Biography
Who is Eric Bana?
Early life and real name
Eric Bana was born Eric Banadinovich on August 9, 1968, in Melbourne, Australia. His father, Ivan, worked as a logistics manager for Caterpillar Inc., and his mother, Eleanor, worked as a hairdresser. He grew up in the Melbourne suburbs of Broadmeadows and Tullamarine alongside his older brother, Anthony, and attended Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School. Raised Catholic, he has expressed pride in his background.
As a child, Eric began doing impressions of family members, starting with his grandfather when he was six or seven years old. He later used impressions of his teachers to avoid trouble at school. Inspired by the film Mad Max during his teen years, he decided he wanted to pursue acting, though he did not seriously consider the performing arts until later.
How Eric became famous
Eric began working as a barman at Melbourne's Castle Hotel, where he was persuaded to try comedy in 1991. His stand-up gigs in inner-city pubs did not provide enough income, so he continued working in hospitality. In 1993, he made his television debut on Steve Vizard's late-night talk show Tonight Live, which led to an invitation to join the sketch-comedy series Full Frontal as a writer and performer.
During his four years on Full Frontal, Eric wrote much of his own material and performed popular impressions of celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Cruise. This success led to his own television specials and the comedy album Out of Bounds. In 1997, he made his film debut in the comedy drama The Castle, which became a critical and financial success in Australia.
Career highlights
In 2000, Eric starred as criminal Chopper Read in the biographical film Chopper, shaving his head and gaining weight for the role. His performance earned positive reviews from critics like Roger Ebert and won him the AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Following this success, he gained international attention by starring in Ridley Scott's war film Black Hawk Down in 2001.
Eric continued taking on high-profile roles, playing Bruce Banner in the superhero film Hulk in 2003, Prince Hector in the war epic Troy in 2004, and taking a leading role in Steven Spielberg's historical thriller Munich in 2005. He also portrayed the villain Nero in the science-fiction film Star Trek in 2009. His later credits include the true crime miniseries Dirty John and the outback thriller The Dry.
Personal life and other interests
Outside of his acting career, Eric is a motor-racing enthusiast and has participated in various racing competitions in Australia. In recognition of his contributions to the arts, he was appointed Member of the Order of Australia in the 2019 Birthday Honours for his services to drama.
He has performed across a wide spectrum of genres, ranging from historical epics to science fiction and action thrillers. He continues to work in both film and television projects.
Birthday and age
Eric Bana was born on August 9, 1968, which makes Eric 58 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Eric shares the date with 57 other famous people.
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