Eric Bana

Eric Banadinović, (born 9 August 1968), known professionally as Eric Bana (), is an Australian actor and comedian. He began his career in the sketch comedy series '' Full Frontal'' before gaining notice in the comedy drama '' The Castle'' (1997). He achieved further critical recognition for starring in the biographical crime film '' Chopper'' (2000).

After a decade of roles in Australian TV shows and films, Bana gained Hollywood's attention for his performance in the war film '' Black Hawk Down'' (2001), and as the title character in ''Hulk'' (2003). He played Hector in the war epic ''Troy'' (2004), and took a leading role in Steven Spielberg's historical thriller ''Munich'' (2005). In 2009, he played the villain Nero in the science fiction ''Star Trek'', which was a critical and commercial success. Bana continued to work steadily in the 2010s, portraying Lieutenant commander Erik S. Kristensen in ''Lone Survivor'' (2013)'','' and playing police sergeant Ralph Sarchie in the horror ''Deliver Us from Evil'' (2014). In 2018, Bana played the title role in a true crime miniseries, ''Dirty John''. In 2020, he returned to Australia to star in outback thriller '' The Dry''.

Bana is the recipient of several Australian Film Institute awards and has performed distinctive lead and character roles across a wide spectrum of genres—from epics, to science fiction and action thrillers. In addition to acting, Bana is a motor racing enthusiast, and has participated in various racing competitions in Australia. Bana was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for his services to drama.

Early life and education

Eric Banadinović was born on 9 August 1968 in Melbourne, Victoria. His father Ivan was Croatian, born in Zagreb, and worked as a logistics manager for Caterpillar Inc., and his German mother, Eleanor, was a hairdresser, originally from near Mannheim in Germany. He has one older brother, Anthony. 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". He was raised Catholic.

Bana was raised in Melbourne's Tullamarine, a suburban area on the northern edge of the city, and attended Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School.

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'', 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 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, however, so he continued his work as a barman and waiting on tables.

Career

1993–1997: Beginnings

In 1993, Bana made his television debut on Steve Vizard's late-night talk show, ''Tonight Live''. His performance gained the attention of producers from the sketch comedy series, '' Full Frontal'', who invited him to join the show as a writer and performer. During his four years on the show, Bana wrote much of his own material, and based some of his characters on members of his family. His impressions of Columbo, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Tom Cruise made Bana popular with the show's audience.Devlyn, Darren. "First Impressions" . ''TV Weekly''. 10 February 1993. This success led him to record the comedy album '' Out of Bounds'' in 1994 and to host his own television special, titled ''Eric'', in 1996. The show, a collection of sketches featuring everyday characters, prompted him to launch a sketch comedy series ''The Eric Bana Show''. The series, written and performed by Bana, featured skits, stand-up and celebrity guests, but failed to attract a substantial audience and was cancelled after only eight episodes due to low ratings.Halfpenny, Kate. "Under the Gun". ''Who Magazine''. 8 August 2000. Even so, in 1997, he received a Logie Award for "Most Popular Comedy Personality" for his work on the show.

In that same year, Bana made his film debut in the Australian film '' The Castle'', which tells the story of a Melbourne-based family's struggles to keep their home by Melbourne's airport as the airport authority force them to move. He was featured in a supporting role as Con Petropoulous, a kickboxing accountant who is the householder's son-in-law. ''The Castle'' was a surprise critical and financial success, earning A$10,326,428 at the box office in Australia.

1998–2004: Hollywood breakthrough

In 1997, despite his inexperience with dramatic roles, Bana was approached by director Andrew Dominik to appear in the film '' Chopper'' (2000), a biographical film based on the life of infamous Australian criminal Chopper Read. Dominik had been working on the project for five years, but was unable to find an actor to portray Read. Only after Read himself suggested Bana, having seen him perform a skit on television, did Dominik consider him for the part.

For the role, Bana shaved his head, gained , and spent two days with Read to perfect his mimicry. During filming he arrived on set at four in the morning and spent five hours being covered in Read's trademark tattoos. In spite of the film's limited release outside of Australia, Bana's performance received positive reviews. American film critic Roger Ebert complimented Bana, stating that "in a comedian named Eric Bana the filmmakers have found, I think, a future star ..He has a quality no acting school can teach you and few actors can match. You cannot look away from him". ''Chopper'' was a critical and financial success in Australia, and was nominated for Best Film at the Australian Film Institute Awards in 2001. Bana's performance won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor.

In 2001, director Ridley Scott cast Bana as an American soldier in the film '' Black Hawk Down'' (2001). Scott, with a recommendation from Russell Crowe and impressed by Bana's performance in ''Chopper'', did not require him to audition. In the film, he played Sergeant First Class Norm 'Hoot' Hooten, an elite Delta Force soldier, who fights his way out of a battle in Mogadishu, Somalia after a mission to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord goes awry. Bana shed the weight he had gained for ''Chopper'' and began an exercise regimen months before filming began. He also trained with Delta Force operators at Fort Bragg, learning to fire weapons and clear rooms. Between 2000 and 2001, Bana played Joe Sabatini in ''Something in the Air'', an Australian soap opera set in a small town. After two seasons, Bana left the show to focus on his Hollywood career.

Bana's next project was 2002's low-budget Australian film ''The Nugget''. A comedy, the film portrays the effect of instant wealth on three working-class men and was released with moderate success in Australia. Bana read the script after filming ''Chopper'' in 2000 and was drawn to it because it reminded him of his childhood, and because he found its characters amusing and likable. While filming ''The Nugget'', Bana was offered the lead role of Bruce Banner in the film adaptation of the popular Marvel comic book series ''The Incredible Hulk''. Only after learning of director Ang Lee's involvement in the project did he consider the role. Bana admired Lee for his work on the film ''The Ice Storm

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