Damian Walshe-Howling is an Australian actor, well known for his role as Andrew 'Benji' Veniamin in the Australian underworld drama Underbelly, for which he won the Best Supporting or Guest Actor in a Drama Series at the 2008 AFI Awards.
Early life and education Walshe-Howling was born in the inner south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. His Italian mother, Iris (née. Romanella) was an actress, involved in the theatre at La Mama and the Pram Factory, a director and drama teacher. His father was a professor of third generation Irish background. Aspiring to be an actor too, Walshe-Howling performed in small theatre shows as a child. He attended a high school that specialised in the arts, before he spent a year studying drama, dance and music at Rusden College. He started professionally in the industry around the age of 19.
In 1999, he studied at New York's Atlantic Theater Company, specifically their technique 'Practical Aesthetics', both internationally and in Australia.
Career
Television Walshe-Howling appeared in an episode of the 1990 anthology series More Winners. He had a guest role in long-running soap opera Neighbours in 1993, before he got his first big break starring in Blue Heelers as Constable Adam Cooper. He left in 1998, and returned for the series finale in 2006. His first major television role after leaving the series, was as rock singer Mac in The Secret Life of Us (2001), earning him an Australian Film Institute Award nomination for Best Actor in a Guest Role in a Television Drama Series for his performance.
Other guest roles followed in Marshall Law (2002), Stingers (2003), Wilfred (2007), All Saints (2007), East West 101 (season 2), Rescue: Special Ops and Satisfaction.
In 2008, Walshe-Howling's next major break was starring as real-life crime figure Andrew 'Benji' Veniamin in the first season of Channel Nine's Australian underworld drama Underbelly. The role won him a 2008 Australian Film Institute Award for Best Supporting or Guest Actor in a Drama Series and also saw him nominated for a Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor in 2009. That same year, he hosted the Seven Network's factual series Crash Investigation Unit.
In 2010, Walshe-Howling hosted the Nine Network's reality show Customs; and in 2011, he had a guest role in Steven Spielberg's Terra Nova (2011). In 2012, he appeared in Australian TV drama series Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms as Bandidos vice president Mario 'Chopper' Cianter, and also appeared in long-running children's series, Play School.
In 2014, he appeared in a supporting role in the ABC TV comedy drama series, Old School, alongside Bryan Brown and Sam Neill. He also had a supporting role as star prosecutor Owen Mitchell in three seasons of the ABC's legal drama series, Janet King.
He has most recently been seen in US Netflix superhero series Titans, ABC crime drama Jack Irish opposite Guy Pearce and 2023 crime series Last King of the Cross with Lincoln Younes.
Film Walshe-Howling starred in 2000 TV movie Halifax f.p.: A Person of Interest, opposite Rebecca Gibney. That same year, he also appeared in A Wreck A Tangle, playing Benjamin. His first film role after departing his regular role on Blue Heelers was as Milo in 2001 comedy-drama He Died with a Felafel in His Hand with Noah Taylor.
He appeared in a cameo role in 2003 biographical film Ned Kelly, about the famed Australian bushranger, opposite Heath Ledger and Orlando Bloom, after being invited by director Gregor Jordan. He then starred in the 2006 modern day reimagining of Macbeth alongside Sam Worthington. Prior to his breakthrough role in Underbelly, he appeared opposite Joel Edgerton in short film Saturn’s Return. He was set to star in Point Break 2, however, due to the 2008 financial crisis, the film did not go ahead.
He next starred in survival horror film The Reef with former Underbelly co-star Gyton Grantley. The movie was released in Australian cinemas in March 2011.Trailer for Latest Killer Shark Flick, The Reef Surfaces In 2013, he had a supporting role in crime film Mystery Road.
In 2020, he appeared in the 2020 Australian sci-fi thriller 2067, alongside Ryan Kwanten.
Theatre In 2008, Walshe-Howling appeared in the Bell Shakespeare production of Pericles, Prince of Tyre. He also went back to his theatre roots with a lead role as Neil in B Sharp production of A View of Concrete.
His other theatre credits include Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Mojo, Crave, Sam Shepard's Fool for Love and Brendan Cowell's Melbourne production of Men. In 2015 he performed in the Black Swan Theatre Company production of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross. In 2019 he appeared as Marco in Melbourne Theatre Company's production of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge.
Filmmaker Walshe-Howling is also an accomplished filmmaker. He made his debut with his 2007 short film The Bloody Sweet. After submitting the film to Flickerfest, it made the Australian content section of the competition. A few months later, he was approached to present Flickerfest on Extra, a TV show on Movie Extra, which he went on to host for two years.
His 2012 short film Suspended, which he wrote, produced and directed, screened in official competition at Flickerfest, the 2012 Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, the 2012 Nashville Film Festival, the 2012 St Kilda Short Film Festival, the 2013 Canberra Short Film Festival, Slamdance Film Festival and Cannes Cinephiles.
In 2015, his short film MESSiAH was one of four winners of the third annual Lexus Short Film Competition, in California. The win enabled him to collaborate with The Weinstein Company and the film then premiered at the Sydney Film Festival.
His 2016 short film Unspoken, which he wrote and directed, was awarded Best Short CinefestOZ in 2024, before taking out the International Grand Prize at the 2025 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France's second-largest film festival after Cannes.
He also completed a Director's Attachment with Peter Andrikidis on Screentime's 2018 miniseries Underbelly Files: Chopper.
Recognition and awards Year Title Award Category Result 2001 The Secret Life of Us (episode: "State of Limbo") AFI Awards Best Actor in a Guest Role in a Television Drama Series 2008 Underbelly (episode: 'Wise Monkeys") AFI Awards Best Supporting or Guest Actor in a Drama Series 2009 Underbelly Logie Awards Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor 2009 Damian Walshe-Howling Cleo Bachelor of the Year 2010 The Reef A Night of Horror International Film Festival Best Actor 2012 Suspended Locarno Film Festival Golden Pardino - Leopards of Tomorrow Award 2013 Canberra Short Film Festival Festival Prize for Best Film 2014 The Time of Our Lives Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama Series 2015 MESSiAH Lexus Short Film Competition 2024 Unspoken CinefestOZ Best Short 2025 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival International Grand Prize
Personal life Walshe-Howling said in 2010, that he had been single for many years.
When it was announced that the first series of Underbelly was banned (for legal reasons) in Melbourne the day before it was due to go to air, Walshe-Howling moved to Sydney to maximise his work opportunities.
While on the set of 2010 film The Reef, he stood on a venomous stonefish, known to be fatal to humans. Production was shut down for 24 hours, while he was in hospital.
An extra, who appeared in 2012 miniseries Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms, Rebecca Wilson, launched a sexual harassment suit against Walshe-Howling, alleging he "forcibly kissed" her during filming in 2011. After a preliminary hearing in 2019, the parties reached an out-of-court settlement and proceedings were dismissed.
Walshe-Howling taught an advanced acting course at Brave Studios at the Cotton Mills in Footscray, Melbourne.
Filmography Film
As actor YearTitleRoleNotes 1999 A Wreck A Tangle Benjamin 2001 He Died with a Felafel in His Hand Milo 2003 Ned Kelly Glenrowan policeman 2004 Josh Jarman Fringe theatre actor2005 The Umbrella Men John Short film Rupture The Man Short film2006 Three Months at Sea Julian Short film Teenage Lust Tom Short film Kenny Crazy man in toilet Macbeth Ross Insignia Paul Andrews Short film 2008 Crushed2010 The Clearing Adam Short film The Reef Luke2011 Monkeys Friend 2 Short film Post Apocalyptic Man Shade Short film 2012 Summer Suit Dad Short film2013 Mystery Road Wayne Silverman Around the Block Brent Graham 2017 Goodnight Sweetheart Tyson Short film2018 House Party Knives Short film Desert Dash Ivan Short film 2020 2067 Billy Mitchell 2022 Darklands John Kolt
As director / producer / writer YearTitle Credited asNotes Director Producer Writer Editor 2007 The Bloody Sweet HitShort film 2009 Dog MeatShort film 2012 SuspendedShort film 2016 MessiahShort film 2016 Unspoken Short film 2025 A Good Boy Short film
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 1990 More Winners Reg Sanders Episode: "Boy Soldiers" 1993–1994 Neighbours Troy Duncan 7 episodes 1994–1998; 2006 Blue Heelers Constable Adam Cooper Main role guest role 178 episodes 1995 Sky Trackers Hoon 1 episode 2000 Halifax f.p. Scott Brennan Season 5, episode 1: "A Person of Interest"2001 Love Is a Four Letter Word Dean Masselos 4 episodes Saturn's Return Dimi Short TV film The Secret Life of Us Mac 7 episodes 2002Marshall Law Jeffrey Mason 1 episode 2003 Stingers Dave Williams 1 episode2005 Heartbreak Tour Danny Short TV film Life Joey Cardamone TV film2007 Wilfred Keith 1 episode All Saints Jacob Shipper 1 episode 2007–2008 Satisfaction Gino 2 episodes 2008 Underbelly Andrew 'Benji' Veniamin 6 episodes 2008–2011 Crash Investigation Unit Narrator2009 Whatever Happened to That Guy? Jarred 1 episode Rescue: Special Ops Nick 1 episode East West 101 Tony Caruso 1 episode 2009–2010 Flickerfest on EXTRA Narrator2011 Panic at Rock Island Rufus Mitchell TV film Terra Nova Carter 8 episodes2012 Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms Mario 'Chopper' Cianter Miniseries (main role) Agony Uncles Himself 6 episodes 2013 The Time of Our Lives Ewan 4 episodes 2014–2017 Janet King Owen Mitchell 24 episodes (main role) 2014Old School Vince Pelagatti 7 episodes 2017 Blue Murder: Killer Cop Alan Abrahams Miniseries, 1 episode2018 Wrong Kind of Black Kevin Web series, 4 episodes (main role) Bite Club Dr. Kristof Olsen 8 episodes (main role) Titans Graham Norris 1 episode2019 Blue Water Empire Wing Commander Donald Thompson Docudrama Welfare Jackson Spencer Web series, 1 episode Buying Blind Narrator 6 episodes 2021 Jack Irish Daryl Riley 1 episode 2023 Last King of the Cross Joey Romano 7 episodes2024 Til You Make It Finn 1 episode Thou Shalt Not Steal Spider 1 episode
Theatre YearTitleRoleNotes 1993 Accidental Death of an Anarchist Deakin University, Melbourne 1996 Fool For Love Carlton Courthouse, Melbourne with Hoy Polloy Theatre 2001 Crave Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney2003 Slide Night La Mama, Melbourne Mojo The Store Room, Melbourne2008 Pericles, Prince of Tyre Bell Shakespeare A View of Concrete Neil Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney Danny and the Deep Blue Sea 2015 Glengarry Glen Ross Ricky Roma Heath Ledger Theatre, Perth with Black Swan Theatre Company 2019 A View from the Bridge Marco Southbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC Men Melbourne 2024 Gluttony: The Play Paul Hotel Windsor, Melbourne with Red Stitch Actors Theatre
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