Manu Bennett

Jonathan Manu Bennett was born on October 10, 1969, in Rotorua, New Zealand. His father, Ted Bennett, was a New Zealand singer, and his mother, Jean Clark, was an Australian bikini model. The family relocated to Australia when Bennett was an infant, and he was primarily raised in Sydney and Newcastle. He attended Merewether High School and later Te Aute College in New Zealand, where he played rugby union. After returning to Australia, he was selected for the NSW Schoolboys Rugby Union Team. Bennett also trained as a dancer and musician, eventually pursuing a career in acting. He received a scholarship to the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in Los Angeles.

Bennett’s acting career began in 1993 with the television series “Paradise Beach.” He subsequently appeared in Australian and New Zealand TV dramas such as “Water Rats,” “All Saints,” and “Shortland Street.” A notable early role was as Marc Antony in “Xena: Warrior Princess.” His filmography includes the critically acclaimed Australian film “Lantana.” In 2006, he expanded his film work with roles in “The Marine,” starring alongside John Cena, and “The Condemned” with Stone Cold Steve Austin. He also appeared in the vampire horror film “30 Days of Night” in 2007.

From 2010 to 2013, Bennett gained international recognition for his role as Crixus in the American television series “Spartacus,” appearing in all four seasons. He then portrayed the character Azog the Defiler in “The Hobbit” film trilogy from 2012 to 2014, with Peter Jackson noting his performance as a “breakout.” From 2013 to 2020, he was a regular cast member in the CW series “Arrow” as Slade Wilson, also known as Deathstroke, a role that resonated among DC fans. Subsequently, he played the Dark Druid Allanon in MTV’s “The Shannara Chronicles” from 2016 to 2017.