Rise to Fame
The path from Australian soap opera to Hollywood didn't follow the usual playbook. Four years on Neighbours gave him a fan base, but it was The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert in 1994 that signaled he could actually act. Playing a drag queen in the outback wasn't the obvious next move for a former Junior Mr. Victoria bodybuilding champion. L.A. Confidential followed in 1997, but he reportedly refused to fly back for a second screen test and almost missed it entirely. He had no ambitions for Hollywood. He just wanted the right part.
In the Spotlight
The Oscar and BAFTA nominations for The Brutalist in 2024 confirmed what film people have long suspected: he does more with a supporting role than most leads manage with top billing. He's said studio films are 'killers' because they strip actors of control, which explains why his filmography reads like a festival programmer's wish list. Choosing to work small while being capable of working big is itself a statement about what he values.
Side Notes
Watching Memento recently, his verdict on his own lead performance was 'I'm shit,' and he's said that's probably why Christopher Nolan never called again. That self-critical streak tracks with the rest of him: he was a 16-year-old bodybuilding champion before becoming a soap star, has released two solo albums, the second written after his marriage ended in 2015, and has a son with actress Carice van Houten. The creative output is constant. The personal life keeps up.