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Grant Bowler

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the baseball player, see Grant Bowler (baseball).

Grant Bowler
Bowler at 2012 Toronto International Film Festival
Born (1968-07-18) 18 July 1968 (age 56)
Auckland, New Zealand
EducationNational Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, television presenter
Years active1993–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2001; div. 2011)​
Children2

Grant Bowler (born 18 July 1968) is a New Zealand-Australian actor and television presenter who has worked in American, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian film, television, and theatre.

He is known for playing the role of Constable Wayne Patterson in Blue Heelers and Wolfgang West in Outrageous Fortune. He also appeared as Wilhelmina Slater's love interest Connor Owens in Ugly Betty.[1] He starred as Joshua Nolan on the Syfy television series Defiance.[2]

As a presenter, he was best known for hosting reality game shows – including The Mole Australia and The Amazing Race Australia, both of which aired on the Seven Network.[3]

Bowler has been the voiceover narrator for Border Security: Australia for the Seven Network since 2004. He has also provided the narration for the Canadian version and the American version when those versions air in Australia and New Zealand as Border Security: International on 7two.

Personal life

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Bowler was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but moved to Australia when he was young, and was raised in Brisbane.[4]

In 2011, he separated from his wife of nine years, Australian actress Roxane Wilson, with whom he has two children.[5]

Career

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Bowler is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art.

He worked extensively in theatre with the Bell Shakespeare Company touring with the original company founded by John Bell.

His first television role was as Constable Wayne Patterson on Blue Heelers, from 1993 to 1996. After leaving that show, he spent time on Pacific Drive in 1996 and Medivac from 1996 to 1998. He had recurring roles on Always Greener and Stingers, starred in the television adaptation of On the Beach, spent a year on the ABC series Something in the Air, and starred in the 2004 miniseries Through My Eyes about the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain. Bowler had a recurring role on All Saints from 2004 to 2005.

Bowler hosted the Australian version of The Mole from 2000 to 2003. He was replaced in the 2005 series by Tom Williams because of family commitments and his duties with Border Security: Australia's Front Line. He is the narrator of the latter show, having begun as on-camera host in 2004 and transitioning to the off-camera role after the first season.

Bowler appeared in the New Zealand series Outrageous Fortune[6] in the recurring role of Wolfgang West. He was in greater demand since joining the program, but turned down other work to remain with the show.[7]

Bowler guest starred as Gault, the captain of a freighter on the American television series Lost, starting with the season four episode "Ji Yeon".

In 2008, he began a recurring role on Ugly Betty as Connor Owens, corrupt CFO of Meade Publications and the love interest of the series' main villain. Bowler said of his character, "He's got a lot of evil secrets."[8] In December 2009, he was cast as Cooter, a werewolf, in the HBO urban fantasy series True Blood, for that show's third season.[9]

In late 2010, he was announced as the host of Seven Network's The Amazing Race Australia and remained for three seasons. He did not return for the 2019 Network 10 revival of the series, being replaced by Beau Ryan.

He played Hank Rearden in Atlas Shrugged: Part I (2011), the first part of a planned three-part film adaptation of Ayn Rand's novel of the same name.[10] He was also seen in 2011 in The City of Gardens, and the film Killer Elite.

In 2012, Bowler was cast as Richard Burton opposite Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor in the biographical TV-movie Liz & Dick for Lifetime in the US.[11]

He was seen in the war drama Gallipoli, released in 2015 on Channel 9, Australia. Bowler was also seen in the psychological action film Swelter, alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme and Alfred Molina; in the sci-fi thriller 400 Days with Brandon Routh and Dane Cook; Lucky Dog with Amy Smart; and the family movie, Zooey to the Max.

In 2020, Bowler appeared in a recurring role in The Baker and the Beauty playing the Australian father of lead character Noa Hamilton, played by Nathalie Kelley.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2003 Ned Town priest
2003 Calling Gerry Molloy Oliver Laird
2004 One of the Oldest Con Games Sam
2004 Through My Eyes: The Lindy Chamberlain Story Black Rat
2007 The Fall of Night Harry
2011 Killer Elite Warwick Cregg
2011 City of Gardens Jesus Christ
2011 Atlas Shrugged: Part I Hank Rearden
2011 Steve Niles's Remains Tom
2012 I Do Peter
2014 Swelter Cole
2014 Lucky Dog Preston Spencer
2015 400 Days Walter
2015 One & Two Daniel
2018 Painkillers Herb Morris
2019 The Car: Road to Revenge Rainer
2019 Guns Akimbo Degraves
2020 Bad Impulse Henry Sharpe

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1993–1996 Blue Heelers Wayne Patterson Main role (seasons 1–3)
1996 Pacific Drive Garth Stephens Episode: "#1.10"
1996–1998 Medivac Dr. Arch Craven Main role
1997 Halifax f.p: Someone You Know Bob Palance Episode 13
1998 Wildside Peter Simms Episode: "#1.27"
1999 Farscape Shaman Liko Episode: "That Old Black Magic"
1999 Close Contact Mike Heyns Television film
1999–2001 Stingers Sean Peck 3 episodes
2000–2003 The Mole Himself (host) 30 episodes
2000 On the Beach Lt. Peter Holmes Television film
2000 The Lost World Montague Fitzsimmonds Episode: "London Calling"
2001 Finding Hope Jack Television film
2001–2002 Something in the Air Mark Waters 26 episodes
2002 White Collar Blue Steve Petrovic Episode: "#1.9"
2002 Always Greener Greg Steele 11 episodes
2004 McLeod's Daughters Jarred Wuchowski Episode: "Fool for Love"
2004–2005 All Saints Nigel "Mac" MacPherson 20 episodes
2004–present Border Security: Australia's Front Line Narrator 105 episodes
2005–2009 Outrageous Fortune Wolfgang West Main role
2008 Lost Captain Gault 3 episodes
2008 Canal Road Detective Ray Driscoll 10 episodes
2008–2010 Ugly Betty Connor Owens 17 episodes
2010 True Blood Cooter 7 episodes
2011 Panic at Rock Island Jim Quinn Television film
2011 The Cape Razer Episode: "Razer"
2011–2012
2014		 The Amazing Race Australia Himself (host) 34 episodes
2012 The Great Mint Swindle Ray Mickelberg Television film
2012 GCB Mason Massey 2 episodes
2012 Liz & Dick Richard Burton Television film
2013–2015 Defiance Joshua Nolan 38 episodes
2015 Gallipoli Lieutenant Colonel William Malone 7 episodes
2015 Getting On Dr. Ron Rudd 8 episodes
2016 Still Star-Crossed Damiano Montague Main role
2016 J.L. Family Ranch Sheriff Henry Whitlock Television film
2019 Harrow Francis Chester 10 episodes
2019 Reef Break Carter Eastland 6 episodes
2022 Super Volcano Eric TV Movie
2022 20.0 Megaquake Eric TV Movie
2023 Ice Storm Eric TV Movie

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2013 Defiance Chief Lawkeeper Jeb Nolan Voice

References

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  1. ^ Shattuck, Kathryn (4 December 2009). "What's On Today > 9 p.m. (ABC) Ugly Betty". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  2. ^ "'Defiance' Star Grant Bowler Reveals His Gaming Habits". Comcast TV Blog. 20 March 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  3. ^ Coster, Alice (11 May 2011). "Grant Bowler hosts Channel 7 and Active TV's The Amazing Race Australia". Herald Sun. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Grant Bowler Video: Celebrity Interview and Paparazzi". OV Guide. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Amazing Race's Grant Bowler splits with wife". Herald Sun. Melbourne, Australia. 30 March 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  6. ^ "More New Blood – Both Vamp & Lycan Added to True Blood". Dreadcentral.com. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  7. ^ "Wolf at the door". Otago Daily Times. 17 June 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2008.
  8. ^ "SPOILER ALERT: The Ugly Betty Cast Dishes on Season 3". People. 16 September 2008. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  9. ^ "Final True Blood Season 3 Promo Poster Revealed". Dreadcentral.com. 11 June 2010. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  10. ^ Chocano, Carina (29 April 2011). "Atlas Shrugged Part One (2011) : A Utopian Society Made Up of Business Moguls in Fedoras". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
  11. ^ "Grant Bowler to play Richard Burton opposite Lindsay Lohan's Liz Taylor". Tvtonight.com.au. 27 May 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
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