Award winning screen writer and playwright

About

Tommy Murphy created the limited series Significant Others for Fremantle Media and ABC, which was nominated for Most Outstanding Drama Series at the 2023 Logie Awards. He was also part of the writing team on The Twelve (Foxtel/Warner Bros/Easy Tiger), which won that same award.

Upcoming projects include the feature film Burning Rainbow Farm for Anonymous Content and Third Born will be directed by Justin Kurzel and star Sebastian Stan. Murphy is in development on his original thriller series Brazen with partners Wolf House and SBS, to be directed by Abe Forsythe.

Murphy received the Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay and the Australian Writers' Guild Award (AWGIE) for his screenplay Holding the Man, on which he also served as Associate Producer, having previously adapted Timothy Conigrave's memoir for the stage. That play remains in regular production around the world, including a West End season. Another of his stage works, Strangers in Between, has also played the West End. His play Packer & Sons broke the ten-year box office record at Belvoir St Theatre and won the Australia Council National Theatre Award. He recently adapted Nevil Shute's On the Beach for Sydney Theatre Company.

Murphy has written twelve plays, recognised with an Australia Council National Theatre Award. His other television credits include episodes of Devil's Playground, Fighting Season, and Offspring.

LEADERSHIP, BOARDS AND SERVICE

Council Member, Writing Australia for Creative Australia, 2025–present
Board Member, Belvoir St Theatre, 2024–present
Mentor, Co-Curious, 2022
Mentor, We The Industry, 2021
Mentor, Erin Thomas Foundation, 2020
Patrick White Fellow, Sydney Theatre Company, 2016–2017
Visiting Drama Fellow, University of Queensland, 2016
Sydney Myer Fellow, 2015–2017
Facilitator/Mentor, Playwriting Australia, Lotus Salon, 2016
Facilitator/Mentor, Playwriting Australia, Redfern Community Centre Indigenous Playwrights Salon, 2012
Mentor, Language of Love (award-winning short film by Kim Ho), ATYP, 2013
Writer-in-Residence, Belvoir, 2012
GLBT Community Honour Awards, Media Arts Entertainment Award, 2012
Honorary Associate, Faculty of Education & Social Work, University of Sydney
Residency, Arthur Boyd's Bundanon, 2009–2011
NSW Committee, Australian Writers' Guild, 2008–2010
Panellist, Australian Writers' Guild AWGIES (various years)
Board Member, Australian Theatre for Young People, 2005–2010
Board Member, Interplay International Playwrights Festival, 2005–2009
Writer-in-Residence, Griffin Theatre Company, 2004–2006
Centenary of Federation Medal Recipient, 2003
Australia Day Ambassador, 2006
President, Sydney University Dramatic Society, 2001
Centenary of Federation Parade Organising Committee Member, 2000–2001
Queanbeyan Council Community Service Award Recipient, 1998
Australian Young Shakespearean Artist of the Year, 1998

OTHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Creators, Showrunners Course, Australian Writers' Guild and Screen Australia, 2023
Invitational Writers' Program, Royal Court, London, 2009
British Council 'Realise Your Dream' Awardee, 2009

REPRESENTED BY
Cameron's Management, Australia