Simon Baker

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Simon Baker
Born Simon Baker
30 July 1969 (1969-07-30) (age 40)
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Occupation Actor
Spouse(s) Rebecca Rigg

Simon Baker (raised Simon Denny, also known as Simon Baker-Denny; born 30 July 1969) is an Australian film and television actor. He is currently the star of the CBS television series The Mentalist.

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[edit] Early life

Baker was born to high school English/Drama teacher Elizabeth Labberton and groundskeeper/mechanic Barry Baker, on July 30, 1969, in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. His parents divorced while he was still young and his mother later married butcher Tom Denny. Baker also has a sister, currently a doctor in Australia, and one younger half brother. By 1972, they had moved from Launceston, Tasmania, to Ballina, New South Wales, Australia, hoping to secure better paying jobs. In 1986, he graduated from Ballina High School after completing his primary school education at St. Francis Xavier primary school, also in Ballina.

[edit] Career

Baker was a champion sportsman who competed at state level in surfing and water polo. He began acting on Australian television during the late 1980s using the name "Simon Baker Denny". He first appeared in music video clips for Melissa Tkautz ("Read My Lips") and Aussie dance outfit Euphoria ("Love You Right") in 1991 before appearing in the successful series E Street and Heartbreak High. Baker relocated to the United States where he was occasionally known by his stepfather's surname (as Simon Baker-Denny or Simon Denny).

He was cast in a small but important part as a young would-be actor in L.A. Confidential, which led to further opportunities in supporting roles in films. In 1998 he starred in a small, independent film by filmmaker Stephen Grynberg titled "Love from Ground Zero". In 2000 he played an astronaut in Red Planet with Val Kilmer, Carrie Anne Moss and Benjamin Bratt. He played the male lead in the television series The Guardian for three seasons beginning in 2001, and also appeared in The Affair of the Necklace. He played a distressed husband in 2004's Book of Love. In 2005, he starred as an altruistic hero in George A. Romero's Land of the Dead.

In 2006, he played Brian Kelly in the film Something New, writer Christian Thompson in The Devil Wears Prada, and had a leading role as Jeff in the short-lived television series Smith. That following year, he was cast as Roderick Blank in Sex and Death 101.

In 2008, Baker received the lead role in the CBS television series The Mentalist, in which he plays a consultant to the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) skilled in picking up the details of body language and visual clues of suspects' appearances. His character is further darkened by a history of mental trauma following the murder of his wife and child, which drives him in his work. In 2009, Baker was nominated for an Emmy for his work in The Mentalist.

[edit] Personal life

In 1998, Baker married Australian actress Rebecca Rigg. They have three children: Stella Breeze, Claude Blue, and Harry Friday. According to a recent interview on the Late Show with David Letterman, Baker mentioned that fellow Australian actors Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts are godparents to two of his children. Baker and his family resided in Malibu, California, but they moved to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. However, they have returned to Los Angeles.

In February 2009, Baker appeared on the The Ellen DeGeneres Show and said that he was applying to become an American citizen.[1]

On the Late Show with David Letterman on September 23, 2009, Baker spoke of his mother's job as a store security guard before she became a drama teacher after he got into acting.

[edit] Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1997 L.A. Confidential Matt Reynolds
Most Wanted Stephen Barnes
1998 Restaurant Kenny
Judas Kiss Junior Armstrong
Love from Ground Zero Eric
1999 Ride with the Devil George Clyde
2000 Sunset Strip Michael Scott
Red Planet Chip Pettengill
2001 The Affair of the Necklace Rétaux de Villette
2004 Book of Love David Walker
2005 The Ring Two Max Rourke
Land of the Dead Riley
2006 Something New Brian Kelly
The Devil Wears Prada Christian Thompson
2007 Sex and Death 101 Roderick Blank
The Key to Reserva Roger Thornberry Short film
2009 The Lodger Malcolm
Not Forgotten Jack Bishop
Women in Trouble Travis McPherson
2010 The Killer Inside Me filming
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1987 Midnight Magic CHCH-TV Television movie
1992-93 E Street Constable Sam Farrell Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent
1994 Which Way to the War Pvt Stan Hawke Episode: Pilot
Home and Away James Healey
1995 Naked
1995–1996 Heartbreak High Mr. Thomas 'Tom' Saunders Episodes 80 to 89 of Season 3
1996 Naked: Stories of Men Gabriel Episode: Blind-Side Breakaway
Sweat Paul Steadman Episode: 1.3
1999 Secret Men's Business Andy Greville ABC Television
Nominated — Australian Film Institute Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Telefeature or Mini-Series
2001-2004 The Guardian Nick Fallin Seasons 1 - 3, 67 episodes in total
Family Television Award for Best Actor (2002)
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama (2002)
Nominated — Prism Award for Performance in a Drama Series Storyline
2006-2007 Smith Jeff Breen Seven episodes
2008-present The Mentalist Patrick Jane Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Drama Series
Season 1 Episodes 1 - 23 ,
Season 2 started on 24 Sept 2009

[edit] Awards and nominations

Australian Film Institute Awards

  • 2000: Nominated, "Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Telefeature or Mini-Series" - Secret Men's Business

People's Choice Award

  • 2009: won with complete cast "Best new series" - The Mentalist season 1

Emmy Awards

  • 2009: Nominated, "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" - The Mentalist season 1

Family Television Awards

  • 2002: Won, "Best Actor" - The Guardian

Golden Globe Awards

  • 2002: Nominated, "Best Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic Television Series" - The Guardian

Logie Awards

  • 1993: Won, "Most Popular New Talent" - E Street
  • 2004: Nominated, "Most Popular Overseas Star"

Prism Awards

  • 2005: Nominated, "Best Performance in a Drama Series Storyline" - The Guardian

[edit] References

[edit] External links