Russell Dykstra

Russell Dykstra is a multi-award winning Australian actor of both stage and screen known for his transformative roles. He won the prestigious AFI Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in his feature film debut, Soft Fruit, for which he also received a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award nomination. Russell has won several national theatre awards, received his second AFI nomination (Best Supporting Actor) for his performance in the film Romulus My Father, and stars as Barney in the acclaimed Australian ABC TV series Rake.

What are Russell Dykstra's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Comedy2 titles47^th

Drama2 titles69^th

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight

Self

32%

Bonds

23%

Survival

20%

Society

14%

Morality

8%

Power

3%

Grief3 Family bonds2 Identity2 Community3

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Earnest

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 5

Serious

Tone · Weight

lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 0 · Dark 3

Grounded

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

Grounded 3 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Charged

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 1 · Intense 2

Steady

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

Straight-faced 3 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

Slow burn

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

Slow burn 3 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

Engaged

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 0

Affecting

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 0 · Heavy 3

Open-ended

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 2 · Open-ended 3 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

4 analyzed roles

Usually the Threshold guardian: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.

Threshold guardian

2 of 4

Trickster

1 of 4

Shadow

1 of 4

Tricksteras Bruno in Garage Days (2002)
Threshold guardianas Paul Koustakidis in Slam (2018)
Threshold guardianas Lester in Irreverent (2022)
Shadowas Frank in In Limbo (2023)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Melancholic

4

Contemplative

3

Tense

3

Joyful

2

Bittersweet

3

Other

5

How their films linger

Hopeful6 Bittersweet4 Feel-good2

How their films end · 1 with a twist

Bittersweet5
Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Russell Dykstra's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 14 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Acorn TV1 title, show their title on Acorn TV
BFI Player1 title, show their title on BFI Player
Cohen Media Channel1 title, show their title on Cohen Media Channel
FUEL TV+1 title, show their title on FUEL TV+
Magnolia Selects1 title, show their title on Magnolia Selects
Shout! TV1 title, show their title on Shout! TV

Subscription and free streaming for Russell Dykstra's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

33 credits, 14 with a MovieCove page.

Dalliance(2026)
Show 6 episodes · Actor
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
Ladies in Black (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Show 6 episodes · as Stefan Szombathelyi
In Limbo(2023)
Show 6 episodes · as Frank
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows
Irreverent(2022)
Show 10 episodes · as Lester
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows
Fires (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Show 2 episodes · as David Jasic
Why Are You Like This(2018)
Show 1 episode · as Secret Boy
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all shows
Slam(2018)
as Paul Koustakidis
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Wild Boys(2011)
Show 2 episodes · as Winston
Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all shows
Rake (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)
Show 32 episodes · as Barney Meagher
Oranges and Sunshine(2010)
as Dan
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Spirited(2010)
Show 1 episode · as Adam One
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows
Scorched (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
as Keith
The Adventures of Charlotte and Henry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
as Henry's Dad (voice)
8 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
as Father (segment "The Water Diary")
The View from Greenhaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
as Tim
Hey Hey It's Esther Blueburger(2008)
as Osmond Blueburger · as Music Teacher
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
BlackJack: Ghosts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
as Buchanan
Clubland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)
as Shane
Romulus, My Father(2007)
as Mitru
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
BlackJack: Ace Point Game (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
as Buchanan
The Water Diary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
as Dad
BlackJack: In the Money (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
as Buchanan
BlackJack: Sweet Science (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
as Buchanan
Loot (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
as Bruno Batelli
The Wannabes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
as Marcus
Ned Kelly(2003)
as Wild Wright
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
BlackJack (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)
as Buchanan
Garage Days(2002)
as Bruno
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
White Collar Blue (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)
Show 1 episode · as Dale Trindle
Lantana(2001)
as Michael
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Soft Fruit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
as Bo
Water Rats(1996)
Show 2 episodes · as Tino Girodelli
Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows
Fog City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 86^th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 33 titles, 32 of them dated from 1996 to 2026; peak year 2001.

Biggest box office

Lantana (2001)

$16M worldwide

Highest rated

Lantana (2001)

Midcredits 87^th

Film career

19962026

Peak 2001 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

2001Screen debut· Lantana

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting33 of 33 · 56^th

By decade

1990s2 · acting2000s19 · acting2010s5 · acting2020s6 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 8 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Russell Dykstra's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 58^th percentile, the median of all 7; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56^th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

58^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

57^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 14 titles, by percentile

75^th and up3
50^th to 74^th7
25^th to 49^th4

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 14 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

Cult Classic2
Crowd Pleaser9
Mixed3

Most divisive · actor

Slam (2018)

82^nd percentile spread · 28% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Lantana (2001)

Midcredits 87^th · 77% liked

Reviewers score the acting 70/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Russell Dykstra work with?

People who share at least 2 of Russell Dykstra's MovieCove titles; Rachael Blake shares the most, 2.

Rachael Blake2 titles See all 2 shared titles with Rachael Blake
Marton Csokas2 titles See all 2 shared titles with Marton Csokas