Simon Baker Biography

Summary

"Simon Baker" (b. July 30, 1969 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia) is an Australian film and television actor.

Baker was a former champion sportsman who competed at state level in surfing and water polo. He began acting on Australian television during the late 1980s using the name "Simon Baker Denny". He first appeared in music video clips for Melissa Tkautz ('Read My Lips') and Aussie dance outfit Euphoria ('Love You Right') in 1991 before appearing in the successful series "E Street", "Home and Away" and "Heartbreak High". Baker relocated to the U.S. where he was occasionally known by his stepfather's surname (i.e. as "Simon Baker-Denny" or "Simon Denny").

He was cast in a small but important part as a young would-be actor in "L.A. Confidential", which led to further opportunities in supporting roles in films. In 2000 he played an astronaut in "Red Planet" with Val Kilmer, Carrie Anne Moss and Benjamin Bratt. He played the male lead in the television series "The Guardian" for three seasons beginning in 2001, and also appeared in "The Affair of the Necklace" in 2001. He played an altruistic hero in George A. Romero's "Land of the Dead". He played a distressed husband in 2004's "Book of Love". Recently, he has played Brian Kelly in "Something New" and he will star in the upcoming "Sex and Death 101" as Roderick Blank. He had a leading role as Jeff in the short-lived television series "Smith" in 2006. He had a large role as the writer Christian Thompson in the 2006 movie "The Devil Wears Prada".

He was married to an Australian woman for three years and had two children with her. One was stillborn, the other, Bryce Baker, died in infancy as an overweight baby, but after three years, the marriage ended in divorce, partly due to the problems with their children.

He is currently married to the Australian actress Rebecca Rigg, and they have three children: Stella, Claude and Harry. Simon and his family resided until recently in Malibu, California, but have since moved back to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.