Australian Actors
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Hugh Michael Jackman is an Australian actor, singer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer and producer. Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films, notably as superhero, period, and romance characters. He is best known for his long-running role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series, as well as for his lead roles in the romantic-comedy fantasy Kate & Leopold (2001), the action-horror film Van Helsing (2004), the drama The Prestige and The Fountain (2006), the epic historical romantic drama Australia (2008), the film version of Les Misérables (2012), and the thriller Prisoners (2013). His work in Les Misérables earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and his first Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy in 2013. In Broadway theatre, Jackman won a Tony Award for his role in The Boy from Oz. A four-time host of the Tony Awards themselves, he won an Emmy Award for one of these appearances. Jackman also hosted the 81st Academy Awards on 22 February 2009.
Jackman was born in Sydney, New South Wales, to Grace McNeil (Greenwood) and Christopher John Jackman, an accountant. He is the youngest of five children. His parents, both English, moved to Australia shortly before his birth. He also has Greek (from a great-grandfather) and Scottish (from a grandmother) ancestry.
Jackman has a communications degree with a journalism major from the University of Technology Sydney. After graduating, he pursued drama at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, immediately after which he was offered a starring role in the ABC-TV prison drama Correlli (1995), opposite his future wife Deborra-Lee Furness. Several TV guest roles followed, as an actor and variety compere. An accomplished singer, Jackman has starred as Gaston in the Australian production of "Beauty and the Beast." He appeared as Joe Gillis in the Australian production of "Sunset Boulevard." In 1998, he was cast as Curly in the Royal National Theatre's production of Trevor Nunn's Oklahoma. Jackman has made two feature films, the second of which, Erskineville Kings (1999), garnered him an Australian Film Institute nomination for Best Actor in 1999. Recently, he won the part of Logan/Wolverine in the Bryan Singer- directed comic-book movie X-Men (2000). In his spare time, Jackman plays piano, golf, and guitar, and likes to windsurf.- Actor
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Russell Ira Crowe was born in Wellington, New Zealand, to Jocelyn Yvonne (Wemyss) and John Alexander Crowe, both of whom catered movie sets. His maternal grandfather, Stanley Wemyss, was a cinematographer. Crowe's recent ancestry includes Welsh (where his paternal grandfather was born, in Wrexham), English, Irish, Scottish, Norwegian, Swedish, Italian, and Maori (one of Crowe's maternal great-grandmothers, Erana Putiputi Hayes Heihi, was Maori).
Crowe's family moved to Australia when he was a small child, settling in Sydney, and Russell got the acting bug early in life. Beginning as a child star on a local Australian TV show, Russell's first big break came with two films ... the first, Romper Stomper (1992), gained him a name throughout the film community in Australia and the neighboring countries. The second, The Sum of Us (1994), helped put him on the American map, so to speak. Sharon Stone heard of him from Romper Stomper (1992) and wanted him for her film, The Quick and the Dead (1995). But filming on The Sum of Us (1994) had already begun. Sharon is reported to have held up shooting until she had her gunslinger-Crowe, for her film. With The Quick and the Dead (1995) under his belt as his first American film, the second was offered to him soon after. Virtuosity (1995), starring Denzel Washington, put Russell in the body of a Virtual Serial Killer, Sid6.7 ... a role unlike any he had played so far. Virtuosity (1995), a Sci-Fi extravaganza, was a fun film and, again, opened the door to even more American offers. L.A. Confidential (1997), Russell's third American film, brought him the US fame and attention that his fans have felt he deserved all along. Missing the Oscar nod this time around, he didn't seem deterred and signed to do his first film with The Walt Disney Company, Mystery, Alaska (1999). He achieved even more success and awards for his performances in Gladiator (2000), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor, and A Beautiful Mind (2001).- Actress
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Elegant Nicole Kidman, known as one of Hollywood's top Australian imports, was actually born in Honolulu, Hawaii, while her Australian parents were there on educational visas.
Kidman is the daughter of Janelle Ann (Glenny), a nursing instructor, and Antony David Kidman, a biochemist and clinical psychologist. She is of English, Irish, and Scottish descent. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Washington, D.C., where Nicole's father pursued his research on breast cancer, and then, three years later, made the pilgrimage back to her parents' native Sydney in Australia, where Nicole was raised. Young Nicole's first love was ballet, but she eventually took up mime and drama as well (her first stage role was a bleating sheep in an elementary school Christmas pageant). In her adolescent years, acting edged out the other arts and became a kind of refuge -- as her classmates sought out fun in the sun, the fair-skinned Kidman retreated to dark rehearsal halls to practice her craft. She worked regularly at the Philip Street Theater, where she once received a personal letter of praise and encouragement from audience member Jane Campion (then a film student). Kidman eventually dropped out of high school to pursue acting full-time. She broke into movies at age 16, landing a role in the Australian holiday favorite Bush Christmas (1983). That appearance touched off a flurry of film and television offers, including a lead in BMX Bandits (1983) and a turn as a schoolgirl-turned-protester in the miniseries Vietnam (1987) (for which she won her first Australian Film Institute Award). With the help of an American agent, she eventually made her US debut opposite Sam Neill in the at-sea thriller Dead Calm (1989).
Kidman's next casting coup scored her more than exposure. While starring as Tom Cruise's doctor/love interest in the racetrack romance Days of Thunder (1990), she won over the Hollywood hunk hook, line and sinker. After a whirlwind courtship (and decent box office returns), the couple wed on December 24, 1990. Determined not to let her new marital status overshadow her fledgling career, the actress pressed on. She appeared as a catty high school senior in the Australian film Flirting (1991), then as Dustin Hoffman's moll in the gangster flick Billy Bathgate (1991). She reunited with Cruise for Far and Away (1992), the story of young Irish lovers who flee to America in the late 1800s, and starred opposite Michael Keaton in the tear-tugger My Life (1993). Despite her steady employment, critics and moviegoers still had not quite warmed to Kidman as a leading lady. She tried to spice up her image by seducing Val Kilmer in Batman Forever (1995), but achieved her real breakthrough with Gus Van Sant's To Die For (1995). As a fame-crazed housewife determined to eliminate any obstacle in her path, Kidman proved that she had an impressive range and deadly comic timing. She took home a Golden Globe and several critics' awards for the performance. In 1996, Kidman stepped into a corset to work with her countrywoman and onetime admirer, Jane Campion, on the adaptation of Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady (1996). A few months later, she tore across the screen as a nuclear weapons expert in The Peacemaker (1997), adding "action star" to her professional repertoire.
She and Cruise then disappeared into a notoriously long, secretive shoot for Stanley Kubrick's sexual thriller Eyes Wide Shut (1999). The couple's on-screen shenanigans prompted an increase in public speculation about their sex life (rumors had long been circulating that their marriage was a cover-up for Cruise's rumored homosexuality); tired of denying tabloid attacks, they successfully sued The Star for a story alleging that they needed a sex therapist to coach them through love scenes. Family life has always been a priority for Kidman. Born to social activists (mother was a feminist; father, a labor advocate), Nicole and her little sister, Antonia Kidman, discussed current events around the dinner table and participated in their parents' campaigns by passing out pamphlets on street corners. When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, 17-year-old Nicole stopped working and took a massage course so that she could provide physical therapy (her mother eventually beat the cancer). She and Cruise adopted two children: Isabella Jane (born 1993) and Connor Antony (born 1995). Despite their rock-solid image, the couple announced in early 2001 that they were separating due to career conflicts. Her marriage to Cruise ended mid-summer of 2001.- Actress
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Naomi Ellen Watts was born on September 28, 1968 in Shoreham, England to Myfanwy Edwards "Miv" (Roberts), an antiques dealer and costume/set designer, and Peter Watts (Peter Anthony Watts), Pink Floyd's road manager. Her maternal grandfather was Welsh. Her father died when she was seven and she followed her mother and brother around England until she was 14 and they finally settled in Australia, homeland of her maternal grandmother. When they arrived, she coaxed her mother to let her take acting classes. After bit parts in commercials, she landed her first role in For Love Alone (1986). Naomi met her best friend Nicole Kidman when they both auditioned for a bikini commercial and shared a taxi ride home. In 1991, Naomi starred with Kidman in the sleeper hit Flirting (1991), directed by John Duigan. Naomi continued her career by starring in the Australian Brides of Christ (1991) co-starring Oscar-winners Russell Crowe and Brenda Fricker.
In 1993, she worked with John Duigan again in Wide Sargasso Sea (1993) and director George Miller in Gross Misconduct (1993). Tank Girl (1995), in 1995, an adaptation of the comic book was a cult hit, starred Naomi as "Jet Girl", but it didn't do at the box-office or do much for her career. Watts continued to take insignificant parts in movies including the much forgotten film Children of the Corn: The Gathering (1996). It wasn't until David Lynch cast her in the critically acclaimed film Mulholland Drive (2001) that she began to become noticed. Her part as an aspiring actress showed her strong acting ability and wide range and earned her much respect, as much as to say by some that she was overlooked for a Oscar nomination that year. Stardom finally came to Naomi in the surprise hit The Ring (2002), which grossed over $100,000,000 at the box-office and starred Watts as an investigative reporter hunting down the truth behind several mysterious deaths seemingly caused by a video tape. While the movie did not fare well with the critics, it launched her into the spotlight. In 2003, she starred in Alejandro González Iñárritu's 21 Grams (2003) which earned her - what some say is a much overdue Oscar nomination and brought others to call her one of the best in her generation of actors. The same year, she was nominated for 21 Grams (2003), Naomi was chosen to play "Ann Darrow" in director Peter Jackson's King Kong (2005) which took her to New Zealand for a five month shoot. Watts completed her first comedy in I Heart Huckabees (2004) for director David O. Russell, playing a superficial spokes model - a break from her usual intense and dramatic roles she is known for.
In 2005, she reprized her role as the protective-mother-reporter "Rachel Keller" in The Ring Two (2005). The movie, released in March, opened to $35,000,000 at the box office in the first weekend and established her as a box-office draw. Also in 2005, it was decided that her independent movie Ellie Parker (2001) would be re-released in late 2005 after its success at resurfacing at the Sundance Film Festival. The movie, which Naomi also produced, features her in the title role and is a bit biographical, but yet exaggerated take of the life of a struggling actress as she comes to Hollywood and encounters nightmares of the profession (it also features Watts' own beat-up Honda which she travels around in). In 2006, she starred with Edward Norton in The Painted Veil (2006). In July of 2007, Naomi gave birth to a boy, Alexander Pete (Sasha Schreiber) in Los Angeles with Liev Schreiber. Since then her career choices have gathered even more critical acclaim with starring roles roles in German director Michael Haneke's American remake of his thriller Funny Games (2007), David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises (2007), and the action-thriller, The International (2009), released in February 2009. In mid-2008, Watts announced she was expecting her second child with Schreiber and gave birth to second son Samuel Kai Schreiber, in New York on December 13.- Actor
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Samuel Henry John Worthington was born August 2, 1976 in Surrey, England. His parents, Jeanne (Martyn) and Ronald Worthington, a power plant employee, moved the family to Australia when he was six months old, and raised him and his sister Lucinda in Warnbro, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia.
Worthington graduated from NIDA (Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art) in 1998 at the age of 22. He received critical acclaim for his portrayal of "Arthur Wellesley" in his first professional role in the Belvoir Street Theatre production "Judas Kiss" (directed by Neil Armfield). He then went on to work in Australian television on such shows as Water Rats (1996) and "Backburner" and then on the American TV show JAG (1995)'s 100th episode (Boomerang: Part 1).
Worthington made his film debut in the highly acclaimed Australian movie Bootmen (2000), a film about a troop of "tap dogs". Minor roles proceeded in Hart's War (2002) and A Matter of Life (2001) before he was cast in another hailed Australian drama, Dirty Deeds (2002), co-starring Toni Collette and John Goodman.
The following year, he starred in yet another Aussie film, opposite David Wenham in Gettin' Square (2003). The director of the film, Jonathan Teplitzky, originally tested actors who were up to 8 years older than the then-27-year-old Worthington. Teplitzky wasn't sure Sam "could convincingly play a tough guy and also have elements of the leading man about him", but in the end Teplitzky decided he was "fantastic", and had "David playing the older, slightly more streetwise accomplice" proclaiming "it worked".
But it wasn't until 2004 that Sam got his big break. He was offered the starring role in Cate Shortland's acclaimed Australian drama Somersault (2004), opposite Abbie Cornish. The film made a clean sweep of the Australian Film Institute awards in 2004, winning in 13 film categories - the first time this has ever occurred in the award's history. Worthington also won the AFI award for Best Male Actor.
Worthington's career took off internationally when he was cast as Jake Sully in James Cameron's Avatar (2009) and as Marcus Wright, a cyborg who assists the humans despite their suspicions of him in Terminator Salvation (2009). Worthington soon became a household name, and starring in high profile films Clash of the Titans (2010), The Debt (2010), Texas Killing Fields (2011), Man on a Ledge (2012), and Wrath of the Titans (2012). Worthington also provided the voice for the Call of Duty: Black Ops video games.
In 2010, Worthington started a production company, Full Clip Productions, with two of his close friends John Schwarz and Michael Schwarz. The company teamed with Radical studios to print two graphic novels Damaged and Patriots.- Actress
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Rose Byrne was born in Balmain, Sydney, Australia. She is the daughter of Jane, a primary school administrator, and Robin Byrne, a semi-retired statistician and market researcher.
She landed her first role in a movie, Dallas Doll (1994), when she was 15 years old.
Since then, Rose has appeared in a variety of Australian televisions shows including Heartbreak High (1994), Echo Point (1995), and the film Two Hands (1999) alongside Heath Ledger. After this, she appeared in various movies like The Date (1999), My Mother Frank (2000), and Clara Law's The Goddess of 1967 (2000) for which she obtained the Female Volpi Cup at the Venice Festival in 2000.
Her first experience on a big-budget movie came when she played handmaiden, Dormé, to Natalie Portman, Padmé Amidala, in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). In 2003, she starred, coincidentally, as Rose Mortmain in the adaptation of Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle (2003). In 2004, she acted in Wicker Park (2004) with Diane Kruger and Josh Hartnett. Here, she heard Wolfgang Petersen was looking for an actress for Briseis in his next movie Troy (2004) with Brad Pitt, she got the part and was recognised as one of the most promising actresses in Hollywood.
After Troy (2004), she played Edith in a TV adaptation of Casanova (2005). In September 2005, she started to act in Sunshine (2007), a Danny Boyle movie, where she plays the pilot in a space mission.- Actor
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Christopher "Chris" Hemsworth was born on August 11, 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Leonie Hemsworth (née van Os), an English teacher & Craig Hemsworth, a social-services counselor. His brothers are actors, Liam Hemsworth & Luke Hemsworth; he is of Dutch (from his immigrant maternal grandfather), Irish, English, Scottish, and German ancestry. His uncle, by marriage, was Rod Ansell, the bushman who inspired the comedy film Crocodile Dundee (1986).
Chris saw quite a bit of the country in his youth, after his family moved to the Northern Territory before finally settling on Phillip Island, to the south of Melbourne. In 2004, he unsuccessfully auditioned for the role of Robbie Hunter in the Australian soap opera Home and Away (1988) but was recalled for the role of Kim Hyde which he played until 2007. In 2006, he entered the Australian version of Dancing with the Stars (2004) and his popularity in the soap enabled him to hang on until show 7 (Episode #5.7 (2006)) when he became the fifth contestant to be eliminated.
His first Hollywood appearance was in the science fiction blockbuster Star Trek (2009), but it was his titular role in the superhero blockbuster Thor (2011) which propelled him to prominence worldwide. He reprised the character in the superhero blockbusters The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Chris's American representative, management company ROAR, also manages actress Elsa Pataky, and it was through them that the two met, marrying in 2010. The couple have a daughter and twin sons. He was appointed Member of the Order of Australia at the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to the performing arts and to charitable organisations.- Actress
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Cate Blanchett was born on May 14, 1969 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to June (Gamble), an Australian teacher and property developer, and Robert DeWitt Blanchett, Jr., an American advertising executive, originally from Texas. She has an older brother and a younger sister. When she was ten years old, her 40-year-old father died of a sudden heart attack. Her mother never remarried, and her grandmother moved in to help her mother.
Cate graduated from Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1992 and, in a little over a year, had won both critical and popular acclaim. On graduating from NIDA, she joined the Sydney Theatre Company's production of Caryl Churchill's "Top Girls", then played Felice Bauer, the bride, in Tim Daly's "Kafka Dances", winning the 1993 Newcomer Award from the Sydney Theatre Critics Circle for her performance. From there, Blanchett moved to the role of Carol in David Mamet's searing polemic "Oleanna", also for the Sydney Theatre Company, and won the Rosemont Best Actress Award, her second award that year. She then co-starred in the ABC Television's prime time drama Heartland (1994), again winning critical acclaim. In 1995, she was nominated for Best Female Performance for her role as Ophelia in the Belvoir Street Theatre Company's production of "Hamlet". Other theatre credits include Helen in the Sydney Theatre Company's "Sweet Phoebe", Miranda in "The Tempest" and Rose in "The Blind Giant is Dancing", both for the Belvoir Street Theatre Company. In other television roles, Blanchett starred as Bianca in ABC's Bordertown (1995), as Janie Morris in G.P. (1989) and in ABC's popular series Police Rescue (1994). She made her feature film debut in Paradise Road (1997).
Cate married writer Andrew Upton in 1997. She had met him a year earlier on a movie set, and they didn't like each other at first. He thought she was aloof, and she thought he was arrogant, but then they connected over a poker game at a party, and she went home with him that night. Three weeks later he proposed marriage and they quickly married before she went off to England to play her breakthrough role in films: the title character in Elizabeth (1998) for which she won numerous awards for her performance, including the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama. Cate was also nominated for an Academy Award for the role but lost out to Gwyneth Paltrow. 2001 was a particularly busy year, with starring roles in Bandits (2001), The Shipping News (2001), Charlotte Gray (2001) and playing Elf Queen Galadriel in the "Lord Of The Rings" trilogy. She also gave birth to her first child, son Dashiell, in 2001. In 2004, she gave birth to her second son Roman.
Also, in 2004, she played actress Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese's film The Aviator (2004), for which she received an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress. Two years later, she received an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actress for playing a teacher having an affair with an underage student in Notes on a Scandal (2006). In 2007, she returned to the role that made her a star in Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007). It earned her an Oscar nomination as Best Actress. She was nominated for another Oscar that same year as Best Supporting Actress for playing Bob Dylan in I'm Not There (2007). In 2008, she gave birth to her third child, son Ignatius. She and her husband became artistic directors of the Sydney Theatre Company, choosing to spend more time in Australia raising their three sons. She also purchased a multi-million dollar home in Sydney, Australia and named it Bulwarra and made extensive renovations to it. Because of her life in Australia, her film work became sporadic, until Woody Allen cast her in the title role in Blue Jasmine (2013), which won her the Academy Award as Best Actress. She ended her job as artistic director of the Sydney Theatre Company, while her husband continued there for two more years before he too resigned.
In 2015, she adopted her daughter Edith in her father's homeland of the United States. That same year, she and her husband sold their multi-million dollar home in Australia at a profit and moved to America. Reasons varied from her wanting to work more in America to wanting to familiarize herself with her late father's American heritage. She played the title role of Carol (2015), a 1950s American housewife in a lesbian affair with a younger woman, for which she received an Oscar nomination as Best Actress. While most actresses might slow down in their forties, Blanchett did the opposite by stretching her boundaries even further, such as when she played 13 different characters in Manifesto (2015) and then making her Broadway debut in 2017 in "The Present", which is her husband's adaptation of Chekhov's play "Platonov" for which she earned a Tony nomination as Best Actress in a Play. Also in 2017, she was selected for the highest honor in her birth country: the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).- Actor
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Guy Edward Pearce was born October 5, 1967 in Cambridgeshire, England, UK to Margaret Anne and Stuart Graham Pearce. His father was born in Auckland, New Zealand, to English and Scottish parents, while Guy's mother is English. Pearce and his family initially traveled to Australia for two years, after his father was offered the position of Chief test pilot for the Australian Government. Guy was just 3-years-old. After deciding to stay in Australia and settling in the Victorian city of Geelong, Guy's father was killed 5 years later in an aircraft test flight, leaving Guy's mother, a schoolteacher, to care for him and his older sister, Tracy.
Having little interest in subjects at school like math or science, Guy favored art, drama and music. He joined local theatre groups at a young age and appeared in such productions as "The King and I," "Fiddler on the Roof," and "The Wizard of Oz." In 1985, just two days after his final high school exam, Guy started a four-year stint as "Mike Young" on the popular Aussie soap Neighbours (1985). At age 20, Guy appeared in his first film, Heaven Tonight (1989), then, after a string of appearances in film, television and on the stage, he won the role of an outrageous drag queen in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994).
Most recently, he has amazed film critics and audiences, alike, with his magnificent performances in L.A. Confidential (1997), Memento (2000), The Proposition (2005), Factory Girl (2006), The Hurt Locker (2008), The King's Speech (2010) and the HBO mini-series, Mildred Pierce (2011). Next to acting, Guy has had a life-long passion for music and songwriting.
Guy likes to keep his private life very private. He lives in Melbourne, Australia, which is also where he married his childhood sweetheart, Kate Mestitz in March 1997.- Actress
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Jacqueline Ruth Weaver is an Australian theatre, film and television actress. She is known internationally for her performances in Animal Kingdom (2010) and Silver Linings Playbook (2012), both of which earned her nominations for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Weaver emerged in the 1970s as a symbol of the Australian New Wave through her work in Ozploitation films such as Stork (1971), Alvin Purple (1973), and Petersen (1974). Weaver's other films include Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), Magic in the Moonlight (2014), The Disaster Artist (2017), Bird Box (2018), and Poms (2019).
In 2019-20, Weaver had main roles in Bloom and Perpetual Grace, LTD, and in 2021 she had a recurring role in Season 4 of Yellowstone.
In 2005, she released her autobiography, Much Love, Jac.- Actor
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Hugo Wallace Weaving was born on April 4, 1960 in Nigeria, to English parents Anne (Lennard), a tour guide and teacher, and Wallace Weaving, a seismologist. Hugo has an older brother, Simon, and a younger sister, Anna, who both also live and work in Australia. During his early childhood, the Weaving family spent most of their time traveling between Nigeria, Great Britain, and Australia. This was due to the cross-country demands of his father's job in the computer industry. Later, during his teens, Hugo spent three years in England in the seventies attending Queen Elizabeth's Hospital School in Bristol. There, he showed early promise in theater productions and also excelled at history, achieving an A in his O-level examination. He arrived permanently in Australia in 1976 and finished his education at Knox Grammar School, Sydney. He graduated from NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art), a college well-known for other alumni such as Mel Gibson and Geoffrey Rush, in 1981. Since then, Hugo has had a steadily successful career in the film, television, and theater industries. However, he has illustrated that, as renowned as he is known for his film work, he feels most at home on stage and continually performs in Australian theater productions, usually with the Sydney Theater Company. With his success has also come extensive recognition. He has won numerous awards, including two Australian Film Institute Awards (AFI) for Best Actor in a Leading Role and three total nominations. The AFI is the Australian equivalent of an Academy Award, and Hugo won for his performances in Proof (1991) and The Interview (1998). He was also nominated for his performance in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994). He garnered the Best Acting prize for The Interview (1998) at the Montreal Film Festival in 1998 in addition to his AFI Award and, that same year, won the Australian Star of the Year. More recently, roles in films such as The Matrix trilogy as Agent Smith and The Lord of the Rings trilogy as Lord Elrond have considerably raised his international profile. His famous and irreplaceable role in The Matrix movies have made him one of the greatest sci-fi villains of the Twenty-first Century. With each new film, television, or theatrical role, Hugo continues to surpass his audience's expectations and remains one of the most versatile performers working today. He resides in Australia and has two children with partner Katrina Greenwood. Though Hugo and Katrina have never married, they've been a committed couple for over 25 years; while Hugo was quoted as saying marriage "petrified" him in the 1990s, by middle of the following decade he said he no longer felt that way, and that he and Katrina have toyed with the idea of marrying "when we're really old".- Actress
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Isla Lang Fisher was born on February 3, 1976 in Muscat, Oman, to Scottish parents Elspeth Reid and Brian Fisher, who worked as a banker for the U.N. She spent her early childhood in Bathgate, Scotland, before moving to Perth, Australia with her family in the early 1980s. From a young age, Isla showed an interest in both acting and writing. At nine years old, she was appearing in Australian TV commercials. She landed some small parts in the Australian television series Bay City (1993). This led to a bigger part in the television series Paradise Beach (1993). When that show ended, she landed a role in the long-running Australian soap opera Home and Away (1988). While working on that show, she indulged in another of her passions, writing, and published two best-selling novels, "Seduced By Fame" and "Bewitched". In 1997, she was picked by the readers of FHM magazine as #35 on the list of the "100 Sexiest Women in the World", and in 2003, she placed 26th.
Isla has since appeared in the films Wedding Crashers (2005), The Lookout (2007), Hot Rod (2007) and Definitely, Maybe (2008), Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009), and Now You See Me (2013).- Actor
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Simon Baker was first recognized in 1992, when he received Australia's prestigious Logie award for Most Popular New Talent. Upon relocating to Los Angeles with his family, Baker was immediately cast in the Academy Award winning film L.A. Confidential (1997).- Actress
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Toni Collette is an Academy Award-nominated Australian actress, best known for her roles in The Sixth Sense (1999) and Little Miss Sunshine (2006).
Collette was born Toni Collett (she later added an "e") on November 1, 1972, in Blacktown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. She is the first of three children of Judith (Cook), a customer service representative, and Bob Collett, a truck driver. From age six, she was brought up in suburban Sydney. At the age of eleven, she showed her phenomenal acting skills when she faked appendicitis out of boredom and longing for attention; her act was so convincing that doctors had to remove her appendix, even though the test showed nothing was wrong with it. At 16, she left school and enrolled in the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA). At that time, she was a struggling actress, supporting herself by delivering pizzas. After 18 months of studies, she left NIDA for her feature film debut as "Wendy Robinson", opposite Russell Crowe and Anthony Hopkins, in The Efficiency Expert (1991), and earned herself a nomination for Best Supporting Actress from the Australian Film Institute. Collette made her stage debut with the Sydney Theatre Company, as "Sonya" in Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya", a performance that won her a critic's circle award as Best Newcomer. She also appeared in stage productions at the Belvoir Street Theatre, under directorship of Geoffrey Rush. In 1994, she won the Australian Best Actress in a Lead Role for her work in Muriel's Wedding (1994), for which she had to gain 40 pounds in seven weeks. In 1995, Toni Collette came to Hollywood with a supporting role in The Pallbearer (1996), then had a string of supporting roles. Her first lead as "Diana Spencer", an Australian woman who shares the name and birthday of Princess Diana, in the comedy, Diana & Me (1997), was obscured by the real Diana's death, which practically occurred at the same time when the movie was released. Her breakthrough came with the role as "Lynn Sear" in The Sixth Sense (1999), for which she quite rightly won an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Her latest memorable role as "Sheryl", a beaten-down but loving mother, in Little Miss Sunshine (2006), is also a fine ensemble work with Abigail Breslin, Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Paul Dano, and Alan Arkin. Since 2003, Toni Collette has been married to musician Dave Galafassi, with whom she recorded her singing and songwriting debut album, titled "Beautiful Awkward Pictures", in 2006. She co-owns an independent production company in Australia, and also continues her music career as a singer. Toni resides with her husband in Sydney, Australia, and owns a second home in Ireland.- Actor
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Geoffrey Roy Rush was born on July 6, 1951, in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia, to Merle (Bischof), a department store sales assistant, and Roy Baden Rush, an accountant for the Royal Australian Air Force. His mother was of German descent and his father had English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. He was raised in Brisbane, Queensland, after his parents split up.
Rush attended Everton Park State High School during his formative years. His early interest in the theatre led to his 1971 stage debut at age 20 in "Wrong Side of the Moon" with the Queensland Theatre Company.
Known for his classical repertory work over the years, he scored an unexpected hit with his Queensland role as Snoopy in the musical "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown". A few years later he moved to France to study but subsequently returned to his homeland within a short time and continued work as both actor and director with the Queensland company ("June and the Paycock," "Aladdin," "Godspell," "Present Laughter," "The Rivals"). In the 1980s Rush became a vital member of the State Theatre Company of South Australia and showed an equally strong range there in such productions as "Revenger's Tragedy," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Mother Courage...and Her Children," "Blood Wedding," "Pal Joey," "Twelfth Night" and as The Fool in "King Lear".
Rush made an inauspicious debut in films with the feature Hoodwink (1981), having little more than a bit part, and didn't carry off his first major role until playing Sir Andrew Aguecheek in a movie production of Twelfth Night (1986). Yet, he remained a durable presence on stage with acclaimed productions in "The Diary of a Madman" in 1989 and "The Government Inspector" in 1991.
Rush suffered a temporary nervous breakdown in 1992 due to overwork and anguish over his lack of career advancement. Resting for a time, he eventually returned to the stage. Within a few years film-goers finally began taking notice of Geoffrey after his performance in Children of the Revolution (1996). This led to THE role of a lifetime as the highly dysfunctional piano prodigy David Helfgott in Shine (1996). Rush's astonishing tour-de-force performance won him every conceivable award imaginable, including the Oscar, Golden Globe, British Film Award and Australian Film Institute Award.
"Shine" not only put Rush on the international film map, but atypically on the Hollywood "A" list as well. His rather homely mug was made fascinating by a completely charming, confident and captivating demeanor; better yet, it allowed him to more easily dissolve into a number of transfixing historical portrayals, notably his Walsingham in Elizabeth (1998) and Leon Trotsky in Frida (2002). He's also allowed himself to have a bit of hammy fun in such box office escapism as Mystery Men (1999), House on Haunted Hill (1999), The Banger Sisters (2002), Finding Nemo (2003) and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003). More than validating his early film success, two more Oscar nominations came his way in the same year for Quills (2000) (best actor) and Shakespeare in Love (1998) (support actor) in 2000. Geoffrey's amazing versatility continued into the millennium with his portrayal of the manic, volatile comedy genius Peter Sellers in the biopic The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004). He also merited attention as Lionel Logue in The King's Speech (2010), Basil Hunter in The Eye of the Storm (2011), Hans Hubermann in The Book Thief (2013), artist/sculptor Alberto Giocometti in Final Portrait (2017) and Michael Kingley Storm Boy (2019).
Rush's intermittent returns to the stage have included productions of "Marat-Sade," "Uncle Vanya," "Oleanna," "Hamlet" and "The Small Poppies". In 2009 he made his Broadway debut in "Exit the King" co-starring Susan Sarandon. His marriage (since 1988) to Aussie classical actress Jane Menelaus produced daughter Angelica (1992) and son James (1995). Menelaus, who has also performed with the State Theatre of South Australia, has co-starred on stage with Rush in "The Winter's Tale" (1987), "Troilus and Cressida" (1989) and "The Importance of Being Earnest" (as Gwendolyn to his Jack Worthing). She also had featured roles in a few of his films, including Quills (2000) and The Eye of the Storm (2011).- Actress
- Soundtrack
The second of four children, Australian actress Melissa George was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1976. The daughter of Pamela, a nurse, and Glenn George, a construction worker, Melissa initially expressed interest in various forms of dance rather than acting. During her childhood, George studied tap, ballet, and jazz, later transitioning into professional rollerskating - similar to figure skating on ice.
By age 16, George had won several awards at various National Rollerskating Championships in Australia, and subsequently began modeling after dropping out of high school. George met a casting agent while doing modeling work, and was given a role on the popular Australian soap opera Home and Away (1988); George moved to Sydney and worked on the show for three years until deciding to pursue other projects.
In 1996, George left Australia and moved to Los Angeles in search of bigger roles. She garnered various supporting parts in films such as Dark City (1998) and Steven Soderbergh's crime thriller The Limey (1999), before landing a key part in David Lynch's acclaimed neo noir mystery film, Mulholland Drive (2001). While in Bali in 1998, George met future husband, Chilean filmmaker Claudio Dabed; the two were married in late 2000.
The early 2000s would have George playing bit parts in several American television shows, including Friends (1994) and Monk (2002), ultimately landing a recurring role on the hit Alias (2001) alongside Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan. Through the later part of the decade, George had roles in various horror and thriller films, beginning with the 2005 version of The Amityville Horror (2005), as well as the commercially-successful thriller Derailed (2005) alongside Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston and Vincent Cassel.
George finished the decade with several more horror films, including Turistas (2006) and 30 Days of Night (2007), as well as independent horror titles such as The Killing Gene (2007), The Betrayed (2008) and Triangle (2009). George was also active in television work, landing a role on the popular medical drama Grey's Anatomy (2005). Her greatest critical success would come with a role on In Treatment (2008), playing the love interest of Gabriel Byrne, which would garner her a Golden Globe nomination in 2009.
Though a veteran of television in both Australia and the United States, George has achieved considerable success in her film career, which has hardly spanned over a decade.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Eric Bana was born Eric Banadinovic on August 9, 1968, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He is the younger of two brothers. His father, named Ivan Banadinovic, came from Zagreb, Croatia, and worked as a manager for Caterpillar Inc. His mother, named Eleanor Banadinovic, came from a German family and was a hairdresser.
Young Bana grew up in suburban Melbourne. He was popular among his schoolmates for his talent of making comic impressions of his teachers. At that time, he was fond of Mel Gibson in Mad Max (1979) and also decided to become an actor. He moved to Sydney and worked odd jobs to support himself. In 1991, he began a career as a stand-up comedian, while working as a barman at Melbourne's Castle Hotel. In 1993, Bana made his television debut on Steve Vizard's Tonight Live with Steve Vizard (1990) talk show, then joined the Full Frontal (1993) TV-series. He gained popularity for making impressions of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Cruse and "Columbo". In 1996, he started his own show titled Eric (1997), then launched a comedy series titled The Eric Bana Show Live (1997). The show was canceled for the lack of substantial audience. However, in 1997, Bana received the Logie Award for "Most Popular Comedian" for his work on The Eric Bana Show Live (1997).
He made his film debut in The Castle (1997), in a supporting comic role. That same year, he was cast to portray Mark "Chopper" Read, the notorious Australian underworld figure. For the role, Bana gained 30 pounds, by eating junk food; he also spent a few days with Read in prison, in order to perfect his mimicry. Bana completely transformed himself into a bald, plump, disturbed criminal. He would arrive on the film set at four in the morning, spending several hours in makeup, being tattooed exactly like Read. Chopper (2000) became an international success and won three Australian Film Institute Awards. Bana won the Best Actor at the 2000 Stockholm Film Festival and also the AFI 2000 Best Actor Award. Then he co-starred in Black Hawk Down (2001), then starred in Hulk (2003). In 2002, he was cast as the Trojan Prince Hector in the historical epic Troy (2004), after being recommended by Brad Pitt, who admired Bana for his work in Chopper (2000). In 2005, Bana co-starred with Daniel Craig and Geoffrey Rush in the political drama Munich (2005) directed by Steven Spielberg.
In 1995, he began dating Rebecca Gleeson, a publicist and daughter of Australian High Court Chief Justice Murray Gleeson. The following year, he was named "Bachelor of the Year" by Cleo magazine, and won a trip for two to the United States. He invited Gleeson, and proposed to her during that romantic trip. In 1997, the two were married; their son, Klaus, was born in 1999, their daughter, Sophia, was born in 2002. He currently resides in Melbourne with his wife and their two children. Bana is a passionate supporter of Australian football. He was appointed Member of the Order of Australia at the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to the performing arts and to charitable organisations.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Radha Mitchell (born 12 November 1973) is an Australian actress. She started her career acting in various Australian TV series and movies, and later became known for her appearance in Hollywood films. Mitchell, a native of Melbourne, began acting when she was still in high school and had her professional debut on the popular Australian soap, Neighbours (1985) in 1994. Two years later, she made her film debut in the romantic comedy Love and Other Catastrophes (1996), in which she starred as a college student experiencing a messy breakup. The film proved to be fairly popular in Australia, but it wasn't until she was cast in High Art (1998) that Mitchell gained an introduction to a wider audience. The critical success of "High Art" made it possible for her to do more international work, and her increasing popularity was reflected by her subsequent casting in a number of projects. Among them were Pitch Black (2000), a sci-fi horror film in which Mitchell played a pilot whose ship crashes on a hostile planet, and Everything Put Together (2000), a drama where she plays a suburban woman shunned by her peers after the death of her baby. Her career continued with a diverse run of films, including Nobody's Baby (2001), Man on Fire (2004), Finding Neverland (2004), and landing the lead in Woody Allen's Melinda and Melinda (2004). Those last three films all hit the screens in 2004, and although kept working steadily, she never quite capitalized on the buzz she generated that year. Her other credits include Silent Hill (2006), Henry Poole Is Here (2008), Surrogates (2009) and The Crazies (2010).- Actor
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Despite his prominence in Hollywood as a character actor known for playing villains and criminals, Ben Mendelsohn has been a leading man in Australia since starting acting as a teenager.
Paul Benjamin Mendelsohn was born in Melbourne, Australia, to Carole Ann (Ferguson), a nurse, and Frederick Arthur Oscar Mendelsohn, a medical researcher. Getting his start in television, including The Henderson Kids (1985) and the long running soap opera Neighbours (1985), Mendelsohn broke out with his performance as an ill-fated juvenile delinquent in the acclaimed coming of age film The Year My Voice Broke (1987). Mendelsohn won the best supporting actor award from the Australian Film Institute, his first of eight nominations.
Mendelsohn went onto to become one of the most popular teen/young adult stars in Australia cinema, often rivaling other emerging talents of his generation, including Russell Crowe, Noah Taylor, and Guy Pearce, leading the Australian tabloid to nickname them "the Mouse Pack" in reference to the Rat Pack in America and Brit Pack in the UK, emerging at the same time. Among his peers, Mendelsohn seemed to corner the market on troubled, angry young men, thanks to his roles in Idiot Box (1996), Metal Skin (1994), and Nirvana Street Murder (1990). But Mendelsohn also proved he was capable of being a romantic lead, starring in the comedies The Big Steal (1990), Cosi (1996), and Amy (1997).
In the 1990s, Mendelsohn appeared in just one "Hollywood" film, the action film Vertical Limit (2000), as one of two daredevil climbers on a rescue mission, often providing the film's comic relief. The film failed to find an audience and Mendelsohn returned to Australia, where he primarily worked in theater and television, despite earning best actor nominations from the Australian Film Institute and Australian Film Critics Circle for the drama Mullet, as a prodigal son returning to his small town. He also took steps to work in more international films such as The New World (2005), Knowing (2009) and Australia (2008). Mendelsohn has acknowledged that there was a period of almost two years that he had so little work, he considered leaving the acting profession entirely.
In 2009, Mendelsohn experienced a bit of a comeback with the role in the independent Australian films Beautiful Kate (2009), as troubled man forced to reunite with his dying father and come to terms with the death of his twin sister, with whom he had a complicated relationship. He was nominated for Australian Film Institute and Australian Film Critics Circle Best Actor in 2009. A year later, he appeared as Pope in Animal Kingdom (2010), the most terrifying and violent member of a crime family. In 2010, he won Best Actor from the Australian Film Institute, Independent Film Award, and Australian Film Critics Circle.
Since 2010, Mendelsohn has become a major player in Hollywood as a character actor in both blockbuster films (The Dark Knight Rises (2012)) and critically acclaimed films such as Killing Them Softly (2012) and The Place Beyond the Pines (2012). In 2013 he appeared in the UK Starred Up (2013), which earned him a Best Supporting Actor Award from the British Independent Film Awards. He received high praise for his performance as gambling addict in 2015's Mississippi Grind (2015) (earning an independent spirit award nomination for best actor). The same year he began a two season run on Netflix's Bloodline (2015) as Danny Rayburn, the black sheep in a well respected family in the Florida Keys (he was considered a guest actor in the third and final season). In 2016 his career took another leap forward, appearing as the main villain in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), and winning the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He missed the ceremony, as he was filming Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One (2018).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Richard Roxburgh is an Australian actor, writer and producer who is known for portraying Dracula in the 2004 cult classic monster movie Van Helsing starring Hugh Jackman, Hugh Stamp in Mission: Impossible 2 and for his collaborations with Baz Luhrmann, particularly Moulin Rouge. He is married to his Van Helsing co-star Silvia Colloca since 2004 and has three children with her.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Attended college in Melbourne, Australia. With friends from college, launched an early-80s comedy show on Australian TV called The D Generation (1986). In late 80s/early 90s, appeared in comedy show on Australian TV called Fast Forward (1989).- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Rebel Wilson was born in Sydney, Australia, to a family of dog handlers and showers. She trained at the Australian Theatre for Young People and at Second City in the US. After a successful stage and television career in Australia, this writer/actress/producer now focuses on feature film projects in the United States and is perhaps most known for her breakthrough roles in the films Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect. In 2019, Rebel will be seen in four feature films: Isn't It Romantic and The Hustle (both of which she also produced), Jojo Rabbit directed by Taika Waititi and Tom Hooper's Cats and ABC television series Les Norton.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson was born January 3, 1956 in Peekskill, New York, USA, as the sixth of eleven children of Hutton Gibson, a railroad brakeman, and Anne Patricia (Reilly) Gibson (who died in December of 1990). His mother was Irish, from County Longford, while his American-born father is of mostly Irish descent.
Mel and his family moved to Australia in the late 1960s, settling in New South Wales, where Mel's paternal grandmother, contralto opera singer Eva Mylott, was born. After high school, Mel studied at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, performing at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts alongside future film thespians Judy Davis and Geoffrey Rush.
After college, Mel had a few stints on stage and starred in a few TV shows. Eventually, he was chosen to star in the films Mad Max (1979) and Tim (1979), co-starring Piper Laurie. The small budgeted Mad Max made him known worldwide, while Tim garnered him an award for Best Actor from the Australian Film Institute (equivalent to the Oscar).
Later, he went on to star in Gallipoli (1981), which earned him a second award for Best Actor from the AFI. In 1980, he married Robyn Moore and had seven children. In 1984, Mel made his American debut in The Bounty (1984), which co-starred Anthony Hopkins.
Then in 1987, Mel starred in what would become his signature series, Lethal Weapon (1987), in which he played "Martin Riggs". In 1990, he took on the interesting starring role in Hamlet (1990), which garnered him some critical praise. He also made the more endearing Forever Young (1992) and the somewhat disturbing The Man Without a Face (1993). 1995 brought his most famous role as "Sir William Wallace" in Braveheart (1995), for which he won two Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director.
From there, he made such box office hits as The Patriot (2000), Ransom (1996), and Payback (1999). Today, Mel remains an international superstar mogul, continuously topping the Hollywood power lists as well as the Most Beautiful and Sexiest lists.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
David Wenham is an Australian actor who is known for his portrayals of Faramir from The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Friar Carl from the Van Helsing franchise and Dilios from 300. He also acted in Moulin Rouge, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Dark City, Top of the Lake, SeaChange and Peter Rabbit.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Anthony wanted to be a soccer player but he didn't have the skills so he taught in a school for 10 months until he realized that it wasn't his vocation and then spent some years working in a shoe store before moving to New York where he spent time as a barman and a sprinkler system installer to earn money for acting classes. By 1988 he was on the New York stage and was seen by a casting director who some time later put him in Frasier as Simon Moon.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Jonathan is the youngest of three brothers. Older brother, Anthony LaPaglia, is also an actor. Middle brother, Michael, is a car wholesaler in Los Angeles. His parents are, Eddie LaPaglia, an Australian auto dealership owner, and Maria, a secretary. He initially wanted to pursue fine arts as a career, but had doubts about his talent. He graduated from the University of Adelaide, Australia with a degree in medicine. He worked three years as a physician in Adelaide, Sydney and London. Feeling restricted, he decided to follow his brother into acting.In 1994, he moved to New York City where he joined the Circle In The Square Theatre School. He got his first break in 1996, when he joined the cast of the TV series New York Undercover (1994).- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Rachael Taylor grew up in Tasmania, Australia, with her parents Nigel and Christine Taylor. She began modelling during her teens, working for the Skye-Jilly International agency. She competed for Miss Teen Tasmania, as well as the Miss Universe/Miss World state finals. She moved to Sydney to further her modeling career as well as to pursue acting. She also began studying for a degree in History and Politics at the University of Sydney.
In 2004, she landed her first acting role in the television movie The Mystery of Natalie Wood (2004). After performing several roles, she left her studies to play a regular role on the Australian drama Headland (2005). She won a Logie Award for her performance as Most Popular New Female Talent. Her breakthrough role came in Transformers (2007) when she played Maggie Madsen.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
The Australian actor Alex O'Loughlin was born in August 1976.
Alex started out his film career in 2004, when he starred in Oyster Farmer (2004) as Jack Flange. The following year, he returned to the big screen as Michael Carter in Feed (2005), a movie that he also co-produced and helped write. Also released that year was a movie titled Man-Thing (2005), in which Alex played Deputy Eric Fraser.
However, his most recent role in a feature film was that of "Marcus Bohem" in The Invisible (2007). Alex acted in the Australian miniseries Mary Bryant (2005) as the title role's husband. He made his way to American serialized television in The Shield (2002) as Detective Kevin Hiatt, the newest member of the strike team. Alex can be seen as Marshall in the movie August Rush (2007), and also in Whiteout (2009). In 2005, he was nominated for the Australian Film Institute's Best Lead Actor in Television for his role in Mary Bryant (2005). In 2006, he was nominated for the Logie Awards' Silver Logie in the same category and role.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Australian actor Jack Thompson was born John Hadley Payne on August 31, 1940 in Manly, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney. Outside of Oz, he is best known for his appearances in The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978), Breaker Morant (1980), The Man from Snowy River (1982), Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997) and Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). 'Breaker' Morant in which he played a military defense attorney defending three soldiers accused of murder during the Boer War, won him internationally renown. Thompson was cited as Best Supporting Actor at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Australian Film Institute's Best Actor award for the role.
In the early part of his career, Thompson balanced a career with the United Nations with his acting: The acting won out. At 65 years old, his career has been recognized by the Critics Circle of Australia, which awarded him its Lifetime Achievement Award, and by the Cinema Owners Association of Australia, which gave him its Award for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Film Entertainment. Thompson lived for a while in a menage a trois with his wife Leona King, by whom he has a son, and her sister Bunkie. Though the living arrangement came to an end after several years, Thompson has no regrets, saying "I wouldn't have missed it for quids." He was awarded Member of the Order of Australia in the 1986 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to the film industry.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Day was born in Melbourne, Victoria. When he was 11 years old, he went to live in the United States with his father, a newspaper correspondent, where he became interested in acting. On his return to Australia, he attended University High School in Parkville, Melbourne and joined St Martins Youth Arts Centre in South Yarra.
Day was spotted by an agent at the age of 14 and was soon cast in his first role in the ABC children's television series c/o The Bartons. At 17, he left his home in Carlton and relocated to Sydney for the role in the television series A Country Practice that was to be his big break. He has since established a reputation as one of Australia's leading film, television and theatre actors, appearing in numerous Australian television series and telemovies including Rake, Tangle, Hell Has Harbour Views, My Brother Jack and Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo. Feature credits include Touch, My Year Without Sex, Love and Other Catastrophes, Muriel's Wedding, Woody Allen's Scoop, and Kiss or Kill, for which he received nominations for a Film Critic Circle Award and an AFI Award for Best Actor. His international television credits include Shackleton with Kenneth Branagh, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Commander, Spooks, Hotel Babylon, Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Bruce Beresford's And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself. Short films as writer/director include Beat (2011 St Kilda Film Festival) My Everything (2003 Toronto Short Film Festival) and Wish (Turner Classic Shorts 2008 Winner - Special Mention, London Film Festival, Encounters Short Film Festival, Foyle Film Festival, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Stockholm Film Festival).- Actress
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Adrienne Pickering was born on 22 February 1981 in Queensland, Australia. She is an actress, known for Knowing (2009), Rake (2010) and Candy (2006).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Upon graduating from the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 2008, Alex starred in the independent Australian feature film Wasted On The Young, which garnered much attention at Toronto International Film Festival and South by Southwest Film Festival. This was followed with roles in several independent and studio films in both the US and Australia.
In 2012 Alex played the lead role in the US science fiction thriller Chronicle, which grossed over $126 million worldwide. Following the success of Chronicle, Alex starred in the 2013 re-make of the infamous supernatural horror classic Carrie alongside Julianne Moore and Chloe Grace Moretz followed by a performance in Andrew Niccol's The Host. Alex followed this with starring roles in Australian drama Cut Snake with director Tony Ayres and co-starring Sullivan Stapleton and Jessica Gouw and as Pete Zamperini alongside Jack O'Connell and Jai Courtney in Angelina Jolie's Academy Award nominated epic Unbroken.
Most recently, Alex has starred in Ivan Sen's Australian outback western Goldstone opposite Jacki Weaver and David Wenham; Christian Papierniak's Izzy Gets The F*ck Across Town opposite Mackenzie Davis; Greg McLean's Jungle opposite Daniel Radcliffe for Arclight films; Joseph Kosinski's Only The Brave opposite Miles Teller and Josh Brolin for Sony Pictures, Black Label Media and producer Lorenzo DiBonaventura and Luke Shanahan's Rabbit opposite Adelaide Clemens.
In the summer of 2017, Alex wrapped his most recent project, independent feature Brampyon's Own for writer/director Michael Doneger starring alongside Rose McIver and Jean Smart.
Alex stars as Jim Street in SWAT for CBS Studios and Sony Pictures Television Studios, airing on CBS in 2017.
Alex is represented by UTA, Mosaic and United Management.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Australian actress Emily Browning was born in 1988 in Melbourne, Australia, to Shelley and Andrew Browning. She has two younger brothers. Her start in acting came after a classmate's father, involved in the acting business, noticed her "acting all ditsy" in a school play. Emily found an agent and was soon filming on location for the Hallmark TV-movie, The Echo of Thunder (1998). She received more roles from there, including parts in The Man Who Sued God (2001), opposite Billy Connolly, and Ned Kelly (2003), opposite Heath Ledger and Orlando Bloom. In that film, she had to hug Heath Ledger, and she said that all of her friends, who went to see the film, at the same time sent her a barrage of text messages about how lucky she was! Emily says she tries to avoid "cheesy" movies, and her big break came when she was on a press tour in LA for Ghost Ship (2002), that was filmed in Australia and released in America. In the same year, she won an Australian Film Institute Award for Best Young Actress, and was nominated for the same award, the next year. Emily received some scripts when she was in LA and sent in a video audition for A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004). She received a call and was asked to come to LA for a proper audition, which won her the part. She spent months in LA filming, for the second time acting opposite Billy Connolly. Emily said she enjoyed the experience of making a big budget film in America, and says that although she's not sure what is coming next, she's hoping to do some more Australian work.- Actress
- Producer
Abbie Cornish, also known by her rap name Dusk, is an Australian actress and rapper. Following her lead performance in 2004's Somersault, Cornish is best-known for her film roles as the titular heroin addict in the drama Candy (2006), courtier Bess Throckmorton in the historical drama Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), Fanny Brawne in the John Keats biopic Bright Star (2009), "Sweet Pea" in the action film Sucker Punch (2011), Lindy in the science fiction thriller Limitless (2011) and for her work with writer/director Martin McDonagh in Seven Psychopaths (2012) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017).
Cornish was born in Lochinvar, New South Wales, Australia, as the second of five children of Shelley and Barry Cornish. Her sister, Isabelle Cornish, is also an actress. She grew up on a 70-hectare (170-acre) farm before moving to Newcastle, New South Wales. As a teenager, Cornish was fascinated by independent and foreign films. In 2006 she became an ambassador for Australian animal rights group Voiceless, the animal-protection institute, and was part of a national advertising campaign in 2012. Cornish began model-ling at age 13 after reaching the finals of a Dolly Magazine competition. In 1999, Cornish was awarded the Australian Film Institute Young Actor's Award for her role in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television show Wildside and was offered her first role in a feature film, The Monkey's Mask.
In 2004, Cornish appeared in the award-winning short film Everything Goes with Hugo Weaving. She received the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress at the FCCA and IF Awards and Best Breakthrough Performance at the 2005 Miami International Film Festival for her role in Somersault. Cornish received critical acclaim for her role in Candy, opposite Heath Ledger. She has also starred in A Good Year, Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Kimberly Peirce's Stop-Loss. In April 2010, Cornish was cast in Limitless, the film adaptation of the novel The Dark Fields, directed by Neil Burger and also starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro.
Cornish narrated Zack Snyder's film Sucker Punch, in which she played one of the protagonists, at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International. Cornish played the role of Wally in Madonna's film W.E., about Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. She replaced Emily Blunt in the independent film The Girl. It premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2012. She starred alongside Woody Harrelson and Colin Farrell in Seven Psychopaths, released in 2012. Cornish co-starred in the 2014 RoboCop reboot. She played Clara Murphy, the wife of protagonist Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman). In 2015, she played Agent Katherine Cowles in Solace, a mystery thriller film directed by Afonso Poyart with central performances by Anthony Hopkins, Colin Farrell, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. In 2016, she filmed The Girl Who Invented Kissing with Luke Wilson.
Cornish is a rapper, singer and songwriter. She has been rapping under the name Dusk since 2000 and was part of an Australian hip hop group from the age of 18 to 22. In 2015, Cornish supported American rapper Nas on his Australian tour. The same year she released two new tracks on SoundCloud: "Evolve" featuring Jane Tyrrell and "Way Back Home" which was produced by Suffa from Hilltop Hoods.- Actor
- Producer
Vince Colosimo is one of Australia's most recognised actors with an extensive and successful career in theatre, television and film. With an AFI Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2002 for his performance in the highly-successful feature film Lantana and a featured role in the internationally acclaimed Chopper, he naturally attracted attention from the US earning guest-starring roles in the top rating US series Without A Trace and the final series of The Practice.
Vince most recently starred in the SBS series Sunshine and will next be seen in a lead role in Mairi Cameron's debut feature film The Second opposite Rachael Blake, and the Nine Network's telemovie Underbelly Files: Chopper where he will reprise his role as Alphonse Gangitano.
Vince first came to the public's attention in the feature films Street Hero and Moving Out which earned him an AFI Award nomination for Best Actor and a Sydney Film Critics Circle Award for Best New Talent. He won the Empire Award for Best Australian Actor for his role in Walking on Water in 2003 and has also appeared in the features The Hard Word, The Nugget, Take Away, Opal Dream and the 2006 Project Greenlight feature, Solo.
Vince's other feature film credits include Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby, Ridley Scott's Body Of Lies alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and in 2010 he appeared opposite Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke, and Claudia Karvan in the Spierig Brothers' Daybreakers and reunited with Nick Giannopoulos in the sequel to The Wogboy - The Kings of Mykonos, Swerve directed by Craig Lahiff and Face to Face, directed by Michael Rymer. Both films screened at the 2011 Melbourne International Film Festival. Vince's role in Face to Face earned him a nomination for Best Actor at Tulsa International Film Festival and the Jury Award for Best Actor at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
Vince has also worked extensively in television including the ABC's The Warriors, series 2 of The Ex-PM, Janet King, the telemovie Jack Irish: Dead Point, Nine Network's telemovie Schapelle and mini-series Fat Tony & Co., Spartacus: War of the Damned on the Starz Network, A Country Practice and the extremely popular The Secret Life of Us. His guest roles include; Offspring, Mr & Mrs Murder, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, City Homicide, Cops LAC, Blue Heelers, MDA, The Falls, Good Guys - Bad Guys, Halifax f.p, Stingers, Kath & Kim, Chris Lilley's debut ABC series We Can Be Heroes, Bryan Brown's Two Twisted, Carla Cametti PD, and in the second series of ABC's The Librarians. His unforgettable performance as Alphonse Gangitano in Underbelly earned him nominations for an AFI Award and a Logie award and he went on to star in Nine's telemovies Scorched, Wicked Love alongside Rebecca Gibney and Panic at Rock Island.
Vince has also enjoyed a vibrant and successful theatre career, starring in productions of The Wogboys which toured nationally in sold-out venues and was later adapted to a feature film in which he co-starred. He has also performed in productions of The Club, Othello and Piaf for Melbourne Theatre Company and Rose Tattoo and Twelfth Night for the State Theatre Company of South Australia.- Actor
- Producer
HBO's mega-hit True Blood created by Academy Award winner Alan Ball set the stage for Ryan's talent. For seven seasons he portrayed the fan favorite Jason Stackhouse. Most recently in the film world, Ryan has been discretionary yet fruitful with his choices of project. Working for a second time with visionary Australian director Ivan Sen on his latest film Expired. Ivan's work is critically claimed and has been presented at Festival De Cannes. Ryan played the lead role in Expired and was wonderfully supported by Hugo Weaving and Jillian Nguyen. Ryan then starred in Seth Larney's sci-fi thriller 2067 along side Academy Award Nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee.
Kwanten has a slew of films slated to premiere in the coming months. The first is Glorious. Produced by Ryan and Directed by Rebekah McKendry, Rebekah brings Lovecraftian horror to a place it has never been seen before: a rest stop men's room. Kwanten teams up for this incredible two-hander with Academy Award Winner J.K. Simmons. Section 8 sees Ryan headline an all-star action cast including Dermot Mulroney, Scott Adkins, Dolph Lungren, and Mickey Rourke.
On the television side of things, Ryan starred in the Amazon Prime original series, Them, from powerhouse Lena Waithe. His other recent work includes starring in BlumHouse's series Sacred Lies, along side Juliette Lewis. Producing and staring in two seasons of the Sony original crime drama series, The Oath alongside Sean Bean and produced by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson.
Kwanten is currently shooting and starring in Kindred for the Disney-owned FX Network. The project is the first ever adaption of the luminary Octavia E. Butler's works. It is being produced by Darren Aronofsky's Protozoa Pictures.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Bryan Brown was born on 23 June 1947 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He is an actor and producer, known for Cocktail (1988), Breaker Morant (1980) and Two Hands (1999). He has been married to Rachel Ward since 16 April 1983. They have three children.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Mia is an Australian actress, born and raised in the country's capital, Canberra. She is the daughter of photographers Marzena Wasikowska and John Reid. Her mother is Polish and her father is an Australian of British ancestry. She has an older sister, Jess, and a younger brother, Kai. At age eight, her family moved to Poland for a year.
At age nine, Mia took ballet classes with dreams of becoming a professional ballerina. However, an injury prevented this from happening and she quit at age fourteen. Mia turned to acting, having been excited by European and Australian cinema. She was attending Canberra High School, but left to pursue her career as an actor.
She had just turned 15 when she landed the role of Lilya in Suburban Mayhem (2006). Her breakthrough role came when she was cast as Alice in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (2010).- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Striking, intense actor from Australia. A leading man with both strong dramatic range and ample comic timing, Lachy Hulme broke into movies by writing Canadian action/drama Men with Guns (1997), a bloody tale of friendship and revenge directed by Kari Skogland. Following numerous guest appearances on Australian television and many "fringe" theatre productions, he starred as "Carl" in the little-seen thriller Four Jacks (2001), a perfect role that combined his natural intensity with a dark, violent streak. He won the Best Actor Award at the 2001 Melbourne Underground Film Festival as a result. Known for being very private, he does interviews when promoting a movie, but he never discusses his relationships or family. After Four Jacks, he re-teamed with writer/director Matthew George for a change of pace, the light-hearted adventure Let's Get Skase (2001), starring as real-life sleazebag turned kidnapper "Peter Dellasandro". Based on a true story, the film was attacked by Australian critics for being in "bad taste" at the time of its release. Hulme fought valiantly for the film, often attacking its critics in television and radio interviews, and the controversy boosted his profile considerably.
He soon landed roles opposite Steve Irwin in The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (2002) and in the video game Enter the Matrix (2003).- Actor
- Director
Firass Dirani was born in Blacktown in New South Wales, Australia on April 29, 1984. He began studying acting in 2001 at the Actors College of Theatre and Television (ACTT) and in 2014 moved to New York City where he studied at the Atlantic Theater Company. In 2010, Firass was awarded two Golden Logie Awards for his lead role as the 'King of the Cross' in the highly acclaimed Australian television series 'Underbelly: The Golden Mile'. He then went on to secure the lead role of 'Justin Baynie' in 'House Husbands' (2012) - winner of the Most Popular Television Drama at the 2013 Logie Awards and will commence filming for the fifth season in May, 2016. In late 2015, Firass played 'Vito Rinnelli' in 'Hacksaw Ridge', directed by Mel Gibson which is scheduled for release in 2016. He has since starred in American blockbusters: 'Pitch Black' opposite Vin Diesel, and 'Killer Elite', with Robert De Niro, Jason Statham and Clive Owen.- Bruce Spence was born on September 17, 1945 in New Zealand. When he was growing up in Henderson, just out of Auckland, the last thing he ever expected to be was an actor. Bruce's family were winemakers, and he worked in the family winery from a very tender age, later attending Henderson High School then Massey University, where he studied horticulture. From this background he retained a passion for growing things, and has created a succession of beautiful gardens for himself and friends. At 20, Bruce moved to Australia, where to his surprise he was accepted into the National Gallery of Victoria Art School. Bruce's mother, Olga, was a painter and potter. In 1969 Bruce joined a ragtag group working at the tiny La Mama theatre in Melbourne. The group became the revolutionary Australian Performing Group, and Bruce's talent for acting was discovered. Forced to choose between art and acting, he decided to try his luck at the latter. He went on to perform in numerous plays with the group, then the Melbourne Theatre Company, the Sydney Theatre Company, the South Australian Theatre Company and several other companies, even the National Arts Centre of Canada where he played the lead in the award-winning "The Floating World" by John Romeril. He now lives in Sydney, where his recent acting credits with the Sydney Theatre Company include "The Secret River", "The Harp in the South", "Endgame" and "Rules for Living". Bruce has appeared in close to 100 films, including Mad Max 2 ("The Road Warrior") and 3 ("Beyond Thunderdome"), "Ace Ventura" Part II, "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith", "Finding Nemo", "The Matrix Revolutions" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell no Tales". He has also appeared in numerous television roles. When starring as the wizard Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander in the cult series "Legend of the Seeker", which was filmed in New Zealand, Bruce found he had come full circle, working directly opposite his old high school in Henderson. At home in Sydney he lives quietly with his wife, Jenny and an adoring tabby cat. They have two children and four grandchildren. Between jobs Bruce works on his own burgeoning garden and as a volunteer at the Royal Botanic Garden, where he and his group propagate plants. He is also currently chair of the NSW Actors' Benevolent Fund.
- Sophie Katinis was born on 31 January 1979 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She is an actress, known for Out of the Blue (2008), Let Me Not (2007) and Stupid Stupid Man (2006).
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Callan McAuliffe Callan Mcauliffe (28) is an Australian actor (based in New York and Sydney) most recently seen as series regular 'Alden' on the cult favourite 'The Walking Dead'. In 2024 Callan will be seen playing the lead role of 'Woody' in the feature film 'The Duel' co-starring with Dylan Sprouse/distributed by Lionsgate. In 2023 Callan played the lead role in Amazon's romantic period drama 'Him and Her' - based on a true story.
Callan was launched into the USA at age 14 as Rob Reiner's lead 'Bryce' in the coming-of-age award winning "Flipped". In the years following he played a the lead role of 'Sam' in Steven Spielberg and Michael Bay's "I Am Number Four" and Young Gatsby to Leonardo Di Caprio's lead role for Baz Luhrmann in "The Great Gatsby." His lead role of 'Oburi' with Samuel Jackson in "Kite" based on the Japanese Anime, was followed by his first UK lead role as the young British hero 'Sean Flynn' in "Robot Overlords," alongside Sir Ben Kingsley and Gillian Anderson. Callan's training and success in the arts began early. He topped the Drama Scholarships in Australia at The SCOTS College, as well as The Australian Institute of Performing Arts, securing an opportunity to study Drama at UCLA at age 13. Callan also topped the London Trinity College Musical Theatre Exams. His studies continued via Mr Alan Flower (Sydney Theatre Company) and Screenwise. He has been nominated and won many awards including 'Top Young Actor' in the USA for "The Great Gatsby." While working on "The Walking Dead," Callan continued to play lead and supporting roles in feature films including "Summer Night" (Dir James Cross) released in 2019. He is also known for his original TIFF Breakout role in "Beneath the Harvest Sky" (Dir Aaron and Gita Pullapilly), "Hacker" (Award winning Kazakhstan Dir Akan Satayev), and Sundance favourite "The Stanford Prison Experiment" (Dir Kyle Patrick Alvarez). In Australia he has filmed the much loved TV series "Packed to the Rafters", as well as iconic roles for "Cloudstreet" (Dir Matt Saville) and "Underground - The Julian Assange Story" (Dir Robert Connelly). His first short "Franswa Sharl" (Dir Hannah Hilliard) where he played a cross dressing teenager, received nine international awards, including a win at The Berlin Film Festival. More recently he played Australian bushranger 'Daniel Ryan' in the International Award Winning "The Legend of Ben Hall" (Dir Matthew Holmes). Callan's unique 'calling card' voice and ability to change accents are used widely via feature films and television as well as international documentary series including "Code Red" and the "Rise and Fall of Hitler." His ability to jump to a more light-hearted animated voices has been used for the new book "The Jar of Dreams" by Alan Riva (releasing 2020) and Callan's own first fictional novel, "The Hill Ghost" released to 5-star reviews in 2019. With a tenor vibrato singing voice as well as topping Musical Theatre Exams as a youngster, Callan now enjoys singing mostly for his own enjoyment away from the camera. However, he did sing for the Season 9 Premiere of "The Walking Dead," using his own acapella version of the Irish Ballad "The Last Rose of Summer." Callan has made great achievements on many personal levels. These include securing the 'Duke Of Edinburgh Award' for Outdoor Survival (achieved in the Australian outback). He has been studying Mandarin for five years and plays, in his own words, "an obscure number of instruments." He is currently learning the mandolin, fiddle and banjo. Callan also plays the electric and acoustic guitar, keyboard, and Chinese Erhu. Callan has always been a natural athlete. Prior to leaving Australia he was known as 'The Flying Scotsman' (fastest runner) and Champion athlete at The SCOTS College, Bellevue Hill, Australia. He was also the 'striker' in the top soccer team. A sports injury created a pause on the athletic field but opened the door to Musical Theatre as he secured the lead role in "Oliver" while mending a torn ligament. From this point, Callan turned his focus onto the performing arts and was rewarded with his first USA role via iconic Director, Rob Reiner in 2009. Callan's philanthropic work is global and ongoing as the International Australian Ambassador for UNICEF. He also maintains his link to "The Wolf Connection" in California. An organisation focused on helping at risk teens, using rescued wolf dogs and counselling with their unique programmes. Callan has supported "The Wolf Connection" since the age of 15. Callan is also a Tourism Australia Ambassador working with Australians including Chris Hemsworth, Baz Luhrmann and artist Ken Done.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Xavier Samuel was born on 10 December 1983 in Hamilton, Victoria, Australia. He is an actor, known for Blonde (2022), Fury (2014) and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010).- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Tonkin was born in Sydney. When she was four, she attended dance courses in classical ballet, hip hop, contemporary dance, and tap dance. At the age of 12, Tonkin began courses at the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) at the Wharf Theatre. Tonkin attended Loreto Kirribilli and later graduated from the Queenwood School for Girls.
In December 2005, Tonkin was cast as the role of Cleo Sertori on the Australian children television series H2O: Just Add Water which follows the lives of three teenage girls who turn into mermaids. Tonkin improved on her swimming abilities during the pre-production of the series. The series premiered on 7 July 2006 on Network Ten and has since gone on to be aired to a worldwide audience of more than 250 million. To promote the series she and her co-stars presented the best band award at the Nickelodeon UK Kids' Choice Awards in October 2007. In 2008, Tonkin was nominated for "Best Lead Actress in a Television Series" at the prestigious Australian Film Institute Awards. The series ran for three seasons with the series finale airing on 16 April 2010.
Tonkin has also appeared on fellow Australian television shows Packed to the Rafters and Home and Away. In September 2010, Tonkin made her film debut starring in the Australian action ensemble film Tomorrow, When the War Began. In the film, which revolves around a group of teenagers waging a guerrilla war against an invading foreign power in their fictional hometown of Wirrawee, she played the role of the rich and uptight Fiona Maxwell. In December 2010, a sequel was announced with Tonkin expected to return, though production of a sequel never came to fruition.
In January 2011, Tonkin moved to Los Angeles to pursue an international acting career. She was cast in March 2011 as Faye Chamberlain on The CW supernatural drama series The Secret Circle which premiered on 15 September 2011 to over 3.5 million viewers. The series follows a group of young witches who are a part of a secret coven. For her performance, Tonkin has received critical acclaim, with critics referring to her as the breakout star of the series; she was featured on Variety's list of "new faces to watch" and named one of 2011's breakout TV stars by E! Online. The Secret Circle, however, had only one full season as it was canceled on 11 May 2012.
In August 2010, Tonkin was cast in the 3D horror film Bait 3D. Filming took place on Australia's Gold Coast and follows a group of strangers who are trapped in a supermarket after a freak tsunami with a pack of great white sharks. The film was expected to be released in Australia in September 2012. In August 2012, Tonkin joined the cast of The CW television series, The Vampire Diaries, in the recurring role of Hayley, a friend of Tyler. She joined her co-star from H2O: Just Add Water, Claire Holt, who portrays Rebekah Mikaelson on the show.
On 11 January 2013, The CW confirmed that a spin-off series to The Vampire Diaries was in the works, titled The Originals. The series revolves around the Original Vampire family members, and Tonkin would "be heavily featured in the prospective pilot" of the series. The CW confirmed on 13 February that Claire Holt would also join the cast of The Originals, marking the third time Tonkin and Holt have starred together on a show. Tonkin has had a main role in all the seasons.
Tonkin has appeared in a number of advertisements which include Vauxhall Motors and was previously signed to Chic Management. Her modeling career includes shoots for Girlfriend, Teen Vogue, ELLE Australia, Miss Vogue Australia, Vogue Australia, Dolly and Free People. Tonkin has also appeared in Miles Fisher's music video "Don't Let Go". In 2012 Tonkin opened a website about health with friend Teresa Palmer called YourZenLife.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Daisy Betts is an Australian actress best known for her role as Lieutenant Grace Shepard in ABC's 2012 TV series "Last Resort." She also starred as firefighter Rebecca Jones in "Chicago Fire." She worked alongside Kathy Bates, Alfred Molina, and Jean Smart in NBC's "Harry's Law" and had roles in "Girlfriend's Guide to Divorce", "Castle", and "Persons Unknown."- Todd Lasance was born on 18 February 1985 in Newcastle, Australia. He is an actor, known for NCIS: Sydney (2023), Without Remorse (2021) and Spartacus (2010).
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
William McInnes was born on 10 September 1961 in Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia. He is an actor and writer, known for Blue Heelers (1994), Unfinished Sky (2007) and SeaChange (1998). He was previously married to Sarah Watt.- Lincoln Lewis is an Australian actor who began acting at thirteen, appearing in shows like The Sleepover Club, Mortified and H2o before making his way to the big screens in 2005 with films Aquamarine and Voodoo Lagoon. However, it wasn't until appearing on Home and Away in 2007 that he became a household name, winning a Logie for his role as Geoff Campbell, lasting 567 episodes until leaving to star in the largely popular film adaptation of Tomorrow, When the War Began - Released worldwide in 2010.
Following this, Lewis become a regular on Australian TV, with roles in Neighbours, Underbelly: Razor, House Husbands, SLiDE, Gallipoli, Tricky Business, Rescue: Special Ops, as well as making appearances as himself on Dancing with the Stars, Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation, Hell's Kitchen Australia, and Australia's Next Top Model.
Through the years, Lincoln's other film titles include the shark horror film Bait, Aussie rom-com Spin Out, sci-fi film After Earth - starring Will and Jaden Smith, and 33 Postcards alongside Guy Pearce which for his role, Lincoln won "Male Star of tomorrow" award at the Gold Coast's 2011 Australian International Movie Convention.
More recently, Lincoln starred alongside Travis Fimmel in Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan and in late 2020 Lincoln starred alongside Australian icon, John Jarratt, in paranormal horror film The Possessed. Throughout 2021, Lincoln starred in action film Black Site alongside Michelle Monaghan, Jason Clarke and Jai Courtney while at the same time preparing for Channel Seven's "All Stars" season of Dancing with the Stars. Concluding 2021 shooting alongside Brian Brown and Greta Scacchi in "Darby and Joan". - Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Kat Stewart was born on 30 November 1972 in Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia. She is an actress and producer, known for Underbelly (2008), Offspring (2010) and Mr & Mrs Murder (2013). She has been married to David Whiteley since February 2008. They have two children.- Actress
- Writer
Ella Scott Lynch is an Australian actress of film, television and theatre and also a writer, who was born in Sydney, New South Wales Australia. Lynch is best known for her roles in Love Child (2014) and iconic Australian medical drama All Saints (1998), also making an appearances in other productions such as Upright (2019), Doctor Doctor (2016). Lynch also made appearances in the iconic Underbelly series starring in three adaptations of the series including Underbelly (2008), Underbelly Files: Chopper (2018), and in Informer 3838 (2020) as gangland lawyer Nicola Gobbo.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Andrea Demetriades (born 1987) is an Australian actress known for her television, theatre and film roles.
Demetriades was born in Perth, the youngest of four sisters. Her father, Costas, emigrated from Cyprus in 1969 and met her mother, Athena. Athena was born in Perth but her father was from Andros, Greece. Athena is an artist and Costas became a Greek language teacher and a translator, helping people with legal matters and translating in hospitals and welfare departments.
Demetriades studied Dance at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, and Communications and Cultural Studies at Curtin University. She graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) with a Bachelor of Dramatic Art (Acting) degree in 2006.
Demetriades is best known for her role as Lina Badir in the television series Crownies. She reprized the role for the spin-off series Janet King in 2014 and 2016. Her television guest roles include All Saints as Felicity Summers in 2009, Mr & Mrs Murder as Lola and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries as Beatrice in 2013. Demetriades appeared in the critically acclaimed 2015 Australian drama series The Principal as Hafa Habeb. In 2017 she starred in both the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's TV series Seven Types of Ambiguity, and Pulse as Doctor Lou Tannis. In 2018 she also starred in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's TV series Squinters.
Demetriades has featured in the films Nerve and Around The Block. Her theatre roles include Bell Shakespeare's Pericles, for which she was nominated for a 2009 Green Room Award and she toured Australia in Bell Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in 2010. She starred as Eliza Doolittle in Sydney Theatre Company's 2012 production of Pygmalion.
Demetriades is one of the main protagonists in the 2015 film Alex & Eve about dating between a Greek (Alex, played by Richard Brancatisano) and a Muslim Lebanese (Eve, played by Demetriades).- Actor
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Hamish Michael was born on 18 March 1980 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He is an actor and composer, known for The Twelve (2022), Frayed (2019) and Crownies (2011). He has been married to Kate Mulvany since 7 July 2015.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Marta Dusseldorp was born on 1 February 1973 in Australia. She is an actress and producer, known for A Place to Call Home (2013), Janet King (2014) and Jack Irish (2016). She is married to Ben Winspear. They have two children.- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Indiana Rose Evans born 27 July 1990 is an Australian actress and singer-songwriter, best known for her roles in Home and Away (1988) as Matilda Hunter, H2O: Just Add Water (2006) as Bella Hartley, and Blue Lagoon: The Awakening (2012) as Emmaline Robinson. Evans had an interest in performing since the age of five, when she would perform for family and friends. At the age of seven, Evans' parents enrolled her into dance lessons, which started with ballet and then evolved to jazz and tap.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Daniel Lissing is an Australian actor, born and raised on the beaches of Sydney. He landed his first U.S role in 2012 on ABC's Last Resort (2012) then went on to star in Hallmark's When Calls the Heart (2014).
Daniel's credits in Australia include being a series regular on Crownies (2011), plus playing the lead role in the feature film, The Cure (2014). Additional credits include the feature film, John Doe: Vigilante (2014), and numerous television series, such as Cops LAC (2010), Out of the Blue (2008), Packed to the Rafters (2008), and Home and Away (2010).
Worth noting is that Daniel is a singer/guitar player and has performed for the Australian troops serving overseas in East Timor and the Solomon Islands. He was formally recognized for his peacekeeping efforts by the Australian Defense Force.
Inside Film magazine chose Daniel as one of Australia's rising talents.
A 'down-to-earth' guy, Daniel's primary focus is his work.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Matthew "Matty" Nable is a former Rugby League footballer turned actor. After playing in the Winfield Cup Premiership for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and South Sydney Rabbitohs during the 1990s, he wrote and starred in the rugby league-centered drama The Final Winter in 2007. He is a good friend and frequent collaborator of former Newcastle Five-Eighth turned actor Matthew Johns in television as well. Nable grew up on the Northern Beaches of Sydney and also, as a young boy, spent two years at Portsea, Victoria when his father, a soldier, was stationed there. His father had also worked as a trainer for the Australian national rugby league team and his brother, Adam Nable, would become a professional player as well. Matt rose through the junior ranks at the Manly-Warringah club and made half-a-dozen appearances for the first-grade team, later switching to the South Sydney Rabbitohs for a stint. After another season in England where he played for Carlisle before moving to the London Broncos.- Susie Porter is an Australian Actress whose career has also encompassed film and theatre, Porter is also a NIDA graduate. Porter is best known for her roles on Welcome to Woop Woop (1997), RAN: Remote Area Nurse (2006), East of Everything (2008), Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms (2012), Puberty Blues (2012), Dangerous Remedy (2012) and many more, Porter would also join Australian Award winning drama Wentworth (2013) in 2018 as Marie Winter, a re-imagined version of the shows predecessor "Prisoner".
Porter is also a passionate animal lover and raises awareness for charities and the LGBT communities.
Porter is also married to Chris Mordue since 2010 - Callan Mulvey is one of Australia's leading actors best known for his roles in the television series Rush, Mystery Road (for which he received an AACTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Drama), Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms and Underbelly, as well as Darren Ashton's feature film Thunderstruck. Callan first graced Australian screens in the hugely successful series Heartbreak High.
Callan, now firmly established internationally, made his American film debut in Katherine Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty. His additional film credits include 300: Rise of an Empire, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Zack Snyder's Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, and was part of an all-star ensemble cast for the critically acclaimed film The Turning. Callan can also be seen in David Mackenzie's Outlaw King where he played Lord John Comyn, as well as BBC/Working Title mini-series The Luminaries, opposite Eva Green, Marton Csokas, and Eve Hewson. He can also be seen opposite Simon Baker and Jack Thomson in the 1930's Australian frontier thriller Higher Ground.
Callan most recently appeared in the American action thriller, The Gray Man, directed by the Russo brothers, starring Ryan Gosling. - Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Aaron Fa'Aoso first came to prominence in 2004 with his performance as Eddie in the critically-acclaimed SBS mini-series, R.A.N., for which he received a nomination for an AFI Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Drama and a LOGIE Award nomination for Most Outstanding New Talent. Following on from that success, Aaron joined the multi-award winning SBS series East West 101 which recently had its third season go to air. Aaron received a AACTA nomination for his work in the third season 'The Heroes Journey'. Aaron received a 2011 Monte- Carlo TV Festival award nomination for Most Outstanding Actor for his work in the series. His other television credits include City Homicide and Sea Patrol. In 2009, he made his feature film debut in Sue Brooks's Subdivision. Aaron has also been active behind the camera writing and directing the short film, Sharpeye, as part of the SBS Television series Bit of Black Business.
Aaron was one of the devisors and performers in the Urban Theatre Projects' highly successful play, Back Home, which sold out at the 2006 Sydney Festival and toured to Toronto, Canada the following year. He also featured in Queensland's Koeemba Jdarra Performing Arts Company productions of Howie the Rookie and Njunjal the Sun. Aaron is a four-time Deadly Award nominee for Male Actor of the Year for his performances in R.A.N. and East West 101.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Don has worked extensively in Australian television since the late 90's. His American television credits include Childhood's End, the ABC pilot Warriors and he has just completed shooting NBC's medical drama Heartbeat. His latest Australian works include Devil's Playground, The Broken Shore, Serangoon Road, Jack Irish: Black Tide and Rake.
Don recently concluding shooting the Australian feature Ali's Wedding. Some of Don's film credits include Healing and Lucky Miles which won the audience award at the 2007 Sydney Film Festival. His US features include Big Top, The TV Set, Winning The Peace and California King and the Telemovies Devil's Dust and The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce for ABC Australia.
In 2010 Don won the TV Week Silver Logie for most outstanding actor for the role of Zane Malik in the SBS series East West 101. He received AFI nomination in 2008 and 2009 for Best Lead Actor in a TV drama and in 2011 was nominated for the TV Week Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor for his role in Foxtel series Tangle. In 2012, Don was again nominated for the AACTA for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama for East West 101.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Soundtrack
Martin Henderson was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He began acting when he was 13, appearing in Strangers (1989), a local television production. He attended Westlake Boys High School and Birkenhead Primary. He first became a star in his home country when he starred in the series Shortland Street, playing the character Stuart Neilson from 1992 to 1995, in the early- to mid-'90s. He then moved to Australia to star in the short-lived soapie, Echo Point, and Sweat, which also starred a very young Heath Ledger. The pair became friends, and Martin convinced Heath to move to Sydney and make a go of his career, and the two lived together. Martin also worked on Home and Away and Big Sky, as well as getting an AFI Award nomination for his supporting role in the Aussie film Kick. Martin left Australia to study acting and theatre in New York, where he also looked up Heath in LA.
Henderson spent more than a year unsuccessfully auditioning for film roles in Los Angeles, but in 2001, he was finally cast in a supporting role in the John Woo-directed war film Windtalkers. In 2002, he starred opposite actress Naomi Watts in the horror film The Ring. In 2005, he starred opposite Indian actress Aishwarya Rai in the romantic film Bride & Prejudice, and in the award-winning Little Fish starring Cate Blanchett. In 2010, it was announced Henderson had been cast in the creator of Grey's Anatomy new television series Off the Map wherein doctors travel to the end of the world to rediscover why they had initially wanted to become doctors.
In 2018, he starred in the horror film The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Damian Walshe-Howling was born on 22 January 1971 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He is an actor and director, known for The Reef (2010), Suspended (2012) and Underbelly (2008).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Australian actor Richard Cawthorne was born in 1976 in Hong Kong, the youngest of two. His mother, Zelda, was a journalist for the South China Morning Post, and his father, Russell, a Marketing Executive for Hong Kong film company Golden Harvest Studios.
In 2012 Richard won the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award (AACTA), for his critically acclaimed portrayal of notorious Australian underworld figure Dennis Allan in the prime time drama Killing Time (2010).
In 2015 Richard was appointed Ambassador to Australia's National Theatre Drama School.- Luke Ford was born on 26 March 1981 in Canada. He is an actor, known for The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), Animal Kingdom (2010) and The Black Balloon (2008).
- Brett Climo was born on 26 September 1964 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. He is an actor, known for A Place to Call Home (2013), A Country Practice (1981) and Underbelly Files: Tell Them Lucifer Was Here (2011). He has been married to Michelle Louis since October 1996.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Multi-talented Renee Lim is an actress, dancer, presenter and medical doctor. Born in Perth, Australia, she graduated from Hampton Senior High School and attended the University of New South Wales, to study medicine. When she's not acting or performing in one of her entertainment fields, she works as a doctor in Sydney, Australia. Best known for her role as Mae, in Please Like Me (2013).- Actress
- Producer
Tasneem recently appeared in the Paramount Pictures/21 Laps Entertainment feature Love and Monsters, and in Australian TV series Doctor Doctor and The Commons.
In 2021 she will appear in The Bureau Of Magical Things for Nickelodeon/Johnathan M. Shiff. and Warner Bros Pictures/Legendary Pictures feature Godzilla Vs Kong.
Tasneem can be seen in season 5 of Rake for Netflix/ABC Television/Essential Media and Entertainment and international hit Harrow for Disney Media Distribution/ABC Studios International/Hoodlum Entertainment.
She has also appeared in feature films The Little Death, Kath and Kimderella, Not Suitable For Children, and Burning Man.
Tasneem made her acting debut as Thania Saya on the internationally acclaimed television series Heartbreak High. She has appeared in Australian and British dramas Home & Away, Headstart, Sky TV's Dream Team, Spirited, Crownies, Winter, Reef Doctors, Mako Mermaids, Cleverman, and three seasons of the internationally award-winning miniseries East West 101.
Tasneem has a double major in English and Art History from the University of Sydney, and being of Scottish and Karen descent (Burma) has a keen interest in Burma, refugee issues, and women's rights.
Tasneem is represented by Morrissey Management (AU), SMS Talent (US), and Brave Artists Management (US).- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Danielle Cormack is an award-winning actress who has an extensive career in film, theatre and television. After a vast career in New Zealand, she quickly came to prominence in Australia with her powerhouse performances in television series: Wentworth (2013), Rake (2010), and Underbelly (2008): Razor. Other television credits include Xena: Warrior Princess (1995), East West 101 (2007), Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries (2012), The Cult (2009), Rude Awakenings (2007), City Homicide (2006), and The Strip (2008). Danielle's many film credits include Separation City (2009), starring alongside Joel Edgerton, which garnered her a nomination for Best Actress at the NZ Film Awards; Topless Women Talk About Their Lives (1997), for which she won Best Actress at the NZ Film Awards and Siam Sunset (1999), for which she received an award for Best Actress at the Fantasporto International Film Festival. Danielle's work within the industry has also led to further recognition across prestigious Television and Film award shows, most recently including: Winner: Most Outstanding Actress at the 2015 TV WEEK Logie Awards; Winner: Most Outstanding Performance by a Female - Actress at the 2015 ASTRA Awards; Nominee for Best Actress at the 2015 AACTA Awards as well as Nominee for Best Actress at the 2014 Monte Carlo Television Festival. Danielle continues to work for prominent theatre companies, including Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company, where she led the world premiere of "Boys will be Boys" to critical acclaim. Danielle is a mother of two and a proud ambassador for charity organizations, Shine & Childfund, NZ & Australia.- Pia Miller is known for Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019), Big Mamma's Boy (2011) and Home and Away (1988).
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Matt Passmore was born on 24 December 1973 in Wynnum-Manly, Queensland, Australia. He is an actor and producer, known for The Glades (2010), Satisfaction (2014) and Jigsaw (2017). He has been married to Natalia Cigliuti since 3 January 2016. He was previously married to Jacqui Passmore.- Actress
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Abi Tucker was born on 22 January 1973 in Australia. She is an actress, known for Heartbreak High (1994), McLeod's Daughters (2001) and The Secret Life of Us (2001).- Actress
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Davis was educated at Loreto Convent and the Western Institute of Technology and graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in 1977. She found international success with the role of Adela Quested in A Passage to India (1984). Her performance was nominated an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She went on to receive another Academy Award nomination (this time for Best Actress in a Supporting Role) for her performance as Sally in Woody Allen's Husbands and Wives (1992). Davis and Allen would go on to be a longtime collaborators; Allen once described Davis as "one of the most exciting actresses in the world".- Actor
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Stephen Curry is an Australian comedian and actor who has appeared in many television drama and comedy series, and feature films. Curry was born in Melbourne in 1976. The youngest of five children, he grew up in Deepdene in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. Curry was raised Catholic and attended Our Lady of Good Counsel Primary School and Marcellin College. Curry gained early drama experience at Track Youth Theatre.- Michael Sheasby is an AFI/AACTA nominated actor, best known for his work in Mel Gibson's "Hacksaw Ridge", Jennifer Kent's "The Nightingale" and the BBC's "The Luminaries". Micheal was born in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and immigrated to Sydney, Australia with his family in 2001. After graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) in 2010, Michael began his career leading on stage at the Sydney Opera House in roles such as King Henry in Shakespeare's Henry V, and Valentine Coverly in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia. Since turning his attention to screen, Michael has played roles such as Tex Lewis in Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge, Walter Moody in the BBC's The Luminaries, and Aidan Carrol in Jennifer Kent's The Nightingale which received the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2018, and was also selected for Sundance Film Festival 2019. Michael won the Casting Guild of Australia's Rising Star Award in 2018. In 2019, Michael was nominated for an AFI/ACCTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in The Nightingale.
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Krew was born in Sydney Australia and started acting at the age of 13.
She has been seen in numerous television series including Wild Boys (2011), All Saints (1998), At Home with Julia (2011), Steinlager, Double Take, and Rescue Special Ops (2009). Krew is also the voice of 'Grubby' in the ABC's multi award nominated animation _"Dirtgirlworld" (2009-2010)_ which received the 2010 AFI Award for Best Children's Animation as well as wining an Emmy Award in 2013.
Krew made her feature film debut in the horror film Primal (2010), directed by Josh Reed which has screened at several International Festivals including The Stiges Film Festival in Spain, Fantastik Film Festival in Sweden, Lisbon International Horror Film Festival and Fantastic Fest in Texas. Her short film credits include Joel Edgerton's Monkeys (2011) which screened at the 2011 Tropfest Short Film Festival, Tony Davison's Fully Famous (2011), Shelling Peas (2011), Dream the Life (2009), Dead Boring (2009), Invasion (2009), and Four (2008) alongside David Lyons.
On stage, Krew has appeared in Tusk Tusk and Brecht Exploration for the Sydney Theatre Company, That Face, Summerfolk and Bliss for Belvoir Street Theatre and The Sisters Project. In 2013, Krew will be seen in the ABC telemovie, Cliffy (2013), the story of the legendary Cliff Young as well as A Place to Call Home (2013) on Channel 7.
Krew is also a writer. Her plays have been produced for independent Theatres in Sydney, and has a feature film in development.- Actor
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Aaron Pedersen was born on 24 November 1970 in Alice Springs, Australia. He is an actor and producer, known for Mystery Road (2013), Goldstone (2016) and Mystery Road (2018). He was previously married to Lisa Serma.- Colin Friels was born on 25 September 1952 in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland, UK. He is an actor, known for Darkman (1990), Water Rats (1996) and Dark City (1998). He has been married to Judy Davis since 30 October 1984. They have two children.
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Shane Jacobson is one of Australia's most loved, award-winning actors, presenters and entertainers. His incredible and varied career spans over 40 years both here at home and internationally.
The successful film Kenny (2006) brought Shane world-wide recognition as well as an AFI Award for best lead actor. Shane's subsequent credits include: Cactus (2008) with Bryan Brown, Charlie & Boots (2009) with Paul Hogan, the animated Santa's Apprentice (2010) with Delta Goodrem, Surviving Georgia (2011) with Holly Valance and Pia Miranda, Hollywood blockbuster The Bourne Legacy (2012) with Jeremy Renner, Edward Norton and Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz, the hugely popular Oddball (2015) with Sarah Snook and Deborah Mailman, The Dressmaker (2015) with Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth and Hugo Weaving, The BBQ (2018) with Magda Szubanski, That's Not My Dog! (2018), 7 Guardians of the Tomb (2018) with Kelsey Grammer, Brothers' Nest (2018) with his brother Clayton Jacobson and in Bruce Beresford's Ladies in Black (2018). Shane is soon to be seen in the films: The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee (2020) with Paul Hogan, Chevy Chase and John Cleese and Never Too Late (2020) with James Cromwell, Jacki Weaver and Jack Thompson.
As a TV Host, presenter and actor, Shane's appearances have been numerous and varied. Some of his shows have included hosting and presenting at the Australian Film Institute Awards (2010), Top Gear Australia (2008), The Great Australian Bake Off (2013), The Logies (2015, 2018) and Little Big Shots (2017) as well as telemovies Beaconsfield (2012), The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (2012) and Jack Irish (2012, 2013, 2016 & 2018) with Guy Pearce, to roles in TV series like Kenny's World (2008), The Time of Our Lives (2013), Fat Tony & Co (2014), Open Slather (2015) and appearing in reality TV shows: The Real Full Monty (2018), The All New Monty (2019) and Australia's Got Talent (2007). Shane will soon appear in the Seven TV show: Mates on a Mission.
Shane's stage career has been just as successful. On stage, he has received a Helpmann Award for Best Male in a Supporting Role for 'Nicely Nicely' in the 2008 revival of the musical Guys and Dolls. Some of Shane's other on-stage roles include: The Drowsy Chaperone (2010) with Geoffrey Rush, QI Live (2011) with Stephen Fry, 8 The Play (2012), Shane Warne - The Musical (2013) and Mother & Son (2014) with Noeline Brown and The Rocky Horror Show (2018) with Todd McKenney.
As an author, Shane has penned his best-selling bio The Long Road to Overnight Success and most recently his exploration of his life as a motoring tragic in his second book, Rev Head.- Actor
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Started acting at the age of 9. Spent three years of High School on set with a tutor. Failed theatre performance in High School although he was working on numerous TV shows at the time.
His first film was the movie, The Boys, with David Wenham, Toni Collette and John Polson.
Anthony is with his long term partner Polly Smyth, and they have two children together. Sidney Hayes (Named after Sidney Poitier) and Marlon Hayes (Named after Marlon Brando).
He resides in Melbourne, Australia. He is now also a writer, producer and director.- Actor
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Jerome Ehlers was born on 20 December 1958 in Perth, Australia. He was an actor and writer, known for The Marine (2006), Quigley Down Under (1990) and Crownies (2011). He was married to Elly Bradbury and Emily Simpson. He died on 9 August 2014 in Sydney, Australia.- Actor
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Les Hill was born on 1 August 1973. He is an actor and producer, known for The Beast (1996), Patricia Moore (2018) and 'Til Death.- Actor
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Daniel Amalm was born on 16 February 1979 in Brisbane, Australia. He is an actor, known for Cedar Boys (2009), Pieces of Her (2022) and Underbelly (2008).- Actor
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Frankie J. Holden was born on 18 December 1952. He is an actor and producer, known for A Place to Call Home (2013), Introducing the Dwights (2007) and The Daryl Somers Show (1982). He is married to Michelle Pettigrove. They have one child. He was previously married to Melda Dorothy Rees.- Jai Courtney is an Australian actor. He started his career with small roles in films and television series before being cast as Charlie in the action film Jack Reacher (2012). He has gone on to star in A Good Day to Die Hard (2013), I, Frankenstein (2014) and The Exception (2016).
Courtney had a recurring role as Varro in the television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010). He played Eric in the science fiction action film Divergent (2014), and in 2015, he reprises the role in the sequel, Insurgent. He portrayed Kyle Reese in Terminator Genisys (2015) and DC Comics villain Captain Boomerang in Suicide Squad (2016) and The Suicide Squad (2021). - Actress
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Rebecca Gibney is one of Australia's most beloved and respected actors. Born in Levin, New Zealand she is the youngest of six children. Before crossing the Tasman Sea at age 19, Rebecca appeared in several New Zealand television series including Inside Straight, Pioneer Women and Sea Urchins. Her breakthrough came in Australia when she played 'Julie Davis' in the Nine Network series Zoo Family, and shortly after, went on to join the hugely successful Nine Network drama series Flying Doctors.
In 2012, Rebecca starred in P.J. Hogan's feature film Mental opposite Toni Collette and Anthony LaPaglia. Her performance as 'Shirley Moochmore' earned her an AACTA Award nomination and Australian Film Critics Association Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. During her expansive career, Rebecca has portrayed some of the most interesting women on Australian television, including her compelling portrayal of 'Guinea Malone' in Come In Spinner which won her an AFI Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Mini-Series and a Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actress.
One of her most prominent and critically acclaimed roles was as 'Dr Jane Halifax' in Halifax F.P. The character was created especially for Rebecca and her performance saw her nominated for six Silver Logies and two AFI Awards. The multi award winning series ran for twenty one telemovies from 1994 to 2002 and was rebooted in 2019 as Halifax: Retribution, earning the series a Best Drama Nomination at the 2020 AACTA awards and Rebecca a Best Lead Actress Nomination.
Rebecca's performance over six seasons as 'Julie Rafter' on Packed To The Rafters, earned her a Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality, two Silver Logies for Most Popular Actress, and a further seven Logie Award nominations along with an AFI Award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama. Rebecca co-created, produced and starred in three seasons of the popular Seven Network drama Wanted. In 2018, Wanted received eight nominations at the NZ TV Awards including Best Drama Series and Best Actress, and was also nominated for a 2017 International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series. Rebecca previously co-produced the TV movie The Killing Field and the Seven Network drama series, Winter, which she also starred in.
Rebecca's other television credits include the TV biopic Peter Allen: Not The Boy Next Door, Ring Of Scorpio, All Together Now, Snowy, GP, Kangaroo Palace, 13 Gantry Row, Day Of The Roses, Finding Hope, Salem's Lot, Stingers, Stephen King's Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Tripping Over three Small Claims telemovies, earning her a Silver Logie nomination for Most Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series.
Of her numerous feature film credits, one of Rebecca's personal favourites was Jocelyn Moorhouse's The Dressmaker alongside Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Hugo Weaving and Liam Hemsworth. In 2020, she featured in the New Zealand film Lowdown Dirty Criminal, directed by Paul Murphy.- Actor
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Born in Inverness, Scotland, Erik's family emigrated to New Zealand when he was seven. A love of theatre began at primary school and after completing a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at Victoria University Wellington he was selected to attend the national drama school, Toi Whakaari/ New Zealand Drama School. Once graduated Erik worked extensively in theatre in New Zealand before moving to Australia in 1995. He has enjoyed a successful trans-Tasman career since and resides with his wife Caitlin and two children, Eilish and Magnus in the small hamlet of Port Willunga, South Australia.
Erik will next be seen in BLACK SNOW with Travis Fimmel, BLUEBACK with Eric Bana and Mia Wasikowska and Kick Gurry's CAUGHT with Sean Penn, Mathew Fox, Bella Heathcote and Bryan Brown. In 2021 he played the lead role of Hoaggie in James Ashcroft's thriller COMING HOME IN THE DARK which had its world premiere at Sundance 2021. Also, Roderick Mackay's debut feature film THE FURNACE, which received critical acclaim at its world premiere at the 2020 Venice Film Festival and the lead in Daniel J. Phillips' horror feature AWOKEN.
He recently completed production on the ABC series AFTERTASTE, which he also produced, and was last seen on screen in the limited series THE LUMINARIES for the BBC in the role of Dick Mannering alongside Eve Hewson and Eva Green. He is in production on the highly anticipated return of the popular series BACK TO THE RAFTERS for Amazon.
Erik's other film credits include Shawn Seet's STORM BOY alongside Geoffrey Rush and Jai Courtney, Scott Hicks' THE BOYS ARE BACK opposite Clive Owen, Cate Shortland's SOMERSAULT with Sam Worthington, THE BLACK BALLOON opposite Toni Collette, Wayne Hope's NOW ADD HONEY, ACCIDENTS HAPPEN with Geena Davis, BEAUTIFUL and WE'RE HERE TO HELP.
For his outstanding performance in SOMERSAULT, Erik was awarded the Australian Film Institute (AFI) Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2004 and was nominated for a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. In 2008, Erik was again nominated for an AFI Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the multi-award winning film THE BLACK BALLOON. Erik was also nominated for Best Actor in a Feature Film for WE'RE HERE TO HELP, and Best Actor in a TV Drama for THE MILLION DOLLAR CONMAN at the 2008 NZ Film Awards.
Erik was awarded the Silver Logie in 2016 for his performance as 'George Turner' in 800 WORDS and in 2003 for his performance as 'Dr Mitch Stevens' in the television drama series ALL SAINTS. He has been nominated a further eight times for the Silver Logie for Most Popular Actor Award and in 2011 he was also nominated for the Silver Logie for Most Outstanding Actor. Erik is well known for his role as the head of the Rafter family in Australia's top rating TV drama PACKED TO THE RAFTERS and his other television credits include the AACTA Award winning first series of THE CODE, Rowan Woods' miniseries THE BROKEN SHORE adapted from the Peter Temple novel, THE ALICE, BLACKJACK: DEAD MEMORY, MDA, THROUGH MY EYES, THE MILLION DOLLAR CONMAN, WILDSIDE, 13 GANTRY ROAD, PACIFIC DRIVE, HERCULES and XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS.
Erik's theatre credits include the sold-out season of THE SPEECHMAKER for the Melbourne Theatre Company; THE SPLINTER for the Sydney Theatre Company; JULIUS CAESAR, TWELVE ANGRY MEN, ALL MY SONS and ANGELS IN AMERICA for the Auckland Theatre Company; and SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL, HAMLET and GYPSY for the Court Theatre.- Actor
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During his illustrious 40-plus year career, Michael Caton has performed in television, theatre and film both here in Australia and abroad. His foray into the world of show business was an auspicious affair. In 1963 in a 60-seat community theatre called The Twelfth Night Theatre, the then 20-year-old amateur actor was cast in the role of an Irish git. In those early days at The Twelfth Night Theatre Michael joined a group of young performers, some of whom would go on to become some of Australia's most notable actors. Among them were Jack Thompson, Judith McGrath, Carol Burns, Shane Porteous, Harold Hopkins and Henry Crawford who produced The Sullivans, A Town Like Alice & Against the Wind. Since then Michael has appeared in some of Australia's most successful television, stage and cinematic productions; his resume reading like a who's who of the Australian arts.
Michael became a household name in the '70s when he established the popular character of Harry Sullivan in The Sullivans, a role for which he won two Logie Awards. He also appeared in cult series such as Homicide and Cop Shop. His other television credits include Stingers, The Flying Doctors, The Les Darcy Story, Great Expectations, Blue Heelers, All Saints, Wildside and A Country Practice. He appeared in the mini-series Never Tell Me Never, Shadows of the Heart and Come in Spinner.
His film appearances include Three Summers directed by Ben Elton released in 2017, The Interview, The 13th Floor, Monkey Grip and Hoodwinked. He starred in Strange Bedfellows opposite Paul Hogan - a performance that won him the SMH Star of the Year Award in 2004.
One of the highlights of his film career thus far has been playing the legendary role of Dale Kerrigan in the much loved (and much quoted) feature film, The Castle.
Michael has starred in a string of successful stage plays and musicals including Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar and Priscilla Queen of the Desert - The Musical, based on the hit film.- Zoe Ventoura was born on 19 August 1981 in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. She is an actress, known for Packed to the Rafters (2008), More Beautiful for Having Been Broken (2019) and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017). She has been married to Daniel MacPherson since 2015.
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Jessica Marais was born on the 29th January 1985 in South Africa and moved to Perth Australia at a young age. Recently she moved to Sydney where she has a TV role as Rachel Rafter in the Australian comedy series Packed to the Rafters. She has also recently appeared in the new Australian film Two Fists One Heart, filmed in Perth in 2007.- Actress
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Brooke Satchwell was born in Melbourne, in Victoria Australia, and raised on a small farm about 40 miles south of Melbourne, in Red Hill on the Mornington Peninsular. Her first school was Red Hill Primary. She started High School at Toorak College in Mount Eliza, Victoria, an independent interdenominational girls school. During her first year, Brooke was taking a day off sick in her mother's dress shop when she was discovered by a casting agent.
After a making series of adverts, mostly as a hand or foot model, Brooke was invited to audition for the soap-opera Neighbours. She was offered a three year contract to play Anne Wilkinson and almost immediately became one of the most popular young actors in Australia. Although offered an extension to her contract at the end of the three years, Brooke chose to leave to seek other roles.
Offered a short term guest star role on the popular Police Drama Water Rats, produced in Sydney, Brooke's performances were so highly regarded her character was converted to a regular part of the series. So Brooke and her new partner moved the 400 miles to be near her new job. After two seasons on this show and a further two on a second police drama, Brooke chose to take a 18 month sabbatical from full-time acting to allow her to undertake study to improve her skills. In 2005, she was offered a role in the prestigious children's show Play School, which included her being part of the 40th anniversary celebrations for the show. She was also offered roles in three TV drama series, including her first overseas role.
Unfortunately, the period was also marked by dramas in her personal life, including the death of a favorite uncle, the divorce of her parents, domestic violence, and being caught up in the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Her existing long-term relationship ended and she returned to live in Melbourne with her mother.
She was invited to take a starring role in her first feature film Subdivision (2009).
Brooke has also acted in a number of theater productions, tele-movies and short films, panel shows and voice over work during her career. Over the last 4 years she has taken a number of jobs working behind the camera, in order to broaden her knowledge of the industry. Her latest major role being the character Matilde in the stage play Clean House, another comedy in which she played a Portuguese speaking Brazilian maid, for which both her acting talent and language skills were highly praised.
Brooke returned to Sydney in late 2010 with her partner, film editor David Gross. Since then Brooke and David have been very busy. They renovated their own apartment, got engaged and have both been involved in multiple productions. Brooke has been traveling between productions in Sydney and Melbourne, swapping between scripted dramatic scenes in the morning and ad-libbing live comedy at night.- Actor
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Has a sister, Jan. Grew up in Warrawee, NSW Australia and went to Knox Grammar School. Dropped out of medicine and law at university. Graduated in 1978 from NIDA with Penny Cook, Robert Grubb. Played leading roles from 1981 to 2012 in various plays. Won a Critics Circle award in 1992 for "The Crucible" and "Mongrels". Twice won Variety Entertainer of the Year (1992,2006). Nominated for an AFI award for "Joh's Jury" and nine times since.Silver logie winner for "Seachange" (2001) . Associate Director of the Sydney Theatre Company from 1992 to 1995. Launched the Australian People's Theatre (associated with the Sydney Theatre Company). Has a daughter born in 1996 and a son from a previous marriage. He is most famous for SeaChange (1998) and All Saints (2008). Ambassador for Variety (The Children's Charity) and Australian Mitochondrial Disease Foundation ( AMDF ) .- Actor
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Diarmid Heidenreich is known for The Great Raid (2005), Water Rats (1996) and Underbelly (2008). He is married to Genevieve Quigley. They have one child.- Roy Billing stands as one of the Tasman Sea's legendary veteran actors. With a remarkable career spanning over four decades, his illustrious journey through the realms of stage and screen has solidified his status as an iconic figure in the entertainment industry. With an impressive body of work that has traversed various genres and mediums, Roy Billing's name has become synonymous with excellence, and his contributions to the world of acting are celebrated far and wide.
Throughout his extensive career, Roy Billing has graced both the stage and screen with his exceptional talent and commanding presence. With roles in numerous acclaimed productions, he has captivated audiences in both Australia and New Zealand with his nuanced performances and remarkable versatility. Whether portraying complex characters in intense dramas or delivering comedic brilliance in light-hearted comedies, Roy Billing's dedication to his craft and his ability to breathe life into every role have earned him widespread acclaim and admiration.
Roy Billing's career is a testament to his versatility and talent. From his early beginnings in theater to his breakthrough performances on television and in film, he has consistently delivered memorable performances that have left an indelible mark on audiences. His notable credits include roles in iconic productions such as The Dish (2000), Underbelly (2008), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010), and The Panthers (2021). With each role, Roy Billing has showcased his range as an actor and cemented his status as a true legend of the industry, earning him not only critical acclaim but also a dedicated fanbase that spans generations.
As an esteemed veteran of the industry, Roy Billing's influence extends beyond his on-screen presence. He serves as an inspiration to aspiring actors and emerging talents, offering guidance and wisdom garnered from his decades-long experience. With a reputation built on professionalism, integrity, and a genuine love for the craft, Roy Billing continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of acting, his legacy destined to endure for generations to come. - Actress
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Deborah Mailman majored in drama at the Queensland University of Technology. Her theatre work includes the all-Aboriginal Sydney Theatre Company production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream", the Sydney Belvoir Street Theatre production of "The Small Poppies", and the touring production of "Seven Stages of Grieving."
She is the first Aboriginal actress to win a AFI Best Actress Award. She works at the Aboriginal theatre company Kooemba Djarra in Brisbane and co-wrote the play "Seven Stages of Grieving."- Actress
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Jessica Mauboy was born on 4 August 1989 in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. She is an actress and producer, known for The Sapphires (2012), Secret Daughter (2016) and Bran Nue Dae (2009).- Actor
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Noah George Taylor, the elder of two boys, was born in 1969 in London, England, to Maggie (Miller), a journalist and book editor, and Paul Taylor, a copywriter and journalist. His family lived in both England and New Zealand before returning to his parents' native Australia in 1974. His parents divorced when he was a teenager and his father remarried--to theatre publicist, Suzie Howie. Noah left home at age 16 before graduating from University High School in Melbourne when he fell into acting. He decided to pursue his craft at St. Martin's Youth Theater. Despite his intense studies, the remote, slim-framed actor did not make his professional theater debut until March 1997 with Chekhov's "The Seagull."
His work at St. Martin's led to an auspicious debut playing the painfully shy and sensitive teen Danny Embling in the coming-of-age film The Year My Voice Broke (1987). This affecting performance lost none of its heart-tugging appeal when the sequel Flirting (1991) came out four years later. Noah won awards for both films. Unconventionally typecast as the gawky, gloomy-eyed, somewhat manic depressive, directors started lining up to use the young actor. It all culminated in what is arguably the best known performance of his career--as the young, tortured genius, pianist David Helfgott, in Shine (1996). Working in tandem with Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush, who played Helfgott as an older adult, Noah's scenes with Armin Mueller-Stahl, who played the pianist's egregiously abusive father, were incredibly powerful and helped him to win the Film Critics Circle of Australia and Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival awards. The variety of Noah's performances have been stunning over the years. He played a young Adolf Hitler in the drama Max (2002), a "what-if" spin on Hitler growing up as an angry tortured artist instead of a Fascist dictator following World War I. He played the darkly humorous protagonist in He Died with a Felafel in His Hand (2001) and the titular Jewish outcast in Simon Magus (1999).
Music, songwriting and art have been other strong passions for Noah. In 1994 he became part of a band called "The Honky Tonk Angels. A singer-guitarist, included in this band were Noah's co-stars from previous movies Loene Carmen and Kym Wilson. He has also formed other bands with such names as Cardboard Box Man, Flipper & Humphrey and The Thirteens, a country-western rock group.
American audiences have taken an equal "shine" to Noah recently, particularly as the manager of Stillwater in the popular film Almost Famous (2000); as Bryce in the popular adventure film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and its sequel which both starring Angelina Jolie; a featured role in Vanilla Sky (2001) which starred Tom Cruise; and in the "Willy Wonka" extravaganza Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) as Mr. Bucket.- Kate Ritchie was born on 14 August 1978 in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia. She is an actress, known for Home and Away (1988), Underbelly (2008) and Cops LAC (2010). She has been married to Stuart Webb since 25 September 2010. They have one child.
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