Tony Briggs

Tony Briggs (born 3 July 1967) is an Aboriginal Australian actor and former track and field athlete. He is best known for creating *The Sapphires*, a stage play that later became a film in 2012, which tells the true story of an Indigenous Australian singing group that toured Vietnam during the war. Briggs’ mother, Laurel Robinson, was one of the original members of The Sapphires.

Briggs grew up as the first Indigenous student at Scotch College in Melbourne, where he excelled in athletics and held several school records. He later pursued a career in acting, appearing in numerous television series such as *Neighbours*, *Blue Heelers*, and *The Slap*. In theatre, his play *The Sapphires* won the Helpmann Award for Best Australian New Work in 2005.

In film, Briggs appeared in movies like *Bran Nue Dae* (2009) and *Healing* (2014). He also worked as a director and writer on projects such as *The Warriors*. Briggs has been recognized with awards including the NAIDOC Award for Artist of the Year in 2013. Additionally, he is a successful hurdler who competed at the Australian Athletics Championships.

Briggs is the founder and artistic director of the Birrarangga Film Festival, which showcases Indigenous filmmakers globally. He also supports education by serving as a patron for the Scotch College Indigenous Scholarship programme.