Mark Coles Smith

Hailing from Broome in Western Australia's Kimberley region, Mark Coles Smith has worked across several performing arts genres, first and foremost as an actor but also as a writer, producer and sound designer. Mark received a Australian Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor, stand out reviews and an AACTA nomination for his work in the feature film Last Cab to Darwin, opposite Jacki Weaver and Michael Caton. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Past screen credits include Old School, opposite Bryan Brown and Sam Neill, The Gods of Wheat Street, a guest role in the hit American comedy Modern Family, a lead role in Hard Rock Medical, and feature films such as Around the Block and Beneath Hill 60. Further television credits include Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Blue Heelers, Dirt Game and a recurring role in the multi-award winning drama The Circuit. Mark's theatre credits include Jandamarra under the direction of Phil Thompson and Wulamanayuwi and Seven Pamanuas, directed by Noel Jordan for the Darwin Festival.

Mark worked under the guidance of Gary Crew as part of the Indigenous Mentorship Program for the Australian Society of Authors. He has a certificate in Aboriginal Theatre from WAAPA and a Bachelor in Indigenous Studies. In 2007 he won the Yvonne Cohen Award from the VCA Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts. In 2008 he took out a grant from ScreenWest for the short film Layoordoo, which he wrote, co-produced and directed while also featuring in a supporting role. Layoordoo was selected to screen at Toronto’s ImagiNATIVE Film Festival.

In addition to his acting and writing, in recent years Mark has pursued work in the field of audio production and sound design. He freelance produces across an array of genres, including the debut album of Australian Hip Hop group Bare Minimum and an electronica album under the alias Karate Surfing.

Mark was recently awarded the Casting Guild of Australia's inaugural Sirius Award for New Talent of the Future.