Christopher Brown (born 25 February 1973) is a New Zealand television and theatre actor. His first television role was a regular role in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street playing villainous Oscar Henry. He later played teacher Brent Townsend-Ross in the Network Ten sitcom Sit Down, Shut Up. He won an accolade at the 2003 New Zealand Film Awards for his main role in the 2003 film Orphans and Angels.
Brown has often concentrated on his theatre career and co-wrote his one man show titled Mr. Phase which premiered in 2002. The Green Room Awards recognised his on-stage work with a Best Supporting Actor nomination in 2003.
Career Brown studied drama at the Victorian College of the Arts and was a successful graduate. His television career began in 1998, as business manager Oscar Henry in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. The character was a villain who had manipulative tendencies. Brown left the series in 1999 and his character was killed off in an explosion caused by Mackenzie Choat (Ingrid Park). In 2012, TVNZ named the character as one of Shortland Street's best ever villains.
The actor gained guest roles as Pythagoras in the Fox Kids drama Young Hercules (1999), Steve in High Flyers (1999) and Roberto Sistini in Nine Network's drama series Stingers (2000). In 2000, Brown played the "self-absorbed" Performance Arts Teacher Brent Townsend-Ross in the Network Ten sitcom Sit Down, Shut Up.
In 2002, he played the guest role of Barry Childers in an episode of the first series of Australian Broadcasting Corporation show MDA. Brown had co-wrote his own theatre play with Thomas Howie, titled Mr. Phase. The play had been in development since 2000. It was stylised as a one man show which was directed by Margaret Cameron and performed at the Melbourne International Festival in 2002.
The actor played the male lead role of John alongside actress Emmeline Hawthorne in the 2003 film Orphans and Angels. Brown won the "Special Jury Prize - Digital Feature" accolade at the 2003 New Zealand Film Awards for his role in Orphans and Angels. The actor went onto star in a stage production titled Yet Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves, for which he received a 2003 Green Room Award nomination for "Best Supporting Actor".
In 2013, Brown played the guest role of Royce in ABC's comedy It's a Date. In September 2014, Brown performed the main role in the stage production of Bent at the Theatre Works in St Kilda, Victoria. Bent focused on the Nazi persecution of gay men during World War II and were identified by a Pink triangle. Also that year he played Rick the Architect in the Nine Network crime drama Fat Tony & Co..
The actor played the supporting role of Neil Murray in the 2018 Network Ten drama series Playing for Keeps. Brown has often concentrated on theatre work and has had roles with production companies such as the Melbourne Theatre Company, Sydney Theatre Company, Malthouse Theatre and the Belvoir theatre group. The actor is also scheduled to appear in a film titled Breeding in Captivity.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1998-1999 Shortland Street Oscar Henry Regular role 1999 Young Hercules Pythagoras Gust role 1999 High Flyers Steve Guest role 2000 Stingers Roberto Sistini Guest role 2000 Sit Down, Shut Up Brent Townsend-Ross Regular role 2001 Shock Jock Nigel Guest role 2002 MDA Barry Childers Guest role 2003 Blue Heelers Jonathon Maidstone Guest role 2003 Orphans and Angels John Film, Lead role 2004 Heartworm Dave Short film 2006 Invisible N/A Short film 2007 Little Deaths Jason Film 2008 Satisfaction Maitre D Guest role 2008 The Hollowmen N/A Guest role 2008 Long Weekend Radio Voice Guest role 2010 City Homicide Leonard Besser Guest role 2010 Rush Stefan Guest role 2012 Lowdown John Guest role 2013 It's a Date Royce Guest role 2013 Acts of God Mr. Felling Short film 2014 Fat Tony & Co. Rick the Architect Guest role 2014 Wing and a Prayer Angel Short film 2015 Stories I Want to Tell You in Person Full Jew TV film 2016 Kosh Man Short film 2018– Playing for Keeps Neil Murray Recurring role 2019 Preacher Dr. Hiatt Guest role 2019 Utopia Photographer Guest role 2020 Breeding in Captivity Owen Film
Sources:
Awards and nominations Year Format Association Category Nominated work Result2003Film2003 New Zealand Film Awards Special Jury Prize - Digital FeatureOrphans and Angels 2003TheatreGreen Room AwardsBest Supporting ActorYet Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves
References
External links
Christopher Brown at Mollison Keightley