Julian Dennison facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Julian Bailey Dennison
Dennison in 2016
Born	(2002-10-26) 26 October 2002 (age 23) Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand
Education	Hutt International Boys' School
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2013–present

Julian Bailey Dennison, born on October 26, 2002, is a talented actor from New Zealand. He first gained attention for his role in the 2013 film Shopping, where he even won an award for Best Supporting Actor. Julian is widely recognized for playing Ricky Baker in Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), which became the most successful New Zealand film ever. He also appeared as Russell "Firefist" Collins in Deadpool 2 (2018) and Belsnickel in The Christmas Chronicles 2. More recently, Julian played Josh Valentine in Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and took on a main role in the film Uproar (2023). He also played Fishlegs in the live-action movie How to Train Your Dragon (2025).

Julian Dennison: A Young Star's Journey

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Julian Dennison grew up in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, with his twin brother, Christian. He is part of the Māori community, specifically from the Ngāti Hauā iwi (which means tribe). Julian's mother, Mabelle Dennison, is also an actress.

Julian started his acting journey early. While attending Naenae Primary School, he auditioned for and landed his first role. This was in the 2013 film Shopping. After that, he appeared in the Australian movie Paper Planes in 2015. He later continued his education at Hutt International Boys' School.

Big Roles and Blockbuster Movies

Julian's acting career really took off. He appeared in a special advertisement for the NZ Transport Agency. This ad encouraged safe driving and became very popular online. The director of this ad was Taika Waititi. Taika was so impressed that he asked Julian to star in his 2016 film, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, without even needing an audition!

Hunt for the Wilderpeople became a huge success. It is the highest-earning New Zealand film ever and received great reviews from critics. This role helped Julian become well-known.

In 2018, Julian played Russell Collins, also known as Firefist, in the superhero movie Deadpool 2. He was chosen for this role because of his amazing performance in Wilderpeople. The filmmakers of Deadpool were also friends with Taika Waititi.

Julian continued to land exciting roles. In 2020, he co-starred in The Christmas Chronicles 2 as Belsnickel. He even voiced Belsnickel's elf form! In 2021, he had a big supporting role in the giant monster film Godzilla vs. Kong. He also appeared in the 2023 film Y2K.

Becoming a Voice in Film

Julian took on a main role as Josh Waaka in the 2023 film Uproar. Critics praised his performance, noting his "admirable restraint." In an interview, Julian shared that playing this lead role helped him "find his voice" as an actor.

In January 2024, it was announced that Julian would play Fishlegs Ingerman. This role is for the live-action movie remake of How to Train Your Dragon, which was released in 2025.

Julian's Film Roles

Julian's TV Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Julian Dennison para niños