diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 57d9da7..3084508 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
         "@actions/github": "^5.0.0",
         "@slack/web-api": "^6.7.0",
         "axios": "^0.25.0",
-        "flat": "^5.0.2"
+        "flat": "^5.0.2",
+        "markup-js": "^1.5.21"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
         "@vercel/ncc": "^0.33.3",
@@ -3687,6 +3688,14 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/markup-js": {
+      "version": "1.5.21",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/markup-js/-/markup-js-1.5.21.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-OJEocDpWWWRXTQ41fhQq3TvkbXk=",
+      "bin": {
+        "markup-js": "src/markup.js"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/md5.js": {
       "version": "1.3.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/md5.js/-/md5.js-1.3.5.tgz",
@@ -8421,6 +8430,11 @@
         "semver": "^6.0.0"
       }
     },
+    "markup-js": {
+      "version": "1.5.21",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/markup-js/-/markup-js-1.5.21.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-OJEocDpWWWRXTQ41fhQq3TvkbXk="
+    },
     "md5.js": {
       "version": "1.3.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/md5.js/-/md5.js-1.3.5.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8e64ac6..50378b3 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@
     "@actions/github": "^5.0.0",
     "@slack/web-api": "^6.7.0",
     "axios": "^0.25.0",
-    "flat": "^5.0.2"
+    "flat": "^5.0.2",
+    "markup-js": "^1.5.21"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@vercel/ncc": "^0.33.3",
diff --git a/src/slack-send.js b/src/slack-send.js
index 15402aa..bd6054a 100644
--- a/src/slack-send.js
+++ b/src/slack-send.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const flatten = require('flat');
 const axios = require('axios');
 const { promises: fs } = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
+const markup = require('markup-js');
 
 const SLACK_WEBHOOK_TYPES = {
   WORKFLOW_TRIGGER: 'WORKFLOW_TRIGGER',
@@ -33,6 +34,10 @@ module.exports = async function slackSend(core) {
     if (payloadFilePath && !payload) {
       try {
         payload = await fs.readFile(path.resolve(payloadFilePath), 'utf-8');
+        // parse github context variables
+        const context = { github: github.context };
+        const payloadString = payload.replace('$', '');
+        payload = markup.up(payloadString, context);
       } catch (error) {
         // passed in payload file path was invalid
         console.error(error);
diff --git a/test/resources/valid-payload.json b/test/resources/valid-payload.json
index b3b562b..4caa4f2 100644
--- a/test/resources/valid-payload.json
+++ b/test/resources/valid-payload.json
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {
   "oliver": "benji",
-  "bonny": "clyde"
+  "bonny": "clyde",
+  "actor":"${{github.actor}}"
 }
diff --git a/test/slack-send-test.js b/test/slack-send-test.js
index a441138..06735b5 100644
--- a/test/slack-send-test.js
+++ b/test/slack-send-test.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const { assert } = require('chai');
 const sinon = require('sinon');
 const core = require('@actions/core');
+const github = require('@actions/github');
 const rewiremock = require('rewiremock/node');
 
 const ChatStub = {
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ const ORIG_WEBHOOK_VAR = process.env.SLACK_WEBHOOK_URL;
 
 describe('slack-send', () => {
   const fakeCore = sinon.stub(core);
+  const fakeGithub = sinon.stub(github);
   beforeEach(() => {
     sinon.reset();
   });
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ describe('slack-send', () => {
         // Prepare
         fakeCore.getInput.withArgs('channel-id').returns('C123456');
         fakeCore.getInput.withArgs('payload-file-path').returns('./test/resources/valid-payload.json');
+        fakeGithub.context.actor = 'user123';
 
         // Run
         await slackSend(fakeCore);
@@ -78,6 +81,7 @@ describe('slack-send', () => {
         assert.equal(chatArgs.text, '', 'Correct message provided to postMessage');
         assert.equal(chatArgs.bonny, 'clyde', 'Correct message provided to postMessage');
         assert.equal(chatArgs.oliver, 'benji', 'Correct message provided to postMessage');
+        assert.equal(chatArgs.actor, 'user123', 'Correct message provided to postMessage');
       });
     });
     describe('sad path', () => {