Leon Burchill
Leon Burchill | |
|---|---|
| Born | Leon Lennon Burchill 24 December 1974 Cairns, Queensland |
| Other name | Jina Binya |
| Education | Mosman High School National Institute of Dramatic Art (2003–2005) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Notable work | Stone Bros. (2009) Wyrmwood (2014) |
Leon Burchill is an Australian actor, known for his roles in the films Stone Bros.[1] and Wyrmwood and the television series Redfern Now.[2]
Early life and education
[edit]Leon Lennon Burchill was born on 24 December 1974 in the Far North Queensland city of Cairns. His parents (including mother Linda[3]) gave him his middle name after John Lennon. His traditional name, 'Jina Binya', means 'sea eagle'. He is one of six, with two sisters and three brothers.[4]
Burchill was the captain of Mosman High School, and grew up with a grounding in traditional dance. He then began studying drama in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney – with the aim of becoming an actor.[4] He went on to attend Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), after being accepted into the school in 2003 on his second attempt, graduating in 2005.[5][6] He was the only Aboriginal student there at the time.[7]
Outside of acting, Burchill worked at Taronga Zoo and the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens as an Aboriginal education officer, teaching visitors about bush tucker and medicine.[8][9]
Career
[edit]Burchill co-starred with Luke Carroll in 2009 Aboriginal Australian stoner road trip comedy film Stone Bros., in the role of Charlie.[1] That same year, he portrayed the recurring character Sid in children's television drama series My Place, based on the award-winning picture book of the same name by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins.[10]
Burchill went on to play the role of Frankie in acclaimed ABC drama series Redfern Now, before playing Benny in 2014 cult zombie action-horror film Wyrmwood.[2]
On stage, Burchill played former AFL player Jim Krakouer in Krakouer! which toured in 2011.[11][12][13]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Type | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Stone Bros. | Charlie | Feature film | [1] |
| 2011 | The Forgotten Men | Bearded Man | Short film | |
| 2013 | Boat People | Warrior Arthur / Arthur James Smith III | Short film | [14] |
| 2014 | Wyrmwood | Benny | Feature film | [2] |
| 2017 | Wild Squad Adventures | Agent Leon | Short film | [15] |
| 2019 | Utopia | Businessman (uncredited) | Short film | |
| TBA | Dream Kiss Cry | Django's friend | Post-production |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Type | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | False Witness (also The Diplomat) | The Didgeridoo Busker | TV movie | |
| My Place | Sid | 3 episodes | [10] | |
| 2012 | Redfern Now | Frankie | 1 episode | |
| 2019 | Les Norton | Mumbi | 1 episode | [16] |
| 2020 | Thalu | Brother | Miniseries, 1 episode | [17] |
| 2022 | The Australian Wars | Dharug Warrior | Documentary miniseries, 1 episode |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Schembri, Jim (24 September 2009), "Stone Bros", The Age
- ^ a b c Kuipers, Richard (11 October 2002), "Busan Film Review: 'Wyrmwood'", Variety
- ^ Elliott, Lorraine (22 February 2013), "Croc in a wok!", investsmart.com.au, retrieved 10 June 2026
- ^ a b Koser, Richard (30 November 2007), "Leon Burchill", Deadly Vibe, Issue 78
- ^ Koser, Richard (22 October 2009), "Leon aims for Oscar", Port Douglas & Mossman Gazette
- ^ Kibble, Stacey (9 January 2003), "Leon stages NIDA coup", Port Douglas & Mossman Gazette
- ^ Smallbone, Sam (11 November 2010), "Leon brings it back home", Port Douglas & Mossman Gazette
- ^ Pashley, Alita (20 November 2010), "Hear Leon roar", The Weekender
- ^ Shaw, Kim (13 October 2010), "Food is all around us", Central
- ^ a b "My Place – Full Cast & Crew", TV Guide, retrieved 9 June 2026
- ^ Blake, Jason (23 July 2011), "Rise and fall of remarkable AFL brothers", The Sydney Morning Herald
- ^ Hayes, Jeff (24 August 2011), "Krakouer! gives insight into lives of footy stars", Examiner
- ^ Godony, Haydn (3 August 2011), "Brothers' battle is no game", Peninsula Weekly
- ^ Johnson, Travis, "Doesn't the 2017 Australia Day Lamb Ad Look Familiar To You?", FilmInk, retrieved 10 June 2026
- ^ "Immersive Drama | Wild Squad Adventures", maincoursefilms.com, retrieved 10 June 2026
- ^ "Les Norton: episode guide", australiantelevision.net, retrieved 9 June 2026
- ^ "Thalu – Full Cast & Crew", TV Guide, retrieved 9 June 2026