Eric Martin Andrew Banadinović, AM (born August 9, 1968), is an Australian actor better known as Eric Bana. He started his career in the sketch comedy show Full Frontal and gained attention in the comedy-drama film The Castle (1997). He earned more recognition for his role in the crime film Chopper (2000) and as the lead in Hulk (2003).
Bana spent ten years in Australian TV shows and films before making a mark in Hollywood with Black Hawk Down (2001). He played Hector in the war epic Troy (2004) and had a leading role in Steven Spielberg’s Munich (2005). In 2009, he portrayed the villain Nero in Star Trek, which was a big hit. Throughout the 2010s, he continued acting in movies like Lone Survivor (2013) and Deliver Us from Evil (2014). In 2018, he starred in the true crime miniseries Dirty John and returned to Australia in 2020 for the thriller The Dry.
Bana has won several Australian Film Institute awards and is known for his roles in various genres, including epics, science fiction, and action thrillers. Besides acting, Bana loves motor racing and has competed in various events in Australia. In 2019, he was honored as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his contributions to drama.
Eric Bana was born on August 9, 1968, in Melbourne, Victoria. His father, Ivan, was Croatian, and his mother, Eleanor, was German. He has an older brother named Anthony. Bana grew up in Melbourne’s Tullamarine area and went to Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School. He showed an early talent for acting, mimicking family members and teachers. After watching the movie Mad Max as a teenager, he decided he wanted to be an actor. However, he only seriously considered acting in 1991 when he was encouraged to try comedy while working as a barman. He did stand-up comedy in pubs but continued working as a barman to support himself.
Bana debuted on TV in 1993 on Steve Vizard’s late-night talk show Tonight Live. His performance led to an invitation to join the sketch comedy series Full Frontal, where he became popular for his impressions of celebrities. This success led him to create his comedy album Out of Bounds in 1994 and his own TV special, Eric, in 1996. Despite his show’s cancellation after eight episodes due to low ratings, he won a Logie Award for “Most Popular Comedy Personality” in 1997. That same year, Bana made his film debut in The Castle, a surprise hit in Australia.
In 1997, Bana was cast in Chopper (2000), a biographical film about Australian criminal Chopper Read. His performance received high praise, especially from American critic Roger Ebert, who saw Bana as a future star. In 2001, Bana appeared in Black Hawk Down, shedding weight and training rigorously for the role. He continued to act in Australian films, like The Nugget (2002), before taking on the lead role in Hulk (2003), directed by Ang Lee. Though Hulk had mixed reviews, Bana’s performance was praised. In 2004, he voiced a character in Finding Nemo and starred in Troy, which was a financial success despite mixed reviews.
After Hulk and Troy, Bana’s roles in big-budget films were questioned, but he continued to find success. In 2005, he starred in Munich, directed by Steven Spielberg, receiving critical acclaim. He joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2006. Bana’s next films included Lucky You (2007), Romulus, My Father (2007), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), and Star Trek (2009), where he played the villain Nero.
Bana continued to work in various films throughout the 2010s, such as Lone Survivor (2013), Deliver Us from Evil (2014), and Netflix’s Special Correspondents (2016). In 2018, he starred in the miniseries Dirty John, and in 2021, he appeared in The Dry and voiced a character in the animation Back to the Outback. In 2022, he voiced a character in Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers and appeared in Blueback.
Bana still uses his birth surname, Banadinović, in official documents. He married Rebecca Gleeson, a publicist, in 1997. They have two children and live in Melbourne. Bana was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 for his services to drama.
Bana is passionate about motor racing and has competed in various events in Australia. He bought his first car at 15 and made his racing debut in 1996. Despite a crash in 2007, Bana continues to race. He is also a fan of Australian rules football, particularly the St Kilda Football Club.
Bana supports several charities, including Youth Off The Streets and the Mental Illness Fellowship. He participates in the Motorcycle Riders Association Toy Run and has worked with RSPCA Australia. During the 2019-20 Australian bushfires, he voiced ads supporting donations to the Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund.