Simon Baker
Template:Short description Template:Other people Template:Use Australian English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person
Simon Lucas Baker (born 30 July 1969) is an Australian actor and director. He first gained prominence on the Australian soap opera E Street (1992–1993). He later starred in the CBS legal drama The Guardian (2001–2004), for which he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama in 2002. From 2008 to 2015, he portrayed Patrick Jane in the drama series The Mentalist, earning a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2009. Baker has also appeared in several films, including L.A. Confidential (1997), Restaurant (1998), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), and Margin Call (2011).
Early life
Simon Lucas Baker<ref name=":3" /> was born on 30 July 1969 in Launceston, Tasmania. His father, Barry, was a mechanic and school caretaker, and his mother, Elizabeth, was a high-school English teacher.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He has an older sister, two half-brothers and a half-sister.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref> Baker's family moved to New Guinea when Baker was nine months old. His parents' marriage ended when he was two, and his father did not get in touch until Baker was an adult.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref> His mother remarried to Tom Denny, a butcher, but Baker did not get on well with his stepfather.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref name=":0" /> His mother and stepfather later divorced.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite news</ref>
Baker spent part of his childhood living in the suburbs of Sydney,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> but he mainly grew up in the Northern Rivers coastal town of Lennox Head, New South Wales.<ref name=":0" /> He attended high school at Ballina High School and Trinity Catholic College.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Baker has been an avid surfer since his youth, and he considers surfing and the relationships with his surfing friends an important part of his upbringing.<ref name=":0" />
Career
Baker's first acting role was in a commercial. He got the role while waiting for a friend to audition when he himself was asked to audition for it.<ref name=":0" /> Before working in Hollywood, he acted in various Australian television shows such as E Street (as Sam Farrel: 1992–1993), Home and Away (as James Hudson: 1993–1994), and Heartbreak High (as Tom Summers: 1996).<ref name=":1" /> In 1993, Baker won the Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent.<ref name=":0" />
Baker relocated to the United States in the mid-1990s.<ref name=":0" /> In 1997, Baker appeared in a supporting role in L.A. Confidential.<ref name=":1" />
He is known for his portrayal of Patrick Jane in the television series The Mentalist, and Nick Fallin in The Guardian.<ref name="Rigg">Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2010, he was costarring with Robin Tunney and earning US$350,000 per episode of The Mentalist. Shortly after, he signed a new contract that delivered a payment of US$30 million for his role as Patrick Jane.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In film, he is known for his roles as Max Rourke in the remake of the Japanese horror film The Ring Two, Riley Denbo in Land of the Dead, and Christian Thompson in the film adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada.
Baker made his directorial debut with the 2017 film Breath, in which he also starred, co-wrote, and co-produced. The film is based on the Tim Winton novel.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>
Honours
In June 2012, Baker was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences along with 175 other individuals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
On 14 February 2013, Baker was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the entertainment industry. Baker's star can be found at 6352 Hollywood Blvd.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Personal life
Baker married Australian actress Rebecca Rigg on 2 October 1998, after five years of living together.<ref name=":1" /> Baker told The Ellen Degeneres Show that one of their two weddings was held on the beach at Carmel.<ref>Template:Cite AV mediaTemplate:Cbignore</ref> They have a daughter, Stella, and two sons.<ref name="Rigg"/> Baker and Rigg separated in April 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Baker was raised Catholic, but became agnostic.<ref name=":4" />
Baker follows the rugby league club the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | L.A. Confidential | Matt Reynolds | |
| Most Wanted | Stephen Barnes | ||
| 1998 | Restaurant | Kenny | |
| Judas Kiss | Junior Armstrong | ||
| Love from Ground Zero | Eric | ||
| 1999 | Ride with the Devil | George Clyde | |
| 2000 | Sunset Strip | Michael Scott | |
| Red Planet | Chip Pettengill | ||
| 2001 | Template:Sortname | Rétaux de Villette | |
| 2004 | Book of Love | David Walker | |
| 2005 | Template:Sortname | Max Rourke | |
| Land of the Dead | Riley Denbo | ||
| 2006 | Something New | Brian Kelly | |
| The Devil Wears Prada | Christian Thompson | ||
| 2007 | Sex and Death 101 | Roderick Blank | |
| The Key to Reserva | Roger Thornberry | Short film | |
| 2009 | The Lodger | Malcolm Slaight | |
| Not Forgotten | Jack Bishop | ||
| Women in Trouble | Travis McPherson | ||
| 2010 | The Killer Inside Me | Howard Hendricks | |
| 2011 | Margin Call | Jared Cohen | |
| 2013 | I Give It a Year | Guy Harrap | |
| 2017 | Breath | Bill 'Sando' Sanderson | Also director, co-producer and co-writer |
| 2018 | Here and Now | Nick | |
| 2020 | High Ground | Travis | Also executive producer |
| 2022 | Blaze | Luke | |
| 2023 | Limbo | Travis Hurley | Also executive producer |
| Template:TableTBA | Klara and the Sun | Paul | Post-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Shades of Love: Midnight Magic | Template:N/a | Television film |
| 1989 | Tales from the Crypt | Party Guest | Episode: "Only Sin Deep" |
| 1992–1993 | E Street | Constable Sam Farrell | 112 episodes |
| 1993 | A Country Practice | Stewart Waterman | 2 episodes |
| GP | Ben Miller | Episode: "A Family Affair" | |
| 1993–1994 | Home and Away | James Hudson | 19 episodes |
| 1994 | Which Way to the War | Private Stan Hawke | Television pilot |
| 1995 | Naked | Template:N/a | Television pilot |
| 1995–1996 | Heartbreak High | Mr. Thomas 'Tom' Summers | 8 episodes |
| 1996 | Naked: Stories of Men | Gabriel | Episode: "Blind-Side Breakaway" |
| Sweat | Paul Steadman | Episode: "Episode 3" | |
| 1999 | Secret Men's Business | Andy Greville | Television film |
| 2001–2004 | The Guardian | Nick Fallin | 67 episodes; also director |
| 2006 | Smith | Jeff Breen | 7 episodes |
| 2008–2015 | The Mentalist | Patrick Jane | 151 episodes; also director and producer |
| 2022 | Roar | Adam | Episode: "The Woman Who Ate Photographs" |
| 2024 | Boy Swallows Universe | Robert Bell | 7 episodes |
| 2025 | The Narrow Road to the Deep North | Keith Mulvaney | 4 episodes |
| Ten Pound Poms | Sidney Skinner | Episode: "Episode 2" | |
| Template:TableTBA | Scarpetta | Benton Wesley | Post-production |
| Template:TableTBA | Lionness | Template:N/a | Director and producer |
Awards and nominations
References
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Baker family (Australia)
- Living people
- 1969 births
- 20th-century Australian male actors
- 21st-century Australian male actors
- Australian agnostics
- Australian expatriate male actors in the United States
- Australian male film actors
- Australian male television actors
- Australian people of English descent
- Australian people of Irish descent
- Australian television directors
- Male actors from Sydney
- Male actors from New South Wales
- Male actors from Tasmania
- People from Launceston, Tasmania
- Naturalized citizens of the United States
- Former Roman Catholics
- Logie Award winners
- Best Supporting Actor AACTA Award winners
- Male actors from Malibu, California
- Mass media people from Malibu, California