Matt Whelan
Biography
Matt Whelan is an actor and comedian born in Christchurch, New Zealand. He is known for his television and film roles. Whelan played Brad Caulfield in the New Zealand television comedy-drama programme Go Girls. He also portrayed Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in the Amazon Original series American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story, and played DEA agent Van Ness in the Netflix original series Narcos. His other credits include appearances in Wanted and Stíny nad jezerem. His full names include Matthew Whelan and Matthew Patrick James Oliver Whelan. He has a known credits count of twenty-five on The Movie Database.
Career overview
Matt Whelan is a New Zealand actor and comedian. He is known for his television and film work, including his role as Brad Caulfield in the New Zealand television comedy-drama programme Go Girls.
In addition to his work on television comedy-drama, Whelan has appeared in international streaming series. He portrayed Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in the Amazon Original series American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story. He also plays DEA agent Van Ness in the Netflix original series Narcos. His film and television credits further include appearances in Wanted and Stíny nad jezerem.
Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Whelan is also known by the names Matthew Whelan and Matthew Patrick James Oliver Whelan. His career spans multiple television and film projects, with a recorded total of known acting credits on reference databases.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
25 titles- Apex (2026) as Hunter
- We Bury the Dead (2026) as Mitch
- Caterpillar (2026) as Cam
- Workmates (2025) as Tom
- A Remarkable Place to Die (2024) as Simon
- The Tank (2023) as Ben
- Fetch (2021) as August (voice)
- The Sounds (2020) as Tom Cabbott
- My Life Is Murder (2019) as Connor Farrow
- Imposter (2019) as Cam
- Daniel (2019) as Carpenter
- American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story (2017) as Hugh Hefner
- Pork Pie (2017) as Noah
- Gary of the Pacific (2017) as Nelson
- Wanted (2016) as Alistair Poussin
- Of Kings and Prophets (2016) as Mattiyahu
- Narcos (2015) as Daniel Van Ness
- 1480 Radio Pirates (2014) as Richard
- Coverband (2014) as Alex Gibson
- The Most Fun You Can Have Dying (2012) as Michael
- My Wedding and Other Secrets (2011) as James
- Go Girls (2009) as Brad Caulfield
- Show of Hands (2008) as Matt
- Eagle vs Shark (2007) as Kissing Boy
- Figment
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Matt Whelan best known for?
Matt Whelan is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Apex (2026), We Bury the Dead (2026), My Life Is Murder (2019), Narcos (2015).
When and where was Matt Whelan born?
Matt Whelan was born in Christchurch, New Zealand.
How many credits does Matt Whelan have?
Matt Whelan has accumulated over 25 film and television credits across a career spanning from 2007 to 2026.
What is Matt Whelan's background in cinema and television?
Matt Whelan is an actor and comedian born in Christchurch, New Zealand. He is known for his television and film roles. Whelan played Brad Caulfield in the New Zealand television comedy-drama programme Go Girls. He also portrayed Playboy founder Hugh Hefner in the Amazon Original series American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner...