, 4 episodes |
| The PM's Daughter
| Mr Derek Stevens | TV series, 8 episodes |
| NCIS: Sydney
| Quarter Master Rennie | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2024
| Fake | Anton | TV series, 8 episodes |
==As writer==
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes | |||
| 2019 | The Unlisted | Writer | TV series, episode 12 |
| 2020; 2021 | Play School | Writer | TV series, season 55, 3 episodes |
| 2021 | The Wonder Gang | Writer | TV series, episode 16: "The Wonder Gang and the Lizard Question" |
=Stage=
==As performer==
==As writer==
| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year ! Title ! Role ! Company / Location | |||
| 2004 | Rain Supreme | Director / Writer | Newtown Theatre, Sydney for Short+Sweet |
| 2005 | The Glass Soul | Writer | Newtown Theatre, Sydney for Short+Sweet |
| 2016 | Lighten Up | Playwright | Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company |
| Lost In Books | Co-writer | Sydney Festival | |
| 2021 | True West: Myths and Legends | Co-writer | National Theatre of Parramatta for Sydney Festivalhttps://2021.sydneyfestival.org.au/events/true-west |
| 2023 | Sex Magick | Writer | Griffin Theatre Company{{Cite web |title=Sex Magick |url=https://griffintheatre.com.au/whats-on/sex-magick/ |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=Griffin Theatre Company |language=en-AU}} |
Awards
| class=wikitable
! Year ! Work ! Award ! Category ! Result | ||||
| 2004 | Nicholas Brown | Mike Walsh Fellowship | Costume | {{honoured}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.mikewalsh.com.au/fellowships/|title=Mike Walsh O.B.E. - Official Website|website=www.mikewalsh.com.au}} |
| 2018 | Laka | Red Nation Film Festival | Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role | {{nom}}https://www.rednationff.com/laka/ |
| 2024 | Sex Magick | NSW Premier's Literary Award | Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting | {{won}}https://belvoir.com.au/productions/curious-incident/ |
References
{{reflist}}
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Category:Male actors from Sydney
Category:Australian male songwriters
Category:Australian screenwriters
Category:Australian radio presenters
Category:21st-century Australian singers
Category:21st-century Australian male singers