Spencer McLaren

Spencer was born in Sydney Australia to a singing father and a British champion ballroom dancing mum.  From a young age he began to explore his scientific side more than his artistic but eventually was drawn to the arts.

By 19 Spencer was awarded a scholarship to study dance full time and soon after he began his professional stage career in Ian Judge’s renowned production of West Side Story.  Surrounded by such industry heavy weights as Caroline O’Connor, Marina Prior, and Todd McKenny, Spencer’s star was set to rise.  Beginning his contract on Monday as a chorus boy he ended the week playing the lead (Tony) opposite Marina, an event that had a profound effect on him personally and on his career.

Immediately after completing his tour of West Side Story Spencer was invited to play the role of Munkustrap in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical CATS where he once again was sharing the stage with some of Australia’s greatest performers.  This time Peter Carroll and Sylvie Paladino.  Concert work ensued with appearances with the State Orchestra of Victoria and the Victoria State Opera, and eventually Spencer was asked to alternate the role of the Beast in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which he did for just under 2 years.

During his time on Beauty and the Beast Spencer decided he wanted to broaden his artistic horizons and chose to leave the industry and return to study his craft.  After a lengthy audition process he was accepted to study full time at NIDA where he played various roles including Brutus in Julius Caesar,  Mal in Dons’ Party, #4 in 12 Angry men, and George in Sunday in the Park with George.

Graduating in 1999 Spencer wasted no time in reigniting his career.  He immediately began a concert tour of Asia with Disney and then returned to Australia to appear in The Lost World and play Kieran Fletcher in Home and Away.  Spencer was then  asked to audition for the pilot of a new Australian drama called The Secret life of Us.  No one could have predicted the effect this ground-breaking drama would have, not only in Australia but around the world selling to over 38 countries.  Over the next 3 years Spencer played the role of Richie Blake and was part of one of Australia’s most critically acclaimed dramas, winning a swag of awards including most outstanding drama 3 yrs running at the Logies as well as numerous AFI and viewer voted awards.

During his time filming The Secret Life of Us Spencer maintained his stage presence as well, appearing in Call Me Madam opposite Rachael Beck and Geraldine Turner, Bye Bye Birdie opposite Tamsin Carroll, and in his final season with Secret Life Spencer took on the lead role of Ren McCormack (aka Kevin Bacon) in the cult smash hit musical Footloose! opposite Natalie Bassingthwaighte for which he received a nomination for Best Actor.

In 2002 Spencer was invited to play the role of Billy Bigelow in Carousel in London’s West End - A performance which was recorded and broadcast for the BBC, and upon finishing the role decided to make London his home.  During his 3 yrs there Spencer appeared in Bird in the Bush at the Edinburgh Festival, played Dan in the monster hit The Vegemite Tales, and toured the UK starring in The Merry Widow which saw him sharing the stage with on of his comic heroes Arthur Bostrom (Allo Allo). The two were to be reunited on the radio series of Dr Who the following year to much critical acclaim.  In his final year in the UK Spencer joined the cast of the hit show Family Affairs for channel 5 and also featured in channel 4’s comic blockbuster Green Wing.

However after too many grey days and bad coffees Spencer returned home to sunnier pastures where he appeared in Songs for a New World and worked with Broadway composer and wunderkind Jason Robert Brown as part of the Adelaide cabaret festival. Shortly after he was asked to create the role of Lindbergh in the original cast of a new musical called Take Flight written and directed by Academy and Tony award winning duo Maltby and Shire, which he gladly accepted.

2006 saw Spencer appear in Blue Heelers (Garry Harding) as well as helping to develop 2 of this years biggest hit shows – Holding the Man, where he workshopped the role of Tim, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, where he played Adam/Felicia in the workshop.

Roles in McLeod’s Daughters  (Sam Nugent), City Homicide (Ken Stockton) and All saints (Evan Northcote) are all part of his most recent work as well as  recording the pilot episode of a new comedy show So Now Your Famous with Pia Miranda, Dylan Lewis, and Cassandra McGrath.


Talent Manager:

Melissa Le Gear
mlegear@profiletalent.com.au