title: Neill Rea
text: # Neill Rea
  
  Neill Rea (born 1971) is a New Zealand actor and casting director, best known for playing the lead role of DI Mike Shepherd in television police procedural The Brokenwood Mysteries.
  
  Rea was born in 1971, and is a graduate of Toi Whakaari drama school. Early roles included small parts in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Duggan, before he landed a larger part as Scotty, one of the flatmates in 1999 comedy-drama film Scarfies. Other noted roles include a semi-regular guest appearance in comedy-drama Go Girls in 2011 and 2012, and a role in 2010 film The Warrior's Way.
  
  Apart from acting, Rea also works as a casting director, and is the owner of Auckland-based casting agency Fly Casting.
  
  His long-term partner is actor Alison Bruce. As of 2022 they were living in central Auckland.
  
  