October 2023

William McInnes is one of the most accomplished and popular actors on the Australian landscape today. In 2006 McInnes was awarded the Sydney Morning Herald, Sun Herald and The Age Australian Star of The Year Award. Equally at home in theatre, film, television, comedy and drama, he has played countless lead and supporting roles in some of the most successful and memorable productions this country has had to offer and has multiple AFI and Logie nominations for his extensive body of work.

McInnes was most recently seen in the award-winning series “The Newsreader” for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). He was nominated for a Silver Logie for most Outstanding Actor and won the AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the series. He was also recently seen reprising his role in “Total Control” for the ABC. His other television credits include “Rake,” “Deep Water,” “The Time of Our Lives” alongside Claudia Karvan, “The Shark Net,” “My Brother Jack,” “Blue Heelers,” “Stepfather of The Bride,” “East West 101” and “Seachange.” He has also appeared in the ABC television movies “Curtin” and “Dangerous Remedy” and as the host of “Auction Rooms” and “Hello Birdy.”

McInnes’ work in Australian cinema is also widely acknowledged by both industry peers and audiences alike. The feature film “Look Both Ways” saw McInnes achieve a nomination for Best Lead Actor by the Australian Film Institute and received the Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Actor. McInnes received an AFI Award and a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for his performance in “Unfinished Sky.” In 2009, McInnes featured in David Caesar’s “Prime Mover” and “Blessed” directed by Ana Kokkinos. In early 2011, McInnes was seen in the New Zealand feature “The Hopes and Dreams” of Gazza Snell, directed by Brendan Donovan.

His many lead roles on the stage only further highlight McInnes’ remarkable career. His performances include “33 Variations” for the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne, “Don Juan” for Sydney Theatre Company, “The Heartbreak Choir,” “Last Man Standing,” “The Waiting Room,” “The Effect,” “Macbeth” and “Ray’s Tempest” for Melbourne Theatre Company and as Darcy for both company’s landmark productions of “Pride and Prejudice.” He also appeared in “Equus” for Perth Theatre Company and “My Fair Lady” in New Zealand.

McInnes is also the author of thirteen books: Fatherhood; Full Bore; Holidays; A Man’s Gotta Have a Hobby, winner of a 2006 Australian Book Industry Award; Cricket Kings, which is a 2007 Australian Book Industry Award nominee; That’d Be Right; and The Making of Modern Australia. His fifth book, Worse Things Happen at Sea, co-written with his late wife, Sarah Watt, was named the 2012 Indie Non-Fiction Book of the Year. The Laughing Clowns was released in October 2012, The Birdwatcher was published in November 2013 and McInnes’ latest book, Christmas Tales, was published in 2020.