Samuel Johnson (actor)

Samuel Joseph Johnson (born 8 February 1978) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his roles as Evan Wylde in the television series The Secret Life of Us for which he won the AFI award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Telefeature in 2001, Leon Broznic in Rush, Toby Kirby in After the Deluge and as Molly Meldrum in the miniseries Molly for which he won the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama and won the Gold Logie for Most Popular Personality on Television of 2017. Since 2012, Johnson has led fundraising efforts for the charity Love Your Sister, which he co-founded with his sister Connie Johnson.

Infobox

Born

Samuel Joseph Johnson (1978-02-08) 8 February 1978 (age 47)Daylesford, Victoria, Australia

Occupation

Actor

Years active

1995–present

Relatives

Connie Johnson (sister)

Tables

· Credits › Television

1994

Ocean Girl (aka Ocean Odyssey)

Role(s)

Robert 'Rocky' Rhodes

Notes

13 episodes

1995

Home and Away

Role(s)

Gus Bishop

Notes

11 episodes

1995–1997

Role(s)

Blue Heelers

Notes

Glen Rigby / Dennis Cole

1997

Raw FM

Role(s)

Adams

Notes

1 episode

1997–1998

Role(s)

Good Guys Bad Guys

Notes

Dermott Maginnis

1998

Stingers

Role(s)

Murray Best

Notes

Season 1, episode 9: "Jellybabies"

Wildside

Role(s)

Troy Cunningham

Notes

1 episode

1999

Thunderstone

Role(s)

Duane

Notes

2 episodes

Halifax f.p.

Role(s)

Jamie Callen

Notes

Season 4, episode 1: "Someone You Know"

2000

Something in the Air

Role(s)

Dermot Yates

Notes

7 episodes

The New Adventures of Ocean Girl

Role(s)

Prince Jobah

Notes

10 episodes

2001–2004

Role(s)

The Secret Life of Us

Notes

Evan Wylde / Narrator

2002

The Secret Life of The Secret Life of Us

Role(s)

Interviewer

Notes

TV special

2003

After the Deluge

Role(s)

Toby Kirby

Notes

Miniseries

2007

Lonely Planet's Bluelist Australia

Role(s)

Host

Notes

4 episodes

2008–2011

Role(s)

Rush

Notes

Leon Broznic

2009

Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities

Role(s)

Jack Smith

Notes

Season 2, 6 episodes

Beyond the Darklands

Role(s)

Narrator

Notes

9 episodes

2010

Sleuth 101

Role(s)

Cache

Notes

1 episode

The Pacific

Role(s)

Adam

Notes

Miniseries, 1 episode

Wilfred

Role(s)

Sam

Notes

1 episode

2011

Small Time Gangster

Role(s)

Gary

Notes

5 episodes

2013

Paper Giants: Magazine Wars

Role(s)

Paul Cavanagh

Notes

Miniseries, 2 episodes

Rush: Underground

Role(s)

Leon Broznic

Notes

Miniseries (also writer / producer)

2014–2015

Role(s)

Gold Coast Cops

Notes

Narrator

2015

The Secret River

Role(s)

Saggity

Notes

Miniseries, 2 episodes

Hipsters

Role(s)

Presenter

Notes

6 episodes

2016

The Wizards of Aus

Role(s)

Terry

Notes

2 episodes

Molly

Role(s)

Molly Meldrum

Notes

Miniseries, 2 episodes

2017

Anh's Brush with Fame

Role(s)

Self

Notes

Episode: "Samuel Johnson: In Memory of Connie"

2018–current

Role(s)

Paramedics

Notes

Narrator

2019

Dancing with the Stars

Role(s)

Contestant (Winner – with Jorja Freeman)

Notes

Season 16, 10 episodes

2021

Eden

Role(s)

Ezra Katz

Notes

Miniseries, 6 episodes

2023

Year Of

Role(s)

Tristan Kellaway

Notes

3 episodes

Title	Year	Role	Type
1994	Ocean Girl (aka Ocean Odyssey)	Robert 'Rocky' Rhodes	13 episodes
1995	Home and Away	Gus Bishop	11 episodes
1995–1997	Blue Heelers	Glen Rigby / Dennis Cole	2 episodes
1997	Raw FM	Adams	1 episode
1997–1998	Good Guys Bad Guys	Dermott Maginnis	5 episodes
1998	Stingers	Murray Best	Season 1, episode 9: "Jellybabies"
1998	Wildside	Troy Cunningham	1 episode
1999	Thunderstone	Duane	2 episodes
1999	Halifax f.p.	Jamie Callen	Season 4, episode 1: "Someone You Know"
2000	Something in the Air	Dermot Yates	7 episodes
2000	The New Adventures of Ocean Girl	Prince Jobah	10 episodes
2001–2004	The Secret Life of Us	Evan Wylde / Narrator	Seasons 1–4, 72 episodes
2002	The Secret Life of The Secret Life of Us	Interviewer	TV special
2003	After the Deluge	Toby Kirby	Miniseries
	Australian Story: The Sum of Sam	Himself	Documentary special
2007	Lonely Planet's Bluelist Australia	Host	4 episodes
2008–2011	Rush	Leon Broznic	Episodes 1–70
2009	Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities	Jack Smith	Season 2, 6 episodes
2009	Beyond the Darklands	Narrator	9 episodes
2010	Sleuth 101	Cache	1 episode
	The Pacific	Adam	Miniseries, 1 episode
	Wilfred	Sam	1 episode
2011	Small Time Gangster	Gary	5 episodes
2013	Paper Giants: Magazine Wars	Paul Cavanagh	Miniseries, 2 episodes
2013	Rush: Underground	Leon Broznic	Miniseries (also writer / producer)
2014–2015	Gold Coast Cops	Narrator	Seasons 1–2, 20 episodes
2015	The Secret River	Saggity	Miniseries, 2 episodes
2015	Hipsters	Presenter	6 episodes
2016	The Wizards of Aus	Terry	2 episodes
2016	Molly	Molly Meldrum	Miniseries, 2 episodes
2017	Anh's Brush with Fame	Self	Episode: "Samuel Johnson: In Memory of Connie"
2018–current	Paramedics	Narrator
2019	Dancing with the Stars	Contestant (Winner – with Jorja Freeman)	Season 16, 10 episodes
2021	Eden	Ezra Katz	Miniseries, 6 episodes
2023	Year Of	Tristan Kellaway	3 episodes

· Credits › Film

1995

Angel Baby

Role(s)

Check-Out Cashier

Notes

Feature film

1996

Inner Sanctuary

Role(s)

Carl

1997

One Way Ticket

Role(s)

Jimmie

Notes

TV movie

Bloodstained Angels

Role(s)

Glen Rigby

The Last of the Ryans

Role(s)

Young Journalist

Notes

Film

What You Can

Role(s)

Adams

1999

Strange Fits of Passion

Role(s)

Josh

Notes

Feature film

Taken

2001

ICQ

Role(s)

Eric

Sparky D Comes to Town

Role(s)

Stretch

2002

New Skin

Role(s)

Sten

Crackerjack

Role(s)

Dave Jackson

Notes

Feature film

2004

The Illustrated Family Doctor

Role(s)

Gary Kelp

Notes

Feature film

2005

Hole in the Wall

Ten Feet Tall

Role(s)

Tim

2006

Dead Rain

Role(s)

Josh

2008

$9.99

Role(s)

Dave Peck (voice)

Notes

Animated feature film

2012

Crawlspace

Role(s)

Matthews

Notes

Feature film

2023

Dying Minutes

Role(s)

Watch VO

Notes

Short film

Title	Year	Role	Type
1995	Angel Baby	Check-Out Cashier	Feature film
1996	Inner Sanctuary	Carl
1997	One Way Ticket	Jimmie	TV movie
	Bloodstained Angels	Glen Rigby
	The Last of the Ryans	Young Journalist	Film
	What You Can	Adams
1999	Strange Fits of Passion	Josh	Feature film
1999	Taken
2001	ICQ	Eric
2001	Sparky D Comes to Town	Stretch
2002	New Skin	Sten
2002	Crackerjack	Dave Jackson	Feature film
2003	The House of Names	Cleveland
2004	The Illustrated Family Doctor	Gary Kelp	Feature film
2005	Hole in the Wall
2005	Ten Feet Tall	Tim
2006	Dead Rain	Josh
2008	$9.99	Dave Peck (voice)	Animated feature film
2012	Crawlspace	Matthews	Feature film
2023	Dying Minutes	Watch VO	Short film

· Credits › Video game

2003

Shadowbane

Role(s)

Voice

Notes

Video game

Title	Year	Role	Type
2003	Shadowbane	Voice	Video game

· Credits › TVC and voiceovers

2001

Pedders – 'No Bull Tires'

Role(s)

Voiceover

2002

TAFE NSW

Role(s)

Voiceover

Listerine

Role(s)

Voiceover

2002–2003

Role(s)

Lovable

Notes

Actor

Year	Title	Notes
2001	Pedders – 'No Bull Tires'	Voiceover
2002	TAFE NSW	Voiceover
2002	Listerine	Voiceover
2002–2003	Lovable	Actor
	Hungry Jack's	Voiceover
	Southern Cross Austereo	Voiceover
	Fox FM	Voiceover
	Suzuki – Suzuki Alto	Voiceover
	Pedigree Petfoods	Voiceover
	Milo	Voiceover
	Red Rooster	Voiceover
	Myer	Print advertising model
	David Jones	Print advertising model
	Vodafone	Voiceover / actor

· Credits › Radio

Title	Year	Role	Type
2005–06	Nova 100	Presenter	Radio show

· Credits › Theatre

1992

The Pink Panther Strikes Again

Role(s)

Dreyfus

Notes

Wesley College, Melbourne with Adamson Theatre Co

1997

Life During War Time

Role(s)

Howard

Notes

Melbourne Athenaeum with Soup Kitchen Theatre Co

1998

The Present

Role(s)

Danny Rule

Notes

Carlton Courthouse with La Mama Theatre

Hotel Sorrento

Role(s)

The Son

Notes

Malthouse Theatre with Playbox Theatre, Melbourne / Hit Productions

2005

Love Letters

Role(s)

Andrew Makepeace Ladd III

Notes

NIDA Parade Theatre

2007

Weary: The Story of Sir Edward Dunlop

Role(s)

Weary Dunlop

Notes

Australian tour

2009

Secret Bridesmaids' Business

Role(s)

Groom

Notes

Australian tour

2010

Men

Role(s)

Guy #1

Notes

Fortyfivedownstairs

2011–13

Role(s)

The Haunting of Daniel Gartrell

Notes

Craig Castevich

2015

White Rabbit, Red Rabbit

Notes

Pop-Up Theatre No. 3, Hobart with Tasmanian Theatre Company

2018

The Feather in the Web

Role(s)

Stage Manager

Notes

Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company

Title	Year	Role	Type
1992	The Pink Panther Strikes Again	Dreyfus	Wesley College, Melbourne with Adamson Theatre Co
1997	Life During War Time	Howard	Melbourne Athenaeum with Soup Kitchen Theatre Co
1998	The Present	Danny Rule	Carlton Courthouse with La Mama Theatre
1998	Hotel Sorrento	The Son	Malthouse Theatre with Playbox Theatre, Melbourne / Hit Productions
2005	Love Letters	Andrew Makepeace Ladd III	NIDA Parade Theatre
2007	Weary: The Story of Sir Edward Dunlop	Weary Dunlop	Australian tour
2009	Secret Bridesmaids' Business	Groom	Australian tour
2010	Men	Guy	Fortyfivedownstairs
2011–13	The Haunting of Daniel Gartrell	Craig Castevich	Fortyfivedownstairs, Lismore City Hall & Australian regional tour
2015	White Rabbit, Red Rabbit		Pop-Up Theatre No. 3, Hobart with Tasmanian Theatre Company
2018	The Feather in the Web	Stage Manager	Stables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company
	The Snake Pit	Harry	Theatre in the Raw / Playbox Theatre, Melbourne
	Mad Woman’s Fountain	Harry	Theatre in the Raw / Playbox Theatre, Melbourne

· Credits › Publications

2016

Love Your Sister

Role(s)

with Connie Johnson

2018

Dear Santa

2019

Dear Dad

2020

Heroes Next Door

Role(s)

with Hilde Hinton

2021

Dear Mum

My Life and Other Catastrophes

2023

Dear Lover

Year	Title	Notes
2016	Love Your Sister	with Connie Johnson
2018	Dear Santa
2019	Dear Dad
2020	Heroes Next Door	with Hilde Hinton
2021	Dear Mum
2021	My Life and Other Catastrophes
2023	Dear Lover

· Awards and nominations

1999

AFI Awards

Role(s)

Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama

Notes

Wildside (episode 59)

2001

The Secret Life of Us

Role(s)

Won

2002

Logie Awards

Role(s)

References

The Age
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/07/26/1185339165042.html
The Age
http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/feel-the-rush/2008/08/26/1219516479410.html?page=fullpage
TV Tonight
https://tvtonight.com.au/2019/01/rumour-dancing-with-the-stars-cast.html
10 Daily
https://tendaily.com.au/entertainment/tv/a190123ori/dancing-with-the-stars-2019-first-celebs-to-hit-the-df-revealed-20190123
News.com.au
https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/dancing-with-the-stars-samuel-johnson-crowned-2019-winner/news-story/0c26a457084d630399148b41c0c91949
The Age
https://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/the-secret-life-of-samuel-20030313-gdvdcx.html
TV Blackbox
https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2023/05/15/stan-original-series-year-of-an-original-drama-about-friendship-and-family-in-the-wake-of-a-shocking-event/
The Celebrity Bureau
http://entertainmentbureau.com.au/portfolio-view/samuel-johnson/
AusStage
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/10179
"The Sum of Sam – Transcript"
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/content/2007/s2257249.htm
"Connie Johnson, sister of Samuel Johnson, loses cancer battle"
http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/connie-johnson-sister-of-samuel-johnson-loses-cancer-battle-20170703-gx3dzn.html
The Daily Telegraph
https://web.archive.org/web/20060307220643/http://entertainment.news.com.au/story/0,10221,18099786-10229,00.html
The Sydney Telegraph
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22504717-5001021,00.html
Defamer
https://web.archive.org/web/20090427155110/http://www.defamer.com.au/2007/05/samuel_johnson_is_making_a_com/
The Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/actor-samuel-johnson-escapes-conviction/2007/12/18/1197740227182.html
"Australian Story :: The Sum of Sam"
http://www.abc.net.au/austory/specials/sumofsam/default.htm
"Sam Johnson: 'I've fallen in love with my sister's best friend'"
https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/celeb-news/sam-johnson-new-girlfriend-55466
"Last year I nearly died - it turned out to be the best of my life"
https://www.smh.com.au/national/last-year-i-nearly-died-it-turned-out-to-be-the-best-of-my-life-20221012-p5bpcl.html
"Samuel Johnson's extraordinary spray against Molly Meldrum in live TV interview"
https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/morning-shows/samuel-johnsons-extraordinary-spray-against-molly-meldrum-in-live-tv-interview/news-story/1d465936706eb6ccfc93fb7371afb8f1
The Age
http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/01/06/1073268026745.html
"Herald Sun :: Actor Samuel Johnson to unicycle 15,000 km to raise $1 million for breast cancer research"
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/actor-samuel-johnson-to-unicycle-15000km-to-raise-1-million-for-breast-cancer-research/story-e6frf96f-1226551419920
"loveyoursister.org"
http://www.loveyoursister.org
The Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.smh.com.au/national/samuel-johnson-raises-15m-for-breast-cancer-research-in-unicycle-ride-20140213-32n62.html
"Australia Day 2016 Honours Lists - S1 - Order of Australia"
http://gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/honours/ad/ad2016/dvvsf4sc1d05nwgt/Gazette%20-%20O%20of%20A.pdf
The Sydney Morning Herald
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/by-golly-its-molly-actor-samuel-johnson-wins-gold-logie-20170423-gvqvh5.html
abc.net.au
https://web.archive.org/web/20171027072641/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-26/samuel-johnson-named-victorian-australian-of-the-year/9089966

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result
1999	AFI Awards	Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama	Wildside (episode 59)	Nominated
2001	AFI Awards	Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama	The Secret Life of Us	Won
2002	Logie Awards	Most Popular Actor	The Secret Life of Us	Nominated
2003	AFI Awards	Best Guest or Supporting Actor in a Television Drama or Comedy	After the Deluge	Nominated
2012	Maverick Movie Awards	Best Supporting Actor (short)	Auditioning Fanny	Won
2016	Order of Australia (OAM)	Medal of the Order of Australia	Service to cancer research support organisations and to the performing arts	Won
2016	AACTA Awards	Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama	Molly	Won
2017	Logie Awards	Most Outstanding Actor		Nominated
		Most Popular Actor		Won
		TV Week Gold Logie	Best Personality on Australian Television	Won
2018	Australian of the Year	Victorian Candidate	Cancer support work	Nominated