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Hugh Sheridan
Hugh Sheridan 2011 (cropped).jpg
Sheridan at the 2011 GQ Men of the Year Awards
Born
Education National Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)
Occupation Actor, singer, television presenter
Years active 2008–present
Spouse(s)
Rafael de la Fuente
(m. 2009; div. 2018)

Hugh Sheridan is an Australian actor, singer, and television presenter who is known for his role as Ben Rafter in the television series Packed to the Rafters. Sheridan is a four-time Logie Award winner, in the Logie Award for Most Popular Actor category.

In 2009 he released the album Speak Love, and has released three singles. He is also a co-founder and member of singing trio the California Crooners Club.

Early life and education

Sheridan grew up in the Adelaide suburb of Millswood. His father, Denis Sheridan, was a jazz musician, and was mayor of Unley from 1982 to 1985, and his mother, Margaret, and all seven children in the family were active in the community. Hugh attended Loreto College in Marryatville for the junior primary years, before changing to Saint Ignatius' College.

He began training at Unley Youth Theatre aged 5, later (2010) becoming patron of the then renamed Urban Youth.

From the age of 16 studied advanced dance at the Terry Simpson Studios in Adelaide, where his teacher recommended that he audition at the Australian Ballet School, where he was accepted. While studying dance there, he also studied opera at the Victorian College of the Arts.

Upon leaving the Australian Ballet School, Sheridan was accepted into the Bachelor of Dramatic Art course at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, aged 18. In his final year there, he won the role of Ben Rafter in the pilot for Packed to the Rafters.

Acting career

Sheridan performed in The Lost Echo with the Sydney Theatre Company, and was then hired for the Seven Network series Packed to the Rafters as Ben Rafter, for which he won several awards. In February 2011, he filled in as host on The Kyle & Jackie O Show alongside fellow Packed to the Rafters star George Houvardas. In 2012, Sheridan hosted the Network Ten talent show series I Will Survive, during a production break for Packed to the Rafters.

Controversy

In 2020, the Australian production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch was postponed after a petition highlighted the lack of LGBTQ representation in the show and expressed "disappointment" over the casting of Sheridan in the lead role of Hedwig, whom many believe to be a transgender character. On Instagram, Zoe Terakes shared an open letter to the Sydney Festival penned by a group of people including Daya Czepanski, David Campbell and Michaela Banas, explaining why trans representation is vital when telling the story of a trans character. ..... In response to the letter, the American creators of Hedwig, John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask, issued a statement saying they did not believe that Hedwig was transgender, and that anyone could play the role, however, the Australian producers, Showtune Productions, cancelled the show.

Other projects

In March 2021, Sheridan debuted his stage show Hughman at Adelaide Fringe. Sheridan reprised his role as Ben Rafter in Back to the Rafters, an Amazon Prime Video reboot of Packed to the Rafters.

In 2022, Sheridan was revealed to be Rooster when he placed third in Season 4 of The Masked Singer Australia.

In 2023, Sheridan performed the lead role of Jonathan Larson in Tick, Tick...Boom! in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney.

Music

In 2009 he released the album Speak Love, which peaked at no. 86 on the Australian charts. He has also released the singles "Just Can't Throw Us Away", "All About Me", and "Speak Love".

Sometime before 2015 Sheridan and friends Emile Welman and Gabe Roland formed the singing trio California Crooners Club, after sharing their love of jazz music in Hollywood. The California Crooners Club, based in Los Angeles, has performed at the Adelaide Fringe (2015, 2019, 2020) to good reviews, with six shows sold out before their first appearance. In 2015 they were also booked for Melbourne and Sydney. They performed in a Spiegeltent at the Brisbane Festival in 2016 and 2018.

Other roles

In 2010 Sheridan became patron of Urban Myth Theatre of Youth.

In 2017, he was appointed as one of three Fringe Ambassadors for the Adelaide Fringe.

Personal life

.....

He was married to Venezuelan actor Rafael de la Fuente from 2009 to 2018. On 5 March 2021, Sheridan proposed to boyfriend Kurt Roberts during the opening night of the Hughman stage show; their separation was announced in November 2021.

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2009 Logie Awards Most Popular New Male Talent Packed to the Rafters (Season 1) Won
Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer Nominated
2010 Most Popular Actor Packed to the Rafters (Season 2) Won
2011 Packed to the Rafters (Season 3) Won
Most Outstanding Actor Nominated
Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama Series Packed to the Rafters Nominated
2012 Logie Awards Most Popular Actor Packed to the Rafters (Season 4) Won
Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama Series Packed to the Rafters Nominated
2013 Logie Awards Most Popular Actor Packed to the Rafters (Season 5) Nominated
2014 Packed to the Rafters (Season 6) Nominated
2022 Most Outstanding Supporting Actor Back to the Rafters Nominated

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2023 Holiday Twist George
2021 Christmas on the Farm David
2019 Dark Place Mike
2018 The Flip Side Nigel
2017 Boar Robert

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2008–2013 Packed to the Rafters Ben Rafter Seasons 1–5 (main), Season 6 (guest); 103 episodes
2009–2013 Play School Himself; presenter
2012 I Will Survive Himself; presenter
2014 INXS: Never Tear Us Apart Garry Gary Beers 2 episodes
2015 The Divorce Toby 4 episodes
2017 House Husbands Nick Gazecki Season 5 (main, 12 episodes)
2019–2023 Five Bedrooms Lachlan Best Seasons 1–2, 4 (main, 15 episodes)
2021 Back to the Rafters Ben Rafter 6 episodes
2022 The Masked Singer Self/Rooster Australian version; 7 episodes
Carols in the Domain Himself
This is Your Life: Rebecca Gibney Himself

Discography

Albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
AUS
Speak Love
  • Released: 27 November 2009
  • Label: Sony BMG Australia (88697606352)
  • Format: CD, digital download
86

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
AUS
"Just Can't Throw Us Away" 2009 73 non-album single
"All About Me" Speak Love
"Speak Love" 2010
"—" denotes items which failed to chart.

Notes

See also

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