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Karl Urban Profile |
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Birth Date: June 7, 1972
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Birth Place: Wellington, New Zealand
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Birth Name: Karl-Heinz Urban
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Height: 6'2"
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Biography |
Karl Urban, an actor from Wellington, New Zealand, is best
known for playing Éomer, in the second and third films of
Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy based on
the books by J. R. R. Tolkien.
Some of his earlier work included roles on New Zealand soap
Shortland Street, which apparently interrupted his planned
attendance of Victoria University of Wellington, and a guest
role on the second season of police drama Shark in the Park.
Urban was seen on the internationally syndicated American
television shows Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The
Legendary Journeys in which he played both Cupid and Julius
Caesar from 1996 to 2001. These shows were filmed in New
Zealand. He recently co-starred in The Chronicles of Riddick
with Vin Diesel and Judi Dench and The Bourne Supremacy with
Matt Damon.
Karl Urban also played John "Reaper" Grimm, one of the lead
characters in Universal Pictures' Doom which was released on
October 21, 2005.
Born June 7, 1972, Wellington, New Zealand Karl-Heinz Urban.
Son of a leather goods retailer (who had hoped hoped that
Karl would follow in his footsteps). Karl attended St Mark's
Church School where he showed an early love for public
performance. His first acting role was when he was 8 he had
a line on a television show. However, he did not act again
until after high school.
He then went on to Wellington College. Upon leaving High
School Karl was offered a role in the hit New Zealand
TV-series Shortland Street playing homosexual paramedic
Jamie Forrest. After appearing on the show for the 1993-1994
season he attended Victoria University in Wellington for one
year, then left to pursue his acting career. Over the next
few years, he landed several theater roles in the Wellington
area. Eventually, he moved to Auckland where he was offered
many guest roles in local shows. One of his first roles was
that of a heroin addict in the drama Shark In the Park.
Many television roles followed including parts in the cult
series Xena: Warrior Princess yet his big Hollywood break
did not come until his role in the 2002 horror film Ghost
Ship. Since then, Karl has worked on many blockbusters
including The Lord Of The Rings trilogy,The Bourne Supremacy
and Doom.He has also Reportedly received a $400,000 bonus
for his work on "The Lord of the Rings." Karl has also
fathered a son named Hunter (born in November 2000), with
wife Natalie, whom he married in 2004.
Following Karl's lead role in the film Doom the adaption of
the popular video game of the same name, he has been offered
leads in the Viking film Pathfinder and the Martian film
Outlander, which is to be shot in Karl's childhood home town
of Wellington . More leads are likely to follow if his next
two films are box-office hits. Karl has also recently signed
up as the lead character in Doom 2.
Urban has also had major supporting roles as Krill in the
Matt Damon action series The Bourne Supremacy the follow up
film to The Bourne Identity. Yet his most notable role was
that of the Rohhirm warrior Eomer, in the highly successful
Lord of the Rings trilogy directed by three time Academy
Award winner Peter Jackson. Karl has also starred in the
follow up film to Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick and
the 2002 horror film Ghost Ship. These roles are helping to
establish Urban as an up and coming Hollywood actor, and
paved the way for Karl's lead role in the film Doom. He may
also reprise his role of Lord Vaako in Chronicles of Riddick
2: The Underverse, in 2008.
American entertainment magazine The Hollywood Reporter said
Urban, was one of several actors being considered for the
part of British secret service agent 007 in the next Bond
movie, Casino Royale. Directed by fellow New Zealander
Martin Campbell.
These rumours were never confirmed or denied by Karl. Karl's
New Zealand agent, Graham Dunster, said it was news to him,
but Urban had been out of reach in recent weeks while
filming Viking epic Pathfinder in Canada. Yet Karl Urban was
said to be a serious contender.
The Hollywood Reporter said actors considered, then dropped
included Eric Bana, Hugh Jackman, Colin Farrell and Ewan
McGregor. Clive Owen had turned down the part.
Website filmforce.com had mixed feelings over whether he
would make the best Bond. "While darkly handsome, he's a bit
elfish-looking for Bond. He's the right age, is recognisable,
but not yet a big name and had proven himself adept at genre
fare. But does Urban have the gravitas and flair needed for
Bond?" |
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Other Information |
Karl is, and has almost always been, very active. He worked
on his aunt and uncle's farm for many years doing odd jobs.
For filming the Lord of the Ring's movies, he realized that
Eomer was a consummate horseman and he was nowhere near that
level, so he invested a lot of time learning-six to eight
weeks, five days a week, two hours a day. He wanted to get
to the point where he could neck reign-hold control of the
animal with one hand while leaving the other hand free to
wield a sword. He wanted to be so at one with the horse that
he wasn't conscious or concerned about what the horse was
doing. In addition, Karl also enjoys indoor rock climbing.
Has a black lab terrior named Ire (pronounced eye-ree) after
a Bob Marley song (from the album Uprising).
Hobbies include fishing, surfing, golf, and gardening.
Had a beret and coat to perform self-written Frank Spencer
skits at the ages of 11 and 12 as school assembly
entertainment.
Primary school classmate of Jack Yan.
Reportedly received a $400,000 bonus for his work on "The
Lord of the Rings." [London Daily Mail, December 5, 2003]
Has one son, Hunter (born in November 2000), with partner
Natalie
Did 4 roles on Xena the warrior princess wich were: Cesar
the emperor, Kor a caveman, Cupid son of Aphrodite and Mael
(biblical character) Isaac's brother.
His character of Cupid was originally written into the Xena:
Warrior Princess season 5 finale episode "Motherhood" but
Urban was unavailable because he was filming The Lord of the
Rings elsewhere in New Zealand. As compensation, Rob Tapert
wrote the season 6 episode "When Fates Collide" specifically
for him, this time for his more popular character of Julius
Caesar. Tapert also used this episode as am opportunity to
bid farewell to two other fan favorite recurring characters;
Alti and Brutus, portrayed by Claire Stansfield and David
Franklin. "When Fates Collide" became one of the most
popular episodes of the entire series.
Was introduced in the second installment of the three big
franchises he has appeared in: The Lord of the Rings: The
Two Towers (2002), The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The
Chronicles of Riddick (2004). |
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