Career
Wenham started his career as an actor after graduating from Theatre Nepean at the University of Western Sydney in 1987 where he studied under Terry Browne. Wenham's television credits include several telemovies, such as his AFI award winning role in the 1996 telemovie Simone de Beauvoir's Babies; and his role as the outwardly laid back but deeply enigmatic diver Dan Della Bosca in the 1998 and 1999 seasons of the highly successful ABC television series SeaChange. His role as "Diver Dan" has made the actor something of a sex symbol, although he dislikes thinking of himself as such, and he has been voted Australia's "sexiest man alive". A portrait of Wenham by artist Adam Cullen won the Archibald Prize in 2000. Wenham is signed to Storm Model Management in London.
Australian films Wenham has starred in include the critically acclaimed The Boys (1998) based on the play of the same name premiered at Griffin Theatre Company and in turn based on the Anita Cobby murder; Molokai (1999), based on the life of Father Damien; The Bank (2001); Gettin' Square (2003) and Three Dollars (2005). Wenham has periodically appeared in Hollywood films; he is known for playing Faramir, son of Denethor, in New Line Cinema's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. He has appeared with two of 2001's Best Supporting Actor Nominees: That year's winner was Jim Broadbent, with whom he appeared in Moulin Rouge!. The other was Ian McKellen, who reprised his Oscar-nominated role opposite Wenham in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
He was also seen in Van Helsing playing Hugh Jackman's sidekick, Friar Carl. His character, Dilios, narrated and appeared in the movie 300. Minor roles of Wenham's in overseas films include in The Crocodile Hunter as a park ranger, and briefly in Moulin Rouge! as Audrey. Wenham stars in the music video for Alex Lloyd's single "Brand New Day". In 2008's Australia, he reunited with Hugh Jackman playing antagonist Neil Fletcher who seeks to acquire the ranch Jackman's character is employed with.
In both Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and 300, Wenham's character is the sole survivor returned from an ill-fated battle (the Battle at Osgiliath and the Battle of Thermopylae, respectively). He reprises his role of Dilios in the videogame 300: March to Glory for Sony PlayStation Portable, which contains a lot of new dialogue.
In 2009 he again took to the stage, this time as the lead actor, Jerry Springer, in the British musical Jerry Springer - The Opera. During its 6 day run at the Sydney Opera House he played to sold out audiences alongside ARIA award winning singer Kate Miller-Heidke.
In 2010, Wenham starred as the disgraced Melbourne Lawyer Andrew Fraser in the Australian TV series Killing Time. This 10 part series shows Fraser's fall from grace as he defends many Melbourne criminals during the 1980s and 1990s. It was shown on TV1 in late 2011.
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Famous quotes containing the word career:
“I restore myself when I’m alone. A career is born in public—talent in privacy.”
—Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962)
“He was at a starting point which makes many a man’s career a fine subject for betting, if there were any gentlemen given to that amusement who could appreciate the complicated probabilities of an arduous purpose, with all the possible thwartings and furtherings of circumstance, all the niceties of inward balance, by which a man swings and makes his point or else is carried headlong.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)
“The problem, thus, is not whether or not women are to combine marriage and motherhood with work or career but how they are to do so—concomitantly in a two-role continuous pattern or sequentially in a pattern involving job or career discontinuities.”
—Jessie Bernard (20th century)