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Jimi Bani

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Jimi Bani
Born
Australia
EducationWestern Australian Academy of Performing Arts (2007)
OccupationsStage and television actor
Years active2006 – present
Known forMabo (2022)

Jimi Bani is an Indigenous Australian actor, known for his portrayal of land rights activist Eddie Mabo in the 2012 tele-movie Mabo, several television series, and theatre performances.

Early life and education

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Bani is a Torres Strait Islander (Mabuiag Island) of the Wadagadum people, where his father was a tribal chief.[1]

Bani was playing in the Queensland State basketball league in Cairns in 2004, when he answered a 'no experience needed' advertisement for actors to appear in the 2006 SBS drama miniseries RAN: Remote Area Nurse. He landed a main role in the series, alongside Susie Porter.[2] Keen to further his acting career, he attended the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, where he studied alongside fellow actor Jai Courtney, graduating in 2007.[3][4][2]

Career

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Directly after graduating from WAAPA, Bani scored a lead role in a world-premiere stage production of Jandamarra for Black Swan State Theatre Company at the 2008 Perth International Arts Festival.[2] That same year, he appeared in Yibiyung for Company B and Malthouse Theatre.[1] He then performed in Romeo and Juliet for Sydney Theatre Company and a stage version of The Sapphires in 2010, for the Black Swan State Theatre Company and Company B, touring internationally to London and Korea.[1]

In 2012, Bani appeared in ABC1's series, The Straits as crime family member, Marou Montebello. He also landed the titular role of indigenous activist Eddie Koiko Mabo in biographical telemovie Mabo.[1][3][5] Both series were nominated for awards. Later that year, Bani played Peter Gibson in the third episode of Redfern Now, an ABC1 six-part series produced by Blackfella Films.[6]

From late 2013 through 2014, Bani performed in a stage production of The Shadow King for which he received a Helpmann Awards nomination.[7] The play was produced by the Malthouse Theatre in association with the Confederation of Australian International Arts Festivals – Adelaide Festival, Brisbane Festival, Melbourne Festival, Perth International Arts Festival and Sydney Festival.[8]

Bani was a member of Queensland Theatre's National Artistic Team, to assist Artistic Director Sam Strong with its 2017 season.[9] That same year, he appeared in a Queensland Theatre production entitled My Name is Jimi, which he co-created with Jason Klarwein who also directed the production. The performers included members of his family in a performance which "... whisks you away to his island for an evening of music, dance, stand-up and storytelling. Four generations of one family take the stage, as Jimi’s grandmother, mother, son and brothers help him spin yarns of totems, traditions and childhood memories".[10] The show was also performed at the Sydney Festival in 2018.[11]

In early 2022, Bani delivered a critically acclaimed performance as George in a State Theatre Company South Australia production of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.[12][13] Later in 2022, Bani and Jason Klarwein staged an adaptation of Othello at Queensland Theatre, set in the Torres Straits. It was originally premiered at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair in 2021. Bani played Othello as a member of the Torres Straits Light Infantry Battalion during World War II. The production was staged in three languages; Kala Lagaw Ya, Yumplatok and English.[14] Performing cultural songs and dances alongside Bani, were his three brothers.[14][15]

In 2024, Bani voiced the character of Red, a kangaroo in the animated feature film The Lost Tiger.[16][17]

Together with The Straits co-star, Aaron Fa'aoso, Bani runs Cairns film and television production company, Lone Star, teaching writing, directing, acting and cinematography to young people. The company has also produced numerous short films.[2]

Personal life

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Bani is a father of five children with partner Idelia, and together they live in Cairns, Queensland. He has three brothers – Richard, Gabriel Bani and Conwell. Bani's great-grandfather was a member of the Torres Strait Light Infantry.[15]

Awards and nominations

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Year Work Award Category Result Ref.
2008 Jimi Bani WA Equity Foundation Best Newcomer Nominated [18]
2009 Yibiyung Helpmann Awards Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Nominated [19][18]
2012 The Straits Deadly Awards Television Show of the Year (ensemble cast) Won [20]
BOFA Awards Best Actor Won [18]
Mabo Deadly Awards Film of the Year (ensemble cast) Won [20]
Male Actor of the Year Won [20][18]
BOFA Awards Best Actor Won [18]
2013 AACTA Awards Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama Nominated [21][18]
Logie Awards Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor Nominated [22]
Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Telemovie or Miniseries Nominated [23][18]
2014 The Shadow King Helpmann Award Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Play Nominated [7][18]
2017 National Dreamtime Awards Best Male Actor Nominated [18]
2022 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Matilda Awards Best Performance in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production Won [24]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Type Ref.
2017 A Thin Black Line Voice Documentary short film [18][25]
2024 The Lost Tiger Red (voice) Animated film [18][16][17]

Television

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Year Title Role Type Ref.
2006 RAN: Remote Area Nurse Solomon Gaibui Miniseries, 6 episodes [18]
2007 Beautiful Music Video short
2012 The Straits Marou Montebello 10 episodes [18][1][3]
Mabo Koiki Eddie Mabo TV movie [18][1][3][5]
Redfern Now Peter Gibson 1 episode [18][6]
The People Speak Australia Priscilla Conway Film documentary [18]
2015 Ready for This Nat Brockman 2 episodes [18]
2016; 2020 Black Comedy Officer Ed Scarlett / Regg / Uncle Jimmy 4 episodes [18]
2019 Blue Water Empire Kebisu / Dupa / Wilfred Baira [18]
2022–2023 Black Snow Joe Baker 6 episodes [26][18]

Theatre

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Year Title Role Venue / Co. Ref.
Pre-2008 A Dream Play Poet WAAPA [18]
Three Sisters Chebutykin WAAPA [18]
Stories from Suburban Road Tom WAAPA [18]
The Winter's Tale Florizel WAAPA [18]
The Country Remains Mr Sparkish WAAPA [18]
Love & Human Remains Robert WAAPA [18]
UnAustralia Mannie WAAPA [18]
2008 Jandamarra Jandamarra Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre with Black Swan State Theatre Company [8][18]
Romeo and Juliet Tybalt / Friar II Wharf Theatre, Sydney with STC [27]
Yibiyung Smiley Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Belvoir, Sydney [8][18]
2010 The Sapphires Jimmy Playhouse, Perth with Black Swan State Theatre Company, Scott Theatre, Adelaide, Belvoir, Sydney, London & Korea tour [8][18]
2011 Krakouer! Jimmy Clocktower Centre with Deckchair Theatre [8][18]
2013 Peter Pan John / Pirate I / The Crocodile Belvoir, Sydney [8][18]
Playwrighting Australia Various roles National Script Workshop Canberra [18]
The Dragon Lancelot Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne [8][18]
Half and Half Ned Cairns Centre of Contemporary Arts with Jute Theatre Company [8][18]
2013–2014 The Shadow King Edmund Australian tour [8] l[18]
2015 Storm Boy Fingerbone Bill Australian tour with STC [8][18]
2016 The Shadow King Edmund Barbican Theatre, London with Malthouse Theatre [8][18]
Title and Deed The Traveller Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney [8] l[18]
2017–2018 My Name is Jimi Jimi Australian tour with QTC [8][18]
2018 Hedda Ejlert Lovborg Bille Brown Theatre, Brisbane with QTC [8][18]
2020 Othello Othello Cairns Indigenous Art Fair & Bille Brown Theatre, Brisbane with QTC [8][18]
2022 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? George Dunstan Playhouse with STCSA [8][18]
The Return Warrior Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne [8][18]
2023 Every Brilliant Thing Narrator STCSA [18]
2025 A Few Good Men QPAC, Brisbane with QTC [8]
2025–2026 Dear Son Reader 2 Bille Brown Theatre, Brisbane, Odeon Theatre, Adelaide, Belvoir, Sydney with QTC & STCSA [8][18]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Jimi Bani Biography". AustLit. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bevis, Stephen (17 June 2015). "Bani connects to classic role". The West Australian. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Jimi Bani Is Eddie 'Koiki' Mabo". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  4. ↑ Blake, Elissa (14 October 2016). "Jimi Bani is The Man in Title and Deed at Belvoir St". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  5. 1 2 "Blackfella Films dramatisation of the life of land rights activist Eddie Mabo managed just 554,000 viewers on ABC1". Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Redfern Now | Characters | Episode 3 | Peter". www.abc.net.au. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Past nominees and winners Theatre 2014". Helpmann Awards. Archived from the original on 12 July 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "Jimi Bani". AusStage. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  9. ↑ Bozoky, Jessica (11 February 2016). "Australian First: Queensland Theatre Company's National Artistic Team". scenestr.com.au. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "My Name is Jimi". AusStage. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  11. ↑ Sebag-Montefiore, Clarissa (11 January 2018). "My Name is Jimi review – Jimi Bani welcomes us to his tribe in rare gift of a show". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  12. ↑ Mead, Rachael (30 January 2022). "Theatre review: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". InDaily. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  13. ↑ Bleby, Peter (2 February 2022). "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?". australianstage.com.au. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  14. 1 2 Blake, Gabi (7 September 2022). "'Othello is truly a dream role – no gammin!' Jimi Bani takes on the role of a lifetime". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  15. 1 2 Bergman, Gabi (6 September 2022). "Queensland Theatre breathes new life into Shakespeare's Othello in a new adaptation by Jimi Bani and Jason Klarwein, set in the Torres Strait during World War II". AussieTheatre.com. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  16. 1 2 Downs, Sarah (10 January 2025). "Australian Animation 'The Lost Tiger' Drops Trailer Featuring Rhys Darby, Celeste Barber & More". Variety. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Lions, Tigers & Bears. Oh My! – The Lost Tiger". australianlifemagazine.com.au. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 "Jimi Bani | Bio", libertyartistmgt.com.au, retrieved 22 April 2026
  19. ↑ "Past nominees and winners 2009". Helpmann Awards. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  20. 1 2 3 "2012 Deadly Awards". Deadlys. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  21. ↑ Knox, David (3 December 2012). "AACTA Awards 2013: nominees". TV Tonight. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  22. ↑ Knox, David (11 March 2013). "Logie Awards 2013: nominations". TV Tonight. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  23. ↑ "2013 3rd Equity Ensemble Awards". Equity Foundation. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  24. ↑ "2022 Recipients". Matilda Awards. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  25. ↑ "A Thin Black Line". Screen Australia. Retrieved 22 April 2026.
  26. ↑ Buckmaster, Luke (31 December 2022). "Black Snow review – Australian murder mystery has a corker of a premise". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  27. ↑ "Romeo and Juliet | STC By Brad Syke". Australian Stage. Archived from the original on 21 May 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
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