Eric Bana was born in Melbourne, Australia on August 9, 1968 as Eric Banadinovich, the son of a Croatian father and German mother. Upon graduating from high school, he studied classical acting in Sydney as well as classical text where he began to perform in several Shakespearian plays. Soon after, under the advice of one of his drama teachers, he auditioned and was accepted to the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney.
I wanted to be a mechanic. When I was 14 I wanted to quit school and go work on my car. But my dad said 'Son, you shouldn't do that. You should stay in school until your education is finished, and when you're done, don't make your hobby your job'.The compact, handsome performer began performing comedy while working as a barman at Melbourne's Castle hotel in 1991. He quickly become a star in his native Australia with his stand-up routines and his appearances on various TV series including "Full Frontal." Audiences appreciated Bana's humor so much that he was given his own comedy/talk show in 1997, called "The Eric Bana Show Live". Though the program only lasted eight episodes, it was clear that Eric was a comedic force.
Within two years, Bana had progressed to being featured on television. Although his sharp wit and skills as a sketch comic had some calling him the next breakout Australian star, he was relegated to a supporting role in his feature film debut in "The Castle" (1997) and a featured part in the Australian drama series "Something in the Air" (2000).
Early, it was Richard Pryor. I did stand-up for 10 years before acting. And the movie "Mad Max". It cemented in my mind that I wanted to be an actor.Then came Bana's big-screen breakthrough in "Chopper" (2000), the somewhat fanciful biography of one of Australia's most notorious figures. Bana admitted to eating junk food for four weeks to put on the extra weight needed to play the role. He gained 30 pounds, shaved his head, and underwent extensive makeup daily to cover his body in tattoos to transform into Mark Read, a cult celebrity thanks to a best-selling memoir. In addition, the actor did extensive research for the role, including interviewing the subject. While the resultant feature divided critics and audiences -- some felt it was an intelligent and thought-provoking portrait of the criminal mind, while others decried the depiction of such a charismatic killer -- few could dispute the power and skill of Bana's central performance. He earned near unanimous praise for his skillful, compelling work and picked up several accolades, including the Best Actor citation from the Australian Film Institute.
Even before the international release of "Chopper", Bana had determined to leave "Something in the Air" and concentrate on an international career. Ridley Scott tapped him to portray an American sergeant in the contemporary war drama "Black Hawk Down" (2001), about the conflict between US forces and Somalis during a humanitarian mission. After the film, Bana flew home to Australia and turned down millions to play Xander Cage in the action-packed XXX, a role that later went to Vin Diesel. Back at home, Bana played the lead in the 2002 comedy, "The Nugget".
Those who had scoffed at the late 90s prediction that Bana would be the next big thing from Down Under perhaps would come to regret their derision, particularly in light of his being cast in the coveted role of Dr. Bruce Banner in the Ang Lee-directed adaptation of "The Hulk" (2003). Bana chose "The Hulk" over several other Marvel Comics movie adaptations that were offered to him.
"The Hulk" was a moderate success. His deal for "The Hulk" includes an option for two sequels, with substantial salary raises for each film. After wrapping the film, Bana spent nine months at home with his family.
When I shoot I'll take my family with me - one movie a year and then the rest of the time at home.Bana's next big role in Hollywood was that of Hector in "Troy" (2004). Brad Pitt personally requested Bana as his co-star because he was a huge fan of "Chopper". Bana the option of playing several different characters when he was approached for the project, but he chose Hector because he thought Hector "was such a great bloke".
Bana underwent weight and fight-training for the role, transforming his body and growing his hair to fit the role. He had never ridden a horse before "Troy", and had to start from scratch without a saddle. In an ironic twist, Mark Brandon Read, who was portrayed by Bana in "Chopper", plays a guy named "Erik Bana" in a film called "Trojan Warrior" (2003). This is not to be confused with Troy (2004) which our Eric Bana really starred in.
Bana has a few other projects on the horizon, including a starring role as a Vegas poker player in "Lucky You" and Steven Spielberg's "Untitled 1972 Munich Olympics Project" about the Israeli hostage crisis.
-adapted from hollywood.com, imdb.com, and askmen.com