This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Constantinos Kilias is no stranger to epic legal battles.

The Greek Australian actor, also known as Costas, is perhaps best known for playing Farouk, Darryl Kerrigan’s Lebanese neighbour in the 1997 film The Castle, which centres on a David and Goliath High Court challenge by ordinary Australians fighting the compulsory acquisition of their homes.

For three decades, he’s also been a barrister, focused mostly on criminal cases, appearing in supreme, county and magistrates’ courts and in coronial inquests.

On Wednesday, Kilias became a magistrate in Victoria.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Barrister and actor Costas Kilias. Photograph: Twitter / Costas Kilias

Victorian attorney-general Martin Pakula appointed Kilias along with Alanna Duffy and Timothy Hoare as new magistrates.

Kilias has appeared in a number of other screen roles over recent decades, starring as Tony the Yugoslav in the 2000 film The Wog Boy and the 2010 film Kings of Mykonos, as well in the television series Blue Heelers and City Homicide.

“These three new magistrates bring decades of collective experience to the magistrates’ court of Victoria and I congratulate them on their appointments,” Pakula said. Duffy has been a barrister since 2004, specialising in employment and administrative law while Hoare has been a barrister for 18 years, focusing on criminal matters.

Pakula thanked outgoing magistrates Rodney Crisp and Philip Ginnane for their service on the bench. Ginnane has switched to the County Court while Crisp is retiring after 33 years.