An Australian actor, Heath Ledger grabbed limelight in America with the teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You. However, it was role in Brokeback Mountain that made him a star and earned him comparisons with greats actors like Marlon Brando. The brilliant actor gave his last performance as Joker in The Dark Knight which became a massive success.
Australian actress, Katherine Langford, gained international fame with her role in the Netflix TV series 13 Reasons Why. She developed an early interest in acting despite not having any family connection to the field. Active in the entertainment industry since 2015, she has been nominated for many awards, including a Golden Globe.
Luke Bracey is an Australian actor whose sheer hard work and determination landed him prominent roles in popular films, such as The November Man, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and Hacksaw Ridge. Luke Bracey is often cited as an inspiration for young and aspiring Australian actors and actresses.
One of the highest-earning models according to Forbes, Miranda Kerr was the first Victoria's Secret model from Australia. Known for her attractive physique, she is often named in the sexiest women in the world lists by several magazines. She has used her fame and beauty to launch a brand of skincare products called KORA Organics.
Diane Cilento is one of the earliest Australian actresses to make it big in the British film industry. Although her popularity increased after marrying the famous James Bond actor Sean Connery, her film career went downhill and she could never really revive her career. In 2001, she was honored with the Centenary Medal for service to the arts.
Peter Garrett is an Australian musician, activist, environmentalist, and former politician. Renowned for his eccentric dance style and signature bald head, Garrett is best known for his association with the popular rock band Midnight Oil where he performs as the lead singer. A football fan, Peter Garrett supports the Essendon Bombers of the AFL.
Well-known Australian comedienne Magda Szubanski soared to fame with her performances in shows such as Kath and Kim, D-Generation, and Fast Forward. She has also been part of movies such as Happy Feet and penned a bestselling memoir. An open lesbian, she is also an LGBT activist.
Fred Hollows became a renowned name in the field of ophthalmology after helping thousands of people see by restoring their sight. Born in New Zealand, Hollows later became an Australian citizen. He had initially aspired to join the clergy but had decided against it after visiting a mental institution.
Best known as the host of RocKwiz, French-Australian presenter Julia Zemiro is a trained theater actor, too, who has worked with the likes of the Bell Shakespeare Company. She has hosted her own interview show, Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery, and has been on shows such as Thank God You’re Here.
Jack Brabham was an Australian professional racing driver best remembered for winning the Formula One World Championship thrice during his illustrious career that lasted 15 years. He is credited with founding the eponymous Formula One racing team and racing car manufacturer. Early in his career, Brabham contributed immensely to the design of racing cars introduced by the Cooper Car Company.
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios, who has had a career-best singles ranking of 13, has also been part of a few controversies. During a 2019 Wimbledon match, he apparently deliberately hit Rafael Nadal with a ball, straight in the chest, and later defended his actions, saying it was completely fair.
Irish footballer Jim Stynes was initially skilled in Gaelic football but later deviated to Australian rules football. While his memoir, My Journey, detailed his battle with cancer, he had also written self-help books with Dr. Jon Carnegie. He had also co-founded The Reach Foundation, a non-profit for young people.
Josiah Brooks, better known as Jazza, had been drawing and sketching since age 12 and later began designing animation and video games. The Australian YouTuber, who has gained a huge fan base online with his art tutorials on his YouTube channel Draw with Jazza, is now a father of two.
Julia Morris is an Australian television presenter, comedian, and actress. She is known for her solo comedy shows and live performances across Australia. Morris has also performed in comedy festivals around the world; at the 2001 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, she was honored with a Herald Angel Award. In 2004, she was named Comedy Performer of the Year by Time Out.
V. Gordon Childe was an Australian archaeologist best remembered for his contribution to the study of European prehistory. One of the earliest supporters of culture-historical archaeology, Childe went on to become the first proponent of Marxist archaeology. He is regarded as one of the best-known and most revered archaeologists of the 20th century.
Zali Steggall is an Australian lawyer turned politician. She has been serving as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Division of Warringah since 2019. She is a former Olympic athlete as well and is considered Australia's most internationally successful alpine skier. She became a lawyer after retiring from skiing and eventually entered politics as well.
Yugoslavian-born tennis star Jelena Dokic had once been world number 4 in singles. While she represented Serbia and Montenegro, Yugoslavia, and Australia in international events, post-retirement, she has mostly been associated with Australian tennis as a coach, author, and sports commentator. She accused her father of abuse in her memoir.
Morgan Evans is an Australian country music singer-songwriter. Interested in music from a young age, he performed his first gig when he was just 13. As a teenager, he was part of a local rock trio that also featured his brother, Tom. He released his self-titled debut album in 2014 and has since released several albums, EPs, and singles.
New Zealand-born Australian rugby player Quade Cooper is also a talented boxer. While he has represented the Queensland Reds and the Melbourne Rebels, he now plays for the Japanese rugby team Kintetsu Liners. In late 2021, he expressed he was hurt to have to withdraw from the Europe tour of the Wallabies.
Sidney Nolan is best remembered for his depictions of Australian folklore in his art. The artist had had brief stints as a cyclist, a gold miner, and a cook, before he took up painting as a vocation at 21. Apart from landscapes, his paintings also portrayed legendary figures such as outlaw Ned Kelly.
H. V. Evatt was an Australian politician and judge who served as a judge of the High Court of Australia from 1930 to 1940. He was appointed the attorney-general in 1941. He was also active in politics and was the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and Leader of the Opposition from 1951 to 1960.
After losing his father at age 2, Henry Kendall was raised on a farm by his mother. The Australian bush poet is remembered for his depictions of nature in works such as Leaves from Australian Forests. Throughout his life, he continued to switch from one job to another.
Sakio Bika is a Cameroonian-Australian boxer who held the IBO super-middleweight title in the late 2000s. From 2013 to 2014, Bika held the WBC super-middleweight title. Also a TV personality, Sakio Bika won The Contender 3, a reality television show based on boxing in 2007.
Cicely Courtneidge was an Australian-born British comedian, actress, and singer. She is best remembered for her partnership with her husband Jack Hulbert as they performed together on stage and screen for over six decades. Cicely Courtneidge was also a humanitarian as she raised funds and entertained the armed forces during the Second World War.
While he once worked as a flight lieutenant in the RAAF, actor Allan Cuthbertson was later typecast in roles of stern military officials, dignitaries, or other high-ranking officials. He first gained fame as Romeo in a Boltons production of Romeo and Juliet and later as Colonel Hall in Fawlty Towers.
Mark Donaldson is an Australian soldier who has been decorated with the Victoria Cross for Australia, the highest award in the Australian honors system. He performed several acts of bravery in the Battle of Khaz Oruzgan during Operation Slipper in 2008. He is the recipient of several awards and was named the 2010 Young Australian of the Year as well.
Jarmila Wolfe is a Slovak-Australian retired tennis player who won 14 ITF Women's World Tennis Tour titles and two WTA Tour titles during her playing career. Jarmila Wolfe is perhaps best known for winning the 2013 mixed doubles title at the Australian Open alongside fellow Australian player Matthew Ebden.
Born to Greek immigrant parents in Adelaide, Thanasi Kokkinakis was inspired by Russian tennis star Marat Safin in childhood. He now has a career-high ranking of 69 in singles. In 2021, he revealed how he had battled depression and had contemplated quitting tennis after a series of injuries threatened his career.