Jack Charles - Born-again Blakfella

Join us for a special night with the one and only Jack Charles. By turns heartbreaking and hilarious, 'Jack Charles: Born-again Blakfella' is a candid and uplifting memoir from one of Australia’s finest and most beloved actors. This is an unmissable event! 

Jack will be in-conversation with author Larissa Behrendt. 

About the Book

Jack Charles has worn many hats throughout his life: actor, cat burglar, musician, heroin addict, activist, even Senior Victorian Australian of the Year. But the title he’s most proud to claim is that of Aboriginal Elder.

Stolen from his mother and placed into institutional care when he was only a few months old, Uncle Jack was raised under the government’s White Australia Policy. The loneliness and isolation he experienced during those years had a devastating impact on him that endured long after he reconnected with his Aboriginal roots and discovered his stolen identity. Even today he feels like an outsider; a loner; a fringe dweller.

In this honest and no-holds-barred memoir, Uncle Jack reveals the ‘ups and downs of this crazy, drugged up, locked up, fucked up, and at times unbelievable, life’. From his sideline as a cat burglar, battles with drug addiction and stints in prison, to gracing the nation’s stages and screens as he dazzled audiences with his big personality and acting prowess, he takes us through the most formative moments of his life. 

By turns heartbreaking and hilarious, Jack Charles: Born-again Blakfella is a candid and uplifting memoir from one of Australia’s finest and most beloved actors.

About the Author

Uncle Jack Charles is an Australian legend: survivor of the Stolen Generation, Indigenous elder, actor, musician, activist and former heroin addict and cat burglar. Now on the cusp of his 76th birthday, he’s ready to tell the full story of how he became a born-again Blakfella and one of Australia’s best-loved actors.

About Larissa Behrendt

Larissa Behrendt is an award-winning filmmaker and author of fiction and non-fiction with a passion for telling the stories of Indigenous Australia. She has a legal background, is an experienced researcher, and is involved with several arts organisations and educational programs. She is currently Distinguished Professor at the University of Technology, Sydney and the host of Speaking Out on ABC Radio.