BirthDay:09 Aug 1968 |
BirthPlace:Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
BirthName:Eric Banadinovic |
Bio: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 "Colombo". 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, fat, 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 a 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. |
Actor ( 84 credits ) |
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King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) | Uther Pendragon |
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) | Uther Pendragon |
The Forgiven (2017) | Piet Blomfeld |
Special Correspondents (2016) | |
The Finest Hours (2016) | |
The Secret Scripture (2016) | Dr. William Grene |
Stop Laughing... This Is Serious (2015) | Himself - Narrator (3 episodes, 2015) |
The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015) | Himself (1 episode, 2016) |
Deliver Us from Evil (2014) | Ralph Sarchie |
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) | Himself (1 episode, 2016) |
Lone Survivor (2013) | Erik Kristensen |
Closed Circuit (2013) | Martin Rose |
Movie Guide (2013) | Martin Vickers (1 episode, 2013) |
Tempest at the Drop-in (2013) | Narrator (voice) |
Deadfall (2012) | Addison |
Eddie McGuire Tonight (2012) | Himself (1 episode, 2012) |
Hanna (2011) | Erik Heller |
Conan (2010) | Himself (2 episodes, 2013-2014) |
Janela Indiscreta (2010) | Himself (1 episode, 2010) |
The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) | Henry |
Funny People (2009) | Clarke |
Love the Beast (2009) | Himself |
Star Trek (2009) | Nero |
Mary and Max (2009) | Damien (voice) |
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (2009) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) | Henry Tudor |
Romulus, My Father (2007) | Romulus Gaita |
Lucky You (2007) | Huck Cheever |
Chelsea Lately (2007) | Himself - Guest / ... (4 episodes, 2009-2014) |
Xposé (2007) | Himself (3 episodes, 2007-2009) |
Up Close with Carrie Keagan (2007) | Himself (5 episodes, 2009-2013) |
Reel Junkie (2007) | Himself (3 episodes, 2012-2014) |
Movie Rush (2006) | Himself |
Morning Glory (2006) | Himself (1 episode, 2006) |
Munich (2005) | Avner |
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005) | Himself (3 episodes, 2007-2009) |
Attack of the Show! (2005) | Himself (1 episode, 2011) |
Made in Hollywood (2005) | Himself (4 episodes, 2011-2014) |
20 to 1 (2005) | Mark Brandon 'Chopper' Read (1 episode, 2006) |
DeLuxe (2005) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
Troy (2004) | Hector |
Tavis Smiley (2004) | Himself (2 episodes, 2006-2008) |
Omg! Insider (2004) | Himself (2 episodes, 2014) |
Hulk (2003) | Bruce Banner |
Finding Nemo (2003) | Anchor (voice) |
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) | Himself - Guest (2 episodes, 2012-2014) |
Sunrise (2003) | Himself (1 episode, 2006) |
Cartaz Cultural (2003) | Himself (2008) |
4Pop (2003) | Himself (1 episode, 2004) |
The Nugget (2002) | Lotto |
Top Gear (2002) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
Kath & Kim (2002) | Himself (1 episode, 2007) |
Player$ (2002) | Himself (1 episode, 2003) |
Black Hawk Down (2001) | Hoot |
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (2001) | Himself (1 episode, 2004) |
Richard & Judy (2001) | Himself (1 episode, 2006) |
The Ray Martin Show (2001) | Himself (1 episode, 2001) |
Chopper (2000) | Mark Brandon 'Chopper' Read |
Something in the Air (2000) | Joe Sabatini (202 episodes, 2000-2001) |
Rove Live (2000) | Himself (5 episodes, 2000-2009) |
The Big Schmooze (2000) | Himself (1 episode, 2000) |
Breakfast (2000) | Himself - Guest (1 episode, 2008) |
Arctic Adventure (2000) | Oz (voice) |
All Saints (1998) | Rob Biletsky (3 episodes, 1999-2000) |
Total Request Live (1998) | Himself (1 episode, 2004) |
The Panel (1998) | Himself (3 episodes, 2000-2002) |
The Castle (1997) | Con Petropoulous |
Eric (1997) | Various Characters (9 episodes, 1997) |
Corazón de... (1997) | Himself (2 episodes, 2006) |
The Eric Bana Show Live (1997) | Himself (8 episodes, 1997) |
Australian Story (1996) | Himself (1 episode, 2001) |
Cartelera (1994) | Himself (1 episode, 2008) |
Late Show with David Letterman (1993) | Himself (2 episodes, 2006-2009) |
Full Frontal (1993) | Various Characters / ... (88 episodes, 1993-1997) |
Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) | Himself (4 episodes, 2003-2004) |
HBO First Look (1992) | Himself (1 episode, 2004) |
E! News (1991) | Himself (2 episodes, 2014) |
Live with Kelly and Michael (1988) | Himself (1 episode, 2007) |
Weekend Today (1987) | Himself (1 episode, 2011) |
The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986) | Himself (1 episode, 2004) |
Entertainment Tonight (1981) | Himself (5 episodes, 2009-2014) |
Film '72 (1971) | Himself (1 episode, 2006) |
Today (1952) | Himself (2 episodes, 2006-2014) |
Producer ( 3 credits ) |
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Paper Planes (2014) | executive producer |
Love the Beast (2009) | producer |
Eric (1997) | producer (9 episodes, 1997) |
Writer ( 3 credits ) |
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Eric (1997) | (9 episodes, 1997) |
The Eric Bana Show Live (1997) | (8 episodes, 1997) |
Full Frontal (1993) | (27 episodes, 1993-1996) |
Director ( 1 credit ) |
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Love the Beast (2009) |