Matt Nable Explained

Matt Nable
Fullname:Matthew Nable
Birth Date:1972 3, df=yes
Birth Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Club1:Manly Sea Eagles
Year1start:1991
Year1end:92
Appearances1:5
Tries1:1
Goals1:0
Fieldgoals1:0
Points1:4
Club2:South Sydney
Year2start:1995
Appearances2:3
Tries2:0
Goals2:0
Fieldgoals2:0
Points2:0
Club3:Carlisle
Year3start:1996
Appearances3:16
Tries3:4
Goals3:0
Fieldgoals3:0
Points3:16
Club4:London Broncos
Year4start:1997
Appearances4:4
Tries4:1
Goals4:0
Fieldgoals4:0
Points4:4
Source:[1]

Matthew Nable (born 8 March 1972) is an Australian film and television actor, writer, sports commentator and former professional rugby league player. After playing in the Winfield Cup Premiership during the 1990s for the Manly-Warringah and South Sydney clubs, he wrote and starred in the rugby league-centred drama The Final Winter in 2007.[2] Nable went on to act in films such as Killer Elite and Riddick. He appeared on The CW's Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow as Ra's al Ghul.

Early life

Nable grew up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and also, as a young boy, spent two years at Portsea, Victoria, when his father, Dave, a soldier, was stationed there,[3] and another period of his childhood in Albury. His father had also worked as a trainer for the Australian national rugby league team, and his brother, Adam Nable, would become a professional player as well.[4] [5]

Rugby league career

Nable rose through the junior ranks at the Manly-Warringah club and made five appearances for the Graham Lowe-coached team over 1991 and 1992. Following this he wouldn't appear in the premiership until 1995 when he played three games for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

After another season in England where he played for Carlisle before moving to the London Broncos,[6] Nable quit football and then tried his hand at boxing, fighting for the state light-heavyweight title as an amateur.[7] He then worked as a beer salesman and personal trainer,[8] but eventually decided to leave paid employment to become a writer.

Writing and acting career

After encouragement from his mentor, Booker Prize-winning novelist Thomas Keneally, Nable wrote a screenplay for The Final Winter based on his unpublished novel of the same name.[9] With friends he also managed to raise $1.6m and they worked together to make the film which was released in 2007, and earned critical praise[10] but was a box office failure.[11]

Nable went on to act in the United States as a Los Angeles detective in the 2008 television movie S.I.S..[12]

In 2009, his book We Don't Live Here Anymore was published,[13] in 2011 he published his second book Faces in the Clouds, which won critical praise.[14]

He worked as a writer on Channel 7's rugby league comedy programme, The Matty Johns Show.[15]

Nable appeared in the main cast of critically acclaimed and award-winning SBS drama series, East West 101,[16] [17] and in the 2011 action film Killer Elite alongside Clive Owen, Robert De Niro,[13] Yvonne Strahovski, Jason Statham,[17] and Dominic Purcell.

Nable starred in the 2012 Australian drama series, . The same year he was announced as a cast member of another Australian TV series, . He also had a role in the film 33 Postcards.

He appeared in the 2013 sci-fi film Riddick alongside Vin Diesel.[18]

In March 2014 it was reported that Nable would appear in the Nine Network's upcoming miniseries Gallipoli.[19]

On 4 September, 2014, Stephen Amell announced on Facebook that Nable would portray the role of Ra's al Ghul on the third season of Arrow.[20] Despite Liam Neeson (Ra's al Ghul in The Dark Knight Trilogy) expressing an interest in reprising his role for the television series' third season and the CW Network reaching out to him, he was unavailable[21] and Nable was cast as Ra's instead. IGN's Jesse Scheeden said he brought "charisma and danger to the part".[22] Nable portrayed the character in ten episodes of the third season. He reprised his role in a first season episode of Legends of Tomorrow.[23]

In October 2019, Nable starred in the opening cinematic of the 2019 Bathurst 1000, broadcast on Fox Sports Australia. Nable has since featured in numerous Fox Sports cinematics, promotions and advertisements, primarily for their Rugby League division, Fox League.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007Mick 'Grub' Hendersonalso writer
201133 PostcardsTommyas Matthew Nable
2011Killer ElitePennock
2012K-11Villalobosas Matthew Nable
2013Around the BlockJack Wood
2013Max
2013RiddickColonel R. 'Boss' Johns
2014FellThomas
2014Son of a GunSterlo
2015BlueyMr. MysteryShort film
2016Hacksaw RidgeLieutenant Colonel Cooney
2016IncarnateDan Sparrow
2017Jasper JonesSergeant
20171%President Knuckalso writer
2019Standing Up for SunnyMale Interviewer
2021The DryGrant Dow
2022Poker FaceBilly
2023TransfusionJohnnyalso writer and director
TBAIn Cold LightThe Inspectorpost-production
TBAThat's Not a KnifeHimselfdocumentary; post-production
style="background:#FFFFCC;"
Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2008S.I.S.Melville AtkinsonTelevision film
2011East West 101Detective Neil TravisMain cast (season 3)
(credited as Matthew Nable)
2012William George "Jock" RossMain cast
2012Detective Sergeant Gary JubelinMain cast
(credited as Matthew Nable)
2014–15ArrowRa's al GhulRecurring role (season 3)
2015WinterFederal Agent Jake HarrisMain cast
2015GallipoliSergeant Harry PercevalMiniseries
2016Legends of TomorrowRa's al GhulEpisode: "Left Behind"
2016BarracudaFrank TormaMiniseries
2016QuarryThurston2 episodes
2016Hyde & SeekDetective Sergeant Gary HydeMain cast
2017Detective Mark StandenMiniseries
2018Dead LuckyMatt O'ReillyMiniseries
2018–21Mr InbetweenDaveRecurring role
2020The SoundsJack McGregorMain cast
2022The TwelveNathan SpearsMain cast
2023Last King of the Cross“Big Tony” StoneMain cast
2023Year OfAlan Prichard 10 episodes
2023Bay of Fires-ThaddeusTV series

Bibliography

Books

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/matthew-nable/summary.html Rugby League Project
  2. News: Purcell . Charles . Final whistle . Sydney Morning Herald . Australia . Fairfax Media . 6 September 2007 . 2 October 2010.
  3. News: Mathieson. Craig. The field of broken dreams. Age. Australia. Fairfax. 31 August 2007. 2 October 2010.
  4. News: Cohen. Joanna. Matt Nable on The Final Winter: The RT Interview. rottentomatoes.com. Flixster, Inc.. 14 February 2008. 2 October 2010.
  5. News: AMNRL. New York Knights star Adam Nable welcomes brother Matt and his hit rugby league movie The Final Winter for its US premiere in Manhattan on October 10. American National Rugby League News. United States. Super League America, Inc.. 2007. 2 October 2010.
  6. News: Club-by-club guide to the Super League. The Independent. UK. independent.co.uk. 13 March 1997. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220512/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby-clubbyclub-guide-to-the-super-league-1272658.html . 12 May 2022 . subscription . live. 2 October 2010.
  7. News: Maddox. Garry. A league of his own. Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. Fairfax Media. 1 September 2007. 2 October 2010.
  8. News: Chester. Rodney. Hard yards for Final Winter. Courier-Mail. Australia. News Limited. 6 September 2007. 2 October 2010.
  9. News: Sutherland. Claire. The Final Winter in a league of its own. Herald Sun. Australia. News Limited. 6 September 2007. 2 October 2010.
  10. Williams. Daniel. Footy for Thought. Time. Time Inc.. 31 August 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20101009110521/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1657920,00.html. dead. 9 October 2010. 2 October 2010.
  11. News: Maddox. Garry. Kerry Coleman. Comeback of the day. Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. Fairfax Media. 4 December 2007. 2 October 2010.
  12. News: Shattuck. Kathryn. What's on Today. The New York Times. 24 August 2008. 2 October 2010.
  13. Web site: Penguin Books. Matt Nable. Contributors. Penguin. 2010. 8 June 2011.
  14. News: Flynn. Chris. Matt Nable's sibling story a class act. 14 January 2014. The Australian. 18 June 2011.
  15. News: Ritchie. Dean. Afternoon of hot dogs and heroes. Daily Telegraph. Australia. News Limited. 5 July 2010. 2 October 2010.
  16. Web site: Matt Nable on writing and acting. Life Matters. Radio National. 7 June 2011. 8 June 2011.
  17. Web site: Matt Nable as Detective Neil Travis. East West 101. SBS. 8 June 2011.
  18. News: From running on rugby league fields to acting on the Hollywood big screen. 11 December 2013. Fox Sports. 11 December 2013.
  19. News: Rising star Kodi Smit-McPhee set to headline epic Gallipoli TV drama. 4 March 2014. news.com.au. 3 March 2014.
  20. Web site: 'Arrow' Finds Its Ra's al Ghul . Ng . Philiana . . September 4, 2014 . August 10, 2020 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160601120721/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/arrow-ras-al-ghul-is-726121 . June 1, 2016.
  21. Web site: Liam Neeson Actually WAS Offered the Role of Ra's Al Ghul for Arrow. 11 October 2014. Movie Pilot. 12 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518091729/http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/10/11/liam-neeson-actually-was-offered-the-role-of-ra-s-al-ghul-for-arrow-2336204?lt_source=external,manual. 18 May 2015. dead.
  22. Web site: Arrow: "The Climb" Review. 10 December 2014. IGN.
  23. 'Legends of Tomorrow' recap: Too little, two years too late. Entertainment Weekly. 2016-04-01.