Craig Hall (actor)

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Craig Hall
Born1973 or 1974 (age 51–52)
Auckland, New Zealand
EducationMacleans College (1988–1992)
OccupationActor
Years active1992–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2007; div. 2023)​

Craig Hall (born 1973 or 1974) is a New Zealand actor.[1]

Early life

Hall was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand. At the age of ten, he decided he wanted to be an actor, after seeing Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future.[2] He convinced his dad to take him to an agency after spotting a newspaper advertisement seeking film extras. He had braces at the time, so nothing came of it, but he persevered.[2]

Hall attended high school at Macleans College in Auckland, from 1988 to 1992.[3]

A workshop in 1993, with acting coach Kenneth McGregor (who was in New Zealand at the time, working on The Piano), resulted in Kenneth referring Hall to an agency. This in turn, led to parts in short films and television advertisements, laying the foundation for his career.[2]

Career

Television

Hall's career began with a role in the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys in 1996.[2] Other early television credits included The Chosen (1998), Street Legal (1999), Shortland Street (1999) and Xena: Warrior Princess (2000). He then secured a regular ongoing role as Clint in The Strip (2001).[4] He also had roles in Interrogation (2005)[5] and miniseries Burying Brian (2008).[6]

Hall landed a regular role in New Zealand comedy crime drama series Outrageous Fortune, playing Nicky Greegan from 2008 to 2010.[4] During this time, he also played Carter Smith in season 2 of ABC Australian series East of Everything in 2009.[7]

Hall's portrayal of real life physician, Andrew Bowers [8] in the 2010 TV movie Bloodlines won him the 2011 AFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor.[2] He then relocated to Australia when he was cast in Underbelly: Razor, the fourth instalment of the Underbelly crime drama franchise, in the lead role of Detective Bill Mackay.[4][8]

In 2012, Hall was seen in the Australian drama miniseries Howzat! Kerry Packer's War, playing the role of Gavin Warner.[9] The following year, he made guest appearances in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Tricky Business and Rake.[4]

Hall then secured the ongoing role of Jack Duncan, a troubled veteran working as a doctor in rural Australia in 1950s period drama series A Place to Call Home for six seasons, from 2013 through to 2018.[1][8] During this period, he played the recurring role of Chief Supt. William Munro in The Doctor Blake Mysteries, Inspector Rod Lynch in two-part crime miniseries Catching Milat (2015),[10] based on the story of real life serial killer Ivan Milat and Ted Regan in Hunters (2016).[11] He next portrayed private investigator Tim McKinnel in 2018 New Zealand television movie In Dark Places, a crime drama based on the true story of the wrongful conviction of Teina Pora.[8]

In 2019, Hall was seen in Jonah: The Untold Story, playing Doc Mayhew.[4] Then from 2019 to 2021, he played a lead role as coach Vince O'Kane in the first two seasons of rugby drama Head High.[12][4] Both portrayals earned him nominations at the 2020 NZTV Awards.[4] In 2020, Hall returned to Shortland Street, in the recurring guest role of the womanising Alasdair Rolleston, brother of surgeon Boyd Rolleston, after having previously guested in 1999.[13]

In 2023, Hall was cast in the lead role of Scott, the wealthy head of an evangelical megachurch, in New Zealand family drama miniseries Testify.[4][8] He also appeared as Detective David Medcalf in the Australian crime drama miniseries The Claremont Murders.[14] Hall more recently had supporting roles in long-running Australian soap operas Neighbours and Home and Away, as well as playing the role of Harry Freeland in police procedural series NCIS: Sydney, all in 2025.[4]

Film

In 1998, Hall made his feature film debut in New Zealand comedy Savage Honeymoon.[15] His film appearances continued in 2003 when he scored the role of a Gondorian Captain in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the conclusion to Peter Jackson's epic Lord of the Rings film franchise. Then in 2005, he appeared in Jackson's film King Kong, opposite Naomi Watts and Jack Black,[2][4] and New Zealand biographical sports drama The World's Fastest Indian, alongside Anthony Hopkins.[16] Hall took on three roles in 2007, with American fantasy drama film The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep,[17] American horror film 30 Days of Night, opposite Josh Hartnett, [18] and Taika Waititi's romantic comedy Eagle vs Shark.[19]

The following year, Green starred in New Zealand romantic comedy-drama Show of Hands with Melanie Lynskey.[20] He appeared in Taika Waititi's 2010 comedy-drama Boy,[21] and in 2011 he had a role in romantic comedy Love Birds[22] as well as starring as a commando in horror film The Devil's Rock.[23] He then appeared as Galion in the second of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in 2013, with an ensemble cast including Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett and Orlando Bloom.[2][4] That same year, he appeared as Vincent Gregory in Australian psychological thriller film Nerve, opposite Gary Sweet.[4]

In 2023, Hall played Drybergh, opposite Julian Dennison and Minnie Driver in New Zealand comedy-drama film Uproar, set against the 1981 South African rugby tour protests.[24] In 2026, he appeared alongside Judy Davis, Jacki Weaver and Miriam Margolyes in road trip comedy Holy Days, playing Joe, father of the main character Brian Collins (Elijah Tamati).[25]

Theatre

Hall has also acted for the stage, having performed in various theatre productions including Killer Joe in 2009 and The Lover in 2010.[2]

Personal life

Hall lives in Auckland and Sydney. He was married to his A Place to Call Home co-star Sara Wiseman for sixteen years, after having met on the set of 2000 short horror short, Home Kill. They also appeared together in the telemovie What Really Happened – Votes for Women. The couple split in 2023.[26][27][1][8]

Awards

Year Work Award Category Result Ref.
2011BloodlinesAotearoa Film and Television AwardsBest Performance by a Supporting ActorWon[4]
2012Underbelly: RazorEquity Ensemble AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Miniseries or TelemovieNominated[28]
2014A Place to Call HomeEquity Ensemble AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesNominated[28]
2020JonahNew Zealand Television AwardsBest Supporting ActorFinalist[4]
Head HighNew Zealand Television AwardsBest ActorFinalist[4]
2022New Zealand Television AwardsBest ActorFinalist[4]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1996 Siren Soldier Short film
2000 Savage Honeymoon Dean Savage [15]
2001 Home Kill Wayne Short film
2003 The Gateway to Hell Pilot Short film
2005 The World's Fastest Indian Antarctic Angel [16]
King Kong Mike
2006 Perfect Creature Det. Dominic [29]
Knife Shift Shane Short film
Embers Jonathan Short film
2007 Eagle vs Shark Doug Davis [19]
The Ferryman Chris Hamilton [30]
30 Days of Night Wilson Bulosan [18]
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep Charlie MacMorrow [17]
2008 Show of Hands Tom Shrift [20]
2010 Boy Mr. Langston [21]
Captain Amazingly Incredible and the Space Vampires from the Evil Planet!!! Johnny Depp (voice)
Das Tub U-Boat Commander Short film
Be Careful... Mike Short film
2011 Love Birds Craig Watson [22]
The Devil's Rock Captain Ben Grogan [23]
2013 Nerve Vincent Gregory [4]
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Galion [2][4]
2014 The Light Harvester Troy Short film
2016 Pete's Dragon Adult Pete Uncredited
2022 Dark Noise Inspector Stuart Thompson
2023 Uproar Drybergh [24][31]
2026 Holy Days Joe Collins [25]

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1995 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Timuron Episode: "Highway to Hades"
1998 The Chosen Darren TV film
Duggan: Sins of the Fathers Jason Bridges TV film (credited as Craig A. Hall) [32]
1999 Shortland Street Leo Kenny
Forbidden Island Marine Lieutenant Unsold pilot
2000 Cleopatra 2525 Guard Episode: "Mind Games"
Street Legal Justin Lynch Episode: "Heroin Chic"
2001 Xena: Warrior Princess Raczar Episode: "Dangerous Prey"
2002 The Vector File Melvin TV film [33]
Mataku Private Tatts Episode: "The Lost Tribe" [34]
2002–2003 The Strip Clint 31 episodes (main role) [35]
2003 Revelations – The Initial Journey Joseph of Arimathea Episode: "The Good Samaritan"
Mercy Peak Ryan Episode: "The Day That the Rain Came Down"
2004 Raising Waylon Alex TV film [36]
Ike: Countdown to D-Day 101st Corporal TV film
2005 Interrogation Jason Sumner Episode: "As If Nothing Had Happened" [5]
2005–2006 SCU: Serious Crash Unit Narrator Seasons 2–3
2008 Burying Brian Pete Donnelly Main role [6]
2008–2010 Outrageous Fortune Nicky Greegan Seasons 4–6, 48 episodes [4]
2009 East of Everything Carter Smith Season 2 (main role) [4][7]
2009–2010 Legend of the Seeker Drago 2 episodes
2010 Bloodlines Dr. Andrew Bowers TV film [8]
Denk nur an uns beide Oliver TV film
Avalon High Coach Barker TV film [37]
2011 Underbelly: Razor Inspector Bill Mackay Miniseries, main role [8][4]
Emilie Richards – Entscheidung des Herzens Oliver TV film
2012 Votes for Women: What Really Happened William Lovell-Smith TV film [38]
Tricky Business George Blake Episode: "Bad Hair Day" [2][4]
Howzat! Kerry Packer's War Gavin Warner Miniseries [2][4][9]
Rake Todd Episode: "R v Mohammed" [2][4]
2013 Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries Jefferson Clarke Episode: "Framed for Murder"
2013–2018 A Place to Call Home Dr. Jack Duncan Main role [39][1][8]
2014 Auckland Daze Craig 2 episodes
2015 Catching Milat Inspector Rod Lynch Miniseries [4][10]
True Crime: Venus and Mars Grant Nicholls TV film [40]
2015; 2017 The Doctor Blake Mysteries Chief Supt. William Munro 9 episodes
2016 Hunters Ted Regan 5 episodes [11]
2018 James Patterson's Murder is Forever Det. Marshall Episode: "Murder in Paradise"
In Dark Places Tim McKinnel TV film [4][8]
Constance David Rooks Web pilot
2019 Jonah Dr John Mayhew Miniseries [4]
Bondi Slayer Josh Episode: "Buffy Isn't Real"
2020 Head High Vince O'Kane Main role [12][4]
Halifax: Retribution Ben Sailor Miniseries; 3 episodes [41]
Shortland Street Alasdair Rolleston 6 episodes [13]
Between Two Worlds Detective Gordon Taylor 2 episodes
2021 The Brokenwood Mysteries Rory Grainger Episode: "Something Nasty in the Market"
2022 My Life Is Murder Jack Sallinger 1 episode [42]
2023 The Claremont Murders Detective David Medcalf Miniseries, 1 episode [14]
2024 Testify Scott Jacobson Series regular
Neighbours Victor Stone 35 episodes [43]
2025 Home and Away Detective Mark Townsend Season 38 [44]

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2002–2003Red Fish Blue FishTimSilo Theatre, Auckland, Circa Theatre, Wellington[4][45]
2004Gagarin WayGary[4]
2005The Boys in the BandAlan McCarthySilo Theatre, Auckland[4][45]
The Mercy SeatBenSilo Theatre, Auckland[4][45]
2006Take Me OutKippy SunderstromSilo Theatre, Auckland[4][45]
2009Killer JoeAnsel SmithThe Basement Theatre, Auckland[4][45]
2010The LoverRichardThe Basement Theatre, Auckland with Easy Company[4][45]
2016Venus in FurThomasAotea Centre, Auckland with ATC[4][45][46]

References

  1. Molloy, Shannon (3 October 2015). "The story of the actors who play a couple on TV show A Place To Call Home and are married in real life". news.com.au. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  2. "Craig Hall". Yahoo. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  3. "Macleans College Alumni". Facebook. 7 April 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  4. "Craig Hall Actor Profile". johnsonlaird.com. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  5. "Interrogation – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  6. "Burying Brian". nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  7. "East of Everything – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  8. Potts, Zara. "Craig Hall | Actor". nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  9. "Howzat! Kerry Packer's War – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  10. "Catching Milat – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  11. "Hunters – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  12. Harvey, Kerry (2 July 2020). "Trying times for family at centre of Head High rugby drama". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  13. Harvey, Kerry (23 July 2020). "Craig Hall out to make amends in second stint on Shortland Street". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  14. "The Claremont Murders: episode guide". australiantelevision.net.
  15. "Savage Honeymoon – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  16. "The World's Fastest Indian – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  17. "The Water Horse – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  18. "30 Days of Night – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  19. "Eagle vs Shark – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  20. "Show of Hands – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  21. "Boy – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  22. "Love Birds – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  23. "The Devil's Rock – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  24. "Kiriata Māori Showcase: Uproar". govettbrewster.com. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  25. Ng, Alan (31 March 2026). "Holy Days". filmthreat.com. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  26. Simich, Ricardo (29 July 2023). "Spy: Kiwi acting duo Sara Wiseman and Craig Hall split after 16 years of marriage". The New Zealand Herald.
  27. Rocca, Jane (24 March 2024). "High Country's Sara Wiseman: 'It takes 20 years to become an actor'". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  28. "Craig Hall Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  29. "Perfect Creature – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  30. "The Ferryman – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  31. "Uproar – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  32. "Duggan: Sins of the Fathers". nzonscreen.com. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  33. "The Vector File – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  34. "Mataku – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  35. "The Strip – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  36. "Raising Waylon – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  37. "Avalon High – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  38. "Votes for Women – What Really Happened". TV Guide. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  39. "A Place to Call Home". australiantelevision.net.
  40. "True Crime: Venus and Mars – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  41. "Halifax: Retribution – Full Cast & Crew". TV Guide. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  42. "My Life is Murder: episode guide | series 3". australiantelevision.net.
  43. Neighbours to revisit a scrapped story as Byron and Nicolette's father Victor arrives Yahoo! News. 22 April 2024
  44. Pritchard, Tahlia (26 November 2024). "Leaked Home and Away photo hints at major 2025 storyline". Yahoo. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  45. "Actor Profile | Craig Hall". showcast.com.au. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
  46. "Venus in Fur at Herald Theatre". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 10 May 2026.