Ben O'Toole
{{Short description|Australian film and television actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ben O'Toole
| image = Ben O'Toole y Catalina Aguilar en Dulce Osuna (Ben O'Toole).jpg
| caption = Ben O'Toole during an interview about Everybody Loves Somebody in 2017
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Cairns, Queensland, Australia
| othername =
| education = Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) (2009–2011)
| occupation = Actor
| known for = Bloody Hell
Amazing Grace
Hacksaw Ridge
12 Strong
Nekrotronic
Caught
| years_active = 2011–present
| spouse =
| website =
}}
Ben O'Toole is an Australian actor. He is known for his role as Rex Coen in Bloody Hell, his recurring roles in several Australian TV series such as Amazing Grace, as well as for his supporting roles in films such as Hacksaw Ridge (2016) and 12 Strong (2018).
Early life
O'Toole was born in Cairns and grew up in Brisbane.{{cite web |last1=MacDougall |first1=Adam |title=How surfing changed an aussie stars life |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/health-hacker-how-surfing-changed-an-aussie-stars-life/news-story/2b6dc1544232d20fb3e8fa274b4a9d79 |publisher=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=2022-06-08 |quote=“Prior to Barons I hadn’t really surfed all that much, but I began taking lessons with a few of the other cast members,” says Cairns-born O’Toole.}}{{cite web |last1=Kornits |first1=Dov |date=11 October 2020 |title=To Bloody Hell and Back |url=https://www.filmink.com.au/ben-otoole-to-bloody-hell-and-back/ |access-date=21 August 2022 |website=filmink.com |quote=Born in Cairns, but growing up in Brisbane, Ben O’Toole headed west to study acting at the highly respected Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), before relocating to Sydney.}} He began performing in the theatre while he studied acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA){{cite web | title=WAAPA | url=https://www.waapa.ecu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/769880/InsideWAAPA_Issue_51.pdf | date=March 2018 | issue=51 | access-date=2022-06-08}} near Perth.
Career
After graduating in 2011, O'Toole's first screen appearance was in a web series titled Sintillate Studios.{{cite web | title=A very sinful satire | website=Star Observer | date=2012-04-19 | url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/artsentertainment/a-very-sinful-satire/75876 | access-date=2022-06-08}} He eventually relocated to Sydney where he continued his work in theatre and acted in several short films. His first appearance in an internationally released film was in The Water Diviner in 2014, alongside Russell Crowe.{{cite web |last1=Niland |first1=Rose (13 July 2015)|title=Ben O'Toole in Men by Brendan Cowell – Rose Niland Interview |url=https://www.thecultureconcept.com/ben-otoole-in-men-by-brendan-cowell-rose-niland-interview |website=The Culture Concept Circle |access-date=17 March 2022}} That same year, he was cast in the role of Pete in the first three seasons of the TV series Love Child. In 2016, he played the role of Corporal Tom (second in command to drill sergeant Howell played by Vince Vaughn) in the award-winning biographical war film Hacksaw Ridge, directed by Mel Gibson.
O'Toole moved to Los Angeles in early 2016.{{cite web |last1=Schreffler |first1=Laura |title=Where Ben O'Toole of Kathryn Bigelow's "Detroit" Hangs Out in L.A |url=https://hauteliving.com/2017/07/ben-otoole-of-kathryn-bigelows-detroit-shares-secrets-to-la/640056/ |website=hauteliving.com |publisher=Haute Media Group |access-date=1 April 2022 |date=26 July 2017 |quote=I’ve called LA home since Feb, 2016}} He acted in commercially successful Hollywood films that provided more international exposure and showcased broader recognition of his acting abilities.{{cite news |last1=Kroll |first1=Justin |title='Hacksaw Ridge's' Ben O'Toole Joins Chris Hemsworth in 'Horse Soldiers' (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/ben-otoole-horse-soldiers-chris-hemsworth-1201918860 |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=Variety |date=15 November 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Kroll |first1=Justin |title=Kathryn Bigelow's Detroit Riots Film Casts Will Poulter, Ben O'Toole, Jack Reynor (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/kathryn-bigelow-detroit-riots-movie-will-poulter-jack-reynor-ben-otoole-1201823845 |access-date=17 March 2022 |work=Variety |date=4 August 2016}} His first leading role was the romantic comedy, Everybody Loves Somebody (2017), which was well received by critics.{{cite news |last1=Cordova |first1=Randy |title= Review: Why you'll love 'Everybody Loves Somebody'|url=https://eu.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/movies/2017/02/16/everybody-loves-somebody-movie-review-jose-maria-yazpik-comedy/97557702/ |access-date=18 March 2022 |work=eu.azcentral.com |date=4 August 2016}}{{cite web |last1=Farber |first1=Stephen |title='Everybody Loves Somebody': Film Review, Palm Springs 2017 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/everybody-loves-somebody-review-963437/# |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=1 April 2022 |date=11 January 2017}} In 2018, he performed as main actor in the Australian film Nekrotronic, which was nominated for Best Makeup at the 9th AACTA Awards, but otherwise was rather poorly received both by audiences and critics.{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/nekrotronic|title=Nekrotronic|website=Metacritic Retrieved 18 March 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Dalton |first1=Stephen |title='Nekrotronic': Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/nekrotronic-review-1148025/ |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=1 April 2022 |date=28 September 2018}}
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, O'Toole has almost exclusively appeared in Australian productions. In addition to his performances in series television, he landed the lead role in the horror comedy Bloody Hell, where he assumed the role of protagonist and also embodied the hallucinations of his alter ego.{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/bloody-hell-film-review-4116432/ |title=Bloody Hell: Film Review|date=January 14, 2021|first=John|last=Defore|work=The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved 17 March 2022}}
O'Toole has also appeared regularly in theatre. In 2022 he appeared in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.{{Cite web |title=STC gives us a compelling Bronte adaptation for our moment |url=https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2022/07/11/stc-gives-us-a-compelling-bronte-adaptation-for-our-moment.html |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=The University of Sydney |language=en-US}} In 2024, he reprised his 2013 role of Happy in Death of a Salesman.{{Cite web |last=Review |first=Arts |date=2024-03-20 |title=Outstanding cast to join Anthony LaPaglia for Sydney season of Death of a Salesman |url=https://artsreview.com.au/outstanding-cast-to-join-anthony-lapaglia-for-sydney-season-of-death-of-a-salesman/ |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=Australian Arts Review |language=en-AU}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Role ! scope="col"| Notes ! scope="col"| {{Tooltip|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| 2014
| Henry Connor | supporting role |
| 2016
| Corporal Jessop | |
| rowspan="3" | 2017
| Asher | lead role |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
| British Soldier | supporting role |
| Detroit
| Flynn Marko | |
| rowspan="2" | 2018
| Scott Black | |
| Nekrotronic
| Howard North | leading actor |
| 2020
| Rex Coen | leading actor |
=Television=
| class="wikitable"
! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Role ! scope="col"| Notes ! scope="col"| {{Tooltip|Ref.|References}} |
| 2011
| Sintillate Studios | Justin | Web series, 6 episodes |
| 2014-2016
| Pete | 17 episodes |
| 2019
| Catalina Aguilar Mastretta Project | Mack | Pilot episode (unreleased) |
| 2020
| Jarrod/Daniel | 6 episodes | |
| 2021
| Max Shaw | 8 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2022
| Young Ali Wexler | 2 episodes | |
| Barons
| Snapper Webster | Lead role, 8 episodes |
| 2023
|Rowdy Gaines |6 episodes | |
| 2024
|Teddy Callis | 3 episodes | |
Stage
| class="wikitable sortable"
! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | Role !Notes !Ref |
| rowspan="4" | 2011
| Blood Will Have Blood | rowspan="4" |WAAPA | |
| The Laramie Project
| Rulon Stacey / Father Roger Schmidt / Jonas Slonaker | |
| Ruben Guthrie
| Ruben Guthrie | |
| Nana
| Marquis de Chouard | |
| 2012
| Mercer | rowspan="2" | Heath Ledger Theatre, Perth with Black Swan State Theatre Company | |
| 2013
| Happy Loman | |
| rowspan="2" | 2014
| Mojo | | STC | |
| The Sublime
| Liam | MTC |
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| Freak Winds | Henry Crumb | rowspan="2" |Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney | |
| Men
| Crazy Bob |
| 2022
| Arthur Huntington | rowspan="2" |Roslyn Packer Theatre with STC | |
| rowspan="2" |2023
|On the Beach | Peter Holmes | |
| A Streetcar Named Desire
| Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney with STC |
| rowspan="2" |2024
| 37 | Joe | Bille Brown Theatre, Brisbane with MTC & Queensland Theatre | |
| Death of a Salesman
| Happy Loman |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|4649116}}
- [https://www.instagram.com/mrbenotoole/ Profile on Instagram]
- [https://app.showcast.com.au/profile/BenOToole Artist profile at the acting agency]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:OToole, Ben}}
Category:Australian male film actors