Eric Bana Biography

Eric Bana Trivia

• He chose Hulk (2003) over several other Marvel Comics movie adaptations that were offered to him.
• His deal for Hulk (2003) includes an option for two sequels, with substantial salary raises for each film.
• Is the second Australian actor to play a Marvel Comics superhero on the big screen (Hugh Jackman was the first as Wolverine in X-Men (2000)).
• Hates guns.
• Admitted to eating junk food for four weeks to put on the extra weight needed to play Chopper (2000). He gained 30 pounds for the role.
• Underwent weight and fight-training for his role as Hector in Troy (2004).
• Has said that Sam Elliott and Nick Nolte are two of his favorite actors, and got to work with both in Hulk (2003).
• He made his motorsport debut in 1996's Targa Tasmania, driving that same 1974 Ford Falcon XB Coupe. Other competitions include the 2002 and 2003 Classic Adelaide.
• After wrapping Hulk (2003), he spent nine months at home with his family.
• First jobs: Washing cars at a service station, pushing trolleys at Coles New World, barman at Melbourne's Castle Hotel in 1991.
• Siblings: Anthony (brother, banker) is three years older.
• In an ironic twist, Mark Brandon Read, who was portrayed by Bana in the movie Chopper (2000), has a small role in the film Trojan Warrior (2002); which he plays a guy named "Erik Bana". This is not to be confused with Troy (2004) which also stars Bana and features a Trojan horse.
• He loves racing both bikes and cars in Australia
• He had never ridden a horse before Troy (2004), and had to start from scratch without a saddle.
• Two of his characters previously appeared in television movies starring John Rhys-Davies before Bana came into the roles. Rhys-Davies played Wilson Fisk, A.K.A. The Kingpin, in The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989) (TV), which starred Bill Bixby as Dr. Banner, a role later played by Bana. Rhys-Davies also played King Priam in Helen of Troy (2003) (TV). Priam is the father of Hector, played by Bana in Troy (2004).
• Has two children with wife Rebecca: Klaus (b. August 1999) and Sophia (b. April 2002).
• Tall by almost any standards at 6' 3", he is actually medium-sized or small by his family's standards. For instance, his brother stands 6' 8".
• Prior to Troy (2004), Bana had worked with Orlando Bloom in Black Hawk Down (2001).
• Had the option of playing several different characters in Troy (2004) when he was approached for the project. He chose Hector because he thought Hector "was such a great bloke."
• Brad Pitt personally requested Bana as a co-star for Troy (2004) because he was a huge fan of Chopper (2000).
• Father-in-law is High Court Chief Justice Murray Gleeson.
• First car was an old 1974 Ford Falcom XB Coupe, purchased for $1000 at age 15
• First job was washing cars at a service station
• Supports St. Kilda Australian rules football team
• A picture of his wife and child was used in Black Hawk Down (2001) for the scene where helicopter pilot Mike Durant is captured by Somalis. The prop department had forgotten to grab a picture of a wife and child for the shot, so they asked Bana's wife, who was traveling with him, if they could use a picture of her and their child for the shot and she agreed.
• Was the first choice to play Xander Cage in xXx (2002), but turned it down to do The Nugget (2002).
• Shares a birthday with his "The Hulk" co-star Sam Elliott.
• Graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney
• When asked in 2005 who his idols are, he named Richard Pryor, Paul Newman and Barry Humphries.
• No fewer than three of his theatrical films are remakes of, or share the same source material with, a television movie. The Incredible Hulk comic book series was filmed as the television movie and series The Incredible Hulk, and the theatrical film Hulk. Homer's Iliad was filmed as Helen of Troy on television, and the theatrical film Troy. George Jonas's book Vengeance was filmed for television as Sword of Gideon, then remade by Steven Spielberg as Munich.
• Shares a birthday with Gillian Anderson