Clarence Ryan is an Aboriginal Australian actor.
Early life and education Ryan is from Perth and started acting when he was 10 or 11. He attended Perth's Warwick Senior High School, but when he began performing on Australian screens at the age of 14, he put his school studies on hold for six months, so he could focus on his acting career.
Career Ryan was a co-lead in 2007 drama film September opposite Xavier Samuel, which saw him nominated for the 2008 AACTA Award for Best Young Actor for his performance. 2007 also saw him take on the lead role of Geoffrey 'Egg' Eggleston in children's series Lockie Leonard, based on Tim Winton's novels of the same name. He later had a recurring role in 2010 children's supernatural series Dead Gorgeous, playing the part of Tom Kelly.
In 2012, Ryan starred in the historical documentary Yagan, about the Noongar warrior Yagan. In 2014, he performed on stage in King Hit, about the life of Geoffrey Narkle, an Aboriginal man and member of the Stolen Generations, and his boxing career, reflecting on culture, identity, and finding strength. He also played the role of Private Billy Tinker in 2014 miniseries ANZAC Girls, opposite Anna McGahan and Caroline Craig.
Ryan next appeared in the 2017 second season of Cleverman, before playing the lead role in Emmy Award-winning comedy-drama Wrong Kind of Black, which was released in 2018 as a web series and telemovie. It was created, written, and narrated by Aboriginal author and storyteller, Boori Monty Pryor, upon whose life it is based.
In 2019, Ryan starred as Jack in KGB, an Australian comedy series following two rookie detectives through Perth. Also that year, he featured as Sully in the miniseries Stateless, with Yvonne Strahovski, Cate Blanchett and Jai Courtney, which told the story of four strangers in an immigration detention centre. During this period, he also created two comedy web series – Our Law and Old Mate – the latter, about a 47,000-year-old Indigenous Australian superhero, which he also starred in. The following year, he was named as one of the Casting Guild of Australia's Rising Stars for 2021.
In 2022, Ryan appeared in the first season of Mystery Road: Origin. His performance earned him a nomination for the 2023 Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actor. That same year, he featured in a segment of the Australian-New Zealand anthology film We Are Still Here, made to coincide with the 250th anniversary of James Cook’s second voyage to Australia, and reflecting on its legacy of colonialism and racism. Ryan played the role of Ken, a painter who was harassed by a police officer while trying to purchase alcohol.
Ryan next appeared alongside Radha Mitchell, Mia Wasikowska and Eric Bana in 2023 family drama film Blueback, which was based on Tim Winton's 1997 novella.
Ryan played the mechanic Black Thumb in 2024 dystopian action film Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, the most recent installment of the Mad Max franchise starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. That same year, he appeared in Indigenous horror film The Moogai and played opposite Greta Scacchi as Daniel in 2024 drama film He Ain't Heavy. He also played Nolan Brannock, an ambitious Indigenous cattle station owner, in Netflix drama miniseries Territory, opposite Anna Torv, Michael Dorman and Robert Taylor. On 23 November 2024, the ABC announced that the second season of Mystery Road: Origin was in production and that Ryan would reprise his role as Sputty.
More recently, Ryan took on the role of Roddy in 2025 drama miniseries Reckless with Tasma Walton and Jessica De Gouw and played Cowboy in Top End Bub, the series follow-up to 2019 film Top End Wedding, starring Miranda Tapsell. Within the same year, he featured in family comedy film Kangaroo, playing the part of Nick.
Personal life Ryan is the nephew of actor Trevor Jamieson, which they discovered while filming Lockie Leonard in 2007.
Credits
Film Year Title RoleNotes Ref 2006 Lapislazuli – Im Auge des Bären Bataa 2007 September Paddy 2009 Bourke Boy Russell Short film 2012 Yagan Yagan Documentary film 2014 Wongi Warrior Jim Short film 2014 Rat Tale Rick Short film One Fine Day Man Short film 2015 The Tender Dark Joey Short film 2016 We Were Here Stranger Short film Leroy's Dream Leroy Short film Ghost Yawang Short film 2017 Dirt Tin Sam Short film Blight Criminal Short film OtherLife Byron Finbar Nobody's Child Boxer Short film 2018 The Decadent and Depraved Coen 2019 Between Two Lines Burt Short film Jadai – The Broome Brawler Jadai Short film Dark Place Blackfella Anthology film (segment: "Killer Native") 2020 Moon Rock for Monday Johnny 2021 Good Night Man Short film 2022 We Are Still Here Ken Anthology film Blueback Briggs 2022 The Fritz Short film 2024 The Moogai Ray Boy Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Black Thumb He Ain't Heavy Daniel 2025 Kangaroo Nick Twice Over Adrian Tolman Post-production Deeply Levi In development
Television Year Title RoleNotes Ref 2007–2010 Lockie Leonard Geoffrey 'Egg' Eggleston 52 episodes 2009 Stormworld Llargh Episode: "Three Sun Day" 2010 Dead Gorgeous Tom Kelly 4 episodes 2013 Serangoon Road Young Robbo Episode #1.9 2014 ANZAC Girls Private Billy Tinker Miniseries, 3 episodes 2015 The Secret River Greybeard's Warrior #1 Miniseries, 2 episodes 2017 Cleverman Jarli Season 2, 6 episodes Wolf Creek Patrick Miniseries, episode: "Singing"2018 Wrong Kind of Black Monty Pryor Miniseries; 4 episodes Wanted Hamish 5 episodes 2019 KGB Jack 5 episodes Single Ladies Mike the Bartender Episode: "Community Standards" 2020 Stateless Sully Miniseries, 6 episodes 2022; 2025 Mystery Road: Origin Sputty 6 episodes 2024 Territory Nolan Brannock Miniseries; 6 episodes 2025 The Newsreader Deano Prince Season 3, 1 episode 2025 Reckless Roddy Miniseries, 4 episodes Top End Bub Cowboy Miniseries, 4 episodes Old Mate 47,000-year-old Indigenous Australian superhero Web seriesIn development(Also creator)
Stage Year Title Role Production co Ref 2015 King Hit Geoffrey Narkle Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company
Awards and nominations Year Work Award Category Result Ref 2008 September AFI Award Best Young Actor 2015 King Hit Performing Arts WA Awards Best Newcomer King Hit Performing Arts WA Awards Best Actor 2016 We Were Here West Australian Screen Awards Best Performance by an Actor 2018 Wrong Kind of Black NZWebFest International Narrative Award for Best Actor Cleverman Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2023 Mystery Road: Origin Logie Awards Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Supporting Actor Mystery Road: Origin Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2026 Mystery Road: Origin Logie Awards Silver Logie for Best Supporting Actor
References
External links
Clarence Ryan with RGM Artists