Conrad Julius Coleby (born Conrad Julius Taylor, 20 September 1979) is an Australian actor and photographer, whose roles have included Scott Zinenko on the medical drama All Saints, Adam Wilde in headLand, Roman Harris in Home and Away, and Dylan Mulholland in Sea Patrol. He also played Matthew Goddard in A Place To Call Home, and Vance Abernethy in Neighbours.
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Early life and education
Coleby was born in Sydney to actor Robert Coleby and former model Lena Taylor. His sister is actress and reporter Anja Coleby.
Coleby had his first acting role as a six month-old in an episode of sci-fi series Timelapse, when his father put him forward for the role. From the age of six, he attended the Mona Vale Film and Television School.before landing his first professional role as the son of a character who returns from war in 1989 miniseries Tanamera – Lion of Singapore. He once again appeared alongside his father.
Coleby attended high school at Somerset College on the Gold Coast, graduating in 1996. He continued his studies at tertiary level, completing a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Acting) at Queensland University of Technology. In his third year in 2000, Coleby travelled to Singapore, Los Angeles, New York and Stratford-upon-Avon, performing the title role of Lewis in Louis Nowra's Cosi, as part of the university's first ever world tour.
Career
In 1999, before leaving drama school, Coleby appeared opposite Melissa Joan Hart, as Jerome Hestor in the TV movie Sabrina Down Under, which was filmed on the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. Upon graduation, Coleby joined the Sydney Theatre Company to play the role of Stuey in Tony McNamara's new play The Recruit, alongside John Howard, Leeanna Walsman and Brendan Cowell, before landing television guest roles in Water Rats (2000), Flat Chat (2001) and Always Greener (2002).
Coleby then secured the role of series regular Scott Zinenko on the medical drama All Saints, playing the character from 2001 to 2004. The role saw him nominated for the Logie Award for Best New Talent in 2002. During his time on All Saints, Coleby also appeared in the Sydney Theatre Company's production of The Club by David Williamson at the Sydney Opera House. He then sang the principal role of Lieutenant Cable in Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific at the Theatre Royal in 2005.
Coleby next landed a main role alongside Rachael Taylor, on drama series HeadLand in 2005, portraying student counsellor and former town resident Adam Wilde. In 2006, he appeared opposite Matt Nable and John Jarratt as Billy, in 2006 rugby league drama film The Final Winter. The following year, he performed the lead role of Tom in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams for Queensland Theatre Company. He was nominated for a Matilda Award for his performance.
From 2007 until 2009, Coleby played ex-SAS army officer and chef Roman Harris on long-running soap opera Home and Away.
Coleby was in the main cast of Navy drama series Sea Patrol in seasons four and five (2010–2011), playing the role of Petty Officer Bosun Dylan 'Dutchy' Mulholland. He then played the role of Syd Thompson in Underbelly: Razor, the 2011 fourth season of underworld crime series, Underbelly. In 2013, he starred as Trip Wyeth, opposite his father Robert Coleby (as Lyman Wyeth) in a Queensland Theatre / Black Swan Theatre Company production of Other Desert Cities.
In 2014, Coleby appeared opposite Hugh Jackman as Red Beard in Marvel superhero film The Wolverine. From 2017, in season five, he began appearing in period drama series A Place To Call Home, playing Matthew Goddard, the son of Douglas Goddard (Robert Coleby), who returns to town after his father's death and starts dating Olivia Bligh (Arianwen Parkes-Lockwood), before later asking her to marry him. Coleby then joined the guest cast of Neighbours as Vance Abernethy, the boyfriend of Roxy Willis (Zima Anderson), in May 2019.
Photography
Coleby is also an established commercial photographer specialising in architecture, portraiture and production stills for film and television. His imagery has featured in a number of exhibitions and publications including the work "Home", which was a finalist in the 2012 Wilsons Visual Arts Award. His portfolio can be located at https://www.conradtaylor.co.