Fresh out of acting school, Fiordlander Richard Crouchley is already attracting attention in the on-screen world.

At just 22 years old, one year after graduating from acting school, he's been cast in two major Kiwi TV series, including in a lead role to play a young David Bain in a drama TV adaptation of the gripping murder mystery podcast Black Hands. 

The TV series follows the years in the lead up to the murder of David Bain's family, delving into the life and mind of a boy who led a tormented life and, at age 22, was convicted of killing five members of his family. A retrial in June 2009 acquitted him of all charges.

Born and raised in Te Anau, Mr Crouchley said he always knew he wanted to be an actor. It was something he said he’d always felt called to do, so after graduating high school, he left picturesque Southland to pursue his dreams and study a Bachelor of Performing Arts at Toi Whakaari Drama School in Wellington.

"It was a big change to move to the big city life and all that, but I had a lot of support around me, and I found a lot of like-minded people there too," he said. 

Fast forward to his final year, Mr Crouchley begins sending off "self-tapes" to casting directors in Auckland – hoping to get his first part in the industry.

He was quickly successful in securing his first on-screen role for a major TV series; a new Kiwi drama titled Head High – and a couple of days after graduating he began filming.

The six-part drama series tells a similar story of last year's real-life drama when St Kentigern College was accused of poaching rugby talent from rival schools.

Mr Crouchley appeared as the supporting character Steven Grimstone, which, for a minor role, has already begun receiving hugely positive feedback from the audience. 

One of the lead writers of Head High, Kate McDermott said Mr Crouchley initially auditioned for another part, but the casting directors thought he was perfect for the role of Steven, a kind-natured student of the elite school who doesn't like rugby but forms a relationship with the team’s star player. 

"He initially auditioned for the character Scotty, who is a bit of a villain in the story... but his character [Steven] is nicer and gentler,” she said.

"I'd personally never seen [Richard] before, this was the first time I saw him at the casting... but he just really stood out as having something pretty special," she said. 

"His character was a little bit of a hero for us on the writing-table as he's the outsider at this elite school as he doesn't play rugby, then there's also his sexuality."

She said the scenes depicting heart-breaking homophobia towards Richard’s character Steven – he's shown tied to a rugby post with the word 'Homo' written on his forehead – were lifted straight from the life of a family member of one of the team's writers.

"It was really sad, but it also felt like a beautiful moment between a rugby player and outsider," she said. 

"We've just been so happy with the response on social media, for a guest character he's had a really massive presence," she said. 

"If we do get a second series, we've got some pretty awesome storylines for him about where his story could go."

Head High aired last month and is currently available to watch online at threenow.co.nz. At six episodes in length, Ms McDermott said it was particularly "binge-worthy".

Mr Crouchley will next appear as a young David Bain in TV drama Black Hands based on journalist Martin Van Beynen's 2017 podcast of the same name. 

However, unlike the podcast, the show will focus on the dynamics of the family and depict the years leading up to the murders through the eyes of the victims and the accused. Although, just as the podcast did – it will leave it up to the viewers to make up their mind as to who they believe was responsible for the murders.

This is Mr Crouchley’s first lead role in a major TV series. It's made by Warner Bros. New Zealand and directed by David Stubbs, alongside award-winning producer Robin Scholes who produced the films Once Were Warriors and Mr Pip.

Mr Crouchley had three auditions for the role of David Bain before he was cast and he said being told he had secured the part was a dream come true. 

"I'd really been envisioning it and hoping for it, I can remember saying that I'd love to play someone like [David Bain] one day, you couldn't really ask for a more interesting character study. I'm incredibly fortunate to have such an amazing opportunity to play a character with such depth, straight out of drama school," he said. 

Mr Crouchley said his favourite part of playing David Bain was delving into the mind of such a fascinating character. 

"I listened to the podcast, did lots of research, I love preparing for the roles, it's almost the best part," he said. 

Over summer, he even went back to work at his local pizza restaurant La Toscana, in Te Anau, while he was home visiting family. 

Richard Crouchley as Steven Grimstone in the six-part Kiwi TV drama Head High. PHOTO: Supplied.

"I went back to La Toscana, during the day I was preparing for the role of David Bain and during the night I was making pizzas," he said. 

Filming stopped for two months due to the COVID-19 lockdown this year so he flew home again but continued to prepare every day for his role. 

To add to his quickly-growing list of successes, Mr Crouchley along with fellow Toi Whakaari 2019 graduate students also recently had their short film, Workshop, accepted into the 2020 Venice Film Festival. This is the first time a Toi Film has been recognised by the Venice Film Festival which, along with Cannes Film Festival, is one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world.

Mr Crouchley said he would love to be able to work internationally in the future and work on projects that he believes in.

"Thankfully, I've been able to do that so far – but I’m definitely open, I'm still young and fresh and hungry."