Bruce Spence receives 2024 Equity Lifetime Achievement Award

Veteran actor Bruce Spence has been named recipient of the 2024 Equity Lifetime Achievement Award.

Spence was selected by the Equity National Performers’ Committee, who praised his immense contribution to Australia’s cultural landscape, being a vocal and constant activist for actors’ rights and dedicating countless hours to fundraising and assisting those experiencing hardship.

Bruce Spence began his acting career in Melbourne in the late 1960s as an inaugural member of the revolutionary Australian Performing Group.

His long and distinguished stage career includes numerous credits with the Melbourne Theatre Company, South Australian Theatre Company, Griffin and Sydney Theatre Company, where he still performs regularly.

On film Bruce played the lead role in Stork (1971), for which he won the AFI Award for Best Actor. He has amassed over 100 film and television credits including the likes of Mad Max 2, The Matrix, Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, The Dry, The Drovers Wife, Rake, Faraway Downs, Back to the Rafters and Ten Pound Poms.

Equity president Jason Klarwein said Spence’s name has come up many times for consideration.

“Bruce is someone who has the utmost respect from his peers, his union and his industry. He’s a performer we love to watch and to work with. He’s a mentor and teacher to the next generation. A huge supporter of Equity’s work. And as chair of Actors Benevolent Fund during COVID he carried his community through a very dark time, earning deep admiration from all who were touched by his and the fund’s remarkable efforts,” he said.

Bruce Spence has been a proud Equity member since 1971, served as NSW State President, Federal Vice President and chaired the Actors Benevolent Fund of NSW from 2019-2023.

He will be honoured at an awards ceremony in Sydney later this year.

Previous recipients include Toni Lamond, Chris Anderson, Terry Norris, Julia Blake, Noeline Brown, Peter Carroll, Maggie Dence and more.