Last week we celebrated fifteen Irish actors for St. Patrickโs Day. This week, for no reason at all, weโre celebrating fifteen Australian actors. Although we canโt really say โfor no reason at allโ, since it is Wicked Wednesday, and no matter the day of the week thereโs always an Aussie somewhere on your screen.
This list was extremely difficult to narrow down, because there are so many incredible Aussie actors out there, but we managed it in the end. Do you think we left someone off? Share your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.
1. Cate Blanchett
Our list may be alphabetical, but itโs quite apt to find Blanchett landing on top as she really is one of the best acting exports into Hollywood from Down Under. With six Oscar nominations and two wins, sheโs about a third of the way to catching up with Meryl Streep.
2. Chris Hemsworth
It feels a bit unfair to leave the other Hemsworth brothers off the list, but we had to make a choice. Older brother Luke is still very much based in Australia, while younger brother Liam has broken into Hollywood, but is largely known for his role in The Hunger Gamesโ franchise. As for Chrisโฆwell, heโs Thor, and we wouldnโt want to incur the wrath of a god by leaving him off this list.
Watch Chris Hemsworth in Blackhat on M-Net Movies Premiere.
3. Geoffrey Rush
Anyone who can go from impassioned pianist to improper pirate the way Rush has deserves to be on this list.
4. Guy Pearce
If for some reason you are only now beginning to discover this actorโs work, we hope you started with his excellent character choices in L.A. Confidential and Memento.
5. Heath Ledger
He left life not only too young, but also at the peak of his career, astounding with two bold yet very different performances in Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight. He will always be missed.
6. Hugh Jackman
Do we want to see him as Wolverine again? Yes. Yes we do. Luckily, thereโs a Wolverine sequel in the works. Unluckily, this may be Jackmanโs last outing as the character. Luckily, again, his talent will undoubtedly take him to other awesome projects.
Watch Hugh Jackman inย Chappie on M-Net Movies Action+
7. Hugo Weaving
From Mitzi Del Bra and Agent Smith to Elrond, Megatron and V, pop culture would be lost without Weaving.
Watch Hugo Weaving in The Matrix on M-Net Movies Action+
8. Margot Robbie
The youngest Aussie on our list, we absolutely loved her in The Wolf of Wall Street and absolutely cannot wait to see her as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad.
Watch Margot Robbie in Focus, your Sunday night move on 3 April.
9. Mia Wasikowska
Despite her youth, Wasikowska is not afraid of a challenge. Sheโs tackled two great literary characters as the titular heroines in Alice in Wonderland and Jane Eyre, while pushing darkness to the limit in Chan-wook Parkโs Stoker.
10. Naomi Watts
Who can forget her unforgettable Hollywood breakout in Mulholland Drive? Since then sheโs dabbled in horror, thriller, comedy, and drama...and made a very big friend when she resurrected the role of Ann Darrow.
Watch Naomi Watts in Birdman orย (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) on M-Net Movies Comedy. ย
11. Nicole Kidman
Can you believe there was a time when this great actress was mostly known as Mrs. Tom Cruise? Much as we love him as an actor, their split was the best thing for her, sending her career soaring during and after their break up. Starting with Moulin Rouge, sheโs hit many highs since, including her Oscar-winning performance as Virginia Woolf in The Hours.
Nicole Kidman lends her voice toย Happy Feet.ย Watch it on M-Net Movies Family.
12. Rebel Wilson
If you thought women couldnโt be funny Rebel Wilson will prove you wrong. From stage to screen, the comedian and actress knows how to keep people in stitches.ย
13. Russell Crowe
Yes, yes we know heโs part Kiwi; but heโs spent enough time Down Under - on land and on television โ to merit a place on this Aussie list. As for his acting...remember Gladiator? Enough said.
14. Sullivan Stapleton
Stapleton spent so much time in South Africa while filming Strike Back it affected his accent in 300: Rise of an Empire. Watch it again, and youโll see what we mean. His Americanese in Strike Back and Blindspot, on the other hand, is quite perfect. Accents asides, his performances in these three have landed him on this list.
Blindspot Season 1 returns on Wednesday 13 April at 20:30 on M-Net.
15. Travis Fimmel
What Travis Fimmel really wantsย is to live on farm, surrounded by sheep. OK, donโt quote us on the sheep, but itโs Australia, so weโre going with it. However, sheep or no, until Fimmel gets his farm weโre going to continue enjoying his extraordinary performance in Vikings.
Watch Travis Fimmel in Vikings Season 4 Express from the U.S. every Saturday at 03:00, and in prime time every Thursday at 20:00, on M-Net Edge.
Feature image credit:ย Jason Merritt/TERM/Staff