 | |
| Manu Bennett | |
|---|---|
| Biographical Information | |
| Lifetime | 10 October 1969 |
| Portrayed | Azog in: The Hobbit (film series) |
| IMDb | Profile |
Jonathan "Manu" Bennett (born 10 October, 1969 in Rotorua, New Zealand) is an Australian-New Zealand actor who portrayed Azog through performance-capture in the The Hobbit (film series). At a young age, Bennet moved to Australia with his mother, a bikini model, and his father, a singer. He went on to attend Merewether High School[1] and later returned to New Zealand to attend Te Aute College, where he played on the college rugby team. Bennett then quit rugby to study drama and dance and later moved to Los Angeles after receiving a scholarship to attend the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. Bennett has three children with his ex-wife[2] Karin Horen[3].
Quotes
I told my manager I was going to base Azog on a combination of Darth Vader and Jaws. I didn't want him to be all about being a bad guy. When you do that, you end up with these two-dimensional results (...) I was so gutted to not be part of any of the imagery or promotional machine last time out, especially not getting an Azog Lego character made
As I delved into the film industry, especially being a person of color, I found myself often playing the number two roles that challenged the traditional Western hero archetype.
References
- ↑ Dan Proudman, "Newcastle-raised actor, Manu Bennett charged in Texas with assault", Newcastle Herald. Australian Community Media, 20 September 2015
- ↑ Ricardo Simich, "Spartacus star Manu Bennett confirms split", The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 23 October 2024
- ↑ Kasia Jillings. "Brave Mother's new battle: I'll fight the cancer – again". Yahoo New Zealand Lifestyle, 2 May 2013, Retrieved 23 October 2024.