Pierce Gordon
Pierce Gordon
Actor, Writer, Director
Pierce Gordon, a Matilda award winning actor, writer and director originally from Detroit, Michigan. He has accumulated a number of credits across film, television and theatre since his start in 2018.
Biography
Pierce Gordon is an actor, writer, and director from Detroit, Michigan. He’s been performing within film, television, and theatre since early 2018. Some of his early work includes a 2019 performance of ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf’ in the role of ‘Nick’, produced by Ad Astra theatre company in Brisbane, QLD. Late 2020 gave way to Pierce winning Best Actor in the EMERGE! short film section of the Gold Coast film festival for his work on the film, ‘The Longing’, directed by budding filmmaker Maali Albert. Coupling that by winning ‘Best Upcoming Actor’ at the Sanctuary Cove film festival for his work on the short film, ‘Best Man’ directed by Craig Cauchi. The year 2021 saw Pierce make his feature film debut in a small speaking role within the Elvis Biopic, ‘Elvis’, directed by Baz Luhrmann. He also starred in the Anywhere Theatre Festival world premiere production of 'Against the Wall' in the role of 'Leo'. This leading Pierce to be nominated in two different categories within the Queensland theatre awards, the Matilda’s. Eventually taking home the Billie Brown Best Emerging Artist award for his work. The beginning of 2022 has seen Pierce cast in a re-occurring role on the Disney plus series, ‘Nautilus’ set to premiere in late 2023. He finished the year 2022 having written and directed his debut theatre piece, ‘Why Young Men Run at 2am’, which was met with an abundance of positive acclaim.
Ad Astra Plays
Upcoming Plays
Past Plays
Reviews
A highlight in this production is Pierce Gordon as the awkward grad student Hal. Gordan’s physicality of this awkward and anxious character was flawless, which is a testament to Gordan’s talent and training. The chemistry created by Gordan with Catherine is nail-bitingly good. Sitting in the auditorium you can feel the tension building until the beautiful release of love. Creating this immense tension is an extremely hard task and Gordan with Gerard’s assistance creates this exemplary.
Jake Goodall - Theatre Haus | Read more
Pierce Gordon was dynamic to watch as Hal, the bumbling and nervous but affably charming grad student who is determined to find valuable work in the 103 notebooks Robert left behind. It was extremely enjoyable as an audience to watch Gordon bring Hal to life. His chemistry with Gerard was excellent, he made incredibly interesting and bold acting choices with almost unhinged and hilarious ad libs and even when his character wasn’t the central point of focus he was present in the scene. This only helped flesh out the character of Hal to make him feel real, and his subsequent actions throughout the play more weighted.
Grace Swadling - Theatre Travels | Read more
Originally from Detroit, award-winning writer and performer, Pierce Gordon, adds a bonus layer of comedy and tension as Robert’s former student, Hal, a nervous, wary, geeky, but loveable mathematician (and drummer!)
Beth Keehn - Stage Whispers | Read more
It is Gordon, however, who gives that show’s standout performance as Hal, who is always a whirlwind of nerves around Catherine, seen manifested in his hurried pace, hesitant pause and imperfect physicality. He makes Hal’s rapport with Catherine natural though, despite the deep-down knowledge that his mind won’t ever fully comprehend the mathematical insights that come so naturally to her after a lifetime of education living with her father. And Gordan’s versatility is seen in an immediately-after-interval flashback to four years earlier during the year of Robert’s remission, when a more innocently foppish and bumbling graduate student Hal interrupts an argument between father and daughter to present his final dissertation to Robert.
Meredith Walker - Blue Curtains | Read more
“An absurd satire and love letter to theatre, director Pierce Gordon brought the text to life with such nuance; acknowledging the slice of the theatre industry it represents and finding parallels to contemporary theatre practices.From the actor’s relationship to the space, the dynamic role of the sets and the combination of naturalistic and comedic acting styles, Gordon expertly captured Mamet’s chaotic world.”
Virag Dombay - Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane | Read full review
“Ad Astra’s production, under the talented direction of Gordon, was an incredibly professional, polished and captivating show.”
Yasmin Elahi - Theatre Travels | Read full review
“Pierce Gordon’s direction ensures that is not just nuanced in and of itself, but lensed through bigger ideas around theatre representing a metaphor for life, without loss of the levity that brings so many of its laughs, whether through its duo’s natural competition to out curtain-call the other or outright mockery of each other’s craft and character.”
Meredith Walker - Blue Curtains Brisbane | Read full review
Gordon’s snappy, rapid-fire dialogue was skilfully delivered by the actors, with excellent timing.
Backstreet Brisbane | Read full review
“Why Men Run at 2am” begins with a bang, or rather banging… and sawing… and drilling … as Knoll (Tom Coyle) reinforces the doors to the pawn shop setting of the dark comedy. The barricading in response to a recent robbery is interrupted by appearance of travelling pawn shop salesman Terry Schmidt Jrn, or TJ (Lachlan Engeler). TJ hasn’t set foot in his father’s shop in months, but is back in Brisbane to help to get to the bottom of his father’s disappearance for days without a trace, with help from the shop’s colourful cast of characters. Thus, the trope of an unseen character sets up the direction of the narrative against the tapestry of its richly detailed setting.
Meredith Walker - Blue Curtains | Read full review
“It must be difficult to direct an interpretation of your own play, but Pierce has succeeded in gaining a well-rounded piece, no doubt helped by Assistant Director, Andy Younes. Without overplaying the situations, the cast draws you in to the fast-paced story. So much so that, in the cast and creatives Q&A after the show, one audience member asked if there will be a sequel – as we all agreed that we’d love to see these characters again in a new chapter of their story: a testament to the success of this production.”
Beth Keehn - Stage Whispers | Read full review
Pierce Gordon as the unwitting biologist Nick allowed the audience to be lured in by his charm and simultaneously pushed away by his diverging morals and quick temper.
Sophie Mason - Theatre Haus | Read full review
Pierce Gordon as the unwitting biologist Nick allowed the audience to be lured in by his charm and simultaneously pushed away by his diverging morals and quick temper.
Meredith Walker - Blue Curtain | Read full review
Pierce Gordon’s script has it all. Through the lens of comedy, Gordon is able to explore what it is to live in your twenties and be a young adult by constructing each character to represent a different stage or thought process that we experience during that time. This includes the existentialist, the overachiever, the person living their ambitions, the person in denial about everything and the person who has no idea what direction they’d like their life to take.
Virag Dombay - Nothing Ever Happens in Brisbane | Read full review
Gordon, in particular, delivers a nuanced performance, especially in reaction to what is unfolding around him in Act One before he becomes ensnared in his host’s web of declared psychological games like ‘Get the Guest’ and then Martha’s Mrs Robinson-esque seductive advances towards him in George’s presence. There is some comedy amongst the drama, however, which seves as a welcome reprieve, especially evident in the complacency of George’s matter-of-fact observations and taunts.
Meredith Walker - Blue Curtains | Read full review
Other Theatre and Film
Theatre
2021- Against the Wall (Theatre)- Passion Productions, Anywhere Theatre Festival- Actor- Charlie
Lowered Expectations, Brisbane Comedy Festival
Film
2021- Elvis (Film)- Warner Brothers- Actor- Coke Glasses Guy
2021-2022- Nautilus (Television), Disney +, Actor, Surgeon Marsh
The Longing, Directed by Maali Albert. Pierce won Best Actor in the Emerge! short film section of the Gold Coast Film Festical.
Best Man, Directed by Craig Cauchi. Pierce won Best Upcoming Actor at the Sanctuary Cove Film Festical.
Training
2019- Kristy Sexton Intensive- Branding
2019- Kristy Sexton Intensive- Genre Study
2020- Tom McSweeney’s Warehouse- Auditioning for Screen
2022 - Ben Parkinson Casting, Kristy Sexton, Intimacy on Set.
2020- Present - The Warehouse Acting Studio, Tom McSweeney, Auditioning for Screen.
Representation
Kubler Auckland Management
Awards
Pierce Gordon was nominated for a Matilda in two categories in the 2022 awards.
Pierce won the Billie Brown award for Best Emerging Artist
Nominated - Best Male in a Supporting Role - Pierce Gordon, Against The Wall (Passion Productions)
Won - Billie Brown Award - Best Emerging Artist - Pierce Gordon, Against The Wall (Passion Productions)
Pierce won Best Actor in the EMERGE! short film section of the Gold Coast Film Festival for his work on the film, The Longing, directed by Maali Albert. He added to that by winning ‘Best Upcoming Actor’ at the Sanctuary Cove film festival for his work on the short film, Best Man directed by Craig Cauchi.
Pierce Gordon has again been nominated for a Matilda in the 2023 awards.
Nominated - Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Pierce Gordon, Proof (Ad Astra)