Ben Steel

Last updated

Ben Steel
Ben Steel.jpg
Born
Ben Steel

(1975-10-09) 9 October 1975 (age 47)
Melbourne, Australia
Occupation(s)Actor, Director
Years active1992–present
Height195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
SpousePreviously engaged to Deni Hines (2002–04)
AwardsNominated for Best New Talent Logie 2003

Ben Steel (born 9 October 1975[ citation needed ]) is an Australian actor and director who is most known for his regular role of Jude Lawson in Australian soap Home and Away .

Contents

Early life and acting training

Steel's parents are Glenys Steel and Ray Steel. He has two older sisters, Nicole Simpson (Steel) and Kara Joiner (Steel). Steel moved to Sydney after completing his high school studies in 1993. His family remained in Melbourne.

Steel started taking acting lessons when he was eleven. This later led to studies at Sydney's Australian Theatre for Young People and The Actor's Centre. It was at The Actor's Pulse in Sydney that Steel discovered the Meisner acting technique.

He continued his studies with the Meisner technique overseas at The Impulse Company in London, and Playhouse West in Los Angeles.

He is currently studying at The Prague Playhouse in the Czech Republic.

Early career

Steel began appearing in television commercials at the age of eleven.

He made his first appearance on a television drama series in 1992 when, as a seventeen-year-old, he appeared in the award-winning crime series Phoenix on Australia's ABC-TV.

At the age of fifteen he purchased his first video camera to explore life on the other side of the lens.

Steel studied media and film studies at high school then moved to Sydney to pursue full-time work in the film industry. Steel's tenacity paid off when he scored a lighting job on the high-rating ABC program Heartbreak High . This was the break Steel needed, giving him enough technical experience to work behind-the-scenes on bigger projects such as the feature films Doing Time for Patsy Cline , Dark City and Oscar and Lucinda .

Taking a side step in the position of Production Runner enabled Steel to absorb new skills at very close range to master filmmakers. The position offered an insight into everything from pre to post production, as he worked on IMAX: The Story of a City with Bruce Beresford; First Daughter ; Bootmen with Dein Perry; Babe: Pig in the City with George Miller; The Matrix with the Wachowskis; and finally hit the jackpot with Moulin Rouge! and director Baz Luhrmann.

Home and away

Steel returned to appearing in front of the camera and into the spotlight. On 30 October 2000, Steel made his first appearance as Jude Lawson in the high-rating nightly Australian soap Home and Away . He played the popular character for three seasons and appeared in more than 160 episodes.

Short films

In addition to his acting commitments on Home and Away , Steel continued to develop several feature film projects while refining his directing skills on short films. He has since completed more than twenty short films including Airhead starring Andrew Hill and Mum's the Word starring Chris Egan, both winners of best comedy at "The Shootout 24hour Filmmaking Festival".

In 2002 he took his filmmaking to new extremes, when he rose to the challenge to make Diagnosis Narcolepsy, a 16mm, 7-minute film, starring Scott Major, Erik Thomson, Salvatore Coco, Lara Cox, Jeremy Kewley and Deni Hines, and the film was completed in just 24 hours. [1]

UK career

After finishing Home and Away Steel went to the UK to play Prince Valentine in the pantomime Snow White . Steel subsequently starred in his first independent feature film The Bitten Tongue, where he had fun playing a cross-dressing, money laundering gangster. His next project was another bad guy abducting David Beckham's hairdresser in Unfashionable Tramps followed by a successful season at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe starring in This is Soap and presenting two music festivals for Five. Then Steel went to the US and spent a few months studying acting at Playhouse West under the eye of founders Jeff Goldblum and Robert Carnegie.

Return to Australia

He returned home in 2004 to star in the cult theatrical production of Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical to a sold-out season.

He's involved in some pretty naughty situations, is having trouble deciding if he prefers the steam room scene or the "one with the threesome" but ask Ben Steel to pose for a photo without a shirt and surprisingly he gets all coy. "I'd rather wear a shirt, if that's ok", Steel said. The former Home and Away star, who is playing six characters in the Debbie Does Dallas musical wouldn't even reveal if he bares all in any of the roles. "I can't say whether I will or whether I won't but it's definitely an interesting ride", Steel said during a break from rehearsals at the Seymour Centre yesterday. "I get to live out some fantasy on stage", he quickly added. The musical, which is based on the famous porn movie, had its first preview show last night but Steel said his parents would wait a few weeks before they watch him in action "I said to mum I was doing this Debbie Does Dallas play and she had no idea about what it was, so I had to explain it was based on a porn movie, but when I told dad, he knew exactly what it was", he said." [2] [ full citation needed ]

He then went behind the camera again in his music video directorial debut by making "Shower the People" for Australian singing legend Marcia Hines and Belinda Emmett.

He then flew to New Zealand to direct the short film Pullin Roots starring Beau Brady and Clayton Watson.

Back to Europe

2005 saw Steel depart to the UK to revive his character of Prince Valentine in the pantomime Snow White , it also marked the year that Steel made his West End Theatre debut. Steel headed up the cast of The Vegemite Tales , an Australian play that is set in a share-house in London. The play ran for 12 weeks to sellout audiences. Next Steel continued performing in theatre in Serial Killers, a New Zealand play written by James Griffen performed at the Darby Playhouse.

2006 brought Steel back to Australia where he worked with director Spike Jonze on the movie Where the Wild Things Are .

Czech Republic

2007 and Steel moved to Prague the capital of the Czech Republic.

However, in August 2007 Steel briefly flew back to Australia for a supporting role in the indie feature film Four of a Kind a/k/a Disclosure directed by Fiona Cockrane.

Former Home and Away hunk Ben Steel has snuck back into Oz to star in the low-budget psychological thriller Disclosure. After splitting with fiancee Deni Hines and leaving Summer Bay five years ago, Steel has divided his time between Hollywood, New York, London and Prague- chalking up gigs for his acting portfolio. While he remains tight-lipped about his latest project, he said being home may lead to him returning for good. [3] [ full citation needed ]

Returning to the Czech Republic, he was cast in the role of Fletcher in the much anticipated Solomon Kane with James Purefoy. The 2008 film was set in the late 16th Century during Puritan times and was based on the classic novel written by Robert E Howard. The film was entirely shot in Prague during the middle of winter.

Steel scored his next big screen role in 2009 when he was cast in Red Tails , which was produced by George Lucas and stars Cuba Gooding Jr and Terrence Howard and was released in 2012.

Aruba

In mid-2009, Steel was commissioned by national Aruban Broadcaster ATV (Aruba) to produce and direct the television program Stars of Tomorrow . The program was a reality drama series that follows the life of aspiring young actors living in Aruba.

Filmography

Acting

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992 Crime TimeButcherFilm
1992PhoenixBen BrennanTV series
1999BreakersRussTV series
2000 Water RatsRowan MarsdenTV series
2000The ProposalZacFilm
2000–02Home and AwayJude LawsonRegular role
2003Five at Summer BayHimselfTV event
2003 The Bitten TongueJane UreFilm
2003Unfashionable TrampsMikeFilm
2007 Not for Love or MoneyBack PackerFilm
2008 Four of a Kind (AKA: Disclosure)Michael KeelingFilm
2009 Solomon KaneFletcherFilm
2010 Red TailsLuntz's LieutenantFilm

Directing

YearTitleNotes
1995 FrogsTVC
1996 Letter from AustraliaDocumentary
1997 Triple JTVC
1998 Intermission ImprobableFilm
1998Killer BeesFilm
1999 Bootmen – gagreelFilm
2000 Family TiesFilm
2000AirheadFilm
2000The Wrong GearFilm
2001 Mum's the WordFilm
2002 Diagnosis NarcolepsyFilm
2004 Pullin RootsFilm
2004Shower the People – Marcia HinesMusic Video
2005 PragueFilm
2005Vodka Connecting PeopleFilm
2006 PreyFilm
2006Man's Best FriendFilm
2006Samsung – pitch your ideasInternet Viral
2007 The Tulek ShowFilm
2007Your worldFilm
2007Returning to my ChildhoodFilm
2007Not for Love or MoneyFilm
2007FetchFilm
2010 Stars of TomorrowTV

Personal life

Relationships

Steel met Deni Hines on the set of the Seven Network Perth Telethon in 2001. Hine's sang her then current single "Frenzy" while sitting on the knee of Steel. The couple were reported as dating several months later, and were seen travelling to many destinations around the world. Their engagement was announced in the social pages of Australian newspapers in 2003. The reason for their 2004 break-up has never been made public, though the rumours say she broke up with him leaving him severely heart broken.

Charitable work

Good Friday Appeal phone room as well as Channel 7 studio setup of the telethon panel featuring personalities such as Andrew O'Keefe GFAphoneroom.JPG
Good Friday Appeal phone room as well as Channel 7 studio setup of the telethon panel featuring personalities such as Andrew O'Keefe

Steel attended Good Friday Appeal 2001–2002. The Good Friday Appeal is a fundraising activity that brings together people from all parts of the community in a very special way. The common goal is to raise money for The Royal Children's Hospital, in Melbourne, and to ensure that all children with life-threatening illnesses receive the best possible medical and clinical care.

Awards nominations

Logie Award:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Duvall</span> American actor and director (born 1931)

Robert Selden Duvall is an American actor and filmmaker. With a career spanning eight decades, he is regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, four Golden Globe Awards, a BAFTA Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugo Weaving</span> British actor (born 1960)

Hugo Wallace Weaving is a British actor. He is the recipient of six Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTA) and has also been recognised as an Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia. Born in Colonial Nigeria to English parents, he has resided in Australia for the entirety of his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydney Pollack</span> American film director, producer and actor

Sydney Irwin Pollack was an American film director, producer and actor. Pollack is known for directing commercially and critically acclaimed studio films. Over his forty year career he received numerous accolades including two Academy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award as well as nominations for three Golden Globe Awards and six BAFTA Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanford Meisner</span> American actor and acting teacher (1905-1997)

Sanford Meisner was an American actor and acting teacher who developed an approach to acting instruction that is now known as the Meisner technique. While Meisner was exposed to method acting at the Group Theatre, his approach differed markedly in that he completely abandoned the use of affective memory, a distinct characteristic of method acting. Meisner maintained an emphasis on "the reality of doing", which was the foundation of his approach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Beckley</span> Australian actor

Michael Beckley is an Australian actor. He has worked with major theatre companies in both Australia and the United Kingdom, and appeared on London's West End in A Few Good Men and Cabaret. He is probably best known for playing Rhys Sutherland, the patriarch of a new family that arrived in the fictional town of Summer Bay in the internationally televised series Home and Away.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornelia Frances</span> Australian actress (1941–2018)

Cornelia Frances Zulver, OAM, credited professionally as Cornelia Frances, was an English-Australian actress. After starting her career in small cameos in films in her native England, she became best known for her acting career in Australia after emigrating there in the 1960s, particularly her iconic television soap opera roles with portrayals of nasty characters.

Joel McIlroy is an Australian actor, known for being the second actor to take on the role of Flynn Saunders, a character of the popular soap opera Home and Away. McIlroy took over the role of Flynn in 2003 after Martin Dingle-Wall left the role in 2002.

The Meisner technique is an approach to acting developed by American theatre practitioner Sanford Meisner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Cassell</span>

Alan Louis Cassell was an English Australian actor, on stage, film and television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Clark</span> Australian actor, model, and entrepreneur

Christian Clark is an Australian actor and business owner. Christian appeared in the role of Will Griggs in the Network Ten soap opera Neighbours from 2006 to 2007 and played Penn Graham in Home and Away in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd Lasance</span> Australian actor

Todd James Lasance is an Australian actor, best recognised for his roles in Australian television including Aden Jefferies on Home and Away, Cam Jackson on Rescue: Special Ops, Ben McMahon on Crownies and Major Sydney "Syd" Cook on ANZAC Girls. He has also appeared in American television roles, such as Julius Caesar on Spartacus: War of the Damned, Julian on The Vampire Diaries and Edward Clariss / Rival on The Flash. In 2020, he partnered with his Spartacus co-star Liam McIntyre to create the gaming series Get Good for the CouchSoup YouTube channel, following a charity livestream benefiting Black Summer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Ford</span> Australian actor (born 1981)

Luke Ford is a Canadian-Australian actor. His career began in television in 2000 and his first film role was in 2006 before being cast in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in 2008. Ford's regular television roles include those in the Australian series Underbelly in 2013, Cleverman in 2017, and Amazing Grace in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Alfieri</span> American dramatist

Richard Alfieri to Sam and Nena Alfieri is an American playwright, screenplay writer, novelist, film producer, and actor. His awards include two Writers Guild Awards and an Emmy nomination.

Brett Hicks-Maitland is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role in the Australian television series Home and Away.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln Younes</span> Australian actor (born 1992)

Lincoln Younes is an Australian actor. He made his debut in an episode of City Homicide in 2009, before playing Romeo Kovac in Showcase drama series Tangle until 2012. He received the ASTRA Award for Most Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor for the role. From 2011 until 2014, Younes portrayed Casey Braxton in the Australian soap opera Home and Away. After leaving the serial, he went on to appear in two seasons of Love Child as Chris Vesty, as well as the miniseries Hiding. In 2019, Younes played main character Danny Garibaldi in American series Grand Hotel, which was cancelled after one season. He then joined the supporting cast of Doctor Doctor for its fifth and final season in 2021. The following year, Younes starred in After the Verdict and played John Ibrahim in the Paramount+ miniseries Last King of the Cross.

Russell John Kiefel was an Australian stage, film and television actor. After graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Kiefel started his screen acting career with a role in the 1977 feature film The Singer and the Dancer. He followed this with roles in Breaker Morant (1980), Twelfth Night (1986), Call Me Mr. Brown (1990) and television film The Leaving of Liverpool (1992). Kiefel appeared in several television dramas, including Home and Away, Fireflies and Stingers. He starred in an episode of Twisted Tales in 1998. Among his various guest appearances were episodes of Wildside, Blue Heelers and Something in the Air. In 2008, Kiefel played Lloyd Ross in Infamous Victory: Ben Chifley's Battle for Coal. He joined the cast of Neighbours in the recurring role of Russell Brennan in 2015.

Jackson Gallagher is an Australian actor and professional photographer from Victoria, Australia. Gallagher began his career starring in the Nine Network children's series The Saddle Club and later ventured into film playing the titular character in the 2013 horror film Patrick. He gained wider recognition for his role as Josh Barrett in the soap opera Home and Away. He left the series in 2016 and soon secured more television roles including AFL player Connor Marrello in the Network Ten drama series Playing for Keeps. He has also completed additional film roles scheduled for release in 2019. Aside from acting Gallagher has worked as a stills photographer for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Astoni</span> Fictional character in Home and Away

Ben Astoni is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away, played by Rohan Nichol. The actor felt the offer of the role was good timing, as he was approaching his 40th birthday and feeling unconnected to anything. He previously appeared in the serial as Stafford McRae in 2004. Nichol relocated from Melbourne to Sydney to accommodate his filming commitments, and he began filming alongside his on-screen family in early 2017. Nichol expressed an interest in staying with the show for a long time. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 20 June 2017. Ben is introduced along with his wife Maggie Astoni and two daughters Ziggy Astoni and Coco Astoni, making them the first nuclear family to be introduced to Home and Away in 17 years.

References

  1. "Urban Cinefile". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2008.
  2. Sydney Telegraph 05/08/04
  3. Sydney Telegraph 28 August 2007