Famous Australian Men

An Australian actor, Heath Ledger grabbed limelight in America with the teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You. However, it was role in Brokeback Mountain that made him a star and earned him comparisons with greats actors like Marlon Brando. The brilliant actor gave his last performance as Joker in The Dark Knight which became a massive success.

Australian actor Hugh Jackman’s Hollywood debut in the film X-Men made him a transatlantic actor and he went on to do the X-Men film series from 2000 to 2018. Some of his other prominent films are Kate & Leopold, Les Misérables, The Greatest Showman, The Prestige and Australia. He is also a singer, songwriter and a dancer.

Australian Steve Irwin was a world famous, high-spirited, lively host of The Crocodile Hunter television series. A conservationist, he was also part of other shows and documentaries on wildlife and environment. He was known for close encounters with some of the most dangerous and endangered animals in various jungles. He died after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming in Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Liam Hemsworth is an Australian actor and has starred in Hollywood films like The Last Song, Independence Day: Resurgence, Empire State, The Hunger Games, Isn't It Romantic and Killerman. He has been in the news for his relationship with singer and songwriter, Miley Cyrus. Luke and Chris, his older brothers, are also actors.

Four-time Grammy-winner Keith Urban had already tasted success in Australia, before making his American debut with a platinum-certified solo album. He knows how to play a variety of instruments, including the sitar, guitar, piano, and mandolin. His track Somebody Like You was named Billboard’s greatest country hit of the 2000s.

Paul Hogan is an Australian actor and television presenter. He is credited with popularizing the Crocodile Dundee film series with his award-winning portrayal of Michael "Crocodile" Dundee in the movie series. Such is his popularity in Australia that Hogan was made a member of the Order of Australia for service to entertainment and tourism.

Daniel Ricciardo is an Italian-Australian racing driver. He currently competes in Formula One for McLaren. Over the years, Ricciardo has had eight Grand Prix victories, including a win at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, in Formula One. He has also received several awards like BRDC The Bruce McLaren Trophy. In 2014, he was named GQ Australia Sportsman of the Year.

Michael Hutchence, co-founder of the Australian rock band INXS, was known for his wild lifestyle, his affairs with celebrities, and his history of drug abuse. He was named to News.com’s list of the 15 greatest Australian singers of all time but unfortunately died by suicide in a Sydney hotel room.

Eric Bana, better known as Nero from Star Trek, initially gained fame with the series Full Frontal. The Australian actor made a mark in Hollywood with movies such as Hulk, Troy, and Munich. He loves racing and donates to charities related to causes such as mental-illness awareness and animal welfare.

Regarded as the successor to Douglas Fairbanks, Errol Flynn was an Australian-born actor who gained recognition in the Golden Age of Hollywood mainly because of his romantic swashbuckler roles. He also achieved fame for his reputation as a womanizer and party animal in personal life. His career and life inspired several films, such as My Wicked, Wicked Ways and Flynn.

Shane Warne was a former Australian cricket player, best known for his leg-break bowling. Widely regarded as one of the greatest spin bowlers of all time, Warne was the second-highest wicket-taker in test cricket. He was also one of the most controversial cricketers. In 2013, Shane Warne was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Australian heartthrob Jacob Elordi was a film buff since an early age and wanted to become an actor like his idol, Heath Ledger. Following a debut in a musical and few more acting assignments, he ultimately hit it big with Netflix teen film The Kissing Booth and HBO series Euphoria. Jacob Elordi is also a budding young activist and has spoken out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Malcolm Young was an Australian musician. He is credited with co-founding the popular rock band AC/DC. He is also credited with popularizing the band and was described by many as the leader and the driving force of the band. Widely regarded as one of the best rhythm guitarists ever, Young was a leading exponent of rhythm guitar in rock music.

Best known as Patrick Jane from The Mentalist, Australian actor Simon Baker was an avid surfer in his younger days. He won a Logie Award for his role in the series E Street and had a leading role in The Guardian, too. He has also appeared in films such as L.A. Confidential.

Julian Assange made headlines all over the world in 2010 when WikiLeaks, a non-profit organization founded by him, gained international attention after publishing leaks, such as the Afghanistan war logs and Iraq war logs. After dodging arrest for several years, he was finally arrested in 2019 and is currently imprisoned in HM Prison Belmarsh.

Australian cricketer, Sir Donald Bradman, is widely acknowledged as the greatest batsman of all time. He started playing cricket as a young man and scored numerous records within a few years. In a career spanning around two decades, he retired with a career test batting average of 99.94. He retained a pre-eminent position in the game for decades following his retirement. 

The oldest of the famous Hemsworth brothers, Luke Hemsworth is also an actor like his younger siblings. A famous TV actor in Australia, Luke Hemsworth has also appeared in American films, such as Hickok, Encounter, and Crypto. A popular figure in Australia, Luke was chosen as the newest face of Tourism Australia in 2018.

Travis Fimmel never thought about becoming a model or actor before he was spotted working out at a gym by a talent scout's flatmate. In fact, he wouldn't even have been working out at that gym had he not broken his leg before making his debut for the St Kilda Football Club. Well, Australian football’s loss is film industry’s gain!

Alex O'Loughlin is an Australian actor, director, writer, and producer. He is best known for his work in the popular police procedural TV series, Hawaii Five-0. Apart from being associated with the film and TV industry, Alex O'Loughlin also works closely with a nonprofit organization called Donate Life America for which he is the current ambassador.

Australian cricketer Steve Smith captained the Australian Test team and also tied with Garry Sobers when he made a record 6,000 Test runs in 111 innings, the second-best after Donald Bradman. The Allan Border Medal-winning batsman was banned from Australian cricket for a year for overseeing ball tampering.

Bruce Kingsbury was an Australian soldier best remembered for his efforts during the Second World War. Kingsbury lost his life while counter-attacking the Japanese forces during the Battle of Isurava. Kingsbury's counter-attack proved beneficial for the Australians and his bravery during the battle was honored with the Victoria Cross. 

Calum Hood is best known as part of the Australian pop-rock group 5 Seconds of Summer, which has delivered hits such as She Looks So Perfect. He has also written songs for artists such as Makeout. He quit his plans of pursuing a soccer career to venture into music.

Aziz Shavershian was a Russian-born Australian personal trainer, bodybuilder, and model. He started posting videos on YouTube in 2007, establishing a cult following. Aziz was the poster boy of aesthetics, a subculture of amateur bodybuilding. Before his death, due to a heart attack, Aziz Shavershian had established a clothing line and his own protein label called Protein of the Gods.

Australian actor Brenton Thwaites is best known for his appearance in the soap opera Home and Away. Even though his initial plans involved becoming a policeman or a firefighter, destiny had other plans for him. He started acting in plays as a teenager and moved to TV shows. He has since migrated to US where his career continues to thrive.

Terence Tao is an Australian-American mathematician who works at the University of California, Los Angeles as a professor of mathematics. Widely considered one of the most prominent living mathematicians, Tao was honored with the prestigious Fields Medal in 2006. In 2014, he was awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics.

Nick Vujicic is an Australian American motivational speaker and Christian evangelist. Born with a rare disorder called tetra-amelia syndrome, which is characterized by the privation of arms and legs, Vujicic founded an international non-profit organization called Life Without Limbs in 2005. In 2007, he established a motivational speaking company named Attitude is Altitude.

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios, who has had a career-best singles ranking of 13, has also been part of a few controversies. During a 2019 Wimbledon match, he apparently deliberately hit Rafael Nadal with a ball, straight in the chest, and later defended his actions, saying it was completely fair.

Australian former tennis player Rod Laver is widely regarded to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He was ranked world No. 1 in nine different years. He holds 200 singles titles--the most in tennis history. He excelled on a variety of court surfaces: grass, clay, hard, carpet, and wood/parquet. The Laver Cup Tournament is named after him.

Scott Morrison served as the 30th prime minister of Australia between 2018 and 2022. He led his coalition to an unexpected victory in the 2019 election. Morrison's term witnessed increased tension between China and Australia. He was criticised for failure to adequately address climate change in Australia. His coalition was defeated in 2022 election and subsequently he resigned as the leader of the Liberal Party.

James Wan is an Australian screenwriter, film director, comic book writer, and producer. He is credited with creating or co-creating the popular Insidious, Saw, and The Conjuring Universe franchises. An exponent of the horror genre, James Wan established the Atomic Monster Productions, which produces television and film projects. He is also one of the most successful filmmakers of his generation.

Australian actor and singer Jesse Spencer is best known to fans as Dr. Robert Chase from House and as Billy Kennedy from Neighbours. Though born into a family of medical professionals, Spencer showed an early interest in music, excelling in the violin, and often plays at charity events these days.

Luke Bracey is an Australian actor whose sheer hard work and determination landed him prominent roles in popular films, such as The November Man, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Hacksaw Ridge. Luke Bracey is often cited as an inspiration for young and aspiring Australian actors and actresses.