Brenton Thwaites

Soap opera "Home and Away" (Channel 7, 1998-) proved to be a popular training ground for Australian actors including Heath Ledger, Melissa George, Isla Fisher, Chris Hemsworth and a young Brenton Thwaites, who played Stu Henderson over 57 episodes. However this wasn't Thwaites' first taste of acting. He joined the North Queensland Academy of Dramatic Art at 16 before making his debut in indie feature "Charge Over You" (2010), while studying finance and acting at Queensland University of Technology. After graduating he landed a lead role in the Australian TV series "SLiDE" (Fox 8, 2011) before moving to Sydney after being cast in "Home and Away." His first American production was taking on Christopher Atkins' role as the male lead in a TV remake of iconic '80s hit "The Blue Lagoon" (1980), "Blue Lagoon: The Awakening" (Lifetime, 2012). His co-star was another "Home and Away" alumni, Indiana Evans. 2014 was Thwaites' breakthrough year, with no less than six films slated for international release. Alongside horror films "Oculus" and "The Signal," Thwaites played Prince Charming in Disney's big budget live-action retelling of "Sleeping Beauty" (1959), "Maleficent," which starred Angelina Jolie in the title role. Thwaites also essayed lead roles in prison drama "Son of a Gun" opposite Ewan McGregor, and the young adult science fiction adaptation "The Giver," alongside Meryl Steep, Jeff Bridges and country/pop singer Taylor Swift making her big-screen debut.