Don Hany is an Australian film, television, and stage actor. He is best known in Australia for his role as Zane Malik in East West 101 and in the US for starring in the NBC medical comedy-drama series Heartbeat (2016).
He has received a number of accolades and nominations. He won a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor, playing the protagonist, Zane Malik, in the SBS series East West 101 (2007–2011). He also received three AACTA Awards nominations for the role.
He had an early role playing Senior Constable Theo Rahme in the Network 10 police drama series White Collar Blue (2002–2003) for two seasons. He also played Dr. Chris Havel in the Network 10 comedy-drama series Offspring (2010–2011). In 2014, he starred in the prison drama film Healing, for which he received a Best Actor award nomination from the Film Critics Circle of Australia. In 2017, he starred in the romantic comedy film Ali's Wedding, for which he received a nomination for AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He played Dr. Mackenzie in the Showcase mystery romantic drama series Picnic at Hanging Rock (2018). He also played the Australian prime minister in the second season of Showcase political thriller television series Secret City (2019).
Early life and education Don Hany was born in Australia to an Iraqi 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.
Hany grew up on the Central Coast of New South Wales. He 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.
Career 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. 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.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.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.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.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.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.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.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.
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?.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.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.At the Movies ABC. 1 May 2014Healing 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."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.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.Aussie Don Hany Nabs Male Lead In ABC Drama ‘Warriors’ As Overseas Actors Eye Another Strong Pilot Season Deadline. 18 February 2014Don 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).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.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.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.Who’s who in Picnic at Hanging Rock Royal Television Society. 10 July 2018Natalie Dormer Leads ‘Picnic At Hanging Rock’ As Foxtel Sets Aussie Event Series Cast Deadline. 16 February 2017Picnic 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.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. 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.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.Media release Sydney Theatre Company. 18 January 2023
In 2025, he stars in The Survivors, a Netflix crime-mystery series set in Tasmania. The series is based on Jane Harper's novel of the same name.Brzeski, Patrick (30 January 2025). Netflix’s Tasmanian Crime Series ‘The Survivors’ Reveals Cast, First Look The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 24 April 2025 In August 2025, Hany would join the filming of UK/Australia Co-commissioned series The Imposter.
In the same year, he was also cast in Jaume Collet-Serra's upcoming survival-thriller, Play Dead.(2 June 2025). Joel Jackson, Sean Keenan, Harrison Quast lead Australian cast of Jaume Collet-Serra’s ‘Play Dead’ with filming underway at Docklands if. Retrieved on 27 March 2026.WWII thriller filming on Melbourne’s cutting-edge virtual production stage Vic Screen. Retrieved on 27 March 2026.
Personal life Hany married actress Alin Sumarwata in 2011. The couple have two daughters.The Advertiser 6 December 2011, page 25.
He is an agnostic atheist.He’s the go-to guy for ethnic diversity. So who is Don Hany? The Australian. 10 May 2014
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Type 2026 Play Dead Feature film 2016 Ali's Wedding Sheik Mahdi Feature film 2014 Healing Viktor Khadem Feature film 2014 Warriors George TV movie 2013 The Broken Shore Detective Joe Cashin TV movie 2012 Jack Irish: Bad Debts TV movie 2012 Jack Irish: Black Tide Dave TV movie 2011 Tell Them Lucifer Was Here Nik "The Russian" Radev TV movie 2010 The Road to Success Simon Diceman Short film 2010 Suburbia Joel Short film 2009 False Witness Sergei Krousov TV movie 2008 The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce John Mather Feature film 2008 Plastic Henry Short film 2008 Four Dr Brown / Real Estate Agent / Geoff Short film 2006 Lucky Miles Private Greg Plank Feature film 2007 Sleep in Heavenly Peace Trent Partiridge Short film 2006 The TV Set Guy in mall Feature film 2006 California King Eric Short film 2006 Big Top Bobby 2004 Winning the Peace Sergeant Charlie Latif Short film 2000 Life in a Volkswagen Short film 1999 The Monster The Cowboy Short film
Television