Biography
Mark Coles Smith is an Aboriginal Australian actor of stage and screen. Born in 1987 in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, he grew up in the Kimberley region and trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, where he received a certificate in Aboriginal Theatre.
He is known for roles including Tilly in the film Last Cab to Darwin (2015), Pauly in Pawno (2015), Jay Swan in the series Mystery Road: Origin (2022–2025), and Justin in the mini-series Apple Cider Vinegar (2025). Smith has also worked as a sound designer, field recordist, writer and composer under the name Kalaji.
His stage and screen performances have earned awards including the Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play and AACTA Awards for Best Actor in a Series. In 2023 he became the first Indigenous Australian actor nominated for a Gold Logie.
