Aaron Fa'aoso
Fa'aoso at the 2012 AACTA Awards
NationalityAustralian
Occupations
  • Actor
  • screenwriter
  • producer
Television

Aaron Fa'aoso is an Australian actor, screenwriter and producer, known for his roles in East West 101, The Straits (which he also wrote and produced) and Black Comedy. He established Lonestar Productions in 2013, which brings stories of the people of the Torres Strait Islands and north Queensland to the screen.

Early life and education

Fa'aoso was born into the Kheodal (Crocodile) and Samu (Emu) clans of Torres Strait Islanders people, his family having moved from Saibai Island to the mainland of Australia in 1947.[1] He is also of Samoan and Tongan descent.[2][3] He grew up in "a big Torres Strait Islander community"[4] in Bamaga on the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland.[1]

He graduated high school,[4] and worked as a sexual health worker in Bamaga, and played rugby league football in the Australian Rugby League and Super League competitions.[2] He moved from Cairns to Sydney to pursue a rugby career, joining the Canterbury Bulldogs rugby league club.[4]

Career

Fa'aoso began his acting television career in 2006, where he played Eddie Gaibui on RAN, a six-part drama which aired on SBS One. In late 2007 to early 2008 he appeared in the first series another SBS drama series, East West 101, playing Detective Sonny Koa. Later that year he had a guest role in Sea Patrol, which aired on Network Nine.

In 2009 he appeared in season two of East West 101 and starred in the film Subdivision. In 2011, he returned to star in the third and final season of East West 101 on SBS.

In 2012, he appeared the last four episodes of the Australian drama TV series Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms.

Also in 2012, he wrote, produced and starred in ABC Television's's 10-part drama series The Straits , about a north Queensland crime family.[5] The series was highly praised by critics, with one calling it The Sopranos of the Top End.[4]

Fa'aoso has appeared as a recurring character in the ABC sketch comedy series, Black Comedy (2014–2020).[6]

In 2022 Fa’aoso published his memoir with Michelle Scott Tucker. So Far, So Good was the first memoir to be published commercially by a Torres Strait Islander.[7]

Lonestar Productions

Fa'aso's main interest is in telling Indigenous stories.[4] To that end, he created Lonestar Productions in 2013.[8] The company makes films in the Torres Strait and Cape York regions, and has produced documentary series such as Blue Water Empire (about the history of the Torres Strait Islander people) and Strait to the Plate (food in the islands), in which Fa'aoso features.[9]

Other roles

Since at least 2018[4] and as of June 2022 Fa'aoso is on the board of Screen Queensland.[10]

Awards

  • 2006: Nominated at the AFI Awards for Best Guest or Supporting Actor in Television Drama for RAN[4]
  • 2007: Nominated at the Logies for Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent for RAN[4]
  • 2011: Finalist in the Deadly Awards, for Male Actor of the Year[1]
  • 2012: Winner, Deadly Awards, Television Show of the Year, for The Straits[1]
  • 2012: Winner, AWGIE Award, Television Mini-Series – Original, for The Straits<[1]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2009SubdivisionSolly
2014ManJungleShort film
2016GoldstoneBear
2017OutlawsMotu

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006RAN Remote Area NurseEddie Gaibui4 episodes
2008Sea PatrolMassita Balanbaan2 episodes
2010City HomicideBenji Fa'alongaEpisode: "Tomato Can"
2011East West 101Sonny Koa20 episodes
2012The StraitsNoel Montebello10 episodes
2012Bikie Wars: Brothers in ArmsRoo6 episodes
2013München 7Senior Constable Bob WheelerEpisode: "Magic"
2014–20Black ComedyVarious characters24 episodes
2016Hyde & SeekMaru Salesi4 episodes
2017Little J & Big CuzOld Dog (voice)
2018Street SmartLennyEpisode: "The Pop-Up Nightclub"
2019Reef BreakMr. Cher2 episodes
2019Blue Water EmpireVarious characters, narration4 episodes; produced by Lonestar
2021-23 Strait to the Plate Self-Presenter 11 episodes
2023 In Limbo Nikora 6 episodes

Personal life

In 2012 he pleaded guilty to wilful damage and disorderly conduct following an incident at a Cairns nightclub and was placed on a good behaviour bond for six months and ordered to pay costs plus damages. The incident happened on the anniversary of a family tragedy,[11] and the magistrate took into account Fa'aoso's previous good character.[5] Cairns Mayor Val Schier described Fa'aoso as "a role model who is highly regarded"[11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Aaron Fa'aoso". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. 27 April 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 Fa'Aoso, Aaron (30 April 2006). "Aaron Fa'Aoso". Speaking Out (Interview). Interviewed by Karen Dorante. Australia: ABC Local Radio. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  3. ↑ "Aaron Fa'aoso is more than just TV's tough guy". qt.com.au. 27 February 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Aaron Fa'Aoso: footy, producing and Indigenous stories". Screen Australia. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  5. 1 2 "TV star Fa'aoso fined for breaking till". 9News. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  6. ↑ Black Comedy at IMDb
  7. ↑ Tucker, Michelle Scott (14 January 2021). "Aaron Fa'Aoso". Michelle Scott Tucker. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  8. ↑ "About us". Lonestar Productions. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  9. ↑ Fa'aoso, Aaron (27 February 2022). "First Nations & Torres Strait Islander spotlight: Aaron Fa'Aoso Q and A". Ausfilm (Interview). Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  10. ↑ "Our Board". Screen Queensland. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  11. 1 2 Nancarrow, Kirsty (23 April 2012). "TV star sentenced over nightclub incident". Australia: ABC News. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
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