Ben O'Toole | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Ben O'Toole during an interview aboutEverybody Loves Somebody in 2017 | |
| Born | Cairns, Queensland, Australia |
| Education | Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) (2009–2011) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Known for | Bloody Hell Amazing Grace Hacksaw Ridge 12 Strong Nekrotronic Caught Penny Lane Is Dead |
Ben O'Toole is an Australian actor. He is known for his role as Rex Coen inBloody Hell, his recurring roles in several Australian TV series such asAmazing Grace, as well as for his supporting roles in films such asHacksaw Ridge (2016) and12 Strong (2018). He plays Angus in the 2025 dark comedy thrillerPenny Lane Is Dead. He has also appeared on stage many times, including as Happy Loman inDeath of a Salesman in 2013 and again in 2024.
Ben O'Toole was born inCairns[1] and grew up inBrisbane,Queensland.[2][1]
He began performing in thetheatre while he studied acting at theWestern Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) from 2009 until 2011.[3]
After graduating in 2011, O'Toole's first screen appearance was in aweb series titledSintillate Studios.[4] He eventually relocated toSydney where he continued his work in theatre[5] and acted in several short films. His first appearance in an internationally released film was inThe Water Diviner in 2014, alongsideRussell Crowe.[5] That same year, he was cast in the role of Pete in the first three seasons of the TV seriesLove Child. In 2016, he played the role of Corporal Tom (second in command to drill sergeant Howell played byVince Vaughn) in theaward-winning biographical war filmHacksaw Ridge, directed byMel Gibson.
O'Toole moved toLos Angeles in early 2016.[6] He acted in commercially successful Hollywood films that provided more international exposure and showcased broader recognition of his acting abilities.[7][8] His first leading role was theromantic comedy,Everybody Loves Somebody (2017), which was well received by critics.[9][10] In 2018, he performed as main actor in the Australian filmNekrotronic, which was nominated for Best Makeup at the9th AACTA Awards, but otherwise was rather poorly received both by audiences and critics.[11][12]
During theCOVID-19 pandemic, O'Toole almost exclusively appeared in Australian productions. In addition to his performances in series television, he landed the lead role in the horror comedyBloody Hell, where he assumed the role of protagonist and also embodied the hallucinations of his alter ego.[13]
O'Toole plays a major role as Angus in the 2025 dark comedy thrillerPenny Lane Is Dead, in writer-director Mia'Kate Russell's feature film debut.[14]
O'Toole has also appeared regularly in theatre. In 2022 he appeared inThe Tenant of Wildfell Hall.[15]
In 2024, he reprised his 2013 role of Happy inDeath of a Salesman.[16]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | The Water Diviner | Henry Connor | supporting role | [5] |
| 2016 | Hacksaw Ridge | Corporal Jessop | [7] | |
| 2017 | Everybody Loves Somebody | Asher | lead role | [17] |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales | British Soldier | supporting role | [18] | |
| Detroit | Flynn Marko | [8] | ||
| 2018 | 12 Strong | Scott Black | [7] | |
| Nekrotronic | Howard North | leading actor | [19] | |
| 2020 | Bloody Hell | Rex Coen | leading actor | [13] |
| 2025 | Penny Lane Is Dead | Angus | leading actor | [14] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Sintillate Studios | Justin | Web series, 6 episodes | [4] |
| 2014-2016 | Love Child | Pete | 17 episodes | [5] |
| 2019 | Catalina Aguilar Mastretta Project | Mack | Pilot episode (unreleased) | [20] |
| 2020 | Halifax: Retribution | Jarrod/Daniel | 6 episodes | |
| 2021 | Amazing Grace | Max Shaw | 8 episodes | [21] |
| 2022 | Pieces of Her | Young Ali Wexler | 2 episodes | |
| Barons | Snapper Webster | Lead role, 8 episodes | [22] | |
| 2023 | Caught | Rowdy Gaines | 6 episodes | |
| 2024 | Boy Swallows Universe | Teddy Callis | 3 episodes |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Blood Will Have Blood | Macbeth /Oberon | WAAPA | |
| The Laramie Project | Rulon Stacey / Father Roger Schmidt / Jonas Slonaker | |||
| Ruben Guthrie | Ruben Guthrie | |||
| Nana | Marquis de Chouard | |||
| 2012 | Boy Gets Girl | Mercer | Heath Ledger Theatre, Perth withBlack Swan State Theatre Company | |
| 2013 | Death of a Salesman | Happy Loman | ||
| 2014 | Mojo | STC | ||
| The Sublime | Liam | MTC | [23] | |
| 2015 | Freak Winds | Henry Crumb | Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney | |
| Men | Crazy Bob | [5] | ||
| 2022 | The Tenant of Wildfell Hall | Arthur Huntington | Roslyn Packer Theatre withSTC | |
| 2023 | On the Beach | Peter Holmes | ||
| A Streetcar Named Desire | Stanley Kowalski | Old Fitzroy Theatre, Sydney withSTC | [24] | |
| 2024 | 37 | Joe | Bille Brown Theatre, Brisbane withMTC &Queensland Theatre | |
| Death of a Salesman | Happy Loman | Theatre Royal, Sydney,Crown Theatre, Perth | [25] |
Source:[26]
Born in Cairns, but growing up in Brisbane, Ben O'Toole headed west to study acting at the highly respected Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), before relocating to Sydney.
"Prior to Barons I hadn't really surfed all that much, but I began taking lessons with a few of the other cast members," says Cairns-born O'Toole.
I've called LA home since Feb, 2016
Earlier this year O'Toole shot an untitled Amazon Studios pilot from writer-director Catalina Aguilar Mastretta, who made Everybody Loves Somebody, a 2017 Mexican-set comedy romance starring Karla Souza, José María Yazpik and O'Toole, which was acquired by Netflix.
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