The Mali Hudson actor joined Home and Away in 2023 and made history after becoming the soap opera’s first indigenous main character since it debuted back in 1988
Kyle Shilling made history when he became Home and Away’s first indigenous main character.
His character has been involved in major storylines since joining the soap in 2023, from getting injured in a bomb, his relationship with Rose Delaney and his representation of Aboriginal culture.
While he’s been on the show for a few years, people may not realise his talents don’t just lie in acting.
Childhood
Kyle was born in 1994, which means that he will turn 31 years old this year.
He is from the Widjubal clan of the Bundjalung Nation and grew up in Taree and Pottsville in New South Wales, Australia.
He often shares his Aboriginal culture through dance on social media and grew up performing on stage, acting and playing music. He shared videos of himself playing the didgeridoo.
He graduated from the National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association with a Diploma in Professional Dance Performance.
Kyle has a twin brother named Jesse, with the pair collaborating on the song ‘Angels’ together.
Acting career
Kyle first appeared as an underwater extra in the music video for rock band’s The Preatures’ song Yanada in 2017.
He played a character called Eddie in the 2017 short Hoax, before acting as a partygoer in rock band Over It’s music video.
Since 2023, he has starred as Mali Hudson in Home and Away. He is the soap’s first indigenous main character. He had auditioned for several characters before, but was unsuccessful.
However, Home and Away bosses loved his auditions and decided to make a character specifically for him.
In early 2025, it was announced that he would be joining the season 22 cast of Australia’s Dancing with the Stars, competing alongside pro dancer Lily Cornish.
He shared a picture of himself with all the other celebrities, writing: “I’m doing a thing”.
