ERIC BANA

AGE AND OCCUPATION: 33, actor.

PROVENANCE: Melbourne, Australia '

A KILLER ROLE: Bana, a HHBcomiC in Australia, left audiences speeclP WZOOO's Chopper—only his second featurewith his terrifying and oftentimes funny portraya of Australia's most infamous criminal, Mark "Chopper" Read. "My background was stand-up comedy. I got a real taste for acting when I was doing sketch comedy and thought one day, if given the opportunity, I wouldn't mind pursuing the straighter side. That opportunity was Chopper."

FROM ONE CHOPPER TO ANOTHER: Bana can be seen alongside Ewan McGregor and Josh Hartnett as Delta Force sergeant first class Hoot in Black Hawk Down. The Ridley Scott-directed adaptation of Mark Bowden's best seller is based on the 1993 battle in Somalia in which two Black Hawk helicopters were shot down and 1 8 U.S. soldiers were killed. "Working with Ridley was awesome. I would literally lie on broken glass for him. He's incredible. It was something I'll always treasure."

YOU WON'T LIKE HIM WHEN HE'S ANGRY: In March, Bana starts filming director Ang Lee's The Hulk, in the title role. "I can't say I'm not slightly intimidated about playing the Hulk. I have high expectations for myself, and I don't want to let people down."

SORRY, GIRLS: "I'm married, we have a two-and-ahalf-year-old boy, and we go everywhere together. We've only been home for one month this year. But my wife's a trouper. Snd'sthe one who deserves the paycheck, not me."

KRISTA SMITH

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