Simon Baker
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| Simon Baker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Simon Baker 30 July 1969 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
- 2009: won with complete cast "Best new series" - The Mentalist season 1
- 2009: Nominated, "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" - The Mentalist season 1
Family Television Awards
- 2002: Won, "Best Actor" - The Guardian
- 2002: Nominated, "Best Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic Television Series" - The Guardian
- 1993: Won, "Most Popular New Talent" - E Street
- 2004: Nominated, "Most Popular Overseas Star"
- 2005: Nominated, "Best Performance in a Drama Series Storyline" - The Guardian
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Simon Baker at Allmovie
- Simon Baker at the Internet Movie Database
- Simon Baker at TV Guide
- Simon Baker at TV.com
- SimonBakerWILLwinanEmmyoneday.com
- Simon Baker - Australian Film Commission
- Simon Baker interview - The Guardian
- Simon Baker - The Guardian
- Simon Baker interview - Land of the Dead website
- Simon Baker milestones
