Leon Ford is an Australian actor who has appeared in many television and theatre productions. He is best known for his roles in the television series The Cooks, Changi and the telemovie Stepfather of the Bride.

Early life

Ford attended Telopea Park School and Narrabundah College in Canberra, Australia.

Career

Film & television

Ford portrayed 1st Lieutenant Edward 'Hillbilly' Jones in the Emmy award-winning HBO miniseries The Pacific, which follows the story of World War II Marines through different battles of the Pacific theater of war.

He has also appeared in many other television series and films including All Saints, East West 101 and McLeod's Daughters, the 2005 movie The Great Raid and voiced a character in the 2008 stop motion animated movie $9.99. He recently appeared in the joint BBC and Stan production Ten Pound Poms and Baz Luhrmann's feature film Elvis. On 9 September 2025, Ford was announced as creator and actor in ABC series Dog Park.

Stage

Stage roles include playing pious charlatan Tartuffe in the 2014 Bell Shakespeare version of Tartuffe, based on the French play originally written by Molière.

Directing/writing

In addition to acting, Ford is both a director and screenwriter. In 2010, Ford notably wrote and directed the movie Griff the Invisible, starring Ryan Kwanten as a man who is bullied by his coworkers during the day, but a superhero by night. The film premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it was well received by audiences and critics. Ford attended Binger Filmlab in 2008, where he developed short film The Mechanicals.

Author

Ford is also an accomplished author. In 2009, penned "What Doesn't Kill You", the story of a man waking up to find that, instead of the ideal life he'd been living, everything has gone horribly wrong overnight. He wakes up in the wrong house, his wife doesn't love him anymore, he no longer has a job, one of his friends betrayed him in the worst possible way and his car exploded.

Personal life

Ford first met his wife Alice Bell at the Old Fitzroy Hotel in 2006 while appearing in Josh Lawson's play Shakespearealism. Alice wrote a part for him in Puberty Blues.

Ford moved from Sydney to Los Angeles in 2018 with his wife and their three children, in order for Alice to work on The Expats, a U.S. series she was the writer and creator of (produced by Nicole Kidman's Blossom Films).

Filmography

Short film

YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerEditor
1999The Big DateYesYesYesNo
2005The MechanicalsYesYesNoNo
2006GlitchYesYesNoNo
2007KatoombaYesYesNoNo
2016Young LaborYesNoNoYes

Acting roles

YearTitleRole
2006The Last ChipCroupier Craig
GlitchNorton
2012JulianMr Braybon
2013Things We Do For LoveEvan

Feature film

YearTitleDirectorWriter
2010Griff the InvisibleYesYes
2023The Portable DoorNoYes

Acting roles

YearTitleRole
2004Lost ThingsGary
2005The Great RaidAmerican POW at Palawan
2008$9.99Stanton (voice)
2010Beneath Hill 60Lieutenant Robert Clayton
2015Ruben GuthrieDimitri
2016The Light Between OceansFranz Johannes Roennfeldt
2020RamsDe Vries
2022ElvisTom Diskin

Television

YearTitleDirectorWriterProducerNotes
2003Life SupportNoYesNo4 episodes
2010–11RushNoYesNo3 episodes
2012Monday BitesYesYesNo
House HusbandsNoYesNoSeason 1, episode 8
2012–17OffspringNoYesNo10 episodes
2015No ActivityNoYesNo1 episode
2018SquintersNoYesNo6 episodes
WantedNoYesNo1 episode
2019–20UprightNoYesNoAlso creator 8 episodes
2021–23Love MeNoYesYes4 episodes

Acting roles

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996Water RatsFirst Probationer1 episode
2001/08All SaintsIan Neal / Patrick Foster2 episodes
2002Young LionsJosef Pozinak1 episode
McLeod's DaughtersMick Woodland1 episode
BackBernerBlair Fife1 episode
2004-05The CooksDishpig13 episodes
2005HexMax Risen2 episodes
2007East West 101John Duff1 episode
2009My PlaceVernon1 episode
2012Monday Bites
2013OffspringDean1 episode
2012-14Puberty BluesMr Candy8 episodes
2014ANZAC GirlsMajor John Prior3 episodes
2015House of HancockAlan Camp1 episode
2017-19The LetdownRuben11 episodes
2022God's Favourite IdiotReverend Milton Throp6 episodes
2023-25Ten Pound PomsBill Anderson9 episodes
2026Dog ParkRoland6 episodes

Miniseries

YearTitleRoleNotes
2001Changias Young Bill Dwyer
2006Tsunami: The AftermathJoe Meddler2 episodes
2010The Pacific1st Lt. Edward 'Hillbilly' Jones3 episodes
2014The MoodysGavin1 episode
Devil's PlaygroundBrother Warren
2015GallipoliCharles Bean

TV movies

YearTitleRole
2004Go BigLars Foster
2006Stepfather of the BrideLachlan
2008Emerald FallsCallum Peterson
2012The Great RaidAmerican POW at Palawan
MaboHenry Reynolds
2016Comedy Showroom: The LetdownRuben

Stage

YearTitleRoleType
1998–99Henry IV, Parts I & IIGloucester / Mouldy Boy / Messenger / ServantAthenaeum Theatre, Sydney Opera House, Playhouse, Canberra with Bell Shakespeare
1999Interactive World TheatreEnsemble Theatre
2000A Midsummer Night's DreamLysanderNational tour with Bell Shakespeare
2001The Coming of StorkTonyStables Theatre with Naked Theatre Company
2002The Soldier's TaleSoldierBell Shakespeare
HippolytusHippolytusGovernment House Ballroom, Sydney with Bell Shakespeare
The Credeaux CanvasWinstonStables Theatre, Sydney
ProgressOliverOld Fitzroy Theatre
PresenceJakeStables Theatre, Sydney with Griffin Theatre Company
2003HamletHamletAustralian tour with Bell Shakespeare
2004NoirDarlinghurst Theatre
2005Top ShortsOld Fitzroy Theatre
2006Shakespearealism (as part of Plays: By Himself - Three Short Plays by Josh Lawson)RalphOld Fitzroy Theatre with Tamarama Rock Surfers Theatre Company / Naked Theatre Company
2007Dead CaesarCiceroWharf 2 Theatre with Push Productions
2008The Credeaux CanvasWinstonStables Theatre with Griffin Theatre Company
2012Old ManDanielBelvoir Theatre Company
2013ConstellationsRolandFairfax Studio, Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
2014TartuffeTartuffeSydney Opera House with Bell Shakespeare
Private LivesElyot ChaseSouthbank Theatre with Melbourne Theatre Company
2016A Flea in Her EarEtienne / OlympeSydney Opera House with Sydney Theatre Company
Double IndemnityWalter HuffPlayhouse Melbourne with Melbourne Theatre Company
2017The RoverColonel BelvilleBelvoir Street Theatre
2018An Enemy of the PeopleMayor Peter StockmannBelvoir Theatre Company
2022Snugglepot & CuddlepieMr LizardAdelaide Festival Centre with Canute Productions / New England Theatre Company
2023A Little Night MusicFrederick EgermanHayes Theatre Co
—N/aRopePhilipMarama Cabin Crew
MacbethMacduff / LennoxMelbourne Theatre Company

Awards and nominations

YearNominated workAwardCategoryResult
2003HamletGreen Room AwardsBest Male Actor in a Leading RoleNominated
2006The MechanicalsSt. Kilda Film FestivalBest Short Film (Comedy)Won
2007KatoombaSydney Film FestivalBest Australian Short Film (Dendy Award)Won
AFI AwardsBest Screenplay in a Short FilmNominated
2008St. Kilda Film FestivalBest FilmWon
Best DirectorWon
IF AwardsBest Rising TalentWon
2011Griff the InvisibleNeuchâtel International Fantastic Film FestivalBest Feature FilmNominated
2012AACTA AwardsBest Original ScreenplayWon
2015Offspring (episode 5.10)AWGIE AwardsBest Television SeriesNominated
2019Day SixComedy Award — Situation or NarrativeNominated
2020UprightBest Situation or Narrative Comedy ScreenplayNominated
AACTA AwardsBest Television Comedy SeriesWon
2022Love MeBest Television Drama SeriesNominated
Logie AwardsMost Outstanding Drama SeriesNominated
Most Popular Drama ProgramNominated
2023ElvisCinEuphoria AwardsBest Ensemble - International CompetitionNominated

External links