Chris Lilley’s lonely new life is revealed as he emerges in Sydney’s Bondi

Chris Lilley has gone from one of Australia’s top comedians to down and out in Bondi, after Netflix removed four of his shows last month in response to the Black Lives Matter movement.

The 45-year-old is keeping a low profile in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and has steadfastly refused to address the controversy surrounding his work. 

Chris’s television series Summer Heights High, Jonah from Tonga, Angry Boys and We Can be Heroes were pulled on June 11 as streaming services worldwide removed offensive content in response to George Floyd protests.

In the dumped mockumentary-style shows Chris appeared in brownface as Tongan schoolboy Jonah Takalua, in blackface as US rapper S.mouse, and mocked up as stereotypical Chinese-Australian physics student Ricky Wong. 

Chris then came under fire after real-life Sydney student Filipe Mahe revealed his appearance in ABC documentary Our Boys was the inspiration for controversial Tongan character Jonah, leaving him feeling ‘angry and exploited’.

On Wednesday, Chris aggressively barged into a Daily Mail Australia photographer who attempted to ask about his shows being removed from the streaming platform.

He then sprinted back to his multimillion-dollar apartment.

Down and out in Bondi: Chris Lilley’s ‘lonely’ new life has been revealed after he emerged in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Wednesday. The once-celebrated comedian is facing a wave of backlash after Netflix removed four of his shows due to his blackface skits

On the run: Chris currently has no new projects in the pipeline, according to IMDb. Rather than filming and developing new characters, his days are filled with trips to the post office and lonely strolls along the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk

On the run: Chris currently has no new projects in the pipeline, according to IMDb. Rather than filming and developing new characters, his days are filled with trips to the post office and lonely strolls along the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk

The bizarre saga had begun earlier in the day, when Chris was pictured leaving his local post office.

After noticing the photographer, he turned and fled, circling through Bondi’s streets as he tried to avoid any questions about his once globally successful but now highly controversial oeuvre of television shows.

The funnyman then spent 30 minutes aimlessly walking around the beachside suburb, before making his way home.

It was at this point that he barged into the photographer and fled into his apartment building.

Spotted: The 45-year-old is keeping a low profile and steadfastly refusing to address the controversy surrounding his work

Spotted: The 45-year-old is keeping a low profile and steadfastly refusing to address the controversy surrounding his work

No comment! On Wednesday, Chris aggressively barged into a Daily Mail photographer who attempted to ask about his shows being removed from the streaming platform

No comment! On Wednesday, Chris aggressively barged into a Daily Mail photographer who attempted to ask about his shows being removed from the streaming platform

Spotted: Earlier in the day he was photographed leaving a local post office. Upon noticing a photographer, Chris bizarrely turned and started running around Bondi, appearing to be going to extreme measures to avoid any questions about his controversial career

Spotted: The bizarre saga had begun earlier in the day, when Chris was pictured leaving his local post office. Upon noticing the photographer, he turned and started running around Bondi, seemingly going to extreme measures to avoid questions about his controversial career

Chris currently has no new projects in the pipeline, according to IMDb.

Rather than filming and developing new characters, his days are filled with trips to the post office and lonely strolls along the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk. He then returns home alone.

Chris is believed to be single. His last known relationship with Milly Gattegno from British pop band The Faders ended in 2016 after two years together.

Hot shoe shuffle: The funnyman then spent 30 minutes aimlessly walking around the beachside suburb before making his way home. It was at this point that he barged into the snapper and fled to his apartment building

Hot shoe shuffle: The funnyman then spent 30 minutes aimlessly walking around the beachside suburb, before making his way home. It was at this point that he barged into the snapper and fled to his apartment building

Defiant: Speaking to The Weekend Australian in 2019, the actor defended his 'mockumentary'-style comedy, insisting he wouldn't give in to naysayers. 'I'm not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment,' he said

Defiant: Speaking to The Weekend Australian in 2019, the actor defended his ‘mockumentary’-style comedy, insisting he wouldn’t give in to naysayers. ‘I’m not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment,’ he said

After Netflix Australia and New Zealand pulled four of Chris’ shows last month, he was spotted looking glum while out drinking in Bondi.

In light of the Black Lives Matter reckoning, Chris’ work has raised questions about racial discrimination as several of his characters were portrayed in blackface and brownface.

What is blackface? 

Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used by non-black performers to represent a caricature of a black person.

It was prominently used in American minstrel shows in the 19th century. 

Minstrel shows usually featured white performers in blackface doing comic skits of black people. The performances often depicted black people in negative and stereotypical ways.

Both blackface and minstrelsy are now considered outdated, offensive and racist.  

On Angry Boys in 2011, he portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse and performed a song called Squashed N****.

In Jonah from Tonga in 2014, and earlier in Summer Heights High in 2007, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah Takalua.

In We Can Be Heroes, his first television hit in 2005, Chris played Chinese physics student Ricky Wong.

Last week, Chris faced even more controversy when Filipe Mahe, 33, came forward claiming the funnyman had based Jonah Takalua on him. 

Filipe said he had felt ‘absolutely embarrassed, full of hate, angry and exploited’ when he recognised himself in Summer Heights High. 

As a troubled teenager attending Canterbury Boys High in western Sydney, he had been featured in the 2004 ABC documentary Our Boys.

Several of his scenes from Our Boys are remarkably similar to comedy skits that went on to feature in Summer Heights High three years later.

After the documentary series aired, Lilley also went to Filipe’s school, observed classes and lunchtime in the playground and watched a Tongan dance. 

After Filipe revealed his ’embarrassment’ to the Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday, Chris seemingly responded by sharing deleted scenes from Jonah from Tonga to Facebook that showed a more sympathetic side to the character.

Chris still has two series available on Netflix, Ja’mie: Private School Girl and Lunatics, in which he darkens his skin to play ‘dog whisperer’ Jana Melhoopen-Jonks. 

In April 2019, Chris hit back at the criticism of Lunatics – which, unlike his previous series that aired on the ABC, was made exclusively for Netflix.

Backlash: In light of the Black Lives Matter reckoning, Chris' work has raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed in blackface and brownface. Pictured centre as his Tongan schoolboy character, Jonah Takalua

Backlash: In light of the Black Lives Matter reckoning, Chris’ work has raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed in blackface and brownface. Pictured centre as his Tongan schoolboy character, Jonah Takalua

Controversial: In Jonah from Tonga in 2014, and earlier in Summer Heights High in 2007, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah

Controversial: In Jonah from Tonga in 2014, and earlier in Summer Heights High in 2007, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah

Hurt: Last week, Filipe Mahe (pictured in 2004) came forward claiming Chris had based the character of Jonah on him. Filipe said he had felt 'absolutely embarrassed, full of hate, angry and exploited' when he recognised himself in Summer Heights High

Hurt: Last week, Filipe Mahe (pictured in 2004) came forward claiming Chris had based the character of Jonah on him. Filipe said he had felt ‘absolutely embarrassed, full of hate, angry and exploited’ when he recognised himself in Summer Heights High

Inspiration? As a troubled teenager attending Canterbury Boys High in western Sydney, he had been featured in the 2004 ABC documentary Our Boys. After the series aired, Lilley went to Filipe's school, observed classes and watched a Tongan dance

Inspiration? As a troubled teenager attending Canterbury Boys High in western Sydney, he had been featured in the 2004 ABC documentary Our Boys. After the series aired, Lilley went to Filipe’s school, observed classes and watched a Tongan dance

Speaking in The Weekend Australian, the actor defended his ‘mockumentary’-style comedy, insisting he wouldn’t give in to naysayers.

‘I’m not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment,’ Chris said. 

Chris went on to say he would continue making ‘clever, layered’ characters – which is what he has done in the past. 

Defending his portrayals, he said: ‘When you meet them, you think, “I know that type of person,” but then there is a twist, something crazy.

‘In the end you think, “Actually, I kind of relate to this, she just did that thing that I do every day.”‘

He went on to say the moral of Lunatics is that ‘everyone is a little bit weird’, which he feels the show cleverly highlights.  

One particular character, Jana, is an exotic-looking ‘lesbian pet psychic to the stars’, who has Afro hair, tanned skin and speaks in a South African accent.

While Chris was accused of wearing blackface for this portrayal, Jana is actually white, as demonstrated by a scene with her two Caucasian parents.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Chris’ management for comment.

Portrayal: Jana Melhoopen-Jonks, a character from his latest show, Lunatics, is an exotic-looking 'lesbian pet psychic to the stars', who has Afro hair, tanned skin and speaks in a South African accent

Portrayal: Jana Melhoopen-Jonks, a character from his latest show, Lunatics, is an exotic-looking ‘lesbian pet psychic to the stars’, who has Afro hair, tanned skin and speaks in a South African accent

Not blackface: While Chris was accused of wearing blackface for this portrayal, Jana is actually white, as demonstrayteby a scene showing her two Caucasian parents. Pictured with Paris Hilton

Not blackface: While Chris was accused of wearing blackface for this portrayal, Jana is actually white, as demonstrated by a scene with her two Caucasian parents. Pictured with Paris Hilton

Divisive: Chris' work has raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed in blackface and brownface. On Angry Boys in 2011, he portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse and performed a song called Squashed N****

Divisive: Chris’ work has raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed in blackface and brownface. On Angry Boys in 2011, he portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse and performed a song called Squashed N****