David Roberts

David Roberts is an Australian actor who has appeared in television, film and theatre.

Roberts graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 1987.[ 1]

Roberts began acting on screen in the early 1990s, with guest roles in television series including medical drama The Flying Doctors, sitcom All Together Now and miniseries Seven Deadly Sins.[ 2] He also played the recurring guest role of Detective Brett Murray in Halifax f.p. alongside Rebecca Gibney.[ 3]

His first big break was in crime drama series Phoenix playing Detective Russell Howie, followed by a role in newsroom drama Mercury, opposite Geoffrey Rush[ 2] [ 4] playing Dave 'Gibbo' Gibson.

In 2005, Roberts joined the cast of ABC family series Holly's Heroes,[ 2] playing the driven Coach Peterson.[ 5] He then appeared in long running soap opera Home and Away in 2009,[ 2] playing ill-fated trawler owner, Lou De Bono, a love interest for Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger).[ 6] In 2013, he had a lead role in comedy series Please Like Me,[ 2] playing Alan, the father of Josh Thomas's character.[ 7]

In 2019, Roberts played a senior member of Parliament in political series Total Control, alongside Rachel Griffiths and Deborah Mailman in 2019.[ 8] More recently, he appeared in 2023 SBS drama thriller miniseries Safe Home[ 9] and opposite his wife Helen Thomson, as Bernie in award-winning television series Colin from Accounts.[ 10]

Further television credits include Devil's Playground, The Code, Secret City, Rake, Offspring, Bad Mothers, Barons, Queen of Oz, Silver and Sunny Nights.[ 1]

Roberts is best known for his role as Captain Roland in the 2003 science-fiction action films The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions,[ 2] alongside Keanu Reeves and Hugo Weaving. He has also appeared in 2007 Marvel Comics adaptation Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage.[ 11]

In 2008, he was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the role of Raymond Yale in Nash Edgerton's feature film debut, the thriller The Square.[ 12] [ 13] In 2014, he appeared in gritty crime drama film The Convict.[ 14]

He starred opposite his wife in the films Gettin' Square (2002), A Savage Christmas (2023)[ 15] and Spit (2025),[ 16] the latter in which he reprised his role from Gettin' Square.

Other film credits include Me Myself I (2000), alongside Rachel Griffiths, Three Dollars (2005) with David Wenham and Frances O'Connor and US productions Fool's Gold (2008) opposite Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson and Unbroken (2014) by Angelina Jolie.[ 1]

On 11 April 2025, Roberts was named to appear in the film Posthumous.[ 17]

Roberts has performed in stage productions for Griffin, Belvoir, and Malthouse Theatre.[ 2]

He appeared in Melbourne Theatre Company productions of Les Liaisons Dangereuses[ 18] and The Touch of Silk in 1988[ 19] followed by The Recruiting Officer and Our Country's Good in 1989.[ 20]

He acted together with his wife in a stage production of In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) in 2011.[ 21]

Roberts is married to fellow actor Helen Thomson. Together they have two children and reside at Wentworth Falls in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney.[ 10] [ 22]