Top 10 Interesting Facts about Karl Urban

Karl Urban Star Trek Into Darkness Premiere photo by Eva Rinaldi Wikimedia

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Karl Urban

Karl-Heinz Urban (born 7 June 1972) is a New Zealand actor. He was born in 1972 in Wellington, New Zealand .His father, a German immigrant who owned a leather goods store. And  his mother once worked for Film Facilities in Wellington. 

Through his mother, the young Urban  who has been exposed to classic New Zealand cinema. This where he  developed an interest in the film industry. Urban attended St Mark’s Church School, where he showed an early love for public performance. And this where his  career began with appearances in New Zealand films and TV series such as Xena: Warrior Princess. 

He attended Wellington College in 1986–1990. And  then  he enrolled at Victoria University of Wellington in the Bachelor of Arts program. But  he left after one year to pursue a career in acting. Over the next few years, he appeared in several local TV commercials. Including theater roles in the Wellington area. Eventually, he moved to Auckland where he had been  offered many guest roles in TV shows. The one of which he has been   playing a heroin addict in the police drama Shark in the Park.

Urban married his longtime partner, Natalie Wihongi, who was his makeup artist for the 2000 television film The Privateers. Together they have two sons: Hunter and Indiana. 

The couple announced their separation in June 2014. That resulted to selling their home for NZ$6.65 million in December 2014. From 2014 to 2018, he was in a relationship with actress Katee Sackhoff.

Here are Top 10 Interesting Facts about Karl Urban

1. Karl Urban’s first ever acting role came at the age of eight.

Karl Urban speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for “Thor: Ragnarok photo by Gage Skidmore Wikimedia

 He had a single line in one of the episode of the New Zealand television series ‘Pioneer Woman’.  Urban did not pursue acting professionally until he had  finished high school.

2. His first major TV appearance was in Shark in the Park the New Zealand drama series

Shark in the Park was New Zealand’s first urban cop show. It revolved around the professional and private lives of a group of officers at a Wellington police station. They were under the command of Inspector Brian “Sharky” Finn

The series ran for three series from 1989–92, totaling 38 episodes. Many of the cast had regular roles in the series. And most of them  became well known throughout New Zealand as a result of the series. And the show had  also featured many well-known actors in guest roles.  Lucy Lawless, Michael Hurst, Temuera Morrison and Karl Urban  was among them.

3. The horror film Ghost ship was his first role in Hollywood

Karl Urban at a Star Trek premiere in London .Photo by Andre Luis Wikimedia

Ghost Ship is  2002 American supernatural which has been  horror film directed by Steve Beck. It has been  starring an ensemble cast featuring Gabriel Byrne, Julianna Margulies, Ron Eldard, Desmond Harrington, Isaiah Washington and Karl Urban. The film follows a marine salvage crew in the Bering Sea. The crew who discover a mysterious ocean liner that disappeared in 1962.

Karl portrayed the role of Munder in the film. Munder was a part of the crew of the Arctic Warrior in Ghost Ship. He served under the captain Sean Murphy. He was participating on saving of shipwrecks for many years and he was a very valuable team member. 

After Karl Urban made an appearance in Ghost ship film. He has appeared in many high profile movies like The Lord of The Rings season 2 and 3. The Bourne Supremacy, Doom, Dredd, and many other popular Hollywood films.

4. He has received several Awards and nominations

Karl Urban has won many popular awards and nominations throughout his filming and television career. He has been  awarded the Screen Actors Guild Award and Critics Choice Movie Award in the year 2004 . This was for his incredible role in the movie The Lord of the Rings.

He had  also won the BSFC Award in the year 2003 .And won the Gold Derby Award in the year 2004. Moreover, he has  been awarded  the New Zealand Film and TV Awards in the year 2008 .and  including the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Awards in the year 2009. Along with these, he has received several nominations and appreciation and love from viewers.

5. Karl Urban supports the New Zealand charity Kids Can

Karl Urban Star Trek Into Darkness Premiere photo by Eva Rinaldi Wikimedia 

He works as a brand ambassador for a charitable trust named Kids can. It helps to support the  disadvantaged children in New Zealand. A charity that has been currently supporting over 16,000 disadvantaged children in New Zealand. That has been  providing them with essentials such as food, clothing, and shoes.

6.He has been  popularly  for his role as Bill Butcher in the popular Amazon’s web television series titled The Boys

Karl Urban has been tapped to star in Amazon’s straight-to-series superhero drama The Boys. It was written by Eric Kripke based on the comic book by Garth Ennis (Preacher) and Darick Robertson, The Boys is set in a world where superheroes embrace the darker side of their massive celebrity and fame. 

It has been  revolving  around a group of vigilantes known informally as “the Boys,” who set out to take down corrupt superheroes with no more than blue-collar grit and a willingness to fight dirty.

Urban plays the Boys’ leader Billy Butcher. Billy Butcher who approaches Hughie (co-lead Jack Quaid), claiming to be a shadowy government operative.

 Butcher capitalizes on Hughie’s rage over his girlfriend Robin’s accidental death at the hands of superhero A-Train (Jesse T. Usher) and enlists Hughie as part of his plan to bring down the Superhero franchise.

7. He  has also played Skurge in Thor: Ragnarok

Karl Urban at the 2010 Comic Con in San Diego photo by Gage Skidmore Wikimedia

Skurge in Thor: Ragnarok was Played by Star Trek’s Karl Urban. Skurge who had no shortage of great one-liners throughout the film

During his panel at Dallas Fan Days 2018, Urban who was asked what had  drew him to the role of Skurge. And why he chose to board Ragnarok. But for  his love of Marvel films definitely helped. The actor wasn’t shy about saying that co-star Cate Blanchett and director Taika Waititi were the biggest reasons he came on board. 

8. Karl Urban has  appeared in at least 27 movies/ films

His career had  began with appearances in New Zealand films and TV series such as Xena: Warrior Princess. His first Hollywood role was in the 2002 horror film Ghost Ship. Since then, he has been  appearing in many high-profile movies, including the second and third installments of The Lord of the Rings trilogy in the role of Éomer.

 He has been  portrayed in  Leonard McCoy in the Star Trek reboot film series, Vaako in the Riddick film series, Judge Dredd in Dredd, and Skurge in Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok. In 2013, he starred in the sci-fi series Almost Human. Since 2019, Urban who has been  starred as the main protagonist Billy Butcher in Amazon’s superhero. That has been  streamlined television series The Boys.

9. Urban has been the  sturdy lead and character actor with a natural affinity for physical roles, 

Karl Urban at the Fantastic Fest 2012. photo by Ronald Wikimedia

Karl Urban who has been  a New Zealand-born performer had  rose to popularity with notable roles in “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” (2002) and “The Return of the King” (2003), as well as “The Bourne Supremacy” (2004) and “Doom” (2005).

10. Karl Urban has been  one of the few actors who has portrayed characters for both Marvel Studios and DC Entertainment.

He has portrayed Leonard McCoy in the Star Trek reboot film series, Vaako in the Riddick film series, Judge Dredd in Dredd, and Skurge in Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok. In 1972 Karl Urban voiced Sgt. Rock for the animated movie DC Showcase: Sgt. Rock.