Matt Whelan

Matt Whelan Headshot

Actor • Comedian

Birth Place: Christchurch, New Zealand

New Zealand-born actor Matt Whelan's talent for comedy, romantic fare and introspective drama allowed his career to progress quickly from television series in his native country to American product like "Narcos" (Netflix, 2017- ). Born Matthew Patrick James Oliver Whelan in Christchurch, New Zealand, he studied acting at Toi Whakaari, the island nation's most esteemed drama school. While there, he also made his television debut on the reality series "Tough Act" (TV2, 2005), which followed the lives and training of students at Toi Whakaari. After earning his Bachelor of Performing Acts in Acting degree, Whelan made his professional acting debut with a minor turn in Taika Waititi's comedy "Eagle vs. Shark" (2007), starring Jemaine Clement. His breakout role came two years later on the comedy drama "Go Girls," playing a young man attempting to contend with a long-lost love. The popularity of the series led to starring roles in several Kiwi d productions, including "My Wedding and Other Secrets" (2011), about a Chinese-born New Zealand woman who breaks with her family's tradition to marry a Caucasian (Whelan), and "The Most Fun You Can Have Dying" (2012), which cast him as a terminally ill man who decides to spend his final days in pursuit of pleasure. More feature roles, including a leading turn as a young man attempting to bring rock and roll to 1965-era New Zealand via pirate radio in "3 Mile Limit" (2014), before Whelan made his debut with American audiences as publisher Hugh Hefner in "American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story" (2017), a limited series shot in New Zealand for Amazon Studios. That same year, he was cast on the Netflix drama series "Narcos," playing a freewheeling DEA agent in pursuit of a drug cartel in Colombia.

Credits

The Gone

Actor
Mayor Ken Armstrong
Show
2023

The Tank

Actor
Ben
Movie
2023

Under the VinesStream

Actor
Miniseries
2021

1480 Radio Pirates

Actor
Richard
Movie
2021

The SoundsStream

Actor
Tom Cabbott
Miniseries
2020

The LuminariesStream

Actor
Cowell Devlin
Miniseries
2020
65%

American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner StoryStream

Actor
Hugh Hefner
Docudrama
2017
53%

Pork Pie

Actor
Noah
Movie
2017

Gary of the Pacific

Actor
Nelson
Movie
2017

Of Kings and ProphetsStream

Guest Star
Series
2016
25%

NarcosStream

Actor
Daniel Van Ness
Series
2015
89%

25 April

Voice
John Persson
Movie
2015

Coverband

Actor
Show
2014

3 Mile Limit

Actor
Richard
Movie
2014

The Most Fun You Can Have Dying

Actor
Michael
Movie
2012

My Wedding and Other Secrets

Actor
James
Movie
2011

Go Girls

Actor
Brad Caulfield
Show
2009

Show of Hands

Actor
Matt
Movie
2008

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