Hugh Sheridan (born 30 June 1985) 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 Most Popular Actor category.
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 and studied for two years.Hugh Sheridan reveals formal acting education left him 'confused' about his direction ABC Radio. 28 November 2024 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.
Career 2008-2013: Packed to the Rafters Sheridan performed in The Lost Echo with the Sydney Theatre Company,Australia's Hugh Sheridan to Salute Anthony Newley in Benefit at NYC's Snapple Theatre Playbill. 27 September 2010 and was then hired for the Seven Network series Packed to the Rafters as Ben Rafter. At the Logie Awards of 2009 he won the Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent and was nominated for the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer and the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer. In 2010, he won the Logie Award for Most Popular Actor for his role. The following year, he won the award again and was nominated for the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Actor. In 2011 and 2012, as part of the cast, he was also nominated by the Equity Ensemble Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama Series. He won the Most Popular Actor award for a third time at the Logie Awards of 2012, and was nominated for the award in 2013 and 2014.
In 2010, he performed in the musical, Newley Discovered at The Theater Center in New York City. The musical celebrated the life of British singer-songwriter, Anthony Newley.
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.
2014-2017: INXS, The Divorce, House Husbands In 2014 starred as Garry Gary Beers, INXS guitarist in the Seven Network miniseries, INXS: Never Tear Us Apart.Hugh Sheridan joins the band of actors for INXS biopic Daily Telegraph. 21 June 2013
In 2015, he starred as Toby, an aspiring artist in the ABC TV miniseries, The Divorce.In praise of “The Divorce” Inside Story. 13 January 2016
In 2017, he joined the main cast of the fifth season of Nine Network's, House Husbands. He played Nick Gazecki and starred alongside Delta Goodrem.PS BRIEFS: How well do Hugh Sheridan and Delta Goodrem really get along? The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 January 2017
2018-present: Five Bedrooms, Back to the Rafters In 2019, he began starring as real estate agent, Lachlan Best, alongside Kat Stewart and Steve Peacocke in the Network 10 comedy-drama series, Five Bedrooms.OPINION: We’ve all met a Five Bedroom’s “Lachlan” before and we really wish we hadn’t Woman's Day. 15 May 2019 He starred in the first two seasons and returned for the fourth and final season in 2023.
In 2019, he appeared in the Australian horror anthology film, Dark Place, which was screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival.MIFF Review: Dark Place Indigenous Horror Anthology a defiant success Screen Hub. 9 August 2019 The following year, he was cast in the Australian production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The production 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. 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.
In 2021, he reunited with the Packed to the Rafters cast for Back to the Rafters on Amazon Prime Video.After eight years away, the Rafters make a welcome TV return The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 September 2021 At the Logie Awards of 2022, he was nominated for the Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actor.Gay Logies: Murray Bartlett, Hugh Sheridan And Troye Sivan Nominated For 2022 Logie Awards Star Observer. 18 May 2022
In March 2021, Sheridan debuted his stage show Hughman at Adelaide Fringe.
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 Sheridan came out as non-binary and bisexual in an Instagram post on 26 June 2021, In an October 2020 interview with Stellar, Sheridan revealed relationships with both women and men but preferred not to label his sexuality. Later, in a September 2024 interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Sheridan claimed that he never came out as non-binary and he had been "too scared" to correct people. He also said that he was straight "for now".
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.
He has been close friends with his Packed to the Rafters co-star, Jessica Marais, since they studied together at NIDA.Hugh Sheridan’s heartbreaking tribute to his good friend Jessica Marais, as she reveals her tragic loss Woman's Day. 10 August 2020 He was previously close friends with Rebel Wilson and introduced Wilson to her wife, Ramona Agruma.Friendship over: Hugh Sheridan details fall out with Rebel Wilson news.com.au. 12 September 2024
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref.2009Logie Awards Most Popular New Male TalentPacked to the Rafters Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding Newcomer 2010 Most Popular Actor Packed to the Rafters 2011Packed to the Rafters Most Outstanding Actor Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama Series Packed to the Rafters 2012 Logie Awards Most Popular ActorPacked to the Rafters Equity Ensemble Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble Series in a Drama Series Packed to the Rafters 2013Logie Awards Most Popular ActorPacked to the Rafters 2014Packed to the Rafters 2022 Most Outstanding Supporting ActorBack to the Rafters
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2023Holiday TwistGeorge 2021 Christmas on the Farm David 2019 Dark Place Mike 2018 The Flip Side Nigel2017BoarRobert
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 Beers2 episodes 2015 The Divorce Toby4 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 2022The Masked SingerSelf/RoosterAustralian version; 7 episodes 2022Carols in the DomainHimself 2022This is Your Life: Rebecca GibneyHimself
Discography Albums + List of studio albums, with selected chart positions Title Album details Peak chart positions AUSSpeak Love Released: 27 November 2009 Label: Sony BMG Australia (88697606352) Format: CD, digital download 86Something Big Released: 20 September 2024 Label: Yo Yo Music Format: digital download —
Notes
Extended plays + List of EPs, with selected details Title Details Solitary Man Released: 22 August 2022 Label: Solitary Man Format: digital download
Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumAUS "Just Can't Throw Us Away"2009 73 non-album single "All About Me" —Speak Love "Speak Love" 2010 — "Sweet Caroline 2022 — Solitary Man "—" denotes items which failed to chart.
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