Timothy Balme

Timothy Guy Balme, commonly referred to as Tim Balme, was born on January 18, 1967, in New Zealand. He has carved out a significant career as both an actor and a screenwriter. Balme gained widespread recognition for his performances in the enduring soap opera *Shortland Street* and the series *Mercy Peak*. He is also celebrated for his roles in the cult classic films *Braindead* (also known as *Dead Alive*) and *Jack Brown Genius*. More recently, he contributed as both a writer and actor on the television series *The Almighty Johnsons*.

Balme is married to actress Katie Wolfe, and together they have two children: a daughter named Edie, born in 2001, and a son named Nikau, born in 2005. He also has a son, Sam, born in 1987 from a prior relationship. After graduating from Toi Whakaari in 1989, Balme landed his first lead role in *Braindead* in 1992. Alongside his wife and colleagues Simon Bennett and Robyn Malcolm, he co-founded the New Zealand Actors' Company, which produced three theatrical productions before its closure.

In addition to his acting, he has ventured into writing, having penned episodes for series like *Diplomatic Immunity* and *Outrageous Fortune*. Balme wrote the short film *Redemption*, directed by Wolfe, which was featured in the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. He also served as head of development for South Pacific Pictures and now freelances, contributing to popular shows such as *800 Words* and serving as head writer for *The Brokenwood Mysteries*, for which he won the Best Television Screenplay award at the SWANZ (NZ Writer's Guild Awards) in 2015.