Pacharo Mzembe is an Australian actor. He has performed on stage, in several television series and in feature films.

Pacharo Mzembe
Born
Alma materNational Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA)
OccupationActor
Years active2009–present
AwardsGreen Room Award winner, Theatre Companies Performer, 2019 Helpmann Awards, Best Actor in a leading role, South Australian Screen Awards (SASA) - Best Performance nominee for Kind of Man, 2009

Early life

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Mzembe's parents originate from Malawi, but he was born in Zimbabwe. He migrated to Australia at the age of six to the state of Queensland.[citation needed]

Acting career

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Mzembe is an alumnus of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), after being accepted when he was 17 years old. In the summer of 2012, he undertook a run across Australia, which he founded and named the Run of Awareness, with the aim of highlighting the inequality of educational opportunities for disadvantaged youth in Australia and around the world.[citation needed]

Mzembe started his career in theatre, but has since appeared in numerous television and movie roles, including Monster Problems, Channel Nine’s Here Come the Habibs, Harrow on the ABC, and SBS's Safe Harbour. On the stage, he played Martin Luther King Jr. in The Mountaintop, as well as appearing in Prize Fighter, for which he won a Green Room Award and was nominated for the Sydney Theatre and Helpmann Awards for his portrayal of an ex-child soldier turned boxing contender.[citation needed]

Mzembe is also passionate about youth empowerment and filmmaking.[citation needed]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2010 Summer Coda Monty
2020 Love and Monsters Ray
2022 Black Site Ben Jordan
2024 Sleeping Dogs Isaac Samuel
2026 The Bluff Chien

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref
2009 The Diplomat D.C Terry Ayyar Television film
2011 Underbelly Nuggett 12 episodes
Terra Nova Alverez 2 episodes
Spirited Ghost Tang Episode: "Changes"
Sinbad and the Minotaur Karim Television film
2015 Texas Rising: The Lost Soldier Joe Episode #1.2
Danger 5 Pierre 7 episodes [1]
2017 Here Come the Habibs Kanye 3 episodes
The Family Law Aaron Episode: "Matters of the Heart"
2018 Safe Harbour Matou 4 episodes
2019 Harrow Jacob Diallo Episode: "Abo Imo Pectore"
2020 The End Detective Sharma Episode: "With Sparkles"
2021 La Brea Tony Greene 10 episodes
Wakefield Rohan Achebe 5 episodes [2]
Young Rock Fireman Episode: "Working the Gimmick"
2022 God's Favorite Idiot Dr. Stephens Episode: "Tom the Baptist"
2024 Nautilus Boniface 10 episodes [3]

Theatre

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Year Title Role Venue / Co.
Class EnemyNIDA
Sweet CharityNIDA
2007Can't Pay? Won't Pay!GiovanniNIDA Parade Theatre, Sydney[4]
Once on This IslandNIDA
Romeo & JulietNIDA
The Cherry OrchardNIDA
The RamayanaNIDA
Steppingstone CompanyNIDA
2008AntigonePachBelvoir Street Theatre, Sydney
2008An Oak TreeBelvoir Street Theatre, Sydney[5]
2009RockabyeTobiasSouthbank Theatre, Melbourne with MTC
2010Gwen in PurgatoryFather EzekielBelvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite[6]
2013Solomon and MarionSolomonFairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC
2014The MountaintopDr Martin Luther King JrPlayhouse, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre
2015A Midsummer Night's DreamDemetrius / FluteRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite[7]
2015; 2018Prize FighterIsaRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane, Belvoir Street Theatre, Sydney, Logan Entertainment Centre, Northcote Town Hall, Melbourne, IMB Theatre, Wollongong with La Boite
2016The Tragedy of King Richard IIIRoundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with La Boite
2019L'AppartementSergeCremorne Theatre, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre
2023Bloom GirlDirector / ProducerThomas Dixon Centre, Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane with PM Collab Operations[8]

[9][10]

Awards

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Year Work Award Category Result
2009Kind of ManSouth Australian Screen Awards (SASA)Best PerformanceNominated[6]
2009Kind of ManSt Kilda Film FestivalBest ActorNominated[6]
2016Prize FighterHelpmann AwardsBest Actor in a Leading RoleNominated
2019Pacharo MzembeGreen Room AwardTheatre Companies Best Performer AwardWon

References

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  1. Knox, David (7 January 2016). "Danger 5 returns on SBS 2". tvtonight.com.au. TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  2. Knox, David (30 July 2020). "Wakefield to resume filming for ABC". tvtonight.com.au. TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  3. Knox, David (25 February 2022). "Georgia Flood joins Nautilus shoot in Qld". tvtonight.com.au. TV Tonight. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  4. "Cant Pay? Wont Pay! | NIDA - Australian Stage Online". australianstage.com.au.
  5. Simmonds, Diana. "An Oak Tree | Stage Noise - Diana Simmonds". www.stagenoise.com.
  6. 1 2 3 "Pacharo Mzembe - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  7. "Midsummer Night's Dream" (PDF). laboite.com.au.
  8. "Actor and filmmaker presents his new stage production 'Bloom Girl' about the social media obsession". www.abc.net.au. 4 December 2023.
  9. "AusStage". ausstage.edu.au.
  10. "The Mountaintop Online Program". issuu.
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