Wesley Dowdell
Actor | Singer | Musician | DirectormLooking at Wesley's CV you might ask yourself if there is a New Zealand television show that he hasn't been on, or a theatre company that he hasn't worked with. With credits that range from the comedic to the dramatic Wesley is the consummate all rounder - he also a quadruple threat, being an actor, a singer, a musician - and a director.
Wesley has gone from strength to strength since he made his professional debut with Massive Theatre Company just over two decades ago. He is a versatile actor on both stage and screen with the ability to play dark, edgy and deeply villianous roles as well as comedic, hilariously appealing and poignant characters.
He has worked numerous times with both Auckland Theatre Company and the Court Theatre, and many other smaller local companies along the way, appearing in shows such as North by Northwest, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Guys and Dolls, and Frankenstein.
On screen, notable credits include the Tim Roth-starring feature Punch, where you'd be hard pressed to recognise him in the character he portrays on screen; he was a series regular in the last season of local supernatural thriller One Lane Bridge, he has had roles in popular Kiwi shows Madam, The Brokenwood Mysteries, Super City, Jono and Ben, and Westside; and played the dodgy but lovable recurring character Aaron Spiller in the iconic Outrageous Fortune.
Wesley has gone from strength to strength since he made his professional debut with Massive Theatre Company just over two decades ago. He is a versatile actor on both stage and screen with the ability to play dark, edgy and deeply villianous roles as well as comedic, hilariously appealing and poignant characters.
He has worked numerous times with both Auckland Theatre Company and the Court Theatre, and many other smaller local companies along the way, appearing in shows such as North by Northwest, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Guys and Dolls, and Frankenstein.
On screen, notable credits include the Tim Roth-starring feature Punch, where you'd be hard pressed to recognise him in the character he portrays on screen; he was a series regular in the last season of local supernatural thriller One Lane Bridge, he has had roles in popular Kiwi shows Madam, The Brokenwood Mysteries, Super City, Jono and Ben, and Westside; and played the dodgy but lovable recurring character Aaron Spiller in the iconic Outrageous Fortune.
Full Biography
Credits
FIlm
2024 - Heart Eyes - Waiter - Director - Josh Reuben - Screen Gems
2024 - Pike - Rob Eagen - Director - Rob Sarkies
2021 - Punch - Ron Pyott (supporting) - Director - Welby Ings
2017 - The Breaker Upperers - Deli Worker - Director/s - Madeleine Sami & Jackie van Beek
2017 - Kiwi Christmas - Dave (lead) - Director - Tony Simpson
2010 - Love Birds - Brent (supporting) - Director - Paul Murphy
2004 - The Worlds Fastest Indian - Troy - Director - Roger Donaldson
Television
2024 - Shortland Street - Cornelius Fleiss - South Pacific Pictures
2024 - Madam - Dion (recurring)- Director - Kacie Anning & Madeleine Sami - Tavake/XYZ Films
2023 - Time Bandits - Footman - Dir. Taika Waititi - Apple TV
2023 - Raised by Refugees - Ken - Director - Kate McGill
2023 - Rūrangi - Wayne - Director - Briar Grace-Smith
2022 - One Lane Bridge: season 3 - Trent Jarvis (recurring) - Great Southern Television
2021 - My Life is Murder: season 2 - Trevor - Greenstone Pictures
2021 - A Love Yarn (tele-feature) - Kyle - Director - Peter Burger - Hallmark/Screentime
2020 - Hari with the Māori Sidesteps - Pākeha Quicksteps - The Māori Side Steps Collective
2019 - The Brokenwood Mysteries: season 6 - Ollie - South Pacific Pictures
2017 - Roman Empire 2: Master of Rome - Crassus - Netflix
2019 - The Māori Side Steps - Wayno - Potent Youth Productions
2016 - Jono & Ben (sketches) - Various roles - Mediaworks
2015 - 2016 - Funny Girls: seasons 1 - 3 - Camera Man - Mediaworks
2015 - Westside: season 2 - Dick Spiller - South Pacific Pictures
2015 - Hillary - Michael Ward (recurring) - Great Southern Television
2014 - When We Go To War - Patrick - Director - Peter Burger - Jump Film
2013 - Coverband - Knuckles (recurring) - Director - Jonathan Brough - Downlow Concept
2013 - Field Punishment No. 1 - Sergeant Long - Director - Peter Burger - Lippy Pictures
2013 - Super City: season 2 - Paul - Director - Oscar Kightley - Super Fumes
2010 - Super City: season 1 - Marcel - Director - Taika Waititi - Super Fumes
2007 - 2010 - Outrageous Fortune: season 1 - 6 - Aaron Spiller (recurring) - South Pacific Pictures
2008 - Amazing Extraordinary Friends: season 3 - Dean - Greenstone Pictures
2000 - Lawless: season 3 - Spotty Youth - South Pacific Pictures
1999 - Shortland Street - Tobe - South Pacific Pictures
Theatre
2024 - The Valentina - Yuri Gagarin/Various - Director - Anders Falsti-Jensen - The Rebel Alliance
2022 - North By Northwest - Ensemble - Director - Simon Phillips - Auckland Theatre Company
2021 - Frankenstein - Frankenstein/The Creature (rotating cast) - Director - Holly Chappell - The Court Theatre
2017 - Red Speedo - Peter (lead) - Director -
2016 - The Biggest - Jan - Director - Jamie McCaskill - Tikipa Productions
2016 - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Ed/Ensemble - Director - Sara Brodie - Auckland Theatre Company
2015 - Constellations - Roland (lead) - Director - Melanie Camp - The Court Theatre
2015 - Hikoi - Barry Simpson - Director - Nancy Brunning - Hāpai Productions
2014 - Wild Bees - Leo - Director - Stuart Devine - Flaxworks
2014 - Once upon Chunuk Bair - Smiler - Director - Cameron Rhodes & Ian Mine - Auckland Theatre Company
2014 - My Bed My Universe - Ensemble - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2012 - The Siren Song of Stephen Jay Gould - Man - Director - Megan Peacock - Theatre Comrades
2012 - Matariki-o - Ensemble - Pumphouse Theatre
2011 - Havoc in the Garden - Brady - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2011 - Pitcairn - John Brady - Director - Sara Brodie - Auckland Theatre Company
2009 - Where's New Net (national tour) - Ensemble - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2008 - Where's New Net - Ensemble - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2006 - 100 Cousins - Various - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2005 - The Sons of Charlie Paora (national tour) - Ensemble - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2004 - The Sons of Charlie Paora - Ensemble - Director - Sam Scott - Court Theatre / Contact Theatre UK
02-03 - The Sons of Charlie Paora (Akl & Taranaki) - Ensemble - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Theatre Company
2000 - Still Moving - Ensemble - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Theatre Company
1998 - Legacy - Ensemble - Aotearoa Young People's Theatre
1997 - Silage - Various - Theatresports
1997 - Alice in Wonderland - Various - Director - Sam Scott
Musical Theatre
2018 - City of 100 Lovers - Director - Tony Stimac
2016 - Daffodils - Eric (lead) - Director - Dena Kennedy & Kitan Petkovski - Bullet Heart Club
2015 - Guys & Dolls - Harry the Horse - Director - Raymond Hawthorne - Auckland Theatre Company
2011 - Raising the Titanics (national tour) - Louis Devine - Director - Raymond Hawthorne - Smackbang Theatre Company
2010 - Raising the Titanics - Louis Devine - Director - Raymond Hawthorne - Smackbang Theatre Company
Commercial (includes)
23-24 - Craigs Investment - NZ only
2023 - Woolworths - NZ only
2020 -Trustpower - NZ only
2024 - Heart Eyes - Waiter - Director - Josh Reuben - Screen Gems
2024 - Pike - Rob Eagen - Director - Rob Sarkies
2021 - Punch - Ron Pyott (supporting) - Director - Welby Ings
2017 - The Breaker Upperers - Deli Worker - Director/s - Madeleine Sami & Jackie van Beek
2017 - Kiwi Christmas - Dave (lead) - Director - Tony Simpson
2010 - Love Birds - Brent (supporting) - Director - Paul Murphy
2004 - The Worlds Fastest Indian - Troy - Director - Roger Donaldson
Television
2024 - Shortland Street - Cornelius Fleiss - South Pacific Pictures
2024 - Madam - Dion (recurring)- Director - Kacie Anning & Madeleine Sami - Tavake/XYZ Films
2023 - Time Bandits - Footman - Dir. Taika Waititi - Apple TV
2023 - Raised by Refugees - Ken - Director - Kate McGill
2023 - Rūrangi - Wayne - Director - Briar Grace-Smith
2022 - One Lane Bridge: season 3 - Trent Jarvis (recurring) - Great Southern Television
2021 - My Life is Murder: season 2 - Trevor - Greenstone Pictures
2021 - A Love Yarn (tele-feature) - Kyle - Director - Peter Burger - Hallmark/Screentime
2020 - Hari with the Māori Sidesteps - Pākeha Quicksteps - The Māori Side Steps Collective
2019 - The Brokenwood Mysteries: season 6 - Ollie - South Pacific Pictures
2017 - Roman Empire 2: Master of Rome - Crassus - Netflix
2019 - The Māori Side Steps - Wayno - Potent Youth Productions
2016 - Jono & Ben (sketches) - Various roles - Mediaworks
2015 - 2016 - Funny Girls: seasons 1 - 3 - Camera Man - Mediaworks
2015 - Westside: season 2 - Dick Spiller - South Pacific Pictures
2015 - Hillary - Michael Ward (recurring) - Great Southern Television
2014 - When We Go To War - Patrick - Director - Peter Burger - Jump Film
2013 - Coverband - Knuckles (recurring) - Director - Jonathan Brough - Downlow Concept
2013 - Field Punishment No. 1 - Sergeant Long - Director - Peter Burger - Lippy Pictures
2013 - Super City: season 2 - Paul - Director - Oscar Kightley - Super Fumes
2010 - Super City: season 1 - Marcel - Director - Taika Waititi - Super Fumes
2007 - 2010 - Outrageous Fortune: season 1 - 6 - Aaron Spiller (recurring) - South Pacific Pictures
2008 - Amazing Extraordinary Friends: season 3 - Dean - Greenstone Pictures
2000 - Lawless: season 3 - Spotty Youth - South Pacific Pictures
1999 - Shortland Street - Tobe - South Pacific Pictures
Theatre
2024 - The Valentina - Yuri Gagarin/Various - Director - Anders Falsti-Jensen - The Rebel Alliance
2022 - North By Northwest - Ensemble - Director - Simon Phillips - Auckland Theatre Company
2021 - Frankenstein - Frankenstein/The Creature (rotating cast) - Director - Holly Chappell - The Court Theatre
2017 - Red Speedo - Peter (lead) - Director -
2016 - The Biggest - Jan - Director - Jamie McCaskill - Tikipa Productions
2016 - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Ed/Ensemble - Director - Sara Brodie - Auckland Theatre Company
2015 - Constellations - Roland (lead) - Director - Melanie Camp - The Court Theatre
2015 - Hikoi - Barry Simpson - Director - Nancy Brunning - Hāpai Productions
2014 - Wild Bees - Leo - Director - Stuart Devine - Flaxworks
2014 - Once upon Chunuk Bair - Smiler - Director - Cameron Rhodes & Ian Mine - Auckland Theatre Company
2014 - My Bed My Universe - Ensemble - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2012 - The Siren Song of Stephen Jay Gould - Man - Director - Megan Peacock - Theatre Comrades
2012 - Matariki-o - Ensemble - Pumphouse Theatre
2011 - Havoc in the Garden - Brady - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2011 - Pitcairn - John Brady - Director - Sara Brodie - Auckland Theatre Company
2009 - Where's New Net (national tour) - Ensemble - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2008 - Where's New Net - Ensemble - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2006 - 100 Cousins - Various - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2005 - The Sons of Charlie Paora (national tour) - Ensemble - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Company
2004 - The Sons of Charlie Paora - Ensemble - Director - Sam Scott - Court Theatre / Contact Theatre UK
02-03 - The Sons of Charlie Paora (Akl & Taranaki) - Ensemble - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Theatre Company
2000 - Still Moving - Ensemble - Director - Sam Scott - Massive Theatre Company
1998 - Legacy - Ensemble - Aotearoa Young People's Theatre
1997 - Silage - Various - Theatresports
1997 - Alice in Wonderland - Various - Director - Sam Scott
Musical Theatre
2018 - City of 100 Lovers - Director - Tony Stimac
2016 - Daffodils - Eric (lead) - Director - Dena Kennedy & Kitan Petkovski - Bullet Heart Club
2015 - Guys & Dolls - Harry the Horse - Director - Raymond Hawthorne - Auckland Theatre Company
2011 - Raising the Titanics (national tour) - Louis Devine - Director - Raymond Hawthorne - Smackbang Theatre Company
2010 - Raising the Titanics - Louis Devine - Director - Raymond Hawthorne - Smackbang Theatre Company
Commercial (includes)
23-24 - Craigs Investment - NZ only
2023 - Woolworths - NZ only
2020 -Trustpower - NZ only
Training
1998 - Acting for Film with Di Rowan
1997 - Theatresports Workshops with the Brat Pack Development Squad
1997 - Theatresports Workshops with the Brat Pack Development Squad
Awards
2009 - Best Supporting Actor nomination for 'Whero's New Net' - Chapman Trip Theatre Awards
Skills
Accent - US (various) - UK (various) - Australian
Drivers License - Full - Motorcycle License - Full
Bass Guitar - Drums - Ukelele
Sports - Boxing - Cricket - Table Tennis - Tennis - Skateboarding
Singer
Puppeteer
Drivers License - Full - Motorcycle License - Full
Bass Guitar - Drums - Ukelele
Sports - Boxing - Cricket - Table Tennis - Tennis - Skateboarding
Singer
Puppeteer
Showreel
2012