Spencer McLaren
Spencer McLaren | |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 February 1973 Sydney, Australia |
| Education | National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) |
| Occupations | Actor, producer |
| Known for | The Secret Life of Us |
| Spouse | Chris Wright (m. 15 February 2014) |
Spencer McLaren (born 28 February 1973, Sydney) is an Australian theatre and television actor, best known for his role as Richie Blake on Australian television drama The Secret Life of Us.
Early life
McLaren was born in Sydney,[1] one of two sons to a British mother and Australian father, but spent his first five years in Birmingham in the UK, after which time the family moved back to the western suburbs of Sydney.[2]
McLaren's parents divorced when he was eleven, and around the age of 14, he moved to Melbourne, where he attended Werribee Tech and then Blackburn South High School.[2] As a student, he played a lead role in the musical South Pacific.[3] A visit to the US in 1990, as an exchange student[4] saw him join a Glee-style school choir and perform in state competitions.[2]
On his return to Australia, inspired to pursue a performing career, McLaren starred dance training and appeared in amateur musicals,[2] including Show Boat for Nova Music Theatre and Oklahoma! with Whitehorse Musical Theatre.[3]
After working for five years in musical theatre, in professional productions of Cats, Kismet, Aladdin, West Side Story and Beauty and the Beast, McLaren was accepted to study at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), from which he graduated in 1999.[3]
While at NIDA, McLaren performed in student productions of Don's Party, Julius Caesar, A Chaste Maid in Cheapside, Glengarry Glen Ross, 12 Angry Men, Cloud 9 and The Libertine.[4] While undertaking his studies, he launched The Looking Glass Theatre Company, with a production of Sunday in the Park, in which he gave a critically acclaimed performance as Georges Seurat.[5]
Career
Television and film
In 2000, after graduating from NIDA, McLaren was offered a six-week guest role in long-running soap opera Home and Away as Kieran Fletcher,[6] a love interest for Sally Fletcher, played by Kate Ritchie.
McLaren then landed the part for which he is best known – his starring role as Richie Blake on Australian award-winning television drama, The Secret Life of Us.[7] He landed the role when actor Paul Leyden, who was originally cast, was offered a three-year contract on American soap As the World Turns and had to pull out.[8] McLaren played Richie for 66 episodes during the show's first 3 seasons from 2001 to 2003.[9][8] The series found success with audiences both in Australia and overseas in the UK, Ireland, Canada, NZ, France, Norway, South Africa, Russia and the Netherlands.[7]
In 2003, McLaren relocated to London, with actor Hugh Jackman having directed him towards an agent.[3] He landed a recurring role on British soap opera Family Affairs as gay backpacker Brett Owen in 2005. The same year, he voiced the character of Bronik on the Doctor Who audio adventure Scaredy Cat. He also toured in UK theatre productions, but ultimately decided to return to Australia after about four years.[2]
McLaren also made guest appearances in soap opera Chances,[5] police procedural series Blue Heelers,[10] medical drama All Saints,[11] McLeod's Daughters,[10] American fantasy series The Lost World[4] and miniseries The Damnation of Harvey McHugh.[4]
McLaren played the titular role in 2011 short film Brad in a Bottle.[12] In 2016, he appeared in a TV miniseries adaptation of John Marsden's Tomorrow When The War Began, playing the role of Daniel Maxwell.[13][14] The series saw him reunited with his former Secret Life costars Deborah Mailman and Sibylla Budd.[11]
In 2023, McLaren featured alongside Justine Clarke in 10-part ABC drama series, Turn Up the Volume. Inspired by the coming-of-age documentary No Time For Quiet.[15] The following year, he had a recurring role in Paramount+ drama thriller miniseries Fake, starring Asher Keddie and David Wenham.[1]
McLaren is set to appear in upcoming Netflix film You, Always, opposite Adrian Grenier and Jessica De Gouw.[1]
Theatre
McLaren has appeared in numerous theatre productions. Early credits in professional theatre included Kismet, Cats and West Side Story.[3] From 1995 to 1996, he played the role of the Beast in Beauty and the Beast and understudied Hugh Jackman's Gaston in the same production.[3]
While working on The Secret Life of Us, McLaren used the five-month break in production each year to work in theatre, including Call Me Madam at the Melbourne's State Theatre, and a three-month run of Footloose, playing the lead role of Ren McCormack.[3] After leaving Secret Life, he played the lead role of rock star Conrad Birdie in the musical comedy production Bye Bye Birdie.[3]
McLaren has also toured extensively throughout the US, with performances at the cabaret clubs Eighty Eights in New York City and Manhattan's famous Rainbow Room.[4]
Producing
In 2011, McLaren produced the film Surviving Georgia, starring Pia Miranda and Holly Valance. Unable to find distributors to take on the film, he set up his own production company,[16] McLaren House, which has included theatre productions, TV series and both short and feature films.[17]
McLaren produced children's series Dive Club for 10 Shake & Netflix, which was shot during the COVID pandemic in 2020.[18] During this period, he also produced a number of films, including Swimming for Gold (2020),[19] Sit. Stay. Love. (2021),[20] Kidnapped (2021),[21] Love in Bloom (2021),[22] Romance on the Menu (2021),[23] You, Me and the Penguins (2021),[24] and This Little Love of Mine (2021).[25]
McLaren was executive producer on LGBT romance film Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) (2020), supernatural drama film Sweet River (2020)[26] and The Art of Incarceration (2021).[27]
In 2022, McLaren produced thriller The Infernal Machine, starring Guy Pearce, which was sold to Paramount Worldwide[28] and the upcoming romantic drama Everything I Never Did, directed by Jeremy Sims.[28]
McLaren's stage production credits include Strange Bedfellows (2010) at Sydney's Regent Theatre, a regional tour of Hoges: One Night Only! (2014), a stage adaptation of Mother and Son (2014–2015) and a Melbourne production of Midnight – The Cinderella Musical (2023).[28]
Podcast
In July 2025, McLaren began hosting a podcast, called McLaren Versus, featuring personal interviews with well-known Australian performers.[29] The second season premiered in January 2026, and reunited the cast of The Secret Life of Us for the 25-year anniversary of the show.[7]
Filmography
Film
As actor
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Out of Order | Jack Superstar | Short film |
| 2010 | A Love Story | Bartman | Short film |
| 2011 | Surviving Georgia | James | Feature film |
| Brad in a Bottle | Brad | Short film | |
| 2013 | Cliffy | Race Official | TV movie |
| 2017 | Ali's Wedding | Tony | Feature film |
| 2020 | Swimming for Gold | Announcer | Feature film |
As producer
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Out of Order | Producer | Short film |
| 2011 | Surviving Georgia | Producer | Feature film |
| 2016 | Spirit of the Game | Producer | Feature film |
| 2017 | Riptide | Line Producer | Feature film |
| 2019 | Fragmentary | Executive Producer | Film |
| 2020 | Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) | Executive Producer | Feature film |
| Swimming for Gold | Producer | Feature film | |
| Romance on the Menu | Producer | Feature film | |
| Sweet River | Executive Producer | Feature film | |
| 2021 | Kidnapped | Producer | Feature film |
| The Greenhouse | Executive Producer | Feature film | |
| This Little Love of Mine | Producer | Feature film | |
| Sit. Stay. Love. | Producer | Feature film | |
| The Art of Incarceration | Executive Producer | Feature film | |
| 2022 | Love and Penguins | Producer | Feature film |
| Love in Bloom | Producer | Feature film | |
| The Infernal Machine | Producer | Feature film | |
| 2026 | Cruel Hands | Co-producer | Completed |
| The Room Below | Production accountant | In production | |
| TBA | Everything I Never Did | Producer | In development |
Television
As actor
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Chances | Glenn Patterson | 1 episode |
| 1994 | Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left | Law Enforcer | 2 episodes |
| The Damnation of Harvey McHugh | Young Matildan | Miniseries, 2 episodes | |
| 2000 | Home and Away | Kieran Fletcher | 7 episodes |
| The Lost World | Qinaq's Mate | 1 episode | |
| 2001–2003 | The Secret Life of Us | Richie Andrew Blake | Seasons 1–3, episodes 1–66 |
| 2002 | Andrew Lloyd Webber: Masterpiece | Self | TV special |
| 2005 | Family Affairs | Brett Owen | 29 episodes |
| 2006 | Green Wing | Jonny | 1 episode |
| Blue Heelers | Gary Harding | 1 episode | |
| 2007 | McLeod's Daughters | Sam Nugent | 1 episode |
| 2008 | City Homicide | Kevin Stockton | 1 episode |
| All Saints | Evan | 1 episode | |
| 2016 | Tomorrow When The War Began | Daniel Maxwell | Miniseries, 6 episodes |
| 2021 | Dive Club | Hotel Pool Attendant | 1 episode |
| 2023 | Turn Up The Volume | Dad | 3 episodes |
| 2024 | Fake | Tovey | Miniseries |
As producer
| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Dive Club | Producer | 12 episodes |
| 2022 | La Brea | Unit Production Manager / Assistant Unit Production Manager Attachment | 4 episodes |
| 2025 | Ceebs | Production accountant | Miniseries |
Podcasts
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures | Bronik | Podcast series, 1 episode: "Scaredy Cat" | |
| 2025– | McLaren Versus | Host | Podcast series | [29][7] |
Theatre
Source: [30]
As actor
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Show Boat | Nova Music Theatre | [3] | ||
| 1991 | Chess | Chorus | National Theatre, Melbourne with Festival Theatre Company | |
| 1992 | Oklahoma! | Dancer | Deakin University, Melbourne with Whitehorse Musical Theatre | [3] |
| 1994 | Kismet in Concert | First Beggar / Bangleman | Victorian Arts Centre with VSO | |
| Cats | Munkustrap[31] | Her Majesty's Theatre, Sydney with Really Useful Productions | ||
| 1995 | West Side Story | Mouthpiece[5] / Tony (understudy)[31] | Capitol Theatre, Sydney with Victorian State Opera | |
| Aladdin | [3] | |||
| 1995–1996 | Beauty and the Beast | Ensemble / alternate Beast[5] | Princess Theatre, Melbourne with Michael Edgley International | [32] |
| 1997 | Don's Party | Mal | NIDA Theatre, Sydney | |
| Glengarry Glen Ross | [4] | |||
| Making Noise Quietly | Oliver Bell | NIDA, Sydney | [5] | |
| 1998 | Being Friends | Oliver | NIDA Theatre, Sydney | |
| A Cry from the City of Virgins | UNSW Parade Theatre, Sydney | |||
| Julius Caesar | Brutus | NIDA Studio, Sydney | ||
| A Chaste Maid in Cheapside (or Carry On Chaste Maid) | Uncle Touchwood / Servant | |||
| 1999 | Twelve Angry Men | Juror # 4 | UNSW Parade Theatre, Sydney | |
| Cloud Nine | Joshua / Edward | |||
| The Libertine | Etherege / Huysmans | |||
| Sunday in the Park with George | Georges Seurat | The Looking Glass Theatre Company | [5] | |
| 2000 | Call Me Madam | Kenneth Gibson | State Theatre, Melbourne, Arts Centre Melbourne with The Production Company | [33] |
| 2001 | Masterpiece – The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber | Shanghai / Beijing tour | [31] | |
| 2002 | Carousel | Billy Bigelow | Royal Festival Hall, London | [34][31] |
| 2003 | Footloose | Ren McCormack | Capitol Theatre, Sydney with SEL & The Gordon Frost Organisation | [31] |
| Songs for a New World | Singer | Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide for Adelaide Cabaret Festival | [35] | |
| Spencer McLaren Live at the Chapel | Solo show | Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne | [31] | |
| 2003–2004 | Bye Bye Birdie | Conrad Birdie | State Theatre, Melbourne with The Production Company | [31] |
| 2004 | The Vegemite Tales | Dan | Old Red Lion, London with Algernon Productions | [36][37] |
| 2004–2005 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs | Prince | Sheffield Lyceum, Yorkshire | [38] |
| 2007 | Life's a Circus | Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne | ||
| Fully Committed | Solo show / various characters[2] | Melbourne Athenaeum for Melbourne Fringe Festival | ||
| 2008 | Broadway Concert: Musical Melodies in the Park | Singer | Ardrie Park, Melbourne | |
| 2012 | 8 – The Play | Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Sydney Town Hall | [39] | |
| Secret Bridesmaids' Business | Guest groom | Arts Centre Melbourne with Kay & McLean Productions | [40] | |
| 2014 | Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays | Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne for Midsumma Festival | [41] |
As producer / director
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday in the Park with George | Director | The Looking Glass Theatre Company | [42] | |
| 2007 | Fully Committed | Producer[2] | Melbourne Athenaeum for Melbourne Fringe Festival | |
| 2010 | Strange Bedfellows | Producer | Regent Theatre, Sydney | |
| 2014 | Hoges: One Night Only! | Producer | Australian regional tour | |
| 2014–2015 | Mother and Son | Producer | Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Playhouse, Brisbane | |
| 2023 | Midnight – The Cinderella Musical | Producer | Comedy Theatre, Melbourne | [43] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Work | Awards | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Dive Club | AACTA Awards | Best children's program | Nominated | [44] |
Personal life
McLaren is gay. He married his partner of five years, Chris Wright in a commitment ceremony on 15 February 2014 at St Kilda Botanical Gardens, Melbourne.[10]
References
- ^ a b c "Spencer McLaren launches podcast featuring exclusive and personal interviews with the Aussie A List". FilmInk. 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bent TV (28 November 2025). Bent TV: Amazing People from our Community – Spencer McLaren – Actor, Producer, Podcaster. Retrieved 21 March 2026 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Life's an open door for Spencer". The Age. 16 July 2003. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f "The Secret Life of Us: profiles – Spencer McLaren". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f "Call Me Madam" (PDF). theproductioncompany.com.au. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Let's hear it for the boy". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 October 2002. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b c d Jones, Alec (7 January 2026). "Spencer McLaren Is Reuniting the Cast of 'Secret Lives of Us' for a 25th Anniversary Podcast Series". Variety. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ a b Hiblen, Carolyn (18 February 2026). "7 secrets we learnt from the Secret Life Of Us podcast Us". nowtolove.com.au. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ Donnelly, Keryn (17 December 2018). "Where are they now? The cast of The Secret Life of Us". Mamamia. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ a b c Moran, Jonathan (25 February 2014). "Actor Spencer McLaren 'marries' his paramedic partner Chris Wright in Melbourne commitment ceremony". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b "Spencer McLaren". Who. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2026 – via PressReader.
- ^ "Truce Films' Brad In A Bottle to shoot next month". /if.com. 16 November 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ "Tomorrow, When the War Began: characters". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Tomorrow, When the War Began". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ Kelly, Vivienne (27 February 2023). "Turn Up The Volume to Hit ABC on March 24". Variety. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Delaney, Colin (18 October 2011). "Surviving Georgia producer McLaren: I had to self-distribute or slip between the cracks". Mumbrella. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Cast and Creative". midnightmusical.com.au.
- ^ Knox, David (27 May 2021). "Spencer McLaren dives into producing Kids' TV". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Kidnapped (2021)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Sit. Stay. Love. (2020)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Kidnapped (2021)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Love in Bloom (2021)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Romance on the Menu (2021)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "You, Me and the Penguins (2021)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "This Little Love of Mine (2021)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Sweet River (2020)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "The Art of Incarceration (2021)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b c "NIDA Alum Spencer McLaren: A Cinematic Journey". NIDA. 13 June 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ a b Patterson, Sarah (2 July 2025). "Spencer McLaren launches new podcast with Aussie A Listers". radiotoday.com.au. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
- ^ "Spencer McLaren". AusStage.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Bye Bye Birdie" (PDF). theproductioncompany.com.au. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Disney's Beauty and the Beast". abouttheartists.com. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Call Me Madam". abouttheartists.com. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Spencer McLaren". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (30 April 2003). "Adelaide Cabaret Festival to Feature Jason Robert Brown's Last 5 Years, Songs for a New World and All-Star Concert". Playbill. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ Fisher, Philip. "Vegemite Tales" (PDF). British Theatre Guide. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ "The Vegemite Tales". uktw.co.uk. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ "Guide to the Pantomimes (UK): programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Shane Jacobson, Lisa McCune et al. Set for Melbourne, Sydney Readings of Dustin Lance Black's '8', June 8-9". broadwayworld.com. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Secret Bridesmaids' Business". kayandmcleanproductions.com.au. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ Nair, Sonia (29 January 2014). "Standing on Ceremony – Mid-Week Review". AusStage. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Nick Simpson-Deeks" (PDF). showcast.com.au. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ^ Wild, Stephi (28 June 2023). "New Tickets on Sale For Midnight the Cinderella Musical in Melbourne". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
- ^ "Winners and nominees". AACTA Awards. Retrieved 21 March 2026.