Michael Dorman
New Zealand actor (born 1981)
title: "Michael Dorman" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["year-of-birth-missing-(living-people)", "living-people", "new-zealand-male-film-actors", "new-zealand-male-television-actors", "new-zealand-expatriates-in-australia", "new-zealand-expatriate-male-actors-in-the-united-states", "new-zealand-people-of-māori-descent", "ngāti-porou-people", "male-actors-from-auckland", "21st-century-new-zealand-male-actors"] description: "New Zealand actor (born 1981)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Dorman" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary New Zealand actor (born 1981) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Michael Dorman |
| image | Michael Dorman, Patriot- A Special Preview.jpg |
| caption | Dorman in 2017 |
| birth_place | Auckland, New Zealand |
| occupation | Actor |
| years_active | 2001–present |
| :: |
| name = Michael Dorman | image = Michael Dorman, Patriot- A Special Preview.jpg | caption = Dorman in 2017 | birth_date = | birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand | birth_name = | occupation = Actor | years_active = 2001–present | spouse =
Michael Dorman is a New Zealand-born Australian actor. He is best known for his starring roles as Tom Wilcox in Wonderland (2013–2015), John Tavner in Patriot (2015–2018), NASA astronaut Gordo Stevens in For All Mankind (2019–2021), and the title character in Joe Pickett (2021–2023).
Early life and education
Michael Dorman was born in Auckland, New Zealand. His mother's side of the family is Māori (specifically, Ngāti Porou people from the east coast of the north island), and his father's ancestors are Pākehā.
He moved to Australia with his family at the age of ten, and settled in Bundaberg, Queensland, where he attended Bundaberg State High School. He subsequently studied for a degree in drama at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane.
Career
Dorman's first role was as Christian on The Secret Life of Us. He was a fan of the show when it premiered in 2001 and he was in his final year of university. He landed the role in 2002 after having moved to Sydney.
One of Dorman's breakthrough performances came in the Australian film Suburban Mayhem (2006). Other lead roles followed in the Australian films Prime Mover (2009) and Needle (2010), as well as supporting work on further Australian films such as West (2007), Acolytes (2008), Triangle (2009), Daybreakers (2009) and Killer Elite (2011). He also featured in a main role as Tom Wilcox in the Australian television comedy-drama Wonderland for the entirety of its run (2013–2015).
After befriending Russell Crowe while working on The Water Diviner (2014), Crowe paid for Dorman's flight to the United States to further his acting career there. He picked up significant roles in TV series For All Mankind and Patriot, and a small role in blockbuster film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017).
He returned to Australia and was living there as of 2018.
Dorman went on to star as Tom Griffin in the horror film The Invisible Man and as Jesse in Hard Luck Love Song (both 2020).
In 2021, it was announced that he would star as the title character of the American TV series Joe Pickett, based on the books by C. J. Box. The show premiered for viewing on the Spectrum Network in December 2021 and Paramount+ streaming service in February 2022.
He was cast as Gol D. Roger in the 2023 Netflix series One Piece, US/UK/Japan co-production, and played Graham Lawson in the 2024 Netflix Australian series Territory.
Music
Dorman is also a musician. He has performed live supporting musicians such as Alex Lloyd, The Beautiful Girls, and Abbe May, as well as at festivals, including Peats Ridge, Woodford, and Homebake Festivals.
Recognition and awards
Dorman was nominated for a Silver Logie for Best Lead Actor in a Drama in the 2025 Logie Awards, for his performance in Territory.
Filmography
Film
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Spudmonkey | Trent | |
| 2005 | 50 Ways of Saying Fabulous | Jamie | |
| 2006 | Suburban Mayhem | Rusty | |
| 2007 | West | Mick | |
| 2008 | Acolytes | Gary Parker | |
| 2009 | Prime Mover | Thomas | |
| Triangle | Greg | ||
| Daybreakers | Frankie Dalton | ||
| 2010 | Needle | Ben Rutherford | |
| 2011 | Killer Elite | Jake | |
| Sleeping Beauty | Cook | ||
| 2014 | The Water Diviner | Greeves | |
| 2016 | Goldstone | Patch | |
| 2017 | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales | First Officer Wade | |
| 2020 | The Invisible Man | Tom Griffin | |
| Hard Luck Love Song | Jesse | ||
| :: |
Television
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002–2005 | The Secret Life of Us | Christian Hayden | Main cast |
| 2005 | Small Claims: White Wedding | Sean | Television film |
| 2006 | The Silence | Eddison | Television film |
| 2011 | Sea Patrol | Travis | Episode: "The Hunted" |
| Rescue: Special Ops | Will Pike | Episode: "True Romance" | |
| Wild Boys | Dan Sinclair | 10 episodes | |
| Blood Brothers | Jeff Gillham | Television film | |
| 2012 | Underbelly: Badness | Paul Leaske | Episode: "Strike Force Tuno" |
| 2013 | The Time of Our Lives | Joel | 3 episodes |
| Reef Doctors | Scottie | Episode #1.11 | |
| Serangoon Road | Conrad Harrison | Miniseries, 10 episodes | |
| 2013–2015 | Wonderland | Tom Wilcox | 44 episodes |
| 2015–2018 | Patriot | John Tavner | 18 episodes |
| 2016 | Black Comedy | Guest Cast | Episode #2.6 |
| 2019–2021 | For All Mankind | Gordo Stevens | 20 episodes |
| 2020 | The Secrets She Keeps | Jack O'Shaughnessy | 6 episodes |
| 2021–2023 | Joe Pickett | Joe Pickett | 20 episodes |
| 2023 | One Piece | Gol D. Roger | Episode: "Romance Dawn" |
| 2024 | Territory | Graham Lawson | 6 episodes |
| 2026 | Treasure & Dirt | Ivan Lucic | TV series |
| :: |
Theatre
::data[format=table]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean | Joe | QUT |
| 2001 | The Taming of the Shrew | Lucentio | QUT |
| The Art of Success | Frank | QUT | |
| 48 Shades of Brown | Dan | La Boite Theatre Company | |
| :: |
Footnotes
References
References
- (2024-01-10). "An episode with Michael Dorman".
- "Australian Television: The Secret Life of Us: profiles".
- Knox, David. (2025-11-20). "Treasure & Dirt now filming for ABC Drama {{!}} TV Tonight".
- (28 November 2013). "Michael Dorman (Actor / Musician)".
- (3 August 2025). "Logies 2025: Lynne McGranger wins Gold Logie, Fisk sweeps up comedy awards — as it happened". [[ABC News (Australia).
- Catsoulis, Jeanette. (2010-01-07). "'Daybreakers': Futuristic World Where Vampires Rule [NYT Critics' Pick Directed by Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller R 1h 38m]". [[The New York Times]].
- Davis, Cindy. (2011-04-17). "Date Rape for Pay: Sleeping Beauty Trailer". Pajiba.
- (28 October 2019). "'For All Mankind' to launch alternate space race on Apple TV+".
- (2020-03-16). "SHANAHAN: MICHAEL DORMAN - Actor".
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