Life Story

Biography

Karl Urban (born June 7, 1972), 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.

Biography: 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.

Lead Roles: 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.

James Bond: 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.

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