Oliver Ackland (born 9 November 1979) is an Australian actor.

Early life and education Ackland stumbled upon acting at high school, when the school had a theatre sports competition, and they needed more participants to make up the numbers. He undertook his acting training at the Australian Theatre for Young People and NIDA's Summer School.

Career Ackland's first small screen role was as Vince Frasca in 2001 family series Outriders, in which he appeared for the duration of its run. He appeared in children's fantasy series Pirate Islands as the character Mars in 2003 and family comedy-drama series Out There from 2003 to 2004. He also scored guest roles in All Saints, Always Greener and Young Lions, before starring as the romantic lead in miniseries Jessica, opposite Leeanna Walsman and Sam Neill.

In 2005, Ackland featured alongside an all-star cast including Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, John Hurt and Emily Watson in John Hillcoat's western feature The Proposition. He later appeared in 2008 telemovie thriller Emerald Falls with Georgie Parker and Vince Colosimo.

After working in bars and as a gardener to make ends meet, in 2009, Ackland was awarded the inaugural Heath Ledger scholarship by Australians in Film. The initiative, established in honour of the late actor, by Ledger's former partner Michelle Williams and Australian director Gregor Jordan, with help from Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman, awards its winners $10,000, flights to LA and introductions to agents and casting directors in the US. Ackland was chosen from 150 applicants, where the judges looked for early career actors with "initiative and exceptional talent with ability to convert ambitions to reality" and "the potential to be outstanding in an international context".

Ackland next starred in Ben Lucas' thriller Wasted on the Young, which premiered at the 2010 Sydney Film Festival and screened at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. The following year, he appeared as Toby Raven in the miniseries realisation of Tim Winton's award-winning novel Cloudstreet, directed by Matthew Saville, The same year, he also played Rhys in drama miniseries The Slap, adapted from the novel by Christos Tsiolkas, and starring Melissa George, Alex Dimitriades, Sophie Okonedo and Essie Davis.

In 2012, Ackland was seen in the comedy horror film 100 Bloody Acres, in a main role opposite Damon Herriman and Angus Sampson, as well as Richard Gray's sports drama feature Blinder and ABC telemovie The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.

Ackland next featured in 2014 political drama miniseries Party Tricks, playing Tom Worland, opposite Asher Keddie and Rodger Corser. He then landed a recurring guest role as Tristan de Martel in American supernatural drama series The Originals.

In 2019, Ackland played the part of Alex, a lawyer with a troubled past, in drama miniseries Secret Bridesmaids' Business, opposite Irish actress Katie McGrath, former Outriders castmate Abbie Cornish and former Wasted on the Young co-star Georgina Haig. The following year, he had a four-episode role as Young Donnie in the second season of sci-fi drama series Bloom, seeing him perform alongside the likes of Bryan Brown, Jacki Weaver, Gary Sweet and Phoebe Tonkin. He then had a recurring guest role as bikie gang member Lloyd in long-running soap opera Home and Away, before appearing as Peter Emery in the series Critical Incident in 2024.

Ackland has also appeared in numerous short films, including Eve (2006), Damian Walshe-Howling's The Bloody Sweet Hit (2007) and Engram (2014, co-starring alongside Isabel Lucas).

A graduate of College of Fine Arts (COFA), Ackland is also a visual artist, who has exhibited around Australia. He has been a finalist in both the 2023 Fishers Ghost Award and the 2024 National Emerging Art Prize. In 2024, he 2024 St Vincent’s Art Exhibition which raises funds for victims of domestic violence.

Awards and nominations Year Title Role Notes Result Ref. 2009 Oliver Ackland Australians in Film Heath Ledger Scholarship 2023 Oliver Ackland Fishers Ghost Award 2024 Oliver Ackland National Emerging Art Prize 2025 Critical Incident Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1999 The Last Paperboy The Paperboy Short film2000 Therefore I Am Simon Short film My Drug Buddy Jim Short film 2003 Peter Pan Groom 2005 The Proposition Patrick Hopkins 2006 Eve Jack Short film 2007 Dylan Short film 2009 Emergence Adam Short film 2010 Wasted on the Young Darren 2011 50-50 Charlie Short film Tinman Jim Short film 2012 100 Bloody Acres James 2013 Blinder Tom Dunn 2014 Engram Short film 2019 Dick Dick Short film

Television Year Title Role Notes Ref.2001 Outriders Vince Frasca 26 episodes All Saints Nathan 2002 Young Lions Liam Quinlan Episode: "Serial Killer: Part 1" 2003 Always Greener Matt Payne Episode: "Great and Not So Great Expectations" Home and Away Steven Ross Episode: "1.3479" Pirate Islands Mars 26 episodes Out There Peter Logan 2 episodes: "Peggy" & "Some Wombats Have All the Luck" 2004 Jessica Jack Thomas Miniseries Cable Pauli TV movie 2008 Emerald Falls Steve Landers TV movie 2011 Cloudstreet Toby Raven Miniseries The Slap Rhys 2 episodes: "Hector" & "Anouk" 2012 The Mystery of a Hansom Cab Brian Fitzgerald TV movie 2014 Party Tricks Tom Worland 6 episodes 2015 Satisfaction Julian 1 episode 2015–2016 The Originals Tristan de Martel 11 episodes 2019 Secret Bridesmaids' Business Alex Blake 6 episodes 2020 Bloom Young Donnie 5 episodes 2022–2023 Home and Away Lloyd Stevens 3 episodes 2024Critical Incident Snr Constable Peter Emery 6 episodes

Music videos Year Artist Title Role Ref. 2015 Mysteries Newly Thrown Dan Burnstall 2016 Broods Heartlines Boyfriend / Waiter

Theatre Year Title Role Notes Ref. 2000 Birds Stock Market Analyst ATYP

References

External links

Oliver Ackland at Independent Management Company Oliver Ackland at MCA Voices