Bruce Phillips
New Zealand Actor
2023
A veteran New Zealand actor with 45 years in the business, Bruce has been involved in acting, directing and writing in film, television, radio and theatre, appearing in over 150 productions all over the country. He has won five major acting awards, for Breaking The Code, The Herbal Bed, Julius Caesar, Cherish and Broken Glass. Over the years Bruce has also appeared in many TV commercials, the last being NZTA’s “Less Speed” campaign.
For 22 years he was a co-artistic director of Circa theatre in Wellington. Bruce first appeared at the ATC in 1995's production of DEAD FUNNY directed by Simon Bennett. His next for ATC was Roger Hall’s Take A Chance On Me (2001 and 2002), and Vivienne Plumb’s The Wife Who Spoke Japanese In Her Sleep (2009), and he has appeared in many other Auckland productions since, including: Theatre Stampede’s 360, Peach Theatre’s The History Boys, A View From The Bridge and Death Of A Salesman, Bright Star, A Thousand Hills, Gwen In Purgatory, Copenhagen and Tom Sainsbury’s The Family Wilder.
Bruce also often works at the Court theatre in Christchurch and his plays there include: Shortcut to Happiness, August: Osage County, When the Rain Stops Falling, Le Sud, Easy Money and his last one; Elling.
In July- September 2019 he played Geoffrey and Dr Fine in Six Degrees Of Separation and Polonius in Rosencrantz And Guildernstern Are Dead, both for the Auckland Theatre Company.
In November 2019 he played Henri in HEROES for Tadpole Productions at the Pumphouse, Takapuna.
In May 2020 Bruce was part of an exciting Zoom production of an adaptation of Chekhov's The Seagull. Filmed on zoom for Auckland Theatre Company with all actors at home due to the Covid 19 pandemic, it was filmed in 4 30 minute acts. It was voted one of the best top5 productions in the world using the internet by The Scotsman Newspaper and had thousands of viewings. Bruce played Sorin.
It is available to view on Youtube by searching the Auckland Theatre Company channel.
In June he was in a pilot production of a new TV series called The Trick based on the real life stories of a sex worker. Directed by Natalie Medlock and written and starring Harry McNaughton, Bruce and Donogh Rees.
In August and September with breaks due to Covid 19 Bruce played an elderly hippie with a secret in The Gulf Series 2, which screened in 2021.
In 2021 Bruce was also in a workshop at ATC for a new play by Gray Henderson called Things That Matter. The opening was stopped by covid but will open again soon at the Auckland Theatre Company in August 2023. Sadly Bruce couldn't be in the production to due to TV commitments.
Last year, 2022, Bruce completed a short film called Floundering, with Addison Matangi and written and directed by William McKegg. It was filmed entirely on Waiheke Island.
In August he started work as Gordon, the mysterious long lost grandfather with a secret, in the British/NZ TV co-pro called Mystic, season 3. It was halted for several months due to Covid and was finally completed in March 2022. It is available to watch on TVNZ+ in NZ.
Recently Bruce worked on a short film, Crib, written and directed by Neill Rea. About the game of cribbage.
In August 2022 Bruce reprised his role as Gray Jenkins in Brokenwood. The first episode of series 9. A musical - this extraordinary episode screened later in 2023.
This year Bruce spent 3 months in Europe seeing theatre in London and travelling to Sweden and Portugal.
In November he played Peter Llewyn in James Ashcroft's new horror/thriller film called The Rule of Jenny Penn, with Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow and George Henare.
Plus a small guest role in one episode of Madam with Rachel Griffiths and Danielle Cormack.
Recently a new Blu Ray version of Worzel Gummidge Downunder has been released in a beautifully restored version of all 22 episodes and many extras. Bruce has done a commentary on one of the episodes.
Films include: Alex, Sinking Of The Rainbow Warrior, Lord of the Rings 2 and 3, Out Of The Blue, Ike - Countdown to D-Day (with Tom Sellack) and The Insatiable Moon with Greg Johnson and Rawhiri Paratene.
TV includes: Country GP, Worzel Gummidge DownUnder, Bert and Maisy, Fallout, Neighbourhood Watch, This Is Not My Life, Go Girls, Agent Anna, Blue Rose, Brokenwood Mysteries, Roman Empire Series 2 and as Len Cooper in Shortland St.
Bruce is a member of Equity and is represented by Gail Cowan Management.