Hugh Sheridan

Born in Adelaide, South Australia, Hugh Sheridan was the second youngest of seven children. Their early training included Unley Youth Theatre and Terry Simpson Studios in Adelaide, followed by studies in Music at the Victorian College of the Arts and Dance at The Australian Ballet School. While completing acting studies at the National Institute for Dramatic Art in 2007, Sheridan was cast as ‘Ben Rafter’ in ‘Packed to the Rafters’, which became Australia’s highest-rated family drama. They maintained this role for five seasons, earning three Silver Logie Awards for Most Popular Actor, a 2013 Silver Logie Award nomination for Most Popular Actor, a 2011 Silver Logie nomination for Most Outstanding Actor, a Silver Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent, and a Graham Kennedy Award nomination for Most Outstanding New Talent. Beyond their acting achievements, Sheridan signed with Sony in 2010, releasing their debut single ‘Just Can’t Throw Us Away,’ which reached number two on the iTunes singles chart, followed by the album ‘Speak Love.’ They are currently working on their second album.

Hugh Sheridan’s career includes diverse roles across various mediums. Following ‘Packed to the Rafters,’ they appeared in the Seven Network telemovie ‘Never Tear Us Apart,’ portraying Garry Gary Beers from INXS. They also starred in the Opera Australia/ABC musical co-production ‘The Divorce,’ the Channel 9 series ‘House Husbands,’ and the Network Ten hit series ‘Five Bedrooms.’ Their feature film credits include ‘The Callback’ with Eddie Izzard, ‘Escape & Evasion’ alongside Rena Owen and Josh McConville, and ‘Isn’t It Romantic’ with Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth, and Adam Devine. Theatrically, Sheridan performed in the sold-out one-person show ‘Newley Discovered’ at the 2009 Adelaide Cabaret Festival, which later played at the Sydney Opera House and New York’s Snapple. They also starred with Geoffrey Rush and Magda Szubanski in ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,’ earning a Green Room Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and participated in a national tour of ‘Hair.’ More recently, Sheridan has achieved success with their band California Crooners Club on the festival circuit, with a debut album forthcoming.

In addition to their performing career, Hugh Sheridan is a committed humanitarian, supporting child and animal protection charities. They were recognized for their fundraising efforts during the 2020 bushfires in the US. Sheridan established the Human Renaissance Project in Australia, an initiative that provides platforms for individuals to share their stories and promotes empathy, understanding, and challenges negative labeling based on ethnicity, sexuality, gender, employment status, or religion. Sheridan came out as bisexual in October 2020 and later as non-binary in June 2021, though in a September 2024 interview, they clarified never having come out as non-binary and being ‘too scared’ to correct people, stating they are straight ‘for now.’