A Savage Christmas

THE CAST

Darren Gilshenan

as "UNCLE DICK"

After graduating from NIDA in 1988, Darren began his career in musical theatre before spending 10 years with The Bell Shakespeare Company. Sketch comedy followed with three years on Full Frontal, followed by roles in high-profile Australian TV series.

Darren is currently in production for Stan/Lionsgate’s production of Population 11. In addition Darren will also feature in the Freemantle Media / Disney + production of Nautilus which is an iconic, epic action-adventure story based on the works of Jules Verne, as well as Lingo Pictures Series Upright S2 directed by Mirrah Foulkes.

Recent selected television credits include: Easy Tiger Productions Colin From Accounts, Matchbox Pictures’ Joe vs. Carol for NBC, Cordell Jigsaw Productions; Darby and Joan, Troppo for Playmaker/EQ Media/Beyond, How To Stay Married for Network Ten 1, 2 & 3, Stateless, Harrow 1, 2 & 3 for ABC TV; Here Come the Habibs 1 & 2; Jungle Entertainment’s No Activity 1& 2; Matchbox Pictures’ Maximum Choppage; The Killing Field for Seven Network; The Moodys 1 & 2; Devil’s Playground directed by Tony Krawitz and Rachel Ward; Rake 3 and Janet King for ABC TV; Top of the Lake, which was co-directed Jane Champion, Garth Davis and Ariel Kleiman; A Moody Christmas and The Outlaw Michael Howe, a television film directed by Brendan Cowell.

Darren has also appeared in films such as Bronte Pictures’ Take My Hand, directed by John Raftopoulos; Dancing Road Productions’ Carnifex , Arclight Films’ A Few Less Men, directed by Mark Lamprell; the AACTA nominated Women He’s Undressed, directed by Gillian Armstrong; and Another Man’s Box feature Save Your Legs, directed by Boyd Hicklin. He recently wrapped The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race, A Savage Christmas and Audrey.

Select theatre credits include Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Ensemble Theatre); Strictly Ballroom directed by Baz Luhrmann; Mother and Son national tour (Mother and Son Live P/L); Tartuffe (Black Swan Theatre Company); Elling, Don Parties On (MTC); Machu Picchu, Fool’s Island, Loot and Our Town (STC).

Darren was the 2020 AACTA Award recipient of Best Supporting Actor in a Television Drama Series for Stateless. He also received nominations at the 2017 Sydney Theatre Awards for Best Actor in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and at the 7th AACTA Awards for Best Performance in No Activity 2. He has won a Best Actor Helpmann Award for The Servant of Two Masters, received Equity Ensemble Awards for The Moodys and A Moody Christmas, been nominated for a Golden Nymph Award at the Monte Carlo Television Festival for Best Actor for Here Come The Habibs, and also received multiple Green Room, Sydney Critic and Glug Award nominations.

Helen Thomson

as "BRENDA SAVAGE"

Helpmann Award winner Helen Thomson has an extensive list of theatre, film and television credits. Helen’s recent theatre credits include DEATH OF A SALESMAN, NO PAY? NO WAY!, MARY STUART, HARP IN THE SOUTH, TOP GIRLS, HAY FEVER, KING LEAR, AFTER DINNER, CHILDREN OF THE SUN, MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION and SPLINTER (Sydney Theatre Company), THINGS I KNOW TO BE TRUE, HIR, MARK COLVIN’S KIDNEY, IVANOV and MEASURE FOR MEASURE (Belvoir), and A WINTER’S TALE (Bell Shakespeare).

Helen’s most recent television credits include FIRES, BAD MOTHERS, DOCTOR DOCTOR, RAKE: SERIES 3 & 5, PULSE, A PLACE TO CALL HOME: SEASON 4, TOP OF THE LAKE: CHINA GIRL, LOVE CHILD, WONDERLAND. She can most recently be seen in Binge original series COLIN FROM ACCOUNTS, which won a 2023 Equity Award for ‘Outstanding Performance by and Ensemble in a Comedy Series’, as well as Netflix’s IRREVERENT.

Her film credits include A MAN’S GOTTA DO, THE RAGE IN PLACID LAKE, KANGAROO JACK and GETTIN’ SQUARE, for which Helen was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the AFI awards. Helen was most recently seen as Gladys Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s Academy Award Nominated ELVIS, and will next be seen in THE ROOSTER.

For her performance in AFTER DINNER, Helen was awarded the Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role. Other nominations include Best Actress in a Supporting Role (IVANOV) and Best Actress in a Leading Role (MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION) at the Sydney Theatre Awards along with Best Female Actor in a Play (MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION and SUMMER OF THE SEVENTEENTH DOLL) and Best Female Supporting Actor in a Play (IN THE NEXT ROOM) at the Helpmann Awards.

Ryan Morgan

as "JIMMY SAVAGE JNR"

Ryan Morgan is an Australian actor, best known for his role in the feature LOCUSTS directed by Heath Davis. Born and raised in Sydney, Ryan is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art and has worked on various projects across Australia in theatre, film, and television. Ryan features in short CUT, mini-series DEADHOUSE DARK, short ULTRA VIOLENCE, and appeared in Sun Productions’ TRIGGER HAPPY.

Ryan is an active member of the theatre community, appearing in Red Line Productions’ HAND TO GOD to outstanding reviews, the musical SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER at the Sydney Lyric Theatre, IRONBOUND at Kings Cross Theatre, and the Australian tour of the play, A TOWN NAMED WARBOY, with the Australian Theatre for Young People.

David Roberts

as "JAMES SAVAGE SNR"

Established as a notable face to Australian audiences with his roles in Offspring, Please Like Me and Rake, David is best recognized for his role as Captain Roland in The Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions.

Other US films include Unbroken, Fool’s Gold and the Marvel Comics adaptation Ghost Rider. His theatrical credits include shows for MTC, STC, Belvoir, Playbox (Malthouse) and Griffin. Critical acclaim came with Blue Tongue Film’s The Square in 2008. He has most recently been seen in Safe Home, Queen of Oz and Colin From Accounts.

Thea Raveneau

as "DAVINA SAVAGE"

Thea is an Aboriginal Transgender Woman from Gunggari, Lardil and Kullilli mob, in her final year of a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts (Acting) through Queensland University of Technology. Her theatre credits include; Belize and Sister Ella Chapter in Angels in America Part One: Millenium Approaches, Meg and Phoebe in Tight in the Bud, and she performed in La Boite's 2022 Assembly Program.

She considers herself someone with a keen sense of social awareness which compliments a great interpersonal and communicational skillset. She loves to delve into work, learn new things, and interact with people regardless of their age group, social, economic, and cultural backgrounds.

She has a Certificate III in Business, which was completed through a one-year traineeship at the University of Southern Queensland where she developed multicultural awareness, disability awareness, and the importance of critical thinking, effective problem solving and decision making. Thea was recently signed by Liberty Artists Mgmt, and A Savage Christmas marks her debut feature film.

Max Jahufer

as "KANE LOWRY"

Max Jahufer is a writer, producer, businessman, proud Trans male advocate and actor based in Melbourne. Max is an all-around creative and A Savage Christmas marks his debut feature as a writer and actor.

With the subject matter and some character directly related to his personal experience, Max is bursting on to the long form narrative film scene with what will be the first of many projects from his powerful and unique perspective.

Rekha Ryan

as "LEIA SAVAGE"

A graduate of NIDA's Actor's Studio program, Rekha has experience across stage and screen and secured her first US role in NBC's 'La Brea'. Her other credits include ‘How to Stay Married’ and web series ‘Double Date Night.’ Rekha graduated with a Bachelor of Communication (Public Relations) with Distinction from RMIT University, Melbourne.

Rekha is also a 2023 finalist in the prestigious American Arts Film and Television Academy (AAFTA) Carmen Duncan Scholarship. A Savage Christmas marks Rekha’s feature film debut.

Gary Sweet

as "PETER HALL"

Gary Sweet is an Australian film and television actor known for many projects over his career. Feature films include Paper Champions, Two Heads Creek, Charlie’s Country, Adore, Fatal Honeymoon, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Subdivision, The Tumbler, Bitter & Twisted, 2:37, Macbeth, Getting’ Square, Alexandra’s Project, The Tracker, What the Moon Saw, Fever, The Dreaming and The Lighthorsemen.

Television roles are wide and numerous and include main cast lead roles in House Husbands, Small Time Gangster, The Circuit, Stingers, Cody, Big Sky, Police Rescue and Bodyline. Other well known television roles include Jack Irish: Hellbent, Wentworth, Mystery Road 2, Bloom2, Hungry Ghosts, Wake in Fright, Dangerous Remedy, HBO’s The Pacific, Cops LAC, Rain Shadow, Blue Murder, Come in Spinner and The Sullivans, as well as Wolf Creek, Janet King, Orange is the New Brown, Harrow, The Doctor Blake Mysteries, Cold Feet, Wildside, Children of the Dragon, The Battler and The Great Bookie Robbery to name a few. Most recently, he appeared in the Disney+ series The Clearing.

Sweet has appeared in numerous stage productions including Muriel’s Wedding (Sydney Theatre Co), Our Don (The Narrator for Adelaide Symphony), Little Orphan Trashley (Comedy Festival/Sydney Opera House), La Cage Aux Folles (The Production Company), Oh What a Night (State Theatre Melbourne), The Recruit and The Club (Melbourne Theatre Company).

Gary has been the recipient of several awards throughout his career including The Equity Award for Best Ensemble in a miniseries (2021/ Hungry Ghost), The Equity Award for Best Ensemble in a drama series (2021/ Mystery Road 2), an Inductee into the Australian Film Walk of Fame (2011), Best Actor at the Melbourne Underground Film Festival (2009/The Tumbler), Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor in a Television series (1994/Police Rescue), Variety Club Heart Award for TV Actor of the Year (1993), The Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Television Drama (1991 & 1992/Police Rescue), Silver Logie Award for Most Popular Actor (1992/Police Rescue) and for Most Popular New Talent (1982/The Sullivans). He has also had numerous nominations including the 1992 and 1996 Logies, for Most Popular Actor (Police Rescue), and in 2003 and 2004 he was nominated for Most Outstanding Actor (Stingers).