Ben Mendelsohn

Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn may have missed out on the first wave of Aussies to invade Hollywood in the '90s, but his standout role in 2010's crime drama "Animal Kingdom" marked the beginning of a new chapter in his long career. A fixture on '80s Down Under shows such as "Neighbours" (Seven Network, 1985- ), Mendelsohn landed a breakout role as a loud-mouthed rugby player in the 1987 critically-acclaimed film "The Year My Voice Broke." Though he continued working steadily in both Australia and the U.S., most notably appearing opposite Anthony Hopkins in "The Efficiency Expert" (1992), Mendelsohn languished in minor projects until being cast in the high-profile films "The New World" (2005) and "Australia" (2008). Then came "Animal Kingdom," which led to even bigger roles in the gritty "Killing Them Softly" (2012); the blockbuster "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012); and the indie success "The Place Beyond the Pines" (2013), and finally the massively successful "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" (2016). Finally, Hollywood had caught up to the talented actor from Oz.