ACTOR · BORN 1969
Ben Mendelsohn
- Born
- 3 April 1969, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Known for
- Robin Hood (2018), To Catch a Killer (2023), Trespass (2011), Adoration (2013)
28 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Ben Mendelsohn (born 3 April 1969) is an actor best known for Robin Hood, To Catch a Killer and Trespass.
28 Interesting Facts About Ben Mendelsohn
Interesting Facts (9)
- #001
Until he was six, Ben Mendelsohn spoke fluent German with a strong German accent, a sign of the multicultural childhood he had abroad before his family returned to Australia, and an early ear for accents that later served him well.
Ben Mendelsohn: a sceneImage: Wikimedia Commons · Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 - #002
After seeing an Australian news report about a Datables Ball, a dance for young people with special needs who have few chances to socialize, Mendelsohn was so moved that he offered to pay for a similar event himself.
- #003
Mendelsohn supports the Mirabel Foundation, which helps children orphaned or abandoned because of their parents' drug addiction.
- #004
Mendelsohn provided vocals for the Interlude and Intro tracks on Gorillaz's 2017 album Humanz.
- #005
Mendelsohn was offered Pennywise in It (2017) but turned it down over a pay dispute.
- #006
To stay in character on Animal Kingdom, Mendelsohn barely spoke to James Frecheville on set and called him John rather than James or Jim, though the two became close friends on the film's promotional tour.
Ben Mendelsohn: GuyImage: Wikimedia Commons · Red Carpet Report on Mingle Media TV from Culver City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 - #007
On the last day of shooting A Map of the Human Heart, Mendelsohn badly injured his back.
- #008
Mendelsohn trained with the Heidelberg Theatre Company, where he gained his first stage experience.
Ben Mendelsohn: GuyImage: Wikimedia Commons · Red Carpet Report on Mingle Media TV from Culver City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 - #009
Mendelsohn's roles in the second and third seasons of Love My Way came at the request of Klaudia Karvan, his co-star in The Big Steal, who produced and co-wrote the series.
Behind the Scenes (5)
- #010
A devoted animal lover, Mendelsohn stopped filming on Adore to make sure a stray cat got safely across the street.
- #011
Mendelsohn lived with Scoot McNairy while they were shooting Killing Them Softly, which helped their on-screen chemistry.
Ben Mendelsohn: Andrew 'pope' Cody, behind the scenesImage: Wikimedia Commons · Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0 - #012
Mendelsohn won the best actor award that evening for his performance in Animal Kingdom. AFI award winners Jacki Weaver and Joel Edgerton singled out Mendelsohn's performance in their speeches despite the film's large ensemble cast.
- #013
Mendelsohn has said he is often confused with his The New World (2005) co-star Noah Taylor. The resemblance may stem from the closeness of their physical appearances. Mendelsohn has spoken about the mix-up humorously and noted that it has continued throughout his career.
- #014
To get into character for Animal Kingdom, Mendelsohn rarely spoke to James Frecheville on set and called him John instead of James or Jim. The method demonstrates his commitment to method acting. After production ended, the two became close friends during the film's promotional tour, showing how Mendelsohn's professional approach carries over into his personal relationships.
Characters & Cast (2)
- #015
Mendelsohn was cast as Hando in Romper Stomper and shaved his head for the neo-Nazi role, but his Spotswood co-star Russell Crowe lobbied for the part, arguing Mendelsohn wasn't threatening enough, and replaced him; Mendelsohn made up for it with a role in director Geoffrey Wright's next film, Metal Skin.
- #016
Growing up, Mendelsohn spent long stretches in Europe and the United States before returning to Australia for high school, experiences that broadened his outlook and later helped him with his varied characters.
Career & Awards (8)
- #017
As a young man, Mendelsohn idolized Robert De Niro and knew every line of Taxi Driver by heart, and years later he got to work with De Niro on Killer Elite.
- #018
As a schoolboy, Mendelsohn performed the one-man play "Mother" for his whole school, one of his first steps toward acting.
- #019
In the 1980s, Mendelsohn appeared with Gia Carides and Paul Gleeson in a public service announcement set in a nightclub that taught young people how to fill in their tax returns.
- #020
Mendelsohn hadn't watched any of his own films for six years, and for ten years before that, but had to attend the screenings of Killing Them Softly at Cannes and The Place Beyond the Pines at the Toronto International Film Festival.
- #021
At the AFI Awards, where Mendelsohn won Best Actor for Animal Kingdom, fellow winners Jacki Weaver and Joel Edgerton singled out his performance in their speeches despite the film's large cast.
- #022
Mendelsohn learned about method acting as a young man from his Prime Time co-star Nina Landis, who suggested he read Uta Hagen's Respect for Acting, a book that deeply shaped his approach.
- #023
Mendelsohn considers Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, whom he played in high school, the greatest character in theater.
- #024
Mendelsohn has often worked with directors David Caesar, Nadia Tass and Paul Moloney and with actors Noah Taylor, Kylie Minogue, Rachel Griffiths and Toni Colette, a sign of his deep roots in Australian film.
Life & Family (4)
- #025
To play Robin, a character with false teeth, in The Place Beyond the Pines, Mendelsohn offered to have his front teeth pulled, and the director agreed, but a producer stepped in and he changed his mind before the dental work was done.
- #026
Mendelsohn's parents divorced when he was six; he lived with his mother until he was thirteen, then moved to Washington DC with his father, lasted just six months at Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania before being expelled for setting fire to something, and returned to Australia to live with his grandmother until acting let him support himself.
- #027
Mendelsohn's father is a leading medical researcher who has headed the Howard Florey Institute in Melbourne, Australia.
- #028
Mendelsohn played Rupert Murdoch in Black & White, and as it happens, Murdoch's favorite film is Spotswood, in which Mendelsohn appeared.
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