Quick Facts
Biography
Neill Rea is a New Zealand actor and casting director, best known for playing the lead role of detective Mike Shepherd in television police procedural The Brokenwood Mysteries.
Career
Early roles included small parts in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Duggan, before he landed a larger part as Scotty, one of the flatmates in 1999 comedy-drama film Scarfies. Other noted roles include a semi-regular guest appearance in comedy-drama Go Girls in 2011 and 2012, and a role in 2010 film The Warrior's Way.
He plays a detective, Mike Shepherd, in the TV series The Brokenwood Mysteries, which started airing in 2014 and is ongoing as of 2024.
Apart from acting, Rea also works as a casting director, and is the owner of Auckland-based casting agency Fly Casting.
Awards and nominations
- 2023: Nominated, Best Actor, New Zealand Television Awards/Ngā Taonga Whakaata O Aotearoa, for The Brokenwood Mysteries
Personal life
His long-term partner is actress Alison Bruce. As of 2022 they were living in central Auckland.