Brad Pitt was such a big fan of Chopper (2000) that he personally requested Bana for the role of Prince Hector in Troy (2004). Russell Crowe personally asked for Bana for his role in Black Hawk Down (2001), directed by Sir Ridley Scott. He did not have to audition for the role.
Tall by almost any standard at 6' 3", he is actually of medium or small stature by his family's standards. His older brother, Anthony Banadinović, for example, stands 6' 8".
He began his career as a stand-up comedian while working as a hotel bartender.
He was thirty-four when he took the lead in the action film Hulk (2003), making him the youngest person to play Bruce Banner/The Incredible Hulk. His deal for the Ang Lee-directed action film included options for two sequels with significant raises for each film.
He did weight training and fight training for the role of Prince Hector in Troy (2004). Before the film, however, he had never ridden a horse and had to start from scratch, bareback.
He said that Sam Elliott and Nick Nolte are two of his favorite actors and that he worked with both of them on the action film Hulk (2003).
For the scene in Black Hawk Down (2001) in which helicopter pilot Mike Durant is captured by Somalis, a photograph of his wife and child was used. The props department had forgotten to take a photo of a wife and child for the shoot, so they asked Bana's wife, who was traveling with him, whether they could use a photo of her and their children for the scene, and she agreed.
When the project was offered to him, he had the option of playing several very different characters in the epic war film Troy (2004). He ultimately chose Crown Prince Hector because he thought Prince Hector "was such a great bloke".
In 2006 he was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
Along with several of his fellow actors and crew members, he visited Camp Arifjan in Kuwait to show Star Trek (2009) to a group of US soldiers.
He made his motorsport debut at the 1996 Targa Tasmania, driving the same 1974 Ford Falcon XB Coupe. His other racing competitions include the 2002 Classic Adelaide and the 2003 Classic Adelaide.
His first jobs were washing cars at a service station, pushing trolleys at Coles New World and tending bar at the Melbourne Castle Hotel (1991).
Ironically, Mark Brandon Read, whom Bana portrayed in Chopper (2000), has a small role in Trojan Warrior (2002); he plays a man named "Erik Bana". This should not be confused with Troy (2004), in which Bana also appeared and which features a Trojan horse.
Asked who his idols were, he named Richard Pryor, Paul Newman and Barry Humphries.
He was the first choice for the role of Xander Cage in the action film xXx (2002), which he turned down for The Nugget (2002). The role went to Vin Diesel.
In Australia he enjoys racing both motorcycles and motor vehicles.
To better understand how to play the lead in Chopper (2000), he spent two days with Mark Brandon Read. He admitted to eating junk food for four weeks to gain the extra weight needed to play the legendary criminal. He gained 30 kilos for the role.
His first car was a 1974 Ford Falcon XB Coupe, bought for $1,000 when he was 15.
He was named one of the World's 100 Sexiest Movie Stars by Empire magazine (#61).
On Full Frontal (1993), whenever the show did a parody of a Tom Cruise film or a sketch involving Tom Cruise, he played "Cruise", even though in real life he is 8 inches taller than him.
Romanian GT Road Trip To Find Transfagarasan Highway (2009) completed the traditional "Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car" lap in 1 minute 47.5 seconds.
Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School, he attended Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria.
One of his most admired actors is Rade Šerbedžija.
He supports the St. Kilda Australian football team.
At least three of his feature films are remakes of a television film or share the same source material as a television film. The Incredible Hulk comic book series was made as the television film and series The Incredible Hulk (1977) and the theatrical film Hulk (2003). Homer's "Iliad" was made for television as Helen of Troy (2003) and as the theatrical film Troy (2004). George Jonas's book "Vengeance" was made for television as Sword of Gideon (1986), then remade by Steven Spielberg as Munich (2005).
Two of his characters had appeared in television films played by John Rhys-Davies before Bana took on the roles. In The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989), Rhys-Davies played Wilson Fisk, aka The Kingpin, while Bill Bixby played the role of Dr. Banner, which Bana would later play. Rhys-Davies also played King Priam in Helen of Troy (2003). Priam is the father of Prince Hector, whom Bana played in Troy (2004).
He worked with Tom Hardy (in his first film) on Black Hawk Down (2001). Both stars went on to appear in the hugely popular Star Trek universe. Hardy appeared in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) and Bana in Star Trek (2009).
He worked with Benedict Cumberbatch on The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). Both stars went on to appear in the hugely popular Star Trek universe. Bana appeared in Star Trek (2009) and Cumberbatch in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013).
He was a big fan of The Incredible Hulk (1977) before playing the same role in Ang Lee's theatrical film Hulk (2003). He was a big fan of Star Trek (1966) before playing the villain Nero in J. J. Abrams' remake Star Trek (2009), which Abrams produced and directed.
He is an ambassador for Father Chris Riley's charity for homeless youth, Youth Off the Streets, and appeared in television commercials alongside Riley to support the organization's annual appeal. He is also an advocate for the Mental Illness Fellowship and appeared in several television commercials for the fellowship in 2004 to raise awareness of mental disorders in Australia.
He was appointed AM (Member of the Order of Australia) in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to the performing arts and to charity. An actor in Melbourne, Victoria.
His father-in-law is the Honourable Murray Gleeson, who served as Chief Justice of Australia from 1998 to 2008. By constitutional requirement, he retired from the High Court upon reaching his 70th birthday.
His sister-in-law is the Honourable Jacqueline Gleeson, who served as a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia from 2014 to 2021 and has served as a Justice of the High Court of Australia since 1 March 2021.
During the 2019-20 Australian bushfire season, also known as Black Summer, Bana voiced both radio and television commercials to support donations to the Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund.
He is active in campaigns with the Australian Childhood Foundation and the Bone Marrow Donor Institute. Since 1995 he has taken part in the Motorcyclists' Association Toy Gun, which collects money and toys for children in need at Christmas.
He considered dropping out of school to become a car mechanic, but his father talked him out of it. When he was at school, he would imitate his teachers to avoid serious trouble with them.
His son Klaus Bana earned a bachelor's degree in film and television from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), and his daughter Sophie Bana completed two years of full-time dance training and is continuing her education at the University of Melbourne.
As of 2026, the actor, film/television producer, commercial endorsement earnings and international real estate holdings are estimated to give him a net worth of approximately 45 million US dollars from his thirty-year successful career.
He is close friends with Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, Jay Leno, Phil McGraw, Jeremy Clarkson, Ricky Gervais, Picton Roxborough, Brad Pitt, Joel McHale, Patrick Rafter, Mark Webber and Orlando Bloom.
After completing Hulk (2003), he spent nine months at home with his family.
The role of Avner Kaufman in Munich (2005) was written specifically for him.
He refused to reprise the role of Bruce Banner/Hulk in the Incredible Hulk sequel.
He appeared on the cover of GQ magazine twice (both July 2003 and August 2008).
In interviews he has stated that he personally hates guns and did not grow up around them.
He is of Croatian descent on his father's side and German descent on his mother's side.