Dustin Clare (born 2 January 1982) is an Australian actor. He is known for his starring role as Gannicus in the Starz series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena, Spartacus: Vengeance and Spartacus: War of the Damned, and as Riley Ward on the series McLeod's Daughters.

Dustin Clare
Born (1982-01-02) 2 January 1982 (age 44)
OccupationActor
Years active2003–present
Spouse
(m. 2002)
Children1

Personal life

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Clare is from Australia. Born in Grafton, he grew up in both Ballina, NSW and Maclean, NSW.[1] Clare studied at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in Perth, he graduated in 2004.[2]

He served as a 2012 ambassador for the Warrambeen Film Festival.[3] He is also an ambassador for the White Ribbon Foundation.[4]

Career

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From 2006 to 2007, Clare starred as Riley Ward in 48 episodes of the series McLeod's Daughters.[5][6] In 2009, he played Sydney hit-man and gangland figure Christopher Dale Flannery in Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities[7] and also as Sean in the Showtime Network (Australia) series Satisfaction.[8]

His global fame occurred when he starred as Gannicus, the champion gladiator of the House of Batiatus, in Spartacus: Gods of the Arena.[9] This is the prequel to the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and the second season chronologically of release. He returned to his role as Gannicus in the two sequel seasons to Spartacus: Blood and Sand entitled Spartacus: Vengeance and Spartacus: War of the Damned.[10]

He received a 2007 Logie Award for McLeod's Daughters,[11] and a 2015 Equity Ensemble Award for ANZAC Girls.[12]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2003 Brothers Ethan Short film
2006 Iron Bird Jonathan Paul Harmer JP
2008 Cane Cutter Roo Short film; also writer and producer
2009 Early Checkout Dan
2010 Happenstance Ex Boyfriend Short film
Kanowna Trooper Brown Short film; also associate producer
2011 The Eye of the Storm Col
2013 Goddess Rory
The Fragments Jason Short film; also executive producer
2014 Love is Now James
Sunday Charlie Also writer and producer
2018 Pacific Rim Uprising Joseph Burke
2022 Seriously Red George Michael
2024 With or Without You Cowboy

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2005All SaintsRick FallonEpisode: "New Beginnings"
HeadLandGareth WilliamsRecurring role; 6 episodes
2006–2007McLeod's DaughtersRiley WardMain role; 48 episodes (seasons 6–7)
2007Air AustraliaSir Charles Kingsford SmithMiniseries; 2 episodes
2008–2010SatisfactionSeanMain role; 18 episodes (seasons 2–3)
2009UnderbellyChristopher Dale FlanneryRecurring role; 8 episodes (season 2)
2011Spartacus: Gods of the ArenaGannicusMiniseries; 6 episodes
2012Spartacus: VengeanceMain role; 7 episodes
2013Spartacus: War of the DamnedMain role; 10 episodes
2014ANZAC GirlsLieutenant Harry MoffittMain role; 6 episodes
2015Strike Back: LegacyFaberRecurring role; 4 episodes (season 5)
2016Wolf CreekSullivan HillMain role; 6 episodes (season 1)
2018TidelandsPat McTeerRecurring role; 6 episodes
2019RosehavenFarmer DanRecurring role; 3 episodes (season 3)
Reef BreakRichard StuylerRecurring role; 5 episodes
Doctor DoctorJarrodMain role; 10 episodes (season 4)[13][14]
GlitchMark Clayton-StoneMain role; 6 episodes (season 3)[15]
2021EdenHuckleberryMain role; 7 episodes[16]
2022–2023Surviving SummerThommo GibsonRecurring role; 14 episodes[17]
2023Almost ParadiseErikEpisode: "Uncoupled"
NCIS: SydneyPorter / KaneEpisode: "Extraction"
2025Good Cop, Bad CopSilvio OliveriaEpisode: "Buckle Up"

Awards

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Year Work Award Category Result
2007McLeod's DaughtersLogie AwardsSilver Logie Award for Most Popular New Male TalentWon
2008–2010SatisfactionLogie AwardsSilver Logie Award for Best ActorNominated
2015ANZAC GirlsEquity Ensemble AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Miniseries / TelemovieWon

References

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  1. "Q&A with Dustin Clare". NineMSN. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  2. "Dustin Clare Makes His Mark" (PDF). WAAPA Alumni Newsletter. WAAPA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  3. "Dustin Clare Warrambeen Film Festival Ambassador". Warrambeen Film Festival. 9 February 2012. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  4. "Dustin Clare". White Ribbon New Zealand. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  5. "Riley Ward (Dustin Clare)". NineMSN. Archived from the original on 14 August 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  6. "Episode List - McLeod's Daughters". IMDB. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  7. "Channel Nine - Underbelly". Channel Nine Australia. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  8. "The Cast of Satisfaction - Sean". Showtime Networks AU. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
  9. Reynolds, Mike (19 July 2010). "Australian Actor Dustin Clare To Play Lead Role In Starz's 'Spartacus' Prequel". Multichannel. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  10. "'Wolf Creek' star Dustin Clare joins newly re-titled 'Pacific Rim: Uprising'". IF Magazine. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  11. "Dustin Clare gets Satisfaction". TV Tonight. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  12. "Equity Ensemble Awards winners". IF Magazine. 23 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  13. "Australian Television: Doctor Doctor/The Heart Guy: Cast: Series 4".
  14. "New cast join Doctor Doctor | TV Tonight". 29 April 2019.
  15. "Cameras roll on final season for Glitch | TV Tonight". 17 September 2018.
  16. "Airdate: Eden | TV Tonight". 13 May 2021.
  17. "Surf, camera, action on local drama Surviving Summer | TV Tonight". 13 September 2023.
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