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Damian Hill (c. 1976 – 2018) was an Australian film and television actor and screenwriter, best known for the 2015 film Pawno.
Damian Hill | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1976 |
| Died | 22 September 2018 |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, Writer |
| Years active | 2003–2018 |
Damian Hill was born in 1976 or 1975. His father, who was a surgeon, died when Damien was only a year old. His mother grew up in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Footscray, and Hill later moved there.[1]
He attended both "fancy" private schools, including Wesley College, and public schools, and found himself liking working-class people.[1]
After becoming a father at the age of 18,[1] Quinn trained as an actor at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) in Melbourne.[2]
He also did a masters degree in screenwriting at VCA.[2]
After graduating, he travelled overseas for sometime and worked in other countries, before returning to Melbourne and founding the Frank Theatre Company.[2] (He later said ""I had a long 12 years' walkabout".[1])
He acted on stage, including a production of Ray Mooney's prison drama, Everynight, Everynight, where he met Scottish actor Paul Ireland. This led to a collaboration on Hill's first feature film.[3]
His first attempt at screenwriting was Pawno (2015),[3] in which he also took the lead role.[4] The film was highly praised by critics David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz.[3]
He played the lead role of Jimmy in 2018's West of Sunshine.[5]
His final appearances in feature films were in *Locusts (2019) and Slam (2018).[3]
Hill said in a 2015 interview: "I'm always attracted to the underdog, or the person who's got the rough deal".[3] According to his brother, Hill "wanted to tell the stories of ordinary Australians, of working-class people – real stories, messy stories, uncomfortable stories, of forgiveness, reconciliation, redemption, stuffing-up".[6]
- 2016: Nominated, AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, for Pawno[4]
- 2016: Nominated, AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay, for Pawno[4]
- 2018: Nominated, AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, for West of Sunshine[5]
Hill died on 22 September 2018,[1][3] having taken his own life two days before filming was due to start on the film Measure for Measure, which he co-wrote, co-directed, and in which he was going to star. The event shocked and traumatised all involved with the film, especially co-writer Paul Ireland and actor Mark Leonard Winter, who were close friends with Hill. Winter assumed Hill's role as the drug dealer Angelo in the film, and filming resumed a week later.[7]
The Damian Hill Independent Film was awarded at the 2019 Melbourne International Film Festival in his honour.[6]
The 2020 film Measure for Measure, which Hill contributed to writing, was dedicated to him.[6]
One of the main themes of the 2023 film The Rooster, written and directed by Hill's close friend Mark Leonard Winter and starring Hugo Weaving, is men's mental health, with both of the men having been affected by Hill's death and having it in mind during writing and filming.[7] Winter became very depressed after the death of his friend, and wrote the script for The Rooster while in this state, saying afterwards "I guess what I was trying to do was to create some meaning out of what is essentially a meaningless time, when you're so lost in a cloud of chemical imbalance".[8]
Hill was the father of two children and stepfather of three.[6] His stepson, Tyler (Ty) Perham had been with him since he was around four years of age, and featured in West of Sunshine with him, then aged 12.[9] His partner of eight years[1] was Beth,[2] a graphic designer and former tattoo artist. Hill got his first tattoo aged 15 years and many more in ensuing years.[1]
His brother is Australian Labor Party politician Julian Hill,[1][3] Member of Parliament for Bruce.[6]
TV
- Nowhere Boys (2016) TV series - Stuart (3 episodes)
- Neighbours (2014) TV series - Stephen Montague (6 episodes)
- Winners & Losers (2014) TV series - Ant Richards (1 episode)
- The Broken Shore (2013) TV movie - Vincent
- Rush (2010) TV series - Dane Heinz (1 episode)
- City Homicide (2010) TV series - Dale Blunt (1 episode)
- McLeod's Daughters (2003) TV series - Mounted Police Officer (1 episode)
Film
- Locusts (2019) - Davo
- Slam (2018) - Shane
- West of Sunshine (2018) - Jimmy
- The Menkoff Method (2016) - Karaoke Operator
- Spin Out (2016) - Spike
- The Death and Life of Otto Bloom (2016) - Bob
- Broke (2016) - Lionel
- Pawno (2015) - Danny Williams
- Fell (2014) - Kelly
- Model Behaviour (2013) - Roy Lambasto
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