Todd MacDonald (born 1973 in British Columbia, Canada) is a Canadian Australian actor who is best known for his roles on the soap opera Neighbours and the drama series The Secret Life of Us and Rush.

Todd MacDonald
Born1973 (age 50–51)
OccupationActor
Known forNeighbours, The Secret Life of Us, Rush.

Early life

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MacDonald was born in Canada and lived in the Canary Islands when he was four.[1] He developed an interest in acting while in primary school on the Gold Coast, Queensland, undertaking classes at Gold Coast Little Theatre.[2] He played Ham in a production of Samuel Beckett’s Endgame in his high school senior year.[3] He graduated in 1996 from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney.

Career

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MacDonald's Neighbours stint began in 1996, when he was hired to play Darren Stark, the son of Cheryl Stark (Caroline Gillmer). The role of Darren had previously been played by Scott Major briefly in 1993. MacDonald departed the series in 1998, returning for guest appearances in 2004 and 2005, and again in 2007 and 2008.

In the early 2000s, MacDonald played the recurring role of Nathan Lieberman on The Secret Life of Us and a supporting role in the drama series Rush in 2008. He has also appeared in BeastMaster and Blue Heelers and the movie The Jammed.

In 2013, he appeared as Thomas with Libby Munro as Vanda in a production of David Ives' 2010 play Venus in Fur by the Queensland Theatre Company in Brisbane.[4]

MacDonald was co-founder and artistic director of The Store Room Theatre in Melbourne in 1999. He went on to become an artistic associate of the Queensland Theatre Company from 2011 to 2014, and more recently CEO and Artistic Director of La Boite Theatre Company in Brisbane, from 2015 until 2020.[5][6]

Personal life

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MacDonald is married to Queensland performer Rebecca McIntosh, whom he met while she was hosting Love TV at the Edinburgh Festival. They have twin daughters.[7][8]

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Type
1996–98;
2004; 2005;
2007; 2008
Neighbours Darren Stark TV series, 190 episodes
2001 BeastMaster Breon TV series, season 3, episode 2: "The Crystal Ark"
2001–03 The Secret Life of Us Nathan Lieberman TV series, seasons 1–3, 25 episodes
2001; 2005 Blue Heelers Brendan Maguire / Snr Constable Simon Barclay TV series, season 8, 1 episode; season 12, 4 episodes
2004 Salem's Lot Floyd Tibbits TV miniseries, 2 episodes
2008 Rush Connor Barry TV series, season 1, 6 episodes
2009 Snake Tales TV series
2009–10 Satisfaction Bernie TV series, season 3, 5 episodes
2010 Tangle Paul TV series, season 2, 4 episodes
2011 Bed of Roses Conrad TV series, season 3, episode 4: "Laid Bare"
2019 The Family Law Ross TV series, season 3, episode 4: "Dancing in the Dark"
2022 Darby and Joan Nick TV series, episode 3

Film

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Year Title Role Type
1995 Sahara Mike Clarkson TV movie
1997 Bum Magnet Judd Short film
2000 Virtual Nightmare TV movie
2000 On the Beach Radioman Giles TV movie
2001 Martin Four Martin Short film
2002 The Thing in the Roof Willie Short film
2002 Guru Wayne David Fisher Feature film
2007 The Jammed Tom Feature film
2007 The King Richard Croft TV movie
2008 Belladonna Luke Feature film
2009 Welcome to the Cosmos Rob Short film
2010 Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Creature (voice) Feature film
2010 The Pier Joel Short film
2021 Thea Goes to Town Hal Short film
2024 Audrey Ranch Hand Feature film
2024 A Vintage Christmas Mayor Mitchell

Theatre

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As actor

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Year Title Role Venue / Company
1992 Summer of the Aliens Lewis NIDA Parade Theatre
1992 Hanjo Actor NIDA Parade Theatre
1993 The Skin of Our Teeth Actor NIDA Parade Theatre
1993 The Grace of Mary Traverse Lord Exrake / Guard NIDA Parade Theatre
1993 All's Well That Ends Well Actor NIDA Parade Theatre
1993 A House is Built William NIDA Parade Theatre
1994 The Art of Success Actor NIDA Parade Theatre
1994 The Adding Machine Actor NIDA Parade Theatre
1994 Appetite Actor Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with NIDA for Melbourne Fringe Festival
1996 Venus and Adonis Actor State Theatrette, Sydney for Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
1999 The Language of the Gods Theo Braak Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company
1999 Remembrance Day Performer Victorian Trades Hall with La Mama
2002 Screaming in America: The Bill Hicks Project Actor Store Room, Melbourne for Melbourne International Comedy Festival
2003 Ride Actor Store Room, Melbourne
2004; 2006 Blowback Actor St Kilda Army & Navy Club Memorial Hall, Melbourne with NYID, Sydney Opera House
2004 Julia 3 Charlie Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company
2005; 2007 Construction of the Human Heart 'Him' Store Room, Melbourne, Tower Theatre, Melbourne, Belvoir Theatre, Sydney, Frankston Arts Centre, Colac Otways Performing Arts &Cultural Centre
2007 Make Me Cry Actor Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne
2008 Lovers and Haters Actor Norwood Concert Hall for Adelaide Festival
2008; 2009 Strangeland Performer Seoul Arts Centre, South Korea, Arts House Meat Market, Melbourne
2008 The Dispossessed Performer Seoul Arts Centre, South Korea
2009 Progress and Melancholy Actor Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne
2010 Bare Witness Jacek Fortyfivedownstairs, Melbourne with La Mama
2013 Venus in Fur Thomas Cremorne Theatre with Queensland Theatre Company
2014 The Button Event One Man Show Bille Brown Studio with Queensland Theatre for Brisbane Festival
2015; 2016 Uncle Vanya Dr Astrov Watford House, Avoca, Corinella Eganstown with La Mama
2016 The Tragedy of King Richard III Shakespeare Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2018 The Mathematics of Longing Physicist father Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company

As director

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Year Title Role Venue / Company
2004 The Conquest of the South Pole Director The Store Room, Melbourne
2007 Top Town Director Melbourne Town Hall for Melbourne International Comedy Festival
2007 Scenes from our Loungeroom Director Northcote Town Hall, Melbourne for Melbourne International Comedy Festival
2007 Cinderella Sux Director Meeting Room, Melbourne for Melbourne Fringe Festival
2009 The Dictionary of Imaginary Places Producer Arts House, Meat Market with The Store Room, Melbourne[9]
2011 An Oak Tree Director Bille Brown Theatre with Queensland Theatre
2012; 2015 Kelly Director Cremorne Theatre, Brisbane, Gasworks Theatre, Melbourne, Butter Factory Theatre, Wodonga with Queensland Theatre
2014 The Mountaintop Director Playhouse, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre
2015 Medea Director Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2015; 2017; 2018 Prize Fighter Director Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane, Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Logan Entertainment Centre, Northcote Town Hall, Melbourne, IMB Theatre, Wollongong with La Boite Theatre Company
2016 When One Door Closes Dramaturge Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2016 A Streetcar Named Desire Director Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2017 Blackrock Director Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company & QUT
2017; 2018 The Village Director Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2017; 2020 Laser Beak Man Dramaturge Roundhouse Theatre with La Boite Theatre Company for Brisbane Festival, Sydney Opera House for Sydney Festival
2018 The Mathematics of Longing Creator Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2019 Single Asian Female Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2019 Romeo and Juliet Director Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company
2020 The Neighbourhood Creator Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite Theatre Company

[10]

References

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  1. ^ "On the Couch with Todd MacDonald". 23 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Spotlight Creative Director Todd MacDonald". 16 November 2020.
  3. ^ "Todd MacDonald | Interview | the Weekend Edition". 16 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Venus in Fur a dominant piece of theatre" by Natalie Bochenski, Brisbane Times, 28 June 2013
  5. ^ "On the Couch with Todd MacDonald". 23 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Todd MacDonald | Interview | the Weekend Edition". 16 April 2015.
  7. ^ "Artist Rebecca McIntosh's Love TV invites guests to reveal their passion before a live audience". 27 September 2014.
  8. ^ "West End Magazine: Creative Couple". 16 December 2012.
  9. ^ http://www.artshouse.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Arts-House-S2-2009-The-Dictionary-of-Imaginary-Places-House-Program.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  10. ^ "AusStage".
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