Christopher Hobbs

Christopher Hobbs comes from a family with a strong pedigree in the screen world. His mother Aileen O'Sullivan has directed extensively for television; sisters Rebecca and Katrina and younger brother Tom are actors, while Jessica is an award-winning director.

Hobbs' first high profile screen role was on Shortland Street. He joined the show in 1997, where his character Frank Malone was soon romancing fellow doctor Grace Kwan (Lynette Forday).

After leaving the show in 2001 Hobbs began an extended period in Australia, where he did time on cop comedy Bad Cop, Bad Cop; Home and Away (playing dodgy extortionist Marc Edwards), and added to the extensive Kiwi quota on McLeod's Daughters.

Hobbs returned home to cameo in the first season of Outrageous Fortune (as an old friend who tries it on with Cheryl West), and to star in his only feature film to date. Spooked (2004) was based on the real life case of Paul White, an Auckland computer dealer who found himself in possession of valuable bank information.

Hobbs' character, Kevin, finds himself alone as various parties try to intimidate him into handing over the information. Hobbs enjoyed the challenge of "going through a complete emotional breakdown" on-screen. Kevin "starts off happy-go-lucky and moves to being absolutely paranoid". Director Geoff Murphy (Goodbye Pork Pie) praised Hobbs' vulnerability and charm. "He has this permanent look of innocence and surprise on his face and I think he sets himself up for bad things to happen to him really beautifully." Although Spooked failed to prove a hit, Variety reviewer Scott Foundas praised Hobbs' "credible" journey from ordinary bloke to "jumble of raw nerves". 

Hobbs later acted on an episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries, and played a cop in both TV series Filthy Rich and 2017 TV movie Resolve.

Hobbs has also lent his voice talents to a television adaptation of bestselling picture book Animalia. Hobbs voiced a number of characters, including the gorilla who befriends the show’s two child heroes.

In 2009 he competed against his sister Rebecca on Dancing with the Stars.

Hobbs is currently one of the managers at a Los Angeles-based film equipment company.

Profile updated on 16 April 2020

Sources include
Scott Fondas, 'Spooked' (Review) - Variety, 15  June 2004
'Chris Hobbs' TVNZ website. Accessed 16 April 2020
'Marc Edwards (Christopher Hobbs)'  Back to the Bay website. Accessed 16 April 2020
Unknown writer, Spooked press kit. NZ Film Commission website. Accessed 16 April 2020