The fourth season of Stan series Bump, Prime Video comedy Deadloch, and SBS miniseries Safe Home have taken top honours at the 13th Equity Ensemble Awards on Monday evening.
More than 250 industry luminaries attended the ceremony, with the awards chosen by industry judging panels from 38 eligible Australian productions aired in 2023.
Bump S4, produced by Roadshow Rough Diamond, was this year’s drama prize winner, with judges noting the “inspired casting creates a dynamic, multi-generational, and culturally diverse ensemble that excels in storytelling”.
“Their uniformly excellent performances enable complex, surprising, and subtle character development as their lives unfold and connect,” the jury said.
“The rich chemistry among the cast provides a shared universal thread, making this Australian drama a pure delight and deeply satisfying.”
Guesswork Television, OK Great Productions, and Amazon Studios’ Deadloch topped the comedy category, offering what the judging panel described as a “fresh and multifaceted experience”.
“The cast of Deadloch manages to seamlessly blend the suspense and darkness of a crime mystery with the charm, humour, and tomfoolery of a good comedy,” they said.
“Together their performances drive the storyline forward with both subtle and laugh-out-loud moments that effectively balance the darker themes.”
Rounding out the winners’ list was Miniseries victor Safe Home, produced by Kindling Pictures, which the judges said featured “layered and impressive performances” that led to “very powerful storytelling”.
“The issue of family violence is handled with nuance and care by all involved in this production including the wonderful and talented ensemble,” they said.
Monday’s ceremony also honoured this year’s Equity Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Bruce Spence, with Sydney Theatre Company artistic director Kip Williams, director George Miller, and actors Helen Thomson, Jacki Weaver, Colin Friels, and Philip Quast among those to pay tribute to the veteran actor.