Toby Leonard Moore (Acting, 2005) returns to his Tasmanian roots in ABC TV’s second season of Bay of Fires, portraying Jeremiah, a role inspired by the tough, warm-hearted men of his youth. Known for his versatility across stage and screen, Toby reflects on breaking typecasts, embracing new challenges and the art of storytelling. His acting career is one of passion, growth and gratitude, and in this candid interview, he discusses the joy of working alongside acting legends, while offering heartfelt advice to aspiring performers.
Your performance as Jeremiah in Bay of Fires is brilliantly portrayed as the ‘heart’ of the series. What made you want to play the part?
I grew up in Tasmania. I went to an all-boys high school in Hobart with a bunch of very tough, very funny blokes, and when I read the first few episodes, Jeremiah jumped off the page to me. He’s an amalgamation of a lot of the Dads I grew up with during that time: strong, laconic, huge heart. I kind of felt like I knew him immediately and was honoured to pay homage to those people I grew up with. I also never thought I would have the opportunity to shoot something in Tasmania, so that was magic. And finally, having played MANY “suit men” over the years (lawyers, FBI, CIA, Congressmen etc.), when first I saw the description of Jeremiah that read “long hair, full beard, covered in tattoos” I thought finally! Someone who doesn’t have a briefcase!
How has the role of Jeremiah developed since Season 1 and what can audiences expect for Season 2?
What can people expect? A whole lot of entertainment! It’s a wild ride. I’m always on the lookout for a script that surprises me and I never got ahead of the story when reading Season One and this season is no different.
Why did you want to become an actor?
I saw E.T. at the cinema at a very early age and I think that was it! I was always very imaginative and I was enchanted by the concept of inhabiting the soul of another person. My little brother and I would incessantly act out scenes from Back to the Future or Three Amigos. So I’d say that from about the age of eight, I’d made the decision that acting was the only path for me. I also loved the idea that each project would always be different. Which has been so true. I don’t think I’ve ever come away from a project without learning a new skill. Whether it be field stripping a Tommy gun on The Pacific, or driving a tow truck on Bay of Fires. It’s rarely boring!
Do you prefer acting for film, television or theatre and why?
Ooh, the impossible question. Theatre is exhilarating because you are riding a wave in a relationship with the audience that you CANNOT get off. The immediacy of the audience’s response is something I miss because it’s been a while, particularly in a comedy. But I also love the variety of shooting film and television because you’re focused on something completely new everyday that you can tinker and play with from take to take.
I think the major difference between film and television is that, generally speaking, in television, different directors come and join the cast every episode or two, so the regular cast is largely left to their own devices, whereas in film, everyone is working together to try and serve the sole director’s specific vision, which has the potential to be more challenging and take more time. What can I say – I love them all.
What are the top three career highlights to date and why?
I guess it has to be those “pinch me moments” where you get to work with your heroes. Working with Gary Oldman and David Fincher on Mank for Netflix just before COVID shut everything down was a dream come true. Another highlight would have to be working on John Wick. I remember one of my team called me and said “You’re going to say no, but…a new Keanu Reeves action movie?” I said “You don’t seem to know me AT ALL – book me that!” Often in the US, if you’ve been classically trained or have a theatre background, you are considered to have some kind of pedigree and it can be assumed that you’ll turn your nose up at certain types of projects. But Keanu was at the centre of my childhood and adolescence! Growing up watching Bill and Ted, Speed, and The Matrix with my little brother are some of my fondest memories, so that was a real thrill and a whole lot of fun. Finally, having the opportunity to work (or “play” more like!) with Paul Giamatti for 5 years on Billions in New York was just one of the greatest pleasures. It was a masterclass and a riotous laugh-fest all at the same time.
What was one of your most challenging roles to date, and how did you prepare for it?
Honestly, it was probably a play I did at NIDA! The Shakespearean play our year performed was The Winter’s Tale, a tragi-comedy with an interesting structure. The lead is King Leontes, who I was cast as, who drives the story heavily in Acts One, Two, Three, and Five. But then, in Act Four, the setting of the play moves to a completely different location with a whole cast of different characters. For whatever reason, I was also cast as Clown in Act Four, who is, as the name suggests, basically the comedic element in the play. So I was on stage switching between intense psychological drama and comedy for about three hours. It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster and well over five thousand words to have bouncing around the hippocampus, but it taught me an invaluable lesson on how to work with text that has informed every role I’ve done since. Fun bonus fact: the female lead of the play is Queen Hermione, who was played by Michelle Vergara Moore. We’ve now been married for 16 years and have been a couple since that play.
How do you approach a new role?
I have a background in linguistics, so I’m very text-based. I like to sit with the script and dig deep into it. Then I usually record the material in the order that we’re going to shoot it, without locking in any specific delivery because you need to be open to what the other actors are going to offer you on the day, then I listen to it while walking. I like to let it rattle around in my head and let the imagination run wild and, for me, the walking is important because it energises the process. The words and thoughts and emotions anchor in your body more viscerally. And when I’m not walking around town, talking to myself like an insane person, I’m watching and reading and listening to anything I can about the world in which it’s set.
What advice can you share with aspiring actors?
When you’re starting out, if you have an opportunity to act, TAKE IT. It doesn’t matter what it is. You never know what you’ll learn, who you’ll meet, or what further opportunities may come from it. Work begets work!
Learn more about NIDA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts, Acting degree and apply before Monday 15 September.
*Header image: Toby Leonard Moore (Acting, 2005) in ABC TV’s Bay of Fires Season 2.