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Eric Bana
Actor, Producer, Director, WriterBorn August 9, 1968 (56 years)
Eric Bana is an Australian film and television actor. He began his career as a comedian in the sketch comedy series Full Frontal before gaining critical recognition in the biopic Chopper (2000). After a decade of roles in Australian TV shows and films, Bana gained Hollywood's attention by playing the role of American Delta Force Sergeant Norm "Hoot" Hooten in Black Hawk Down (2001), the lead role as Bruce Banner in the Ang Lee directed film Hulk (2003), Prince Hector in the movie Troy (2004), the lead in Steven Spielberg's Munich (2005), and the villain Nero in the science-fiction film Star Trek (2009).
An accomplished dramatic actor and comedian, he received Australia's highest film and television awards for his performances in Chopper, Full Frontal and Romulus, My Father. Bana performs predominantly in leading roles in a variety of low-budget and major studio films, ranging from romantic comedies and drama to science fiction and action thrillers.
Eric Bana was the younger of two children; he has a brother, Anthony. He is of Croatian ancestry on his father's side. Bana's paternal grandfather, Mate Banadinović, fled to Argentina after the Second World War, and Bana's paternal grandmother emigrated to Germany and then to Australia in the 1950s with her son, Ivan (Bana's father). His father was a logistics manager for Caterpillar, Inc., and his German-born mother, Eleanor, was a hairdresser. Bana grew up in Melbourne's Tullamarine, a suburban area on the western edge of the city, near the main airport. In a cover story for The Mail on Sunday, he told author Antonella Gambotto-Burke that his family had suffered from racist taunts, and that it had distressed him. "Wog is such a terrible word," he said. He has stated: "I have always been proud of my origin, which had a big influence on my upbringing. I have always been in the company of people of European origin".
Showing acting skill early in life, Bana began doing impressions of family members at the age of six or seven, first mimicking his grandfather's walk, voice and mannerisms. In school, he mimicked his teachers as a means to get out of trouble. As a teen, he watched the Mel Gibson film Mad Max (1979), and decided he wanted to become an actor. However, he did not seriously consider a career in the performing arts until 1991 when he was persuaded to try stand-up comedy while working as a barman at Melbourne's Castle Hotel. His stand-up gigs in inner-city pubs did not provide him with enough income to support himself, so he continued his work as a barman and bussing tables.
An accomplished dramatic actor and comedian, he received Australia's highest film and television awards for his performances in Chopper, Full Frontal and Romulus, My Father. Bana performs predominantly in leading roles in a variety of low-budget and major studio films, ranging from romantic comedies and drama to science fiction and action thrillers.
Eric Bana was the younger of two children; he has a brother, Anthony. He is of Croatian ancestry on his father's side. Bana's paternal grandfather, Mate Banadinović, fled to Argentina after the Second World War, and Bana's paternal grandmother emigrated to Germany and then to Australia in the 1950s with her son, Ivan (Bana's father). His father was a logistics manager for Caterpillar, Inc., and his German-born mother, Eleanor, was a hairdresser. Bana grew up in Melbourne's Tullamarine, a suburban area on the western edge of the city, near the main airport. In a cover story for The Mail on Sunday, he told author Antonella Gambotto-Burke that his family had suffered from racist taunts, and that it had distressed him. "Wog is such a terrible word," he said. He has stated: "I have always been proud of my origin, which had a big influence on my upbringing. I have always been in the company of people of European origin".
Showing acting skill early in life, Bana began doing impressions of family members at the age of six or seven, first mimicking his grandfather's walk, voice and mannerisms. In school, he mimicked his teachers as a means to get out of trouble. As a teen, he watched the Mel Gibson film Mad Max (1979), and decided he wanted to become an actor. However, he did not seriously consider a career in the performing arts until 1991 when he was persuaded to try stand-up comedy while working as a barman at Melbourne's Castle Hotel. His stand-up gigs in inner-city pubs did not provide him with enough income to support himself, so he continued his work as a barman and bussing tables.
Known For
Featured Videos
Filmography
| 2024 | Memoir of a Snail · as James The Magistrate (voice) |
| 2024 | A Sacrifice · as Ben Monroe |
| 2024 | Force of Nature: The Dry 2 · as Aaron Falk |
| 2022 | Blueback · as Mad Macka |
| 2022 | Bonnie · as Hoot |
| 2022 | Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers · as Monterey Jack (voice) |
| 2021 | Back to the Outback · as Chaz (voice) |
| 2021 | Envoy: Shark Cull · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2020 | The Dry · as Aaron Falk |
| 2018 | Dirty John (TV Series) · as John Meehan |
| 2018 | Finke: There and Back · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2018 | Great Barrier Reef · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2017 | The Forgiven · as Piet Blomfeld |
| 2017 | King Arthur: Legend of the Sword · as Uther Pendragon |
| 2016 | The Secret Scripture · as Dr. William Grene |
| 2016 | Special Correspondents · as Frank Bonneville |
| 2016 | The Finest Hours · as Daniel Cluff |
| 2014 | Deliver Us from Evil · as Ralph Sarchie |
| 2013 | Lone Survivor · as Lieutenant Commander Erik Kristensen |
| 2013 | Closed Circuit · as Martin Rose |
| 2012 | Deadfall · as Addison |
| 2011 | Hanna · as Erik |
| 2009 | The Time Traveler's Wife · as Henry Detamble |
| 2009 | Funny People · as Clarke |
| 2009 | Star Trek · as Captain Nero |
| 2009 | Mary and Max · as Damien (voice) |
| 2008 | The Other Boleyn Girl · as Henry Tudor |
| 2007 | Romulus, My Father · as Romulus |
| 2007 | Lucky You · as Huck Cheever |
| 2005 | Munich · as Avner |
| 2004 | Troy · as Hector |
| 2003 | Hulk · as Bruce Banner |
| 2003 | Finding Nemo · as Anchor (voice) |
| 2002 | The Nugget · as Lotto |
| 2001 | Black Hawk Down · as Sfc Norm 'hoot' Gibson |
| 2000 | |
| 2000 | Something in the Air (TV Series) · as Joe Sabatini |
| 1998 | All Saints (TV Series) · as Rob Biletsky |
| 1997 | Eric (TV Series) · as Various |
| 1997 | The Castle · as Con Petropoulous |
| 1996 | Eric · as Various |
| 1993 | Full Frontal (TV Series) |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) |
The Eric Bana Sketch Show (TV Series) · as Various Characters |