profile Edgerton won the 2002 AFI Best Male Actor award for his performance in The Secret Life of Us (top); and (bottom) promoting his latest film with Radha Mitchell, The Waiting City. n an interview with The Daily He then went on to tour with Bell Telegraph last June, Aussie Shakespeare in the production of Henry IV. actor Joel Edgerton had to try x / ????? While he had a minor role in Police Rescue three times to remember and Water Rats in the mid ‘90s, but it was his where he was calling from. newspi character, Will Mcgill, on the John Edwards Havingi just shot four films back-to-back in produced Tv series The Secret Life of Us that the past year, the versatile actor can easily be first brought him to the attention of forgiven, as he heads full speed on the Australian television audiences. Edgerton’s journey to Hollywood stardom. hunky ‘brickie’ character won him not only Over the years, Edgerton has moved many adoring female fans but also an AfI between the stage, television and film, and Award for best actor in a leading role in a it appears that his latest role in the upcoming television drama in 2002. release of the mixed martial arts epic While his character proved popular, Warrior with Nick Nolte may firmly cement Edgerton was on the move after two seasons, his place among Australian Hollywood later saying he had quit the show because of royalty. “I’m a small fish over here in fears of being typecast. In an interview in America,” Edgerton has said. “I think this 2007, producer John Edwards said that year I’ve got the opportunity of shifting Edgerton’s departure was significant because that around if a couple of these films do well.” it meant the loss of the working-class While he may only now be approaching the masculinity from the show. It was around breach of global stardom, Edgerton’s talents this time that Edgerton also came to the have long been recognised since his young the talented attention of the public when his relationship start in the industry. In 2002, Edgerton was with Australian Olympic gold medal winner named one of the ‘Ten Actors to Watch’ by 36-year-old has Cathy freeman became official. He supported Hollywood Variety magazine. His successful transition her at the time she announced her retirement from television to major Hollywood built up a strong from the sport, but the relationship productions - with some theatre, writing, eventually folded. He has since been producing and directing in-between - has repertoire on romantically linked to actress Isabel lucas meant Edgerton has done the hard yards. and more recently, co-star robin Mcleavy. Over the years, the talented 36-year-old which to base has built up a strong repertoire on which to Following The Secret Life of Us, Edgerton base his claim for international success. his claim for made his move to the big screen with roles in international Ned Kelly with Heath ledger and King From Sydney’S StageS to global ScreenS, After leaving Hills grammar School in Arthur. He also starred as career criminal Sydney’s northwest, Edgerton attended the success Shane in The Hard Word, along with other warrior Nepean Drama School before landing a Australian Hollywood notables, rachel Joel edgerton iS reaching the tipping point number of roles with the Sydney Theatre griffiths and guy Pearce. But it was his next oF international Super-Stardom. Company. “My trajectory was a combination role that would see him truly hit the world’s of luck,” Edgerton has said of his start in the screens, as Owen lars, stepbrother of Anakin Joanne ryan lookS at the aussie Star’S riSe. industry. “I was cast as a woman in my Skywalker and uncle to luke Skywalker, in graduating show, called The Poet, the Women the prequels Star Wars Episode II: Attack of and Frock, and Alan Wilson, who was an the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: agent at the time, took me on because he was Revenge of the Sith. His brother Nash also impressed by me in that play. I don’t think I acted as a stunt double for Ewan Mcgregor, would have stood out as much if I wasn’t who played Obi Wan Kenobi in the films. wearing a dress.” Edgerton briefly returned to the small At the Sydney Theatre Company, Edgerton x / ????? screen when he again teamed up with starred in the 1995 production of Blackrock as Australian producer John Edwards to star in well as David Williamson’s Third World Blues. newspi the eight-part Australian crime series “I’m a small fish over here in America but I think this year I’ve got the opportunity of / ????? es shifting that around if a couple g of these films do well.” ima y spring 2010 ett stratosphere 13 g profile profile prequel to the 1982 John Carpenter classic, assics which starred Kurt russell. Edgerton has said l whether it’s C that while the film will pay respect to es Carpenter’s movie, it will be a new take on ur our convict past the original concept. pict y or our defiance This year, Edgerton’s softer side was on son show in The Waiting City with fellow Aussie y radha Mitchell. The visually stunning film, tes of authority, ur which was shot in a number of beautiful co we love crime locations across India, tells the story of a couple who travel to that country to adopt a stories and if you baby. yet, it is the upcoming release of gavin O’Connor’s film Warrior that is already serve up the right gaining international interest. Set in the world of mixed martial arts, the film stars ones, people will Edgerton, Hollywood legend Nick Nolte and ms the new Mad Max, Tom Hardy. “It’s me and l I watch them. Mad Max fighting each other in a cage,” x f Edgerton has said of his role and co-star. ama r “He’s one of those actors whose emotions are mi Company turn a profit after four years in the just so evident right under the surface of his & A red. He also received notoriety at the time, Nash and Joel Edgerton: skin.” ham rr r E not only for his portrayal of Stanley Kowalski often described as The plot revolves around Hardy, the spa but for accidentally throwing a radio prop at Australia’s answer to estranged youngest son of alcoholic former l gu ie the Coen Brothers. ur Cate Blanchett’s head, resulting in the boxer and vietnam vet, Nick Nolte. Hardy’s A l danie show’s cancellation for that night. “I felt character returns home to be trained by his obviously very terrible,” Edgerton has said father for competition in a mixed martial arts Edgerton appearing in (left to right) Kinky Boots want to explain it, whether it’s our convict tions, which were taped over by their mum so of the incident. “When you box someone on has the winning strength of youth.” tournament. He is ultimately on a collision with Sarah Jane Potts (2006); The Square (2010); past or our defiance of authority, we love she could record her daytime soaps. Things the head who is referred to as ‘Our Cate’, Audiences most recently saw Edgerton on course in the ring with his older brother Animal Kingdom with Jackie Weaver (2010) crime stories and if you serve up the right have since become a bit more professional and you feel somehow like you’ve damaged a the big screen in the critically-acclaimed played by Edgerton. The film will be the ideal and The Hard Word with Damien Richardson ones, people will watch them.” they have cemented their working relation- national treasure and have this Australian Australian thriller Animal Kingdom. The film, and Guy Pearce (2003). vehicle for him to show international In 2008, Edgerton worked with his director ship. “It’s pretty easy telling him if I don’t like version of a fatwa placed on you.” which is loosely based on the infamous 1988 audiences his genuine form of that ‘working- Dangerous in 2007. The series, which was brother Nash to co-write and star in the something, knowing that we’ll still be broth- Accidents aside, the show proved a huge Walsh Street police murders in Melbourne, class masculinity’ that proved so appealing all loosely based on the 2005 riots in Sydney and gritty thriller The Square. Often described as ers at the end of it,” he has said. success and subsequently opened in New won the coveted World Cinema Jury Prize at those years ago in The Secret Life Of Us. And the political backlash that followed, saw Australia’s answer to the Coen Brothers, Joel last year, Edgerton was able to revisit his york at the end of 2009 to rave reviews. the Sundance film festival early this year. while he says he has no current plans to be Edgerton cast as Senior Sergeant Mark field and Nash Edgerton founded their own pro- love of theatre when he starred alongside Cate New York Times theatre critic Ben Brantley Edgerton has more recently been busy filming permanently based in lA, this guy from - a role he said he enjoyed because his duction company Blue-Tongue films with Blanchett in the Sydney Theatre Company’s sang his praises: “Mr Edgerton brings out a Hollywood remake of the sci-fi horror Sydney’s northwest may have to change his character was “morally skewed”.