Australian actor Eric Bana is not afraid of an early movie exit — in fact, he prefers it.
In a new interview with The Independent, the Troy and Hulk star shared his refreshing take on movie roles, saying he finds it “more interesting” when his characters are killed off. Rather than clinging to leading roles that ride out until the end credits, Bana embraces the unexpected.
“I’m very happy to die, you know? I’m happy to be killed off in something,” he said. “It’s just more interesting. I don’t want the audience to see me and think he’s going to be the main guy until the end.”
That unpredictability has become part of Bana’s onscreen charm. Known for balancing blockbusters and indie dramas, the 56-year-old actor has made a career of playing complex, often gruff characters — not just clean-cut heroes.
His latest role in Netflix’s new thriller Untamed leans right into that vibe. Set in Yosemite National Park, Bana plays Kyle Turner, a rugged park ranger investigating a chilling murder. The twist? Kyle isn’t exactly a crowd-pleaser.
“It’s not often that your lead character is allowed to get away with being so uncharming,” Bana said. “We got to lean into the gruffness, the darkness, and the uncomfortable.”
The series also stars Sam Neill, who Bana shockingly had never met before filming — despite both being icons of Australian cinema.
Off-camera, Bana keeps a low profile. Married to wife Rebecca since 1997 and raising two kids, the Melbourne-born actor is happy keeping his base in Australia.
Interestingly, Bana attributes his sharp script choices to his early comedy days. A former sketch comic, he learned to be ruthless when an idea wasn’t working.
“When you’re writing, if it doesn’t fly in the room with other writers and we’re not laughing, you can’t expect the audience to make the joke better,” he said. “You have to be forensic about it. Comedy always felt like being an X-ray machine.”
Whether he’s cracking jokes or catching killers, Eric Bana proves one thing: dying on screen might just be the most alive a character can feel.
