Eric Bana

Eric Bana is an Australian film and television actor He began his career as a comedian in the sketch comedy series Full Frontal before gaining critical recognition in the biopic Chopper 2000 After a decade of roles in Australian TV shows and films Bana gained Hollywoods attention by playing the role of American Delta Force Sergeant Norm Hoot Hooten in Black Hawk Down 2001 the lead role as Bruce Banner in the Ang Lee directed film Hulk 2003 Prince Hector in the movie Troy 2004 the lead in Steven Spielbergs Munich 2005 and the villain Nero in the sciencefiction film Star Trek 2009 An accomplished dramatic actor and comedian he received Australias highest film and television awards for his performances in Chopper Full Frontal and Romulus My Father Bana performs predominantly in leading roles in a variety of lowbudget and major studio films ranging from romantic comedies and drama to science fiction and action thrillers Eric Bana was the younger of two children he has a brother Anthony He is of Croatian ancestry on his fathers side Banas paternal grandfather Mate Banadinović fled to Argentina after the Second World War and Banas paternal grandmother emigrated to Germany and then to Australia in the 1950s with her son Ivan Banas father His father was a logistics manager for Caterpillar Inc and his Germanborn mother Eleanor was a hairdresser Bana grew up in Melbournes Tullamarine a suburban area on the western edge of the city near the main airport In a cover story for The Mail on Sunday he told author Antonella GambottoBurke that his family had suffered from racist taunts and that it had distressed him Wog is such a terrible word he said He has stated I have always been proud of my origin which had a big influence on my upbringing I have always been in the company of people of European origin Showing acting skill early in life Bana began doing impressions of family members at the age of six or seven first mimicking his grandfathers walk voice and mannerisms In school he mimicked his teachers as a means to get out of trouble As a teen he watched the Mel Gibson film Mad Max 1979 and decided he wanted to become an actor However he did not seriously consider a career in the performing arts until 1991 when he was persuaded to try standup comedy while working as a barman at Melbournes Castle Hotel His standup gigs in innercity pubs did not provide him with enough income to support himself so he continued his work as a barman and bussing tables