Matthew Nable (born 8 March 1972) is an Australian film and television actor, writer, sports commentator and former professional rugby league footballer. After playing in the Winfield Cup Premiership during the 1990s for the Manly-Warringah and South Sydney clubs, he wrote and starred in the rugby league-centred drama The Final Winter in 2007. Nable went on to act in films such as Killer Elite and Riddick. He appeared on Mr Inbetween and as Ra's al Ghul in The CW's Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow.
Early life Nable was born to David Nable and Kristine Jeffrey. Nable grew up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and also, as a young boy, spent two years at Portsea, Victoria, when his father, Dave, a soldier, was stationed there, and another period of his childhood in Albury. His father had also worked as a trainer for the Australian national rugby league team, and his brother, Adam Nable, would become a professional player as well.
Rugby league career Nable rose through the junior ranks at the Manly-Warringah club and made five appearances for the Graham Lowe-coached team over 1991 and 1992. Following this he didn't appear in the premiership until 1995 when he played three games for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
After another season in England where he played for Carlisle before moving to the London Broncos, Nable quit football and then tried his hand at boxing, fighting for the state light-heavyweight title as an amateur. He then worked as a beer salesman and personal trainer, but eventually decided to leave paid employment to become a writer.
Writing and acting career
After encouragement from his mentor, Booker Prize-winning novelist Thomas Keneally, Nable wrote a screenplay for The Final Winter based on his unpublished novel of the same name. With friends he also managed to raise $1.6m and they worked together to make the film which was released in 2007, and earned critical praise but was a box office failure.
Nable went on to act in the United States as a Los Angeles detective in the 2008 television movie S.I.S..
In 2009, his book We Don't Live Here Anymore was published, in 2011 he published his second book Faces in the Clouds, which won critical praise.
He worked as a writer on Channel 7's rugby league comedy programme, The Matty Johns Show.
Nable appeared in the main cast of critically acclaimed and award-winning SBS drama series, East West 101, and in the 2011 action film Killer Elite alongside Clive Owen, Robert De Niro, Yvonne Strahovski, Jason Statham, and Dominic Purcell.
Nable starred in the 2012 Australian drama series, Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms. The same year he was announced as a cast member of another Australian TV series, Underbelly: Badness. He also had a role in the film 33 Postcards.
He appeared in the 2013 sci-fi film Riddick alongside Vin Diesel.
In March 2014, it was reported that Nable would appear in the Nine Network's upcoming miniseries Gallipoli.
On 4 September 2014, Stephen Amell announced on Facebook that Nable would portray the role of Ra's al Ghul on the third season of Arrow. Despite Liam Neeson (Ra's al Ghul in The Dark Knight Trilogy) expressing an interest in reprising his role for the television series' third season and the CW Network reaching out to him, he was unavailable and Nable was cast as Ra's instead. IGN's Jesse Scheeden said he brought "charisma and danger to the part". Nable portrayed the character in ten episodes of the third season. He reprised his role in a first season episode of Legends of Tomorrow.
In October 2019, Nable starred in the opening cinematic of the 2019 Bathurst 1000, broadcast on Fox Sports Australia. Nable has since featured in numerous Fox Sports cinematics, promotions and advertisements, primarily for their Rugby League division, Fox League.
From 2018 to 2021 he had a recurring role in the Australian black-comedy crime drama Mr Inbetween.
On 19 November 2024, Nable was named as part of an extended cast for Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar.
Filmography
Film Year Title RoleNotes 2007 Mick 'Grub' Henderson Also writer2011 33 Postcards Tommy As Matthew Nable Killer Elite Pennock 2012 K-11 Villalobos As Matthew Nable2013 Around the Block Jack Wood Max Riddick Colonel R. 'Boss' Johns2014 Fell Thomas Son of a Gun Sterlo2016 Hacksaw Ridge Lieutenant Colonel Cooney Incarnate Dan Sparrow2017 Jasper Jones Sergeant 1% President Knuck Also writer 2019 Standing Up for Sunny Male Interviewer 2021 The Dry Grant Dow 2022 Poker Face Billy 2023 Transfusion Johnny Also writer and director2025WolframBilly 2026 Thrash Billy TBA In Cold Light The Inspector Post-productionTBA That's Not a Knife Himself Documentary; post-production +Key Denotes films that have not yet been released
Television Year Title RoleNotes 2008 S.I.S. Melville Atkinson Television film 2011 East West 101 Detective Neil Travis Main cast (season 3)(credited as Matthew Nable)2012 Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms William George "Jock" Ross Main cast Underbelly: Badness Detective Sergeant Gary Jubelin Main cast(credited as Matthew Nable) 2014–2015 Arrow Ra's al Ghul Recurring role (season 3)2015 Winter Federal Agent Jake Harris Main cast Gallipoli Sergeant Harry Perceval Miniseries2016 Legends of Tomorrow Ra's al Ghul Episode: "Left Behind" Barracuda Frank Torma Miniseries Quarry Thurston 2 episodes Hyde & Seek Detective Sergeant Gary Hyde Main cast 2017 Blue Murder: Killer Cop Detective Mark Standen Miniseries 2018 Dead Lucky Matt O'Reilly Miniseries 2018–2021 Mr Inbetween Dave Recurring role 2020 The Sounds Jack McGregor Main cast 2022 The Twelve Nathan Spears Main cast2023 Last King of the Cross "Big Tony" Stone Main cast Year Of Alan Prichard 10 episodes 2023–present Bay of Fires Thaddeus TV series2024 Plum Dave 5 episodes2025Apple Cider VinegarJoe6 episodes
Awards and nominations +YearTitleAwardCategoryResultRef2025Apple Cider VinegarLogie AwardsBest Supporting ActorPending2022Mr InbetweenLogie AwardsMost Outstanding Supporting Actor2021Mr InbetweenAACTA AwardsBest Supporting Actor Drama2017Blue Murder: Killer CopAACTA AwardsGuest or Supporting Actor in Television Drama
Bibliography
Books We Don't Live Here Anymore (2009) Faces in the Clouds (2011) Guilt (2015) Still (2021) Mire (2026)
References
External links
Matt Nable at yesterdayshero.com.au