T.J. Power is an Australian actor, writer and director, known for his role as Will in Offspring.
Early life and education Power was born in Sydney, New South Wales, to Gerard (a financial planner) and Jayne Power (a relief schoolteacher); the youngest of three children, including Kristy and Tanya. The family lived in Arcadia, in Sydney's north-west and spent Christmas holidays with Power's paternal grandparents on a farm in Gundagai.
Awww a child, Power played competitive sports, until he was gifted a guitar as a gift, after which he turned his attention to the performing arts.
Power attended high school at Galston High School, where he was in the school band, had his own rock band, participated in school plays and musicals and studied drama as an HSC subject. Power landed his first acting job around the age of 15, with a training video for a fast-food chain. His mother drove him to acting classes twice a week.
Power's mother died of cancer, at age 49, when he was age 17 and in his final year of high school. His father remarried Jayne's friend Pauline, who had four kids of her own.
Power went on to study acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) in Perth, graduating in 2008.
Career Power made his acting debut as Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream for Shakespeare WA, receiving an Equity Guild Awards nomination for Best Newcomer.
In 2009, Power recorded a solo EP, "New Wheel", before landing his first feature film with 2010 Australian drama Wasted on the Young and appearing in 2011 crime series Underbelly: Razor. He then landed the role of Javier Bardem’s son in American film Eat Pray Love, alongside Julia Roberts.
Power went on to appeared in 2012 musical comedy film The Sapphires (2012) opposite Deborah Mailman and Jessica Mauboy. That same year, he released an EP, "Traveller", with The Art of Grace (named for his Grandparents Art and Grace), a band he formed with wife Kathryn and two other members, including Mitch Bruzzese, who he used to play together in a high school rock band.
In 2014, Power starred as Sam in ensemble sex comedy film The Little Death, which saw him nominated for the 2014 AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance. That same year, he appeared in 2014 biographical TV movie Parer's War about war photographer Damien Parer.
Power came to further attention when he joined the cast of Network 10 comedy-drama series Offspring in 2016, alongside Kat Stewart and Asher Keddie, starring as the Proudman family’s surprise half-brother, lawyer Will Bowen. He played Robbie Weekes in 2016 biographical miniseries Molly about Australian music critic and journalist Molly Meldrum, opposite Samuel Johnson. He also played Sam in 2016 sci-fi thriller OtherLife, opposite Jessica De Gouw – his second film for filmmaker Ben C. Lucas, following Wasted on the Young. The following year, he appeared in US feature Halfway and 2017 Australian sci-fi thriller film OtherLife.
After moving to the United States, Power landed roles in CBS’s Criminal Minds, HBO’s Insecure and ABC’s Grey's Anatomy and voiced characters for animated series for Disney, Apple TV+ and YouTube.
Power discovered a passion for directing when, backstage at a theatre show, he made two improvised mockumentaries of an actor preparing for his role. This lead to his professional directorial debut in 2017 with the comedy short Your Call is Important to Us, starring Andy Lee, which debuted at Australian film festival Flickerfest. It subsequently featured in several international festivals, winning numerous Best Film, Best Comedy, Best Director, Best Screenplay & Audience Choice awards. He followed this up with his short film, The Bus to Birra Birra, which won several awards including four at Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2020. He also directed numerous episodes of children's television series and music videos, including YouTube series Blippi & Meekah Adventures and the pilot of CocoMelon Classroom.
Power had a role in 2021 romantic comedy Resort to Love with Christina Milian, before appearing in 2024 American drama film The Neon Highway with Beau Bridges.
Personal life Power met his wife, theatre producer Kathryn Sgroi, while studying at WAAPA. They started dating in 2007 and were married in December 2014, beside a river in Leeton, in New South Wales. The couple relocated to Los Angeles in 2014, with their two children.
Filmography
Film
As actor Year Title Role Notes Ref 2008 Iris Charlie Short film 2009 Hidden Clouds Mark Short film 2010 Wasted on the Young Brook Eat Pray Love Leon Vulnerable Craig 2011 Pepperoni Skirts Short film The Only Damage (aka The One Who Broke Your Heart) Rock Short film The Last Match Johnny Short film 2012 The Sapphires Lt. Jensen 2014 The Little Death Sam 2016 Halfway Josh 2017 Think Fast Dan Short film OtherLife Sam 2019 Loves Me, Loves Me Not Finn 2020 Donor Baby Bryan Short film 2021 Resort to Love Barrington 2024 The Neon Highway Lloyd Collins 2026 Allen Petey
As director / writer Year Title Role Notes Ref 2017 Your Call Is Important to Us Director / writer / producer / executive producer Short film 2020 The Bus to Birra Birra Director / writer / producer Short film
Television
As actor Year Title Role Notes Ref 2011 Underbelly: Razor H.L. Jones 6 episodes 2014 Parer's War Lieutenant Johnny Lewin TV film Checked Out Andy TV film 2016 Molly Robbie Weekes Miniseries; 2 episodes 2016–2017 Offspring Will Bowen 20 episodes 2017 Major Crimes Cliff Rainier Episode: "Intersection" 2017, 2018 True Story with Hamish & Andy Wine guy 1 / Robbo 2 episodes 2020 Criminal Minds Parris Episode: "Family Tree" 2021 Insecure Seth 2 episodes 2023 Grey's Anatomy Seth Episode: "Cowgirls Don't Cry" 2024 WondLa Fiscian (voice) Animated series, 2 episodes 2024–2025 VeeFriends Dynamic Dino (voice) Animated series, 8 episodes 2025 Hal & Harper Adam Miniseries, 1 episode
As writer / director Year Title Role Notes Ref 2020; 2021 Discover Indie Film Director / writer 2 episodes 2021 Discover Indie Film Producer 1 episode 2022–2025 Blippi & Meekah Adventures Director Web series, 27 episodes 2023–2024 Meekah Director 7 episodes 2024 CocoMelon Classroom Director Web series
Theatre Year Title Role Notes Ref2007 The Cherry Orchard Loparkin WAAPA Aftershocks John WAAPA, Perth 2008 Cloudstreet Fish Lamb WAAPA, Perth The Innocent Mistress Sir Francis Wildlove WAAPA, Perth Noises Off Fredrick Fellows WAAPA, Perth 2009 A Midsummer Night's Dream Demetrius Shakespeare WA, Perth The Spook Martin Logos Productions 2010 Macquarie Francis Greenway Riverside Theatres As You Like It Guitarist & Balladeer Cleveland ST Theatre / Shakespeare Centre, Sydney 2011 K.I.J.E. Irving Old Fitz Theatre, Sydney with Tamarama Rock Surfers Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Johnnie Dowd Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney, Arts Centre Melbourne with Company B 2012 Les Liaisons Dangereuses Azolan Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC 2016 Ruben Guthrie Ruben Guthrie Australian Theatre Company 2019 Banging Denmark Jake Newhouse / Gut DeWitt Sydney Opera House with STC
Music Release Title Artist Type Ref 2009 "New Wheel" TJ Power EP 2012 "Traveller" The Art of Grace EP
Awards Year Work Award Category Result Ref TJ Power WAAPA Nigel Rideout Award for Most Exceptional Development in Training 2008 A Midsummer Night's Dream Best Newcomer WA Equity Guild Awards 2009 TJ Power Australians in Film AIF Heath Ledger Scholarship Charlie (short film) West Australian Screen Awards Best Actor Wasted on the Young Sydney Film Festival 2014 The Little Death AACTA Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role 2018 Your Call Is Important To Us West End Film Festival Best Film Your Call Is Important To Us Canberra International Film Festival Best Comedy Your Call Is Important To Us Sherman Oaks Film Festival Best Director – Short Film Your Call Is Important To Us Sherman Oaks Film Festival Best Short Film Your Call Is Important To Us Sherman Oaks Film Festival Outstanding Screenplay – Short Film Your Call Is Important To Us Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival Best Script Your Call Is Important To Us Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival Screener's Choice Your Call Is Important To Us Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival Best Australian Film Your Call Is Important To Us Prescott Film Festival Jury Prize – Best Narrative Short Your Call Is Important To Us San Diego International Film Festival Audience Award – Best Short Film Your Call Is Important To Us Flickerfest Best Australian Short Film Your Call Is Important To Us The Reelgood Film Festival Best Film 2020 The Bus to Birra Birra Film Invasion LA Best Short Film – Drama The Bus to Birra Birra Film Invasion LA Best Director – Short Film The Bus to Birra Birra Film Invasion LA Outstanding Screenplay The Bus to Birra Birra Gold Coast Film Festival Screen Industry Gala Awards People's Choice Award The Bus to Birra Birra Santa Monica International Film Festival Outstanding Screenplay
References
External links
TJ Power at Mollison Keightley TJ Power at AusStage