50 iconic actors who call Qld home

Starring in blockbuster films and binge-worthy Netflix shows, these talented actors all hail from Australia’s Sunshine State, making names for themselves by portraying noteworthy characters.

Playing superheroes, police officers, criminals, princesses, killer robots and your average Joe, each of these actors have built a career playing roles in internationally popular TV shows and film, earning themselves Logie, AACTA and Academy Award nominations and wins along the way.

Fan-favourite characters, Hollywood hot shots and icons from popular Aussie soap TV, how many of these QLD-born stars do you recognise?

Here’s our list of the 50 biggest actors hailing from Queensland.

50. Katrina Milosevic

Known for: Wentworth (2013-2021)

Born in Mount Isa and raised on River St in Mackay, Katrina Milosevic, 47, is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art and an actor most known for her loveable character Susan ‘Boomer’ Jenkins on the popular Prisoner remake Wentworth.

A former pupil of Mackay State High School, Milosevic featured in all 100 episodes of Wentworth and is also known for her portrayal of cop Sophie Novak on Stingers.

49. James Stewart

Known for: Packed to the Rafters (2009-2013), Home And Away (2016-2023)

Most recognised from his TV role as Jake Barton on Packed to the Rafters featuring in more than 80 episodes, James Stewart, 47, was raised on the Gold Coast and briefly featured in Australian rock band George with twin brother Nick Stewart and singer Katie Noonan.

Leaving the band to pursue a career in acting, Stewart has featured in small roles in shows such as Sea Patrol, Mortified and Breakers, and is currently playing the role of Justin Morgan on Home And Away, starring in more than 900 episodes from 2016 to the present.

48. Ashleigh Brewer

Known for: The Sleepover Club (2003), Neighbours (2009-2014), The Bold and the Beautiful (2014-2018)

Making her start at 12 years of age as Alana in The Sleepover Club, Ashleigh Brewer, 32, is a Brisbane-born actor who is mostly recognised by her character Kate Ramsay on popular Australian soap Neighbours, appearing in more than 500 episodes from 2009 to 2014, alongside her co-star Margot Robbie.

A former student at Forest Lake College, Brewer’s television credits also include Blue Heelers, H2O: Just Add Water and her long-running character of Ivy Forrester on American series The Bold and the Beautiful, starring in more than 300 episodes.

47. Gyton Grantley

Known for: Underbelly (2008), House Husbands (2012-2017)

A former pupil of Anglican Church Grammar School and self-professed ‘Brissy Boy’, Gyton Grantley, 42, is an award-winning actor who became a household name after his portrayal of convicted murdered Carl Williams in the original season of Underbelly, a venture that saw him win a Logie and AACTA Award.

Appearing in other films including Danny Deckchair, The Reef and The Dressmaker, Grantley also portrayed the bubbly Kane Albert in House Husbands before going on top reprise his role of Carl Williams in spin-off series Fat Tony & Co.

46. Anthony Hayes

Known for: The Boys (1998), The Slap (2011), Cargo (2017)

Raised in Brisbane, Anthony Hayes, 45, is a graduate of Brown Plains High School in Logan and an accomplished actor and writer, known best for his darker roles, including racist survivalist Vic in post-apocalyptic zombie film Cargo (2017) and alcoholic father Gary in TV miniseries The Slap based off Christos Tsiolkas’ novel.

Appearing in more than 42 different TV series including Mcleod’s Daughter, All Saints and Blue Heelers, Hayes’ first film was Rowan Woods’ crime drama The Boys, Hayes portraying Stevie, the younger brother of a psychopathic criminal for which he earned an AACTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

45. William McInnes

Known for: SeaChange (1998-2019), Blue Heelers (1994-2006)

A three-time Logie Award winning actor and author, William McInnes, 59, is an Australian TV star from Redcliffe, known best for his roles as Max Connors on SeaChange and Senior Constable Nick Schultz on Blue Heelers, appearing in more than 200 episodes as the police officer.

A former student of Humpybong State School and Clontarf Beach State High School, McInnes graduated from Central Queensland University before going on to study at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts to pursue his career in acting.

Portraying much loved characters like Sandy Freckle in Kath & Kim and Nick in his wife Sarah Weatt’s film Look Both Ways, McInnes is sometimes credited as ‘Rock Hampton’ in comedy roles as a nod to his Queensland heritage.

44. Harold Hopkins

Known for: Don’s Party (1976), The Club (1980), Gallipoli (1981)

Hailing from Toowoomba, Harold Hopkins was a well-known Australian actor, best known for his roles as sex-obsessed lawyer Grainger Coolety in Don’s Party (1976), Australian rules captain Danny Rowe in The Club (1980) and farmhand Les McCann in Peter Weir’s classic war film Gallipoli (1981).

After graduating from Toowoomba Grammar School and working as an apprentice carpenter, Hopkins studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and went on to appear in Australian TV series including Barrier Reef, Underbelly and Homicide.

Hopkins last on screen appearance was as a grave digger in the 2010 horror film The Clinic, one year before he died from mesothelioma, believed to be caused by asbestos exposure from his works as a carpenter in the 1960s.

43. Pauline Egan

Known for: Ambrosia (2012), A December Bride (2016), A Midnight Kiss (2018)

Born and raised in rural South East Queensland on a Benowa farm, Pauline Egan, 38, is an actor and global activist best known for her appearances in Canadian and American Hallmark and Lifetime TV films including A Midnight Kiss (2018) and A December Bride (2018).

Landing her first major role as Erika Myers on Canadian sci-fi show Sanctuary at 23, Egan has also starred in small roles in Home Before Dark and Supernatural.

Outside of her acting work, Egan is the Chief Operating Officer of Team FACE Africa, an organisation aiming to create equitable access to basic needs around the world.

42. Janet Fielding

Known for: Doctor Who (1981-1984)

Born in Brisbane despite most of her career taking place in the U.K., Janet Fielding, 69, is an Australian actor, most well known by Doctor Who fans as Tegan Jovanka, the companion of the fourth and fifth doctors Thomas Stewart Baker and Peter Davidson in the 1980s.

Fielding made the move to the U.K. after studying English at The University of Queensland and featured in small roles in various U.K. television series including her first TV role in Hammer House of Horror in 1980 and sitcom Shelley in 1982.

41. Thomas Weatherall

Known for: Heartbreak High (2022)

The recent winner of the 2022 AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Drama, Thomas Weatherall, 22, is a Kamilaroi man from Brisbane, best known for his breakout role as Malakai in the popular remake of the classic Australian series Heartbreak High on Netflix.

Weatherall has also starred in leading roles in Channel 7’s TV drama RFDS and Belvoir Theatre’s 2022 one-man play Blue which he wrote and starred in.

40. Craig Horner

Known for: Blue Water High (2008), Legend of the Seeker (2008)

Growing up in Brisbane’s western suburbs, Craig Horner, 40, is a star of the silver screen, best known for leading role as Richard Cypher in Sam Raimi’s fantasy series Legend of the Seeker.

A student from St Peters Lutheran College in Brisbane, Horner made his start in various popular Aussie teen shows, including as Ash in H20: Just Add Water and Garry in Blue Water High.

Horner also appeared in one episode of popular American fantasy series Once Upon a Time as the Count of Monte Cristo.

39. Emma Ishta

Known for: Stitchers (2015-2017)

Hailing from the rural residential suburb of Brookfield near Brisbane, Emma Ishta, 32, is an alumni of St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School and a successful actor and model after being signed with IMG Models in her teens.

Moving to the US.in the early 2010s, Ishta’s breakout role was the leading character Kirsten Clark in the science fiction drama series Stitchers, playing a government agent who can read the minds of dead people.

After the show’s cancellation in 2017, Ishta has played smaller roles in shows including The Good Cop, Chicago Med and FBI.

38. Judith McGrath

Known for: Prisoner (1979-1984), All Saints (1998-2009)

A Logie-nominated actor, Brisbane-born Judith McGrath was a star of Australian TV drama, best known for her long running characters Deputy Governor Coleen ‘Poface’ Powell on Prisoner and Nurse Yvonne ‘Von’ Ryan on All Saints.

Starting her career at Brisbane Arts Theatre, McGrath went on to feature in 263 episodes of Prisoner and nearly 500 episodes of All Saints, the only original cast member to be on the show’s last episode in 2009.

Playing a range of dry, witty characters during her career, McGrath passed away in 2017 from lung cancer at the age of 70.

37. Anna McGahan

Known for: House Husbands (2012-2014), Underbelly: Razor (2011)

The 2012 recipient of the prestigious Heath Ledger Scholarship which includes a trip to LA to study at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, Anna McGahan, 35, is a Brisbane actor who is most well known for her role of Nellie Cameron, a 1920s prostitute in Underbelly: Razor, a performance that resulted in two Logie nominations.

A graduate of Queensland University of Technology and Brisbane Girls Grammar School, McGahan has also starred in Australian TV series ANZAC Girls as Sister Olive Haynes and House Husbands as Lucy.

36. Lincoln Lewis

Known for: Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010), Home And Away (2007-2010)

Son of former professional Queensland rugby league footballer Wally Lewis, Lincoln Lewis, 35, is a Brisbane-born actor and former student at St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School and Carmel College.

Starting out in popular Australian children‘s shows including The Sleepover Club, Mortified and H2O: Just Add Water, Lewis made his film debut in the 2005 American fantasy adventure film Aquamarine before landing his breakout role as Geoff Campbell in Home And Away in 2007.

Winning a Logie Award for his performance, Lewis has gone on to star in blockbuster films such as Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010), Bait 3D (2012) and M. Night Shyamalan’s After Earth (2013).

35. Leah Purcell

Known for: The Drover’s Wife (2022), Wentworth (2013-2021)

Originally from the rural town of Murgon in the South Burnett Region, Leah Purcell, 52, is an award-winning actor and writer best known for her portrayal of former undercover cop Rita Harris on seasons seven and eight of Wentworth.

Making her film debut in Paul French’s 1999 film Somewhere in Darkness after moving to Sydney in 1996, Purcell’s other significant work includes The Drover’s Wife, a play based off Henry Lawson’s 1892 short story that she wrote and starred in at Belvoir Theatre in 2016, which saw her win three NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and a Helpmann Award.

She later wrote, directed, co-produced and starred in a film adaptation of the same play in 2022, winning the AACTA Award for Best actor.

34. Russell Dykstra

Known for: Rake (2010-2018), Soft Fruit (1999)

A Calamvale local who studied performing arts at the University of Southern Queensland, Russell Dykstra, 56, is a multi-award winning actor who is most well known for his role as Barney, a barrister and right hand man to Richard Roxburgh’s character on the ABC series Rake.

Appearing in shows like All Saints, White Collar Blue and My Place, Dykstra won an AACTA Award (formerly AFI Award) for Best Actor in his feature film debut Soft Fruit (1999) for his role as Bo, the ex-con brother of Jeanie Drynan’s character Patsy.

Dykstra has also won three Helpmann Awards for his work acting in theatre, winning the acclaimed awards for his work performing as Donald Rumsfeld in Stuff Happens (2006), Steve Gooding in Toy Symphony (2008) and Uncle Fester in The Addams Family (2013).

33. Lachlan Buchanan

Known for: Blue Water High (2008), The Young and the Restless (2015-2016), Station 19 (2020-2022)

Raised in Maleny on the Sunshine Coast, Lachlan Buchanan, 36, is an actor most known for his roles in various American teen drama series and soap operas, starring in shows including Station 19, The Young and the Restless and Pretty Little Liars after moving to Los Angeles in 2010.

Mostly known by Australians for his role as Charley Prince in Blue Water High, Buchanan attended Maleny State School as a child and has been acting since he was eight years old.

He most recently starred as Gaz Healy in Netflix’s Wellmania with Celeste Barber.

32. Chris Milligan

Known for: Neighbours (2008-2022)

Growing up in Wynnum and attending Iona College, Chris Milligan, 34, is a Queenslander at heart, best known for role as Kyle Canning on Australian soap Neighbours, starring in more than 1000 episodes from 2008 to 2022.

Making appearances in TV shows including Arrow and Winners & Losers, Milligan also starred in the American supernatural horror film The Gallows Act II in 2019, the same year he ran a campaign to help re-floor homes in flood-affected areas of Townsville from his and his brother’s Queensland-based flooring company, European Hardware.

31. Leonard Teale

Known for: Homicide (1964-1977)

A former student of Milton State Primary School and Brisbane Grammar School, Leonard Teale AO was a Logie award-winning actor, most known for his long-running role as David ‘Mac’ Mackay on Homicide (1965 – 1973).

Prior to starting his acting career, Teale served in the Citizen Military Forces and the Royal Australian Air Force during World War I, flying bombers from bases at Foggia, Italy and Gibraltar.

Appointed an Order of Australia in 1992, Teale died from a heart attack in 1994 and is remembered for his work in Seven Little Australians, Class of ‘74 and as the voice behind ABC’s audio recording of Banjo Patterson’s The Man from Snowy River.

30. Aisha Dee

Known for: The Bold Type (2017-2021), The Saddle Club (2008-2009)

Born and raised on the Gold Coast, Aisha Dee, 29, grew up in a one-bedroom unit in Surfers Paradise before getting her first major role as Desi Biggins on the children‘s series The Saddle Club, joining the cast in 2008 before moving to the US at 17.

The former Kings Christian College student has featured in shows like I Hate My Teenage Daughter and Chasing Life, but got her big break playing Kat Edison in three seasons of The Bold Type.

She most recently starred as lead roles in Australian horror Sissy (2022) and drama miniseries Safe Home (2023).

29. Adrienne Pickering

Known for: Rake (2010-2018), The Reef (2010)

A graduate of Queensland University of Technology and the University of Queensland, actor Adrienne Pickering, 42, was raised in Warwick in southeast Queensland and is most well known for her role as Richard Roxburgh’s love interest Missy in Rake.

A former student at Warwick’s School of Total Education, Pickering has starred in numerous Australian film and TV programs including House Husbands as Layla, Secrets & Lies as Jess and The Reef (2010) as leading character Suzie.

28. Damien Garvey

Known for: Rake (2012-2018), Harrow (2018-2021)

Known best for his role as troubled Attorney-General of NSW Cal McGregor on Rake, Damien Garvey, 63, is an actor from Brisbane, who got his start in music, performing as the lead singer in Brisbane indie rock and pop bands, Neighbourhood Unit and The Tellers.

A former student of Padua College, Garvey made his screen debut on medical drama Medivac in 1998 before going on to star as Dr. Jim Cunningham in McLeod’s Daughters, Stan in Jack Irish and Graham ‘Chook’ Fowler in Underbelly: The Golden Mile for which he won an AACTA Award.

Garvey has also played smaller roles in TV shows Joe vs Carole, Nine Perfect Strangers, Jack Irish, Ash vs Evil Dead, Home And Away and All Saints.

27. Deborah Mailman

Known for: The Sapphires (2012), The Secret Life of Us (2001-2005), Redfern Now (2012-2013)

Hailing from Mount Isa in northwest Queensland, Deborah Mailman, 50, is a singer and award-winning actor, winning six AACTA Awards and five Logies for her roles in The Secret Life of Us, Bran Nue Dae, Offspring, The Sapphires and Radiance, making her the first Aboriginal actor to win the Best actor AACTA Award.

Graduating from Queensland University of Technology in 1992, Mailman has been inducted into the Australian Film Walk of Fame and has starred in films like Rabbit-Proof Fence and TV series including Play School.

26. Matt Passmore

Known for: McLeod’s Daughters (2006-2009), The Glades (2010-2013), Jigsaw (2017)

Born and raised in Brisbane, Matthew Passmore, 49, is a star of the Aussie silver screen, most well known for his role as Brad in Blue Heelers and Marcus Turner in Mcleod’s Daughters.

Featuring as leading roles in American TV shows The Glades, Satisfaction and horror film Jigsaw (2017), Passmore is set to star in the upcoming Australian drama series North Shore.

25. Harriet Dyer

Known for: Colin from Accounts (2022), Love Child (2014-2017)

A born and bred Townsville girl, Harriet Dyer, 34, grew up in Belgian Gardens and attended Townsville Grammar School before studying at the National Institute of Drama and becoming a major name in the Australian acting scene, starring in shows including No Activity and Colin from Accounts with her co-star husband Patrick Brammall.

Now living in Los Angeles, Dyer’s breakout role was as Patty Saunders in Love Child, leading her to a illustrious career portraying characters in TV series The InBetween and Leigh Whannell’s hit horror film The Invisible Man (2020), playing the sister of Elizabeth Moss’s character.

24. Penny Downie

Known for: The Crown (2019-2020), Downton Abbey (2014)

Born in Brisbane, Penny Downie is an actor who got her start as Kelly Jamison in Bellbird in 1976 and Kerry Vincent in Prisoner in 1980, before launching a career in the U.K. starring in guest roles in soaps and becoming an artist with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

After studying at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts in Sydney Downie has gone on to star as Mrs Pienaar in Invictus (2009), the Duchess of Gloucester in The Crown, Lady Sinderby in Downton Abbey and Ellen in the TV series Back.

23. Rhys Wakefield

Known for: Home And Away (2005-2008), The Purge (2013)

Born in Cairns, Rhys Wakefield, 34, got his acting start in Home And Away as the youngest member of the Holden family, Lucas Holden, a character he played in 363 episodes, earning himself a nomination for Most Popular New Male Talent at the 2006 Logie Awards.

Studying at Sydney’s McDonald College of Performing Arts after winning an acting scholarship, Wakefield has starred in various films and TV shows, notably the ‘Polite Leader’ in horror thriller The Purge (2013), Thomas in The Black Balloon (2008) and Freddy Burns in TV series True Detective.

22. Finn Little

Known for: Yellowstone (2018-), Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)

Starting acting at a young age of five, Brisbane-based Finn Little is a 16-year-old actor who got his start in Australian television commercials, before hitting the big time and starring in Australian films Stormboy (2019) and Angel of Mine (2019).

However, he is most known for his portrayal of Carter in the hit American show Yellowstone with Hollywood megastar Kevin Costner, as well as featuring as Angelina Jolie’s co-star in Taylor Sheridan’s 2021 film Those Who Wish Me Dead.

21. Nathan Jones

Known for: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Mortal Kombat (2021)

Nicknamed “The Colossus of Boggo Road” and once regarded as one of Queensland’s most notorious prisoners after spending the 1980s in Tasmania‘s Risdon Prison and Brisbane’s Boggo Road Gaol, Gold Coast-born Nathan Jones, 53, is an actor and former professional wrestler with WWE.

Discovered by Jackie Chan at a World’s Strongest Man contest, Jones has starred as a “baddie” in numerous action films, most notably Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Charlie’s Farm (2014), Boar (2018) and most recently, Spiderhead (2022), starring alongside Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller.

20. Jonathan Hyde

Known for: Jumanji (1995), Titanic (1997), Anaconda (1997)

Born in Brisbane and a boarder at Geelong Grammar in Melbourne, Jonathan Hyde is an English Australian actor who started his career in the UK after moving from Queensland in 1969.

A member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Hyde started in various theatrical productions including The Seagull and King Lear, starring a talented cast of Ian McKellen, Frances Barber and William Gaunt.

Most will recognise Hyde from his character roles acting in films including the hunter in Jumanji (1995), a British businessman in Titanic (1997) and an Egyptologist in The Mummy (1999).

19. Levi Miller

Known for: Pan (2015), Jasper Jones (2017), A Wrinkle in Time (2018)

Born in Brisbane and a student of Holland Park State School, Levi Miller, 20, cemented his place as a rising Hollywood actor after he was cast by Joe Wright for his 2015 film Pan as the titular Peter Pan, starring in the $150m movie at just 13.

Following his breakout role, Miller has played major roles including Mick in Red Dog: True Blue (2016), Luke in Christmas horror film Better Watch Out (2016) and Charlie in Trent Dalton’s book adaptation Jasper Jones (2017), co-starring with Toni Collette and Hugo Weaving.

18. Barry Otto

Known for: Strictly Ballroom (1992), Cosi (1996), The Punisher (1989)

Born in Brisbane, Barry Otto, 82, is a well known actor known for his roles in Strictly Ballroom, Cosi and The Punisher, but is also a talented artist, starting out as a fashion illustrator with Myer at 17, and later entering twice into the Archibald Prize.

Starring in 180 episodes as Trevor McKenzie in the soap opera Until Tomorrow, Otto has featured in small parts in TV shows The Secret Life of Us and All Saints, as well as film roles including Benny in The Great Gatsby and Administrator Allsop in Australia.

Otto received an AACTA Award (formerly known as AFI Award) for his portrayal of Doug Hastings in Strictly Ballroom and is featured on the Australian Film Walk of Fame in Randwick.

17. Josh Lawson

Known for: House of Lies (2012-2016), Superstore (2015-2018), Hoges: The Paul Hogan Story (2017)

The younger brother of fellow actor Ben Lawson, Josh Lawson, 41, is a Brisbane-born television and film star, best known for his comedic roles as Doug in House of Lies, Tate in Superstore, Kench Allenby in Anchorman 2 (2013) and various characters in Australian improv sketch show Thank God You’re Here.

After attending St Joseph’s College in Gregory Terrace and graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 2001, Lawson went on to make appearances in Home And Away, Blue Heelers, TwentyfourSeven and Chandon Pictures before gaining a supporting role in Jay Roach’s film starring Will Ferrell The Campaign in 2010.

Lawson played Paul Hogan in Hoges: The Paul Hogan Story in 2017, as well as James Murdoch in biographical drama Bombshell with his brother Ben in 2019.

He was nominated for an Academy Award for his short film The Eleven O’Clock in 2018.

16. Diane Cilento

Known for: Tom Jones (1963), The Wicker Man (1973)

Born in Mooloolaba and the daughter of notable Australian physicians Phyllis Cilento and Sir Raphael Cilento, Diane Cilento was the former wife of Sean Connery and an Academy Award nominee, nominated for Best Supporting actor for her performance in Tom Jones (1963).

After starring in classic films including, The Third Secret (1964), The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965) and The Wicker Man (1973), Cilento divorced Connery in 1974 and married writer Anthony Shaffer in 1985, moving back to Queensland in the 1980s, settling in Mossman.

Cilento was widowed in 2001 and died of cancer in 2011.

15. Luke Mitchell

Known for: Home And Away (2009-2013), H2O: Just Add Water (2009-2010)

Born and raised on the Gold Coast, Luke Mitchell, 38, is most well known for winning people‘s hearts as Romeo in more than 670 episodes of Home And Away, playing the role for four years and earning himself a Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent in 2010.

A former student at Nerang State High School, Mitchell has starred in other infamous Aussie shows including H2O: Just Add Water and Neighbours, but began his Hollywood career in 2013 after being cast as John Young in the TV remake of Tomorrow People before putting his name in the Marvel universe as Lincoln Campbell in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

14. Ray Meagher

Known for: Home And Away (1988-)

A star of the Australian silver screen, Ray Meagher OAM, 78, is better known to most Australians as Alf Stewart from soap opera Home And Away, appearing in more than 4500 episodes of the soap since starring in the show’s first episode in 1988, making him the longest continuing performer in any Australian serial.

Raised on a sheep and cattle station in Roma, Meagher attended Marist College Ashgrove as a child and played rugby, later leaving school to play as a five-eighth for Queensland in the late 1960s.

Before Home And Away fame, Meagher travelled around Australia with several theatre groups and featured in guest starring roles on classic shows including Prisoner, Number 96 and A Country Practice.

13. Lily Sullivan

Known for: Evil Dead Rise (2023), Mental (2012)

Making her feature film debut in PJ Hogan’s Mental (2012) alongside Toni Collette, Lily Sullivan is an Australian actor who grew up in Carbrook in Logan.

A former student at John Paul College and Calvary Christian College, Sullivan was a runner-up of the Heath Ledger Scholarship in 2015 and has starred as Miranda in Picnic at Hanging Rock (2018) and most recently starred as leading character Beth in box office hit film Evil Dead Rise (2023) with fellow Queensland actor, Alyssa Sutherland.

12. Michael Caton

Known for: The Castle (1997), The Sullivans (1976-1981), Packed to the Rafters (2008-2013)

A household name across Australia most well-known for his role as Darryl Kerrigan in iconic film The Castle (1997), Michael Caton, 79, was born in Monto in the North Burnett Region of Queensland, but grew up in Woolloongabba and boarded at a school in Gympie.

Inducted into The Australian Film Walk of Fame outside the Ritz Cinema in Randwick in 2008, Caton has starred in classic TV shows including his appearance in more than 730 episodes in The Sullivans as Uncle Harry Sullivan, Packed to the Rafters as Ted Taylor and hit films like Last Cab to Darwin (2015) and Rams (2020).

11. Jacinda Barrett

Known for: Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004), Suits (2012-2013)

Best known as the part of Rebecca Gillies in infamous rom com sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004), Jacinda Barrett, 50, is a Brisbane-born actor and model whose career skyrocketed after winning the Dolly Covergirl contest in 1988 at 16 years old.

Barrett attended Kenmore State High School in Brisbane and made her film debut in Campfire Tales (1997) at 25 years old, before going on to act in The Last Kiss (2006) with Zach Braff, Bloodline (2015 – 2017) with fellow Aussie Ben Mendelsohn and Suits (2011 – 2019) with her husband of 21 years, Gabriel Macht.

10. Miranda Otto

Known for: The Lord of the Rings franchise (2001-2003)

Daughter of actor and star of Cosi Barry Otto, Miranda Otto, 55, is an actor most well known for her roles as Éowyn in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Born in Brisbane, Otto began her acting career at 18 years old, studying at the National Institution of Dramatic Art and featuring in small roles in Australian films including The Thin Red Line (1997) and In The Winter Dark (1998).

Otto got her first Hollywood role in Robert Zemeckis horror thriller What Lies Beneath (2000) with Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer and won herself a Logie in 2005 for her performance as the titular character in Through My Eyes: The Lindy Chamberlain Story.

She has since starred in hit movies and TV shows including Annabelle Creation (2017) and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018 – 2020).

9. Brenton Thwaites

Known for: Maleficent (2014), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017), Titans (2018-2023)

Hailing from Cairns, Brenton Thwaites, 33, graduated from Cairns State High School in 2006 before going on to study acting at the Queensland University of Technology, launching his incredible career appearing in major films like crime thriller Son of a Gun (2014), dystopian drama The Giver (2014) and fantasy action film Gods of Egypt (2016).

After finishing university, Thwaites was cast in Australian teen drama series SLiDE in 2010, before moving to Sydney to become a member of the infamous River Boys as Stu on Home And Away in 2011.

Moving to Los Angeles, Thwaites went on to feature in Blue Lagoon: The Awakening (2012) with Australian actor Indiana Evans before landing a major role as Prince Philip in Disney’s Maleficent (2014), starring alongside Angelina Jolie and Elle Fanning.

He currently portrays Robin in the DC superhero series Titans.

8. Claire Holt

Known for: H2O: Just Add Water (2006-2008), Pretty Little Liars (2011), The Vampire Diaries (2011-2014)

Better recognised with a mermaid tail, Brisbane-born Claire Holt, 34, is an actor who got her big break as Emma Gilbert in the hit Australian mermaid TV show H2O: Just Add Water, co-starring with Cariba Heine and Phoebe Tonkin.

At 20 years old, Holt moved to Los Angeles and auditioned 142 times before landing her first Hollywood job, appearing as Samarah Cook in teenage drama series Pretty Little Liars and Rebekah Mikaelson in The Vampire Diaries, reprising her role in a spin-off show The Originals from 2013 to 2018.

Holt also stars in leading roles in films Mean Girls 2 (2011), 47 Meters Down (2017) and Untitled Horror Movie (2021).

7. Remy Hii

Known for: Crazy Rich Asians (2018), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Born in Malaysia and raised in Townsville, Remy Hii is a Queensland University of Technology graduate who got his Hollywood big break as Alistair Cheng in Jon M Chu’s 2018 film Crazy Rich Asians, followed by a dream gig playing Brad Davis in Spider-Man: Far From Home starring Zendaya and Tom Holland.

Prior to his career in Hollywood, Hii appeared in Queensland Theatre Company’s 2007 production of The Estimator before appearing on Australian shows including SBS’s miniseries Better Man for which he achieved both AACTA and Logie Award nominations.

Hii also appeared in Neighbours, comedy drama series Sisters and recently starred as Dalbert Tan in Netflix’s Wellmania featuring Celeste Barber.

6. Jason Clarke

Known for: Terminator: Genisys (2015), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Born in Winton and the son of a sheep shearer, Jason Clarke, 53, dropped out of law school in the 1980s to pursue acting, a career path which has seen him star in leading roles in films like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) and Terminator: Genisys, portraying the cult classic character John Connor opposite megastar Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Clarke studied at Ignatius Park College in Townsville before going to Sydney Actors Studio and later graduating from the Victorian College of Arts in 1994, leading him to start his acting career in Australian TV classics like Home And Away, Heartbreak High, Blue Heelers and All Saints.

Clarke’s big break came when he featured as Tommy Caffee in American crime drama series Brotherhood with Jason Isaacs, launching his blockbuster career playing major roles in films Zero Dark Thirty (2012), White House Down (2013), Everest (2015) and Pet Sematary (2019).

He most recently starred as NBA Lakers legend Jerry West in sports drama series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty with John C. Reilly and Adrien Brody.

5. Jacob Elordi

Known for: Euphoria (2019-), The Kissing Booth franchise (2018-2021)

Born in Brisbane, Jacob Elordi, 25, is a rising star in Hollywood and teen heart-throb, who won many hearts for his role as Noah Flynn in Netflix’s teen-romance franchise The Kissing Booth, starring alongside Joey King.

A former student at St Joseph’s College in Nudgee, Elordi got his start on the big screen as an extra in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) filmed on the Gold Coast, before landing a featured role as Rooster in Stephan Elliott’s 2018 comedy film Swinging Safari.

Elordi is arguably most well known for his portrayal as troubled teenager Nate Jacobs in teenage drama series Euphoria, appearing in the show with a star-studded cast of Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, Eric Dane and countless others.

Splitting his time between Los Angeles and Byron Bay, Elordi is set to star as Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s upcoming biopic Priscilla.

4. Ben Lawson

Known for: Bombshell (2019), Designated Survivor (2016), No Strings Attached (2011)

Best known for his appearance as Lachlan Murdoch in the 2019 film Bombshell and his television roles as Larry Hemsworth on The Good Place and Damien Rennett on Designated Survivor, Ben Lawson, 43, is a Brisbane boy making big strides in Hollywood.

Born and raised in Queensland’s capital city, Lawson attended St. Joseph’s College in Gregory Terrace with his actor brother Josh Lawson before going on to study at Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Art after being “kicked out” of drama school at the University of Southern Queensland.

Lawson got his start as gambling troublemaker Frazer Yeats in Neighbours in 2006 and moved to Los Angeles in 2008 where he went on to land small roles in No Strings Attached (2012) with Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher and the TV sitcom Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.

Lawson currently stars in Netflix’s series Firefly Lane with Katherine Heigl.

3. Alyssa Sutherland

Known for: Evil Dead Rise (2023), Vikings (2013-2020)

Recently starring as mother-turned-demon Ellie, in the 2023 horror film Evil Dead Rise, Alyssa Sutherland, 40, is a Brisbane-based model and actor who got her start in film after briefly appearing as one of the models in the cult classic movie The Devil Wears Prada (2006).

Discovered at 15 years old at Girlfriend magazine’s 1997 Bonne Belle model search, Sutherland was signed with Vogue which kickstarted her modelling career where she collaborated with brands such as Chanel, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and more.

Appearing as the ‘Flake Girl’ in Cadbury’s 2007 TV advertising campaign, Sutherland’s acting career took off in the early 2010s, the Queensland local landing television parts in The Viking as Norse figure Queen Aslaug and as Eve Copeland, a woman surviving an apocalyptic disaster in the series The Mist (2017).

2. Geoffrey Rush

Known for: The King’s Speech (2010), Shine (1996), Pirates of the Caribbean franchise (2013-2017)

Born in Toowoomba and raised in Brisbane, Geoffrey Rush, 71, is one of Australia’s biggest theatre, television and film actors and one of just 24 people who have a ‘Triple Crown of Acting’ – an Academy Award, Emmy Award and Tony Award for acting.

Growing up, Rush attended Everton Park State High School and studied a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Queensland before going on to act with Queensland Theatre Company in Brisbane in the 1970s, starring in plays including Waiting for Godot alongside Mel Gibson.

Rush made his film debut in Hoodwink in 1981 and won his first Academy Award in 1996 for his role as pianist David Helfgott in the psychological drama film Shine.

Rush earned more Academy Award nominations for his roles in John Madden’s Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Philip Kaufman’s Quills (2000), and won his first Tony Award in 2009 following his Broadway debut in the absurdist play Exit the King.

In the 2010s, Rush starred in Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech (2010), the fourth and fifth Pirates of the Caribbean films (2011, 2017) and anthology series Genius (2017) where he was awarded a Primetime Emmy Award for his portrayal of Albert Einstein.

1. Margot Robbie

Known for: The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), SuicideSquad (2016), I, Tonya (2017)

One of the world’s most recognisable celebs, Margot Robbie, 32, is a Hollywood star known for playing a range of iconic characters, including the Joker’s love interest, Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad and her performance skating up a storm as Tony Harding in the star-studded biopic I, Tonya.

In true blue Aussie fashion, Robbie was born on a farm in Dalby in Queensland’s Western Downs and grew up on the Gold Coast where she attended Somerset College in Mudgebeera and studied drama.

Like many Australian actors, Robbie got her start on television on the hit soap Neighbours, but it was when she landed a leading role opposite Leonardo DiCaprio as Naomi Belfort in the 2013 Scorsese film The Wolf Of Wall Street that kickstarted her fame.

Since then, Robbie has featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, been nominated for two Academy Awards and starred in internationally successful films including Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood (2019), Damien Chazelle’s Babylon (2022) and the upcoming Barbie film as the titular character.