Tony Ayres is a Portuguese Macau-born Australian showrunner, screenwriter, director in television and feature film.
Background
Ayres was born in Portuguese Macau (now in China). His mother was a nightclub singer who committed suicide in 1972, when Ayres was 11 years old. Before her death, his mother married an Australian sailor and migrated with her family to Perth, Western Australia in 1964.
Career
He is most notable for his films Walking on Water and The Home Song Stories, as well his work in television, including working as the showrunner on The Slap and teen adventure series Nowhere Boys. They then moved to Canberra, ACT with their guardian, whom Ayres" sister later married. Ayres" 2007 film The Home Song Stories is loosely based on this early period of his life.
Ayres studied photography and printmaking at the Australian National University in Canberra, before working as an exhibition curator.
He later completed postgraduate studies in film and video at the Swinburne Film and Television School (now the University of Melbourne Faculty of VCA and MCM School of Film and Television) in Melbourne, Victoria. He is openly gay. His other credits include producing the comedy series Bogan Pride with Rebel Wilson, and directing the telemovie Saved.
Ayres was the showrunner for the ABC3 show Nowhere Boys, as well as Executive Producer on Old School and Devil"s Playground.