David Wenham
{{Short description|Australian actor}}
{{about|the actor|the theologian|David Wenham (theologian)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name = David Wenham
| honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=AUS|AM|size=100%}}
| image = David Wenham April 2016.jpg
| caption = Wenham in 2016
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia
| death_date =
| education = University of Western Sydney (BA)
| death_place =
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 1987–present
| partner = Kate Agnew (1994–present)
| children = 2
| website =
}}
David Wenham {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} is an Australian actor who has appeared in film, television and theatre. He is known for his roles as Faramir in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Friar Carl in Van Helsing and Van Helsing: The London Assignment, Dilios in 300 and its sequel 300: Rise of an Empire, Al Parker in Top of the Lake, Lieutenant John Scarfield in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and Hank Snow in Elvis. He is known in his native Australia for his role as Diver Dan in SeaChange and Price Galese in Les Norton.
Early life
Wenham has five older sisters; Helen, Anne, Carmel, Kathryn, and Maree; and one older brother, Peter. He was raised in the Roman Catholic faith and attended Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham, Sydney.{{cite news| url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/10/04/1064988451476.html | location=Melbourne | work=The Age | title=Spittin' image | date=5 October 2003}}[http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/02/jun/30/13.html Fr Damien role is 'uplifting' – actor] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903230321/http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/02/jun/30/13.html |date=3 September 2007 }}
Career
Wenham started his career as an actor after graduating from Theatre Nepean at the University of Western Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts (Performing Arts) in 1987.{{cite news|url=http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/02/13/want-to-go-to-art-school-dont-live-in-western-sydney/?wpmp_switcher=mobile|title=Want to go to art school? Don't live in Western Sydney|author=Mendelssohn, Joanna|work=Crikey|date=13 February 2008|access-date=10 March 2015}} Wenham's television credits include several telefilms, such as his AFI award-winning role in 1997's Simone de Beauvoir's Babies; and his role as the outwardly laid back but deeply enigmatic diver Dan Della Bosca in the 1998 and 1999 seasons of the ABC television series SeaChange. His role as "Diver Dan" has made the actor something of a sex symbol, although he dislikes thinking of himself as such,{{cite web|first=Melissa |last=Field |url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,,21468237-5006011,00.html |title=The star of David |work=Daily Telegraph |date=1 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014042439/http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0%2C%2C21468237-5006011%2C00.html |archive-date=14 October 2007 |df=dmy-all }} and he has been voted Australia's "sexiest man alive".{{cite web|url=http://www.ageofthering.com/atthemovies/cast/davidwenham.php|title=David Wenham AgeOfTheRing Biography}} A portrait of Wenham by artist Adam Cullen won the Archibald Prize in 2000.{{cite web|url=http://www.david-wenham.com/bio/bio.htm|title=Biography|publisher=David Wenham appreciation site|access-date=10 March 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sydneyreviewofbooks.com/acute-misfortune-adam-cullen-erik-jensen/|title=Declivities and eminences|author=Edmond, Martin|work=Sydney Review of Books|publisher=Writing and Society Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney|date=30 September 2014|access-date=10 March 2015}}
Australian films Wenham has starred in include The Boys (1998) based on the play of the same name premiered at Griffin Theatre Company and in turn based on the murder of Anita Cobby; Molokai (1999), based on the life of Father Damien; The Bank (2001); Gettin' Square (2003); Stiff (2004); The Brush-Off (2004) and Three Dollars (2005). Wenham has periodically appeared in Hollywood films; he is known for playing Faramir, son of Denethor II, in New Line Cinema's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
File:Oranges and Sunshine Premiere David Wenham (5750705094).jpg in 2011]]
He was seen in Van Helsing playing Hugh Jackman's sidekick, Friar Carl. His character, Dilios, narrated and appeared in the 2007 film 300. He reprises his role of Dilios in both the 2014 sequel, 300: Rise of an Empire and the video game, 300: March to Glory for Sony PlayStation Portable, which contains a substantial amount of new dialogue. Minor roles of Wenham's in overseas films include in The Crocodile Hunter as a park ranger, and briefly in Moulin Rouge! as Audrey. Wenham stars in the music video for Alex Lloyd's single "Brand New Day". In 2008's Australia, he reunited with Hugh Jackman playing antagonist Neil Fletcher.
In 2009, he appeared in Public Enemies as one of John Dillinger's men. He also returned to the stage, this time as the lead actor, Jerry Springer, in the British musical Jerry Springer: The Opera. During its 6-day run at the Sydney Opera House he played in sold-out performances alongside ARIA award-winning singer Kate Miller-Heidke.[https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/art-and-design/jerry-springer-the-opera-20090417-gdtha5.html?page=fullpage "Jerry Springer: The Opera"] by Elissa Blake, The Sydney Morning Herald, 17 April 2009
File:David Wenham 2014.jpg in 2014]]
In 2010, he played the character 'Len' in the Australian drama film Oranges and Sunshine. Also in 2010, Wenham starred as the disgraced Melbourne lawyer Andrew Fraser in the Australian television series Killing Time. This ten-part series shows Fraser's fall from grace as he defends many Melbourne criminals during the 1980s and 1990s. It was shown on TV1 in late 2011.
Wenham plays New Zealand detective Al Parker{{cite web|date=18 March 2013|title=Entertainment: Top of the Lake|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax|url=http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/top-of-the-lake-20130314-2g3ep.html|access-date=19 March 2013}} alongside Elisabeth Moss in the 2013 BBC series Top of the Lake.
In 2013, Wenham returned to the stage to play the lead role of John Proctor, in the Melbourne Theatre Company's mid-year production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible.
In 2014, Wenham starred as Patrick Jones in Paper Planes, released on 15 January 2015. That same year, Wenham voiced the role Jacko a frilled-neck lizard, in Blinky Bill the Movie. In 2016, Wenham played the role of John, the adoptive father of Saroo Brierley in Lion.
Wenham played the role of the villain Harold Meachum in the Netflix original television series Iron Fist, which premiered in March 2017.{{cite web|last1=Opam|first1=Kwame|title=6 problems that make Iron Fist so frustrating|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/21/14980216/iron-fist-problems-marvel-netflix-writing-villains-optics|website=TheVerge.com|date=21 March 2017 |access-date=13 April 2017}}
In 2018, Wenham plays the voice of Johnny Town-Mouse in Peter Rabbit, a role he reprised in the 2021 sequel Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway.
In 2020, it was announced that Wenham was cast as Jasper Queller in the upcoming Netflix thriller series Pieces of Her, which is adapted from the Karin Slaughter novel of the same name.{{cite web|url=https://www.if.com.au/david-wenham-cast-in-netflix-thriller-with-toni-collette-bella-heathcote/|title=David Wenham cast in Netflix thriller with Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote|last=Groves|first=Don|work=IF|date=May 21, 2020|access-date=June 18, 2020}}
In 2022, Wenham returned to work with director Baz Luhrmann again to play the role of country singer Hank Snow in the biographical film Elvis.
File:Kate Agnew & David Wenham at AACTA Awards 2012.jpg]]
In November 2022, Wenham played Scrooge in a production of A Christmas Carol, his performance was praised as showing Scrooge as traumatised.{{cite news |title=A Christmas Carol review – David Wenham is a superb Scrooge for the ages |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/nov/19/a-christmas-carol-review-david-wenham-is-a-superb-scrooge-for-the-ages |access-date=14 January 2023 |work=the Guardian |date=19 November 2022 |language=en}}
He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2023 Australia Day Honours.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-25 |title=Australia Day 2023 Honours: Full list |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/australia-day-2023-honours-full-list-20230124-p5cf79.html |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}
Personal life
Wenham met actress and yoga teacher Kate Agnew at a play at Belvoir St Theatre in Sydney, Australia in 1994.{{Cite web |last=Rocca |first=Jane |date=2022-05-07 |title=The one question David Wenham’s mum asked whenever he landed a role |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/celebrity/the-one-question-david-wenham-s-mum-asked-whenever-he-landed-a-role-20220428-p5agyj.html |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}} They began a relationship that year.{{Cite web |title=David Wenham on giving his teacher a nervous breakdown |url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Flifestyle%2Fstellar%2Fi-made-my-teacher-have-a-nervous-breakdown%2Fnews-story%2F4ec585839a01188696baec8ea54e2423&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-1-NOSCORE |website=The Daily Telegraph}} They have two daughters.{{Cite web |title=Actor David Wenham Welcomes Daughter Millie |url=https://people.com/parents/david-wenham-ba/ |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}} As of 2020, they live together in a $2.75 million-dollar house in Brisbane, Australia.{{Cite web |title=David Wenham discreetly bought in Brisbane |url=https://www.nine.com.au/property/news/movie-star-david-wenham-discreetly-bought-in-brisbane/6c5417d4-9b31-45fc-80c5-20e6c5a5ad15#:~:text=David%20Wenham,%20the%20star%20of,of%20the%20pandemic%20in%202020. |access-date=2024-06-20 |website=www.nine.com.au |language=en-AU}}
On 20 September 2006, Wenham read a poem called "The Crocodiles are Crying" by Rupert McCall at the memorial service for Steve Irwin.{{IMDb title|0867148|The Crocodile Hunter: A Tribute to Steve Irwin}}{{Cite web |date=2006-09-19 |title=Farewell To Steve Irwin |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/farewell-to-steve-irwin/ |access-date=2024-08-04 |website=CBS News |language=en-US}}
Wenham is a Sydney Swans supporter.{{cite news| url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2005/03/26/1111692684412.html | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | title=Kidman heads army of Swans 'true believers' | date=27 March 2005}}
Filmography
=Film=
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes !Ref |
|---|
| rowspan="2" | 1987
| Ambulanceman 1 | Episode: "Mozart Rules – Part 1" | |
| Sons and Daughters
| Debt Collector | Episode: "#1.954" | |
| 1988
| Scott Galbraith | 2 episodes | |
| 1990
|Australian soldier |Mini-series | |
| 1991
| Ferret | Episode: "The Cosmic Lightbeam" | |
| 1992
| David Cornish | 2 episodes | |
| 1994
| William Cassidy | Episode: "The Folly of Youth" | |
| 1996
| Robbie Doyle | Episode: "Happy Families" | |
| rowspan="2" | 1997
| Ian | all 4 episodes | |
| Return to Jupiter
| Dr Ghrobak | 2 episodes | |
| 1998–1999
| Dan Della Bosca | 15 episodes | |
| 2004
|Murray Whelan |Telemovie | |
| 2004
|Murray Whelan |Telemovie | |
| 2006
|Mark Waldman |Two-part mini-series | |
| 2009
|Narrator |Credited as "Drew Skye" | |
| 2011
| Andrew Fraser | 10 episodes | |
| 2012
|Dripping in Chocolate |Bennett O'Mara | | |
| 2013, 2017
| Al Parker | 7 episodes | |
| 2013
| Julian McMahon | 4 episodes | |
| 2014
| The Code | Ian Bradley | 6 episodes | |
| 2015
| Banished | Captain Arthur Phillip, 1st Governor of New South Wales | | |
| 2017
| 10 episodes | |
| 2018
| Jago Zoric | 6 episodes | |
| 2019
| Price Galese | 10 episodes | |
| 2020
| Sir Tiuri the Valiant | 2 episodes | |
| 2021
| Jasper Queller | Main cast |{{Cite magazine |last=Groves |first=Don |date=21 May 2020 |title=David Wenham cast in Netflix thriller with Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote |url=https://www.if.com.au/david-wenham-cast-in-netflix-thriller-with-toni-collette-bella-heathcote/ |access-date=18 June 2020 |magazine=IF Magazine}} |
| 2022
| 1 episode | |
| 2024
| Fake | Joe Burt | 8 episodes |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2003
| The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | Faramir | |
| 2007
|Dilios, Narrator | |
= Other appearances =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| 2022
|Shackleton: The Greatest Story of Survival |Self |Documentary |
| 2022–23
|Self |10 episodes |
| 2022
|ABC 90 Celebrate! |Self |TV special |
| 2015
|Himself |Series 7, Episode 4 |
Awards and nominations
- Australian Film Institute Award for Best Lead Actor in Television Drama for Simone de Beauvoir's Babies (1997) – winner{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.org.au/awards/pastwinners/Television%20Award%20Winners%201986-2006.pdf |publisher=Australian Film Institute |work=AFI Television Awards |title=Past Winners, Television 1986–2006 |year=2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071128222933/http://www.afi.org.au/awards/pastwinners/Television%20Award%20Winners%201986-2006.pdf |archive-date=28 November 2007 |df=dmy-all }}
- Australian Film Institute Award for Best Lead Actor in Television Drama for Answered by Fire (2006) – winner
- Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for 300 (2007) - nominated
References
External links
{{Commons category|David Wenham}}
- {{IMDb name|920992|David Wenham}}
- [http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=8200&s=Features Urban Cinefile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002192733/http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=8200&s=Features |date=2 October 2009 }}
- {{discogs artist|David Wenham}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for David Wenham
|list =
{{AACTA Award Best Actor in a Leading Role 2000–2019}}
{{AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama}}
{{EquityAward TVMiniSeriesTeleMovieCast 2010–2019}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wenham, David}}
Category:Members of the Order of Australia
Category:20th-century Australian male actors
Category:21st-century Australian male actors
Category:Australian male film actors
Category:Australian male soap opera actors
Category:Australian male stage actors
Category:Australian male television actors
Category:Australian male voice actors
Category:Male actors from Sydney
Category:Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners
Category:People from Marrickville
Category:Western Sydney University alumni
Category:People educated at Christian Brothers' High School, Lewisham