Ben O'Toole explained

Ben O'Toole
Birth Place:Cairns, Australia
Occupation:Actor
Years Active:2011 - present

Ben O'Toole is an Australian actor. He is known for his role as Rex Coen in Bloody Hell, his recurring roles in several Australian TV series such as Amazing Grace, as well as for his supporting roles in films such as Hacksaw Ridge (2016) and 12 Strong (2018).

Life and career

O'Toole was born in Cairns and grew up in Brisbane.[1] [2] He began performing in the theatre while he studied acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)[3] near Perth. After graduating in 2011, his first screen appearance was in a web series titled Sintillate Studios.[4] He eventually relocated to Sydney where he continued his work in theater and acted in several short films. His first appearance in an internationally released film was in The Water Diviner in 2014.[5] That same year, he was cast in the role of Pete in the first three seasons of the TV series Love Child. In 2016, he played the role of Corporal Tom, second in command to drill sergeant Howell played by Vince Vaughn in the award-winning biographical war film Hacksaw Ridge, directed by Mel Gibson.

O'Toole moved to Los Angeles in early 2016.[6] He acted in commercially successful Hollywood films that provided more international exposure and recognition of his acting abilities.[7] [8] His first leading role was the romantic comedy, Everybody Loves Somebody (2017), which was well received by critics.[9] [10] In 2018, he performed as main actor in the film Nekrotronic, which was nominated for Best Makeup at the 9th AACTA Awards, but otherwise was rather poorly received both by audiences and critics.[11] [12]

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has almost exclusively appeared in Australian productions. In addition to his performances in series television, he had landed the lead role in the horror comedy Bloody Hell, where he assumed the role of protagonist and also embodied the hallucinations of his alter ego.[13]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014The Water DivinerHenry Connorsupporting role
2016Hacksaw RidgeCorporal Jessop
2017Everybody Loves SomebodyAsherlead role[14]
British Soldiersupporting role[15]
DetroitFlynn Marko
201812 StrongScott Black
NekrotronicHoward Northleading actor[16]
2020Bloody HellRex Coenleading actor

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2011Sintillate StudiosJustinWeb series, 6 Episodes
2014-2016Love ChildPete17 Episodes
2019Catalina Aguilar Mastretta ProjectMackpilot episode, unreleased[17]
2020Jarrod6 Episodes
2021Amazing GraceMax Shaw8 Episodes[18]
2022Pieces of HerYoung Ali Wexler2 Episodes
BaronsSnapper WebsterLead Role, 8 Episodes[19]
2023CaughtRowdy Gaines6 episodes
2024Boy Swallows UniverseTeddy3 episodes

Stage

O'Toole has appeared regularly in theatre. In 2022 he appeared in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.[20] In 2024, O'Toole would reprise the role of Happy in Death of a Salesman.[21]

YearTitleRoleNotesRef
2011Blood Will Have BloodMacbeth, OberonWAAPA
The Laramie ProjectRulon Stacey, Father Roger
Ruben GuthrieRuben Guthrie
NanaMarquis de Chouard
2012Boy Gets GirlMercerBlack Swan Theatre Co
2013Death Of A SalesmanHappy
2014Mojo
The Sublime LiamMTC[22]
2015Freak WindsHenry Crumb
MenCrazy Bob
2022The Tenant of Wildfell HallArthur HuntingtonSTC
2023On The BeachPeter HolmesSTC
A Streetcar Named DesireStanley Kowalski STC[23]
2024Death of A SalesmanHappyPerth / Sydney[24]
Source: [25]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MacDougall . Adam . How surfing changed an aussie stars life . The Daily Telegraph . 2022-06-08 . “Prior to Barons I hadn’t really surfed all that much, but I began taking lessons with a few of the other cast members,” says Cairns-born O’Toole..
  2. Web site: Kornits . Dov . 11 October 2020 . To Bloody Hell and Back . 21 August 2022 . filmink.com . Born in Cairns, but growing up in Brisbane, Ben O’Toole headed west to study acting at the highly respected Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), before relocating to Sydney..
  3. Web site: WAAPA . March 2018 . 51 . 2022-06-08.
  4. Web site: A very sinful satire . Star Observer . 2012-04-19 . 2022-06-08.
  5. Web site: Niland . Rose (13 July 2015). Ben O'Toole in Men by Brendan Cowell – Rose Niland Interview . The Culture Concept Circle . 17 March 2022.
  6. Web site: Schreffler . Laura . Where Ben O'Toole of Kathryn Bigelow's "Detroit" Hangs Out in L.A . hauteliving.com . Haute Media Group . 1 April 2022 . 26 July 2017 . I’ve called LA home since Feb, 2016.
  7. News: Kroll . Justin . 'Hacksaw Ridge's' Ben O'Toole Joins Chris Hemsworth in 'Horse Soldiers' (EXCLUSIVE) . 17 March 2022 . . 15 November 2016.
  8. News: Kroll . Justin . Kathryn Bigelow's Detroit Riots Film Casts Will Poulter, Ben O'Toole, Jack Reynor (EXCLUSIVE) . 17 March 2022 . . 4 August 2016.
  9. News: Cordova . Randy . Review: Why you'll love 'Everybody Loves Somebody'. 18 March 2022 . eu.azcentral.com . 4 August 2016.
  10. Web site: Farber . Stephen . 'Everybody Loves Somebody': Film Review, Palm Springs 2017 . . 1 April 2022 . 11 January 2017.
  11. Web site: Nekrotronic. Metacritic Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  12. Web site: Dalton . Stephen . 'Nekrotronic': Film Review . . 1 April 2022 . 28 September 2018.
  13. News: Bloody Hell: Film Review. January 14, 2021. John. Defore. The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  14. Web site: Reviews for February 17th, 2017 . nycmovieguru.com . 17 March 2022.
  15. Web site: Schneider, Sue_MCP Agency (June 18, 2017) Ben O'Toole - Assignment X . www.assignmentx.com . 17 March 2022.
  16. News: Wang . Cynthia . 'Interview "This isn't The Shawshank Redemption, you know" . 17 March 2022 . nowtolove.com . 5 September 2019.
  17. Web site: Groves . Don . Ben O'Toole learned a lot from Chris Hemsworth and Mel Gibson but yearns for more . 21 August 2022 . 19 June 2019 . Earlier this year O’Toole shot an untitled Amazon Studios pilot from writer-director Catalina Aguilar Mastretta, who made Everybody Loves Somebody, a 2017 Mexican-set comedy romance starring Karla Souza, José María Yazpik and O’Toole, which was acquired by Netflix..
  18. Web site: Amazing Grace actor Ben O'Toole on why he relates to Curb Your Enthusiasm . www.nine.com.au . 17 March 2022 . en-AU.
  19. Web site: Sean Keenan & Ben O'Toole Direct ABC Surf Drama "Barons" . dubuqueriverrides.com . 17 March 2022 . 4 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211204201737/https://dubuqueriverrides.com/sean-keenan-ben-otoole-direct-abc-surf-drama-barons/ . dead .
  20. Web site: STC gives us a compelling Bronte adaptation for our moment . 2024-08-21 . The University of Sydney . en-US.
  21. Web site: Review . Arts . 2024-03-20 . Outstanding cast to join Anthony LaPaglia for Sydney season of Death of a Salesman . 2024-08-21 . Australian Arts Review . en-AU.
  22. Web site: Peard . Anne-Marie . 2014-09-03 . MTC: The Sublime . 2024-08-21 . AussieTheatre.com . en-AU.
  23. Web site: Travels . Theatre . 2023-06-12 . Review: A Streetcar Named Desire at The Old Fitz . 2024-08-21 . Theatre Travels . en.
  24. Web site: 2024-08-14 . Death becomes her in iconic play . 2024-08-21 . The West Australian . en.
  25. Web site: Showcast . 2024-08-21 . app.showcast.com.au.