Don Hany (born 18 September 1975) is an Australian film, television and stage actor.

Don Hany
Hany in 2012
Born (1975-09-18) 18 September 1975 (age 49)
OccupationActor
Years active1998–present
Known for
SpouseAlin Sumarwata (m. 2011)
Children2
AwardsAFI (2008, 2009); Logie Award (2008, 2010)

He has received a number of accolades and nominations. He won a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor, playing the protagonist, Zane Malik, in the SBS series East West 101 (2007–2011). He also received three AACTA Awards nominations for the role.

He had an early role playing Senior Constable Theo Rahme in the Network 10 police drama series White Collar Blue (2002–2003) for two seasons. He also played Dr. Chris Havel in the Network 10 comedy-drama series Offspring (2010–2011). In 2014, he starred in the prison drama film Healing, for which he received a Best Actor award nomination from the Film Critics Circle of Australia. In 2017, he starred in the romantic comedy film Ali's Wedding, for which he received a nomination for AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. He played Dr. Mackenzie in the Showcase mystery romantic drama series Picnic at Hanging Rock (2018). He also played the Australian prime minister in the second season of Showcase political thriller television series Secret City (2019).

He is best known to American audiences for starring in the NBC medical comedy-drama series Heartbeat (2016).

Early life

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Hany was born in 1975 in Hornsby on Sydney's Upper North Shore to an Iraqi[1] father, Tewfiq, and a Hungarian mother, Csilla;[2] his father is a classically-trained pianist and restaurateur, and his mother is a doctor of economics. Hany's maternal great-grandfather was shot dead outside his home in Miskolc by the Red Army, who mistook him for a German soldier.[2] In 1946, Hany's maternal grandfather joined the Hungarian Communist Party.[2] His parents met in Budapest in the 1960s and they emigrated to Australia in 1970.[2] Csilla rejected the communist doctrine of her native country and Tewfiq spurned the Islamic beliefs of his upbringing. His parents divorced during his adolescence, and he and his twin brother were raised by their mother.[2] He grew up on the Central Coast of New South Wales.[2] Hany attended high school in the Netherlands for one year as an exchange student, and later completed a degree in dramatic arts at the University of Western Sydney Nepean.[3]

Career

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In 1998, Hany began his television career, starring in the soapie Breakers. In 2000, he had a small role in Water Rats. In 2002, he had a role in the telemovie Heroes' Mountain and in the police drama White Collar Blue.[4] He later moved to Los Angeles to complete shooting for the short film Winning the Peace. Hany plays an Iraqi-American Marine deployed to Baghdad, and he went on to win the Best Actor award at Method Fest in 2005.[5]

In 2006, he returned to Australia to work on the film Lucky Miles, which went on to win the audience award for Best Film at the Sydney Film Festival. Beginning in 2007, Hany starred in the Australian mini-drama series East West 101 for SBS television, in which he played the lead role of Zane Malik. The show was later expanded, running for two more seasons, concluding in 2011.[6] In 2010, Hany won the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor, having been previously nominated for the same role in 2008.[7] In 2012, Hany and the cast won the Equity Award for Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for their work in the third season of the show.[8]

In 2008, he had a recurring role in the first season of Underbelly, an acclaimed Australian television true crime-drama series on the Nine Network. The series depicts the 1995–2004 gangland war in Melbourne, with Hany playing Nik Radev.[9] In 2009, Hany also starred in the two-part Australian television mini-series False Witness for BBC UKTV. Hany played the role of Sergei Krousov, a Russian mafia figure.[10] In the same year, he starred alongside Joel Edgerton in ABC1's drama series Dirt Game.[11]

In 2010, he joined the main cast of the Foxtel drama Tangle, playing politician Spiros Georgiades. He also joined Channel Ten's comedy-drama series Offspring, in the role of paediatrician Chris Havel. He played the love interest and colleague of the series' protagonist, Dr Nina Proudman, played by Asher Keddie.[4] In 2011, he was nominated for the Logie Award for Most Popular Actor for his roles in Tangle and Offspring.

In 2011, Hany starred in the Nine Network movie premiere of Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer was Here, reprising his role from Underbelly, Nik Radev. In 2012, he was cast in two telemovies, Jack Irish: Bad Debts and Jack Irish: Black Tide, which are based on the books Bad Debts and Black Tide by Peter Temple, and which aired on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.[12]

In 2013, Hany took the lead role of Sam Callaghan in the HBO Asia production Serangoon Road. The following year, Hany appeared in The Broken Shore, a telemovie that aired on the ABC. He also starred in the mini-series Devil's Playground. In the same year, he appeared in the fifth season of Who Do You Think You Are?.[2][13] In 2014, he played the lead role in the Australian drama film Healing, alongside Hugo Weaving. Hany plays Viktor, an Iranian prisoner in a low-security correctional centre, close to the end of his 18-year prison sentence.[13] The film garnered acclaim, including a four-star review from Margaret Pomeranz on At the Movies for ABC.[14][15] Megan Lehmann of The Hollywood Reporter was also enthusiastic Hany's performance: "Weaving is terrific as Matt Perry...But the film belongs to Don Hany, a veteran of Australian television starring in his first major film."[16] Hany was nominated for the Best Actor award at the 2014 Film Critics Circle of Australia, losing out to Russell Crowe for The Water Diviner.[17]

In 2014, he was cast as the male lead in Warriors, a pilot for the American Broadcasting Company. The medical drama series, with Hany playing a military doctor, was not picked up for a series order.[18][19] However, he was later cast as Dr. Jesse Shane, chief of surgery at St. Matthew's Hospital in the NBC medical comedy-drama series Heartbeat (2016).[20] In 2017, he starred in the critically acclaimed Australian romantic comedy Ali's Wedding.[21] He received a nomination for AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his role, losing out to Dev Patel in Lion.[22]

In 2018, Hany starred in Foxtel's Showcase mystery romantic drama television series Picnic at Hanging Rock, a television adaptation of the 1967 novel of the same name by Joan Lindsay.[23][24][25] In 2019, Hany played Australian prime minister Ewan Garrety in the second season of the political thriller Secret City, alongside Anna Torv.[26]

The following year, Hany took over the role of Pierce Greyson in Neighbours from Tim Robards for a guest stint.[27] In 2022, Hany was cast alongside Claudia Karvan in the Sydney Theatre Company and State Theatre Company of South Australia co-production The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? by Edward Albee, set for the 2023 season.[28] Hany subsequently withdrew from the production for personal reasons and the role was recast with Nathan Page.[29]

Personal life

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Don has a twin, Roger Hany, a London-based musician. They both attended primary school and high school on the Central Coast of New South Wales.

Hany married actress Alin Sumarwata in 2011. The couple have two daughters.[30][31]

He is an agnostic atheist.[3]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
2016 Ali's Wedding Sheik Mahdi Feature film
2014 Healing Viktor Khadem Feature film
2014 Warriors George TV movie
2013 The Broken Shore Detective Joe Cashin TV movie
2012 Jack Irish: Bad Debts TV movie
2012 Jack Irish: Black Tide Dave TV movie
2011 Tell Them Lucifer Was Here Nik "The Russian" Radev TV movie
2010 The Road to Success Simon Diceman Short film
2010 Suburbia Joel Short film
2009 False Witness Sergei Krousov TV movie
2008 The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce John Mather Feature film
2008 Plastic Henry Short film
2008 Four Dr Brown / Real Estate Agent / Geoff Short film
2006 Lucky Miles Private Greg Plank Feature film
2007 Sleep in Heavenly Peace Trent Partiridge Short film
2006 The TV Set Guy in mall Feature film
2006 California King Eric Short film
2006 Big Top Bobby
2004 Winning the Peace Sergeant Charlie Latif Short film
2000 Life in a Volkswagen Short film
1999 The Monster The Cowboy Short film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
2020–21 Neighbours Pierce Greyson TV series, 34 episodes
2019 My Life is Murder Roger Simms TV series. 1 episode
2019 Bad Mothers Kyle TV series, 8 episodes
2019 Secret City Ewan Garritty, Australian Prime Minister TV series, 6 episodes
2018 Doctor Doctor Raph TV series, 3 episodes
2018 Picnic at Hanging Rock Dr Mackenzie Miniseries, 6 episodes
2017–18 Strike Back Omair Idrisi TV series, 6 episodes
2017 Janet King Clay Nelson TV series, 2 episodes
2016 Heartbeat Dr Jesse Shane TV series, 10 episodes
2014 Childhood’s End Paul Danlow TV series, 1 episode
2014 Devil’s Playground Bishop Vincent Quaid TV series, 6 episodes
2013 Serangoon Road Sam Callaghan TV series, 10 episodes
2013 Who Do You Think You Are? Self TV series
2012 Devil's Dust Adam Bourke Miniseries, 2 episodes
2012 Rake Damien Tengrove TV series, 1 episode
2012 Futurestates EMT 1 TV series, 1 episode
2010–12 Tangle Spiros Georgiades TV series, 6 episodes
2010–11 Offspring Dr Chris Havel TV series, 18 episodes
2010 Miracles Robert Boguki TV series, 1 episode
2009 Legend of the Seeker Captain Ensor TV series, 1 episode
2009 Chandon Pictures Boysis TV series, 2 episodes
2009 Dirt Game Dion Pesci TV series, 5 episodes
2008 Rush Bobby Lavilla TV series, 1 episode
2008 Underbelly Nik "The Russian" Radev TV series, 4 episodes
2007 All Saints Carlo TV series, 1 episode
2007–11 East West 101 Detective Zane Malik TV series, 2 episodes
2003 White Collar Blue Senior Constable Theo Rahme TV series, 44 episodes
2002 Crash Palace Gary TV series, 11 episodes
2002 Heroes' Mountain David Kuhn Miniseries
2001 Life Support TV series, 1 episode
2001 Flat Chat TV series
2000 Water Rats Rob Schreiber TV series, 1 episode
1999 The Monster TV series
1998 Breakers Alex Markham TV series

Awards and nominations

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Year Group Award Film/Show Result
2005 Method Fest Independent Film Festival Best Actor Winning the Peace Won
2008 Logie Award Most Outstanding Actor East West 101 Nominated
2008 AFI award Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama East West 101 Nominated
2009 AFI award Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama East West 101 Nominated
2010 Logie Award Most Outstanding Actor East West 101 Won
2011 Logie Award Most Popular Actor Tangle and Offspring Nominated
2011 Astra Award Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor: Male Tangle Nominated
2012 AACTA Award Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama East West 101 Nominated
2012 Logie Award Most Outstanding Actor East West 101 Nominated
2012 Equity Award Most Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series East West 101 Won
2017 AACTA Award Best Supporting Actor Ali's Wedding Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Lucky Miles – Cast Archived 30 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Who Do You Think You Are? Australia: Season 5 Episode 3 SBS. Retrieved on 6 October 2024
  3. ^ a b He’s the go-to guy for ethnic diversity. So who is Don Hany? The Australian. 10 May 2014
  4. ^ a b "Offspring - Don Hany". Network Ten. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  5. ^ Awards for Winning the Peace IMDB. Retrieved on 6 October 2024
  6. ^ East West 101 Screen Australia. Retrieved on 5 October 2024
  7. ^ SBS takes home Logies haul SBS. 3 May 2010
  8. ^ Equity Awards Austlit. Retrieved on 6 October 2024
  9. ^ Tonight on TV with Dianne Butler news.com.au. 30 June 2011
  10. ^ Man of many faces The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 July 2010
  11. ^ Dirt Game Australian Television Archive. Retrieved on 6 October 2024
  12. ^ "Jack Irish goes into production". Encore Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 October 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
  13. ^ a b Healing: Don Hany interview SBS. 8 May 2014
  14. ^ At the Movies ABC. 1 May 2014
  15. ^ Healing reviews Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 6 October 2024
  16. ^ Healing: Film Review The Hollywood Reporter. 7 May 2014
  17. ^ fcca 2014 film critics circle of australia awards Sydney Arts Guide. 12 March 2015
  18. ^ Aussie Don Hany Nabs Male Lead In ABC Drama ‘Warriors’ As Overseas Actors Eye Another Strong Pilot Season Deadline. 18 February 2014
  19. ^ Don Hany returns to Aussie shores after pilot for US military hospital drama Warriors fails to get green light The Daily Telegraph. 8 November 2014
  20. ^ Don Hany changes accent and scrubs up OK for medical drama Heartbeat The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 March 2016
  21. ^ Muslim Australian romcom Ali's Wedding is getting raves wherever it screens Time Out. 24 August 2017
  22. ^ Winners and nominees AACTA. Retrieved on 5 October 2024
  23. ^ Who’s who in Picnic at Hanging Rock Royal Television Society. 10 July 2018
  24. ^ Natalie Dormer Leads ‘Picnic At Hanging Rock’ As Foxtel Sets Aussie Event Series Cast Deadline. 16 February 2017
  25. ^ Picnic at Hanging Rock Screen Australia. Retrieved on 5 October 2024/
  26. ^ Don Hany and Andrew McFarlane join Secret City season two TV Week. 11 April 2018
  27. ^ Lee, Jess (12 August 2020). "Neighbours recasts Pierce Greyson as Tim Robards leaves the show early". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  28. ^ State Theatre Company South Australia Unveils Its Dynamic 2023 Season Broadsheet. 17 October 2022
  29. ^ Media release Sydney Theatre Company. 18 January 2023
  30. ^ The Advertiser 6 December 2011, page 25.
  31. ^ Steves, Ashley (10 April 2018). "'Strike Back' Star Alin Sumarwata on Finding Your Characters Through Yourself (and Vice Versa)". Backstage. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
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