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Simon Baker
SimonBakerHWOFFeb2013.jpg
Baker in February 2013
Born
Simon Lucas Baker

(1969-07-30) 30 July 1969 (age 55)
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Other names
  • Simon Denny
  • Simon Denny Baker
  • Simon Baker-Denny
Occupation
  • Actor
  • filmmaker
  • model
Years active 1992–present
Spouse(s)
Rebecca Rigg
(m. 1998; separated 2020)
Children 3, Stella, Claude and Harry

Simon Lucas Baker (born 30 July 1969) is an Australian actor and director. He is best known for his role as Patrick Jane in the CBS drama series The Mentalist (2008–2015), for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series nomination.

Early life

Baker was born on 30 July 1969 in Launceston, Tasmania. His father, Barry, was a mechanic and school caretaker, and his mother, Elizabeth, was a high school English teacher. He has an older sister, two half-brothers and a half-sister. Baker's family moved to New Guinea when Baker was nine months old. His parents' marriage ended when he was two and his father did not get in touch until Baker was an adult. His mother remarried to Tom Denny, a butcher, but Baker did not get on well with his stepfather. His mother and stepfather later got divorced.

Baker spent part of his childhood living in the suburbs of Sydney but he mainly grew up in the Northern Rivers coastal town of Lennox Head, New South Wales. He attended high school at Ballina High School and Trinity Catholic College. Baker has been an avid surfer since his youth and he considers surfing and the relationships with his surfing friends an important part of his upbringing.

Career

Baker's first acting role was in a commercial. He got the role while waiting for a friend to audition when he himself was asked to audition for it. Before working in Hollywood, he acted in various Australian television shows such as E Street (as Sam Farrel: 1992–1993), Home and Away (as James Hudson: 1993–1994), and Heartbreak High (as Tom Summers: 1996). In 1993, Baker won the Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent.

Simon-baker-mentalista
Baker at a ceremony to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February 2013.

Baker relocated to the United States in the mid-90s. In 1997, Baker appeared as Matt Reynolds in L.A. Confidential.

He is known for his portrayal of Patrick Jane in the television series The Mentalist, and Nick Fallin in The Guardian.

In 2010, he was earning US$350,000 per episode of The Mentalist. Shortly after, he signed a contract that delivered a payment of US$30 million for his role as Patrick Jane.

In film, he is known for his roles as Max Rourke in the remake of the Japanese horror film The Ring Two, Riley Denbo in Land of the Dead and Christian Thompson in the film adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada.

Baker made his directorial debut with the 2017 film Breath, which he also starred in, co-wrote and co-produced. The film is based on the Tim Winton novel.

Honours

In June 2012, Baker was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences along with 175 other individuals.

On 14 February 2013, Baker was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contribution to the entertainment industry. Baker's star can be found at 6352 Hollywood Blvd.

Personal life

On 2 October 1998, Baker married Australian actress Rebecca Rigg after five years of living together. Baker told The Ellen Degeneres Show that one of their two weddings was held on the beach at Carmel. They have a daughter, Stella, and two sons. Baker and Rigg separated in April 2020.

In July 2009, Baker told PopMatters that he was raised Catholic, but is now agnostic.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1997 L.A. Confidential Matt Reynolds
Most Wanted Stephen Barnes
1998 Restaurant Kenny
Judas Kiss Junior Armstrong
Love from Ground Zero Eric
1999 Ride with the Devil George Clyde
2000 Sunset Strip Michael Scott
Red Planet Chip Pettengill
2001 Affair of the Necklace, TheThe Affair of the Necklace Rétaux de Villette
2004 Book of Love David Walker
2005 Ring Two, TheThe Ring Two Max Rourke
Land of the Dead Riley Denbo
2006 Something New Brian Kelly
Devil Wears Prada, TheThe Devil Wears Prada Christian Thompson
2007 ... and Death 101 Roderick Blank
Key to Reserva, TheThe Key to Reserva Roger Thornberry Short film
2009 Lodger, TheThe Lodger Malcolm Slaight
Not Forgotten Jack Bishop
Women in Trouble Travis McPherson
2010 The Killer Inside Me Howard Hendricks
2011 Margin Call Jared Cohen
2013 I Give It a Year Guy Harrap
2017 Breath Bill "Sando" Sanderson Also director, co-producer and co-writer
2018 Here and Now Nick
2020 High Ground Travis Also executive producer
2022 Blaze Luke
2023 Limbo Travis Hurley Also executive producer
TBA Klara and the Sun Josie's father Post-production

Television (selected)

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Shades of Love: Midnight Magic N/A Television film
1989 Tales from the Crypt Party Guest Episode: "Only Sin Deep"
1992–1993 E Street Constable Sam Farrell 112 episodes
1993 A Country Practice Stewart Waterman 2 episodes
GP Ben Miller Episode: "A Family Affair"
1993–1994 Home and Away James Hudson 19 episodes
1994 Which Way to the War Private Stan Hawke Television pilot
1995–1996 Heartbreak High Mr. Thomas 'Tom' Summers 8 episodes
Sweat Paul Steadman Episode: #1.3
1999 Secret Men's Business Andy Greville Television film
2001–2004 The Guardian Nick Fallin 67 episodes, also director
2006 Smith Jeff Breen 7 episodes
2008–2015 The Mentalist Patrick Jane 151 episodes, also director and producer
2022 Roar Adam Episode: "The Woman Who Ate Photographs"
2024 Boy Swallows Universe Robert Bell 7 episodes
2025 The Narrow Road to the Deep North Keith Post-production
TBA Scarpetta Benton Wesley Pre-production

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Work Result Ref.
1993 Logie Awards Most Popular New Talent E Street Won
2000 Australian Film Institute Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Telefeature or Mini-Series Secret Men's Business Nominated
2002 Golden Globe Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama The Guardian Nominated
2004 Logie Awards Most Popular Overseas TV Star Nominated
2005 PRISM Awards Performance in a Drama Series Storyline Nominated
2009 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series The Mentalist Nominated
2010 Golden Globe Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actor Nominated
2011 People's Choice Awards Favorite TV Crime Fighter Nominated
Gotham Awards Best Ensemble Performance Margin Call Nominated
2012 Independent Spirit Awards Robert Altman Award Won
2015 People's Choice Awards Favorite Crime Drama TV Actor The Mentalist Nominated
2017 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards Trailblazer Award Honored
2018 Australian Directors Guild Awards Best Direction in a Feature Film Breath Won
Seattle International Film Festival Best Feature Film Nominated
Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards Best Supporting Actor Won
Best Adapted Screenplay (Shared with Gerard Lee and Tim Winton) Nominated
Best Direction Nominated
Best Film (Shared with Mark Johnson and Jamie Hilton) Nominated
2019 Australian Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated
Best Screenplay (Shared with Gerard Lee) Nominated
Best Director Nominated
Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Best Supporting Actor Won
Best Script (Shared with Gerard Lee and Tim Winton) Won
Best Director Nominated
Best Film (Shared with Mark Johnson and Jamie Hilton) Nominated
2021 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards Best Lead Actor in Film High Ground Nominated
2022 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards Best Supporting Actor in Film Blaze Nominated
2023 Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Best Supporting Actor Nominated
2024 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards Best Lead Actor in Film Limbo Nominated
Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Best Actor Nominated
Logie Awards Best Lead Actor in a Drama Boy Swallows Universe Nominated

See also

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