Erik Thomson is a Scottish-born New Zealand-Australian actor. He is known for playing Hades in the television series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena Warrior Princess and Young Hercules, Dr. Mitch Stevens in All Saints and Dave Rafter in Packed to the Rafters.
Thomson won an Australian Film Institute Award for his performance in the Australian feature film Somersault.
Erik Thomson was born c. 1967[1] in Inverness, Scotland, and his family emigrated to New Zealand when he was seven. He studied performing arts at the New Zealand Drama School in Wellington and English Literature and drama at Victoria University of Wellington.[2][3]
Thomson had a number of television roles in New Zealand, starting with Marlin Bay, a drama set in a casino and resort. He won a wider fan following for his occasional appearances as the god Hades in the series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys,[4] Xena: Warrior Princess and Young Hercules, all three series of which were filmed in New Zealand.
In 1995, Thomson moved to Australia and landed regular roles in Pacific Drive, medical series All Saints (1999–2003) and The Alice (2005). He has had guest roles on such series as Wildside and Always Greener. From 2008 to 2013, Thomson played Dave Rafter on the Seven Network dramedy series Packed to the Rafters. From 2015 to 2018 he had the lead role in 800 Words.[5]
Thomson's work in theatre includes roles in Complete Works of Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Twelve Angry Men, and Angels in America.[citation needed]
Thomson's film credits include the role of soldier Simon Mollison in the 2008 film The Black Balloon with Toni Collette. He appeared in Somersault with Abbie Cornish and Sam Worthington, which scored him an AFI Award. He also featured in Accidents Happen with Geena Davis and Storm Boy with Geoffrey Rush, and Finn Little.[6]
In 2023, Thomson appeared in channel 7 series The Claremont Murders.[7]
In 2024 Thomson was named in the cast for Kangaroo Island.[8]
Thomson has been married to actress Caitlin McDougall since 1999, and the couple have a daughter named Eilish and a son named Magnus.[9][10] In 2023, Thompson appeared as Don Spiers in the Channel 7 miniseries The Claremont Murders.[citation needed]
As of July 2022[update] they live at Port Willunga, South Australia.[11]
Thomson won an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in Somersault, and was nominated for his work in The Black Balloon. For television, he has been nominated for a Logie Award five times and has won two Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor.
(The Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor was referred to as "Best Actor" in 2016 and 2017)
