Andrew McFarlane: The boy next door

In Conversation kicks off 2026 by welcoming an actor who has graced our stages and screens for over 50 years. Andrew McFarlane has appeared in seminal Australian television dramas, including Division 4, The Sullivans, Patrol Boat, The Flying Doctors, and Underbelly. His theatre credits are just as long, appearing in classics such as The Glass Menagerie, Who’s Afraid of Virgina Wolf, and King Lear. He has also appeared in many David Williamson plays, and he returns to the Ensemble theatre later this month for The Social Ladder, the latest work from Australia’s most famous playwright.In this conversation, Andrew reflects with great humility on his long career, tracing his journey from a comfortable and conservative upbringing through to discovering acting and training at NIDA. He speaks candidly about the formative impact of the Vietnam War era on his political awareness and how it shaped his early adulthood. From managing typecasting by deliberately leaving popular roles, to the irony of not being cast in gay roles despite his sexuality, Andrew remains grateful for the combination of confidence, discipline and a heathy dose of good luck that has brought him long term success as a performer.Andrew McFarlane stars in David Williamson’s The Social Ladder at The Ensemble Theatre from 23 January to 14 March.