{{short description|New Zealand–Australian actor}} {{for|the baseball player|Grant Bowler (baseball)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2016}} {{Infobox person | name = Grant Bowler | image = Grant Bowler (8085973298).jpg | caption = Bowler at the [[2012 Toronto International Film Festival]] | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1968|07|18}} | birth_place = [[Auckland]], New Zealand | death_date = | death_place = | education = [[National Institute of Dramatic Art]] ([[Bachelor of Fine Arts|BFA]]) | occupation = Actor, television presenter | years_active = 1993–present | children = 2 | spouse = {{marriage|[[Roxane Wilson]]|2001|2011|end=divorced}} }}
'''Grant Bowler''' (born 18 July 1968) is a New Zealand-Australian actor and television presenter who has worked in American, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian film, television, and theatre.
He is known for playing the role of [[Wayne Patterson|Constable Wayne Patterson]] in ''[[Blue Heelers]]'' and [[Wolfgang West]] in ''[[Outrageous Fortune (TV series)|Outrageous Fortune]]''. He also appeared as [[Wilhelmina Slater]]'s [[Romantic interest|love interest]] Connor Owens in ''[[Ugly Betty]]''.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9900E3D9113DF937A35751C1A96F9C8B63.html | title = What's On Today > 9 p.m. (ABC) ''Ugly Betty'' | first= Kathryn | last= Shattuck | date = 4 December 2009 | work = [[The New York Times]] | access-date = 25 October 2012}}</ref> He significantly starred as Joshua Nolan on the [[Syfy]] television series ''[[Defiance (TV series)|Defiance]]''.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://xfinity.comcast.net/blogs/tv/2013/03/20/defiance-star-grant-bowler-reveals-his-gaming-habits/| title='Defiance' Star Grant Bowler Reveals His Gaming Habits| publisher=Comcast TV Blog| date=20 March 2013| access-date=17 June 2013}}</ref>
As a presenter, he was best known for hosting [[Reality television#Reality competition or game shows|reality game shows]] – including ''[[The Mole (Australian TV series)|The Mole Australia]]'' and ''[[The Amazing Race Australia]]'', both of which aired on the [[Seven Network]].<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/tv-radio/grant-bowler-hosts-channel-7-and-active-tvs-the-amazing-race-australia/story-e6frf9ho-1226054137089 | title = Grant Bowler hosts Channel 7 and Active TV's The Amazing Race Australia | first= Alice | last= Coster | date=11 May 2011 | work= [[Herald Sun]]| access-date= 25 October 2012}}</ref>
Bowler has been the voiceover narrator for ''[[Border Security: Australia's Front Line|Border Security: Australia]]'' for the [[Seven Network]] since 2004. He has also provided the narration for the [[Border Security: Canada's Front Line|Canadian version]] and the [[Homeland Security USA|American version]] when those versions air in Australia and New Zealand as ''Border Security: International'' on [[7two]].
== Personal life == Bowler was born in [[Auckland]], New Zealand, but moved to Australia when he was young, and was raised in [[Brisbane]].<ref name="ov-bio">{{cite web | url = http://www.ovguide.com/grant-bowler-9202a8c04000641f8000000000752576 | title = Grant Bowler Video: Celebrity Interview and Paparazzi | publisher = OV Guide | access-date = 25 October 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924101324/http://www.ovguide.com/grant-bowler-9202a8c04000641f8000000000752576 | archive-date = 24 September 2015 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
In 2011, he separated from his wife of nine years, Australian actress [[Roxane Wilson]], with whom he has two children.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/amazing-races-grant-bowler-splits-with-wife/story-e6frf96o-1226030345078 | title= Amazing Race's Grant Bowler splits with wife | work= [[Herald Sun]] | location = Melbourne, Australia | date= 30 March 2011| access-date= 25 October 2012}}</ref>
== Career == Bowler is a graduate of the [[National Institute of Dramatic Art]]. For two years, he worked extensively in theatre with the [[Bell Shakespeare Company]] touring with the original company founded by [[John Bell (Australian actor)|John Bell]].<ref name="CopsForSoaps">{{cite news|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A101212645/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=5e1419b0|title=Swapping cops for soaps|date=22 May 1996|work=[[The Mercury (Hobart)|The Mercury]]|access-date=19 March 2026|via=[[Gale (publisher)|Gale]]}}{{limited access}}</ref>
His first television role was as [[Constable]] [[Wayne Patterson]] on ''[[Blue Heelers]]'', from 1993 to 1996.<ref name="CopsForSoaps"/> After leaving that show, he played Garth Stephens in ''[[Pacific Drive (TV series)|Pacific Drive]]'' in 1996,<ref name="CopsForSoaps"/> and he joined the main cast of ''[[Medivac (TV series)|Medivac]]'' as Dr Arch Craven, a role he played from 1996 to 1998.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A105323827/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=997aa6ee|title=Deep and meaningful|last=Fidgeon|first=Robert|date=2 October 1996|work=[[Herald Sun]]|access-date=19 March 2026|via=[[Gale (publisher)|Gale]]}}{{limited access}}</ref> He had recurring roles on ''[[Always Greener]]'' and ''[[Stingers (TV series)|Stingers]]'', starred in the television adaptation of ''[[On the Beach (2000 film)|On the Beach]]'', spent a year on the [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]] series ''[[Something in the Air (TV series)|Something in the Air]]'', and starred in the 2004 miniseries ''Through My Eyes'' about the [[Azaria Chamberlain disappearance|disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain]]. Bowler had a recurring role on ''[[All Saints (TV series)|All Saints]]'' from 2004 to 2005.
Bowler hosted the Australian version of ''[[The Mole (Australian TV series)|The Mole]]'' from 2000 to 2003. He was replaced in the 2005 series by [[Tom Williams (television)|Tom Williams]] because of family commitments and his duties with ''[[Border Security: Australia's Front Line]]''. He is the narrator of the latter show, having begun as on-camera host in 2004 and transitioning to the off-camera role after the first season.
Bowler appeared in the New Zealand series ''[[Outrageous Fortune (TV series)|Outrageous Fortune]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/34791/more-new-blood-both-vamp-lycan-added-true-blood|title=More New Blood – Both Vamp & Lycan Added to True Blood|publisher=Dreadcentral.com|access-date=14 August 2010}}</ref> in the recurring role of [[Wolfgang West]]. He was in greater demand since joining the program, but turned down other work to remain with the show.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/film/9773/wolf-door|title=Wolf at the door|publisher=[[Otago Daily Times]]|date=17 June 2008|access-date=1 October 2008}}</ref>
Bowler guest starred as Gault, the captain of a freighter on the American television series ''[[Lost (2004 TV series)|Lost]]'', starting with the season four episode "[[Ji Yeon (Lost)|Ji Yeon]]".
In 2008, he began a recurring role on ''[[Ugly Betty]]'' as Connor Owens, corrupt CFO of Meade Publications and the love interest of the series' main villain. Bowler said of his character, "He's got a lot of evil secrets."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/tv/spoiler-alert-the-ugly-betty-cast-dishes-on-season-3/ |title=SPOILER ALERT: The Ugly Betty Cast Dishes on Season 3 |publisher=People |date=16 September 2008 |access-date=14 August 2010}}</ref> In December 2009, he was cast as [[List of True Blood characters#Coot|Cooter]], a werewolf, in the [[HBO]] [[urban fantasy]] series ''[[True Blood]]'', for that show's third season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/37967/final-true-blood-season-3-promo-poster-revealed|title=Final True Blood Season 3 Promo Poster Revealed|date=11 June 2010 |publisher=Dreadcentral.com|access-date=14 August 2010}}</ref>
In late 2010, he was announced as the host of [[Seven Network]]'s ''[[The Amazing Race Australia]]'' and remained for three seasons. He did not return for the 2019 [[Network 10]] revival of the series, being replaced by [[Beau Ryan]].
He played [[Hank Rearden]] in ''[[Atlas Shrugged: Part I]]'' (2011), the first part of a planned three-part film adaptation of [[Ayn Rand]]'s [[Atlas Shrugged|novel of the same name]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/29/movies/atlas-shrugged-part-i-ayn-rands-opus-review.html|title=Atlas Shrugged Part One (2011) : A Utopian Society Made Up of Business Moguls in Fedoras|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=29 April 2011 |access-date=4 October 2014 |last1=Chocano |first1=Carina }}</ref> He was also seen in 2011 in ''[[186 Dollars to Freedom|The City of Gardens]]'', and the film ''[[Killer Elite (film)|Killer Elite]]''.
In 2012, Bowler was cast as [[Richard Burton]] opposite [[Lindsay Lohan]] as [[Elizabeth Taylor]] in the biographical [[TV-movie]] ''[[Liz & Dick]]'' for [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]] in the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2012/05/grant-bowler-to-play-richard-burton-opposite-lindsay-lohans-liz-taylor.html|title=Grant Bowler to play Richard Burton opposite Lindsay Lohan's Liz Taylor|date=27 May 2012 |publisher=Tvtonight.com.au|access-date=4 October 2014}}</ref>
He was seen in the war drama ''Gallipoli'', released in 2015 on Channel 9, Australia. Bowler was also seen in the psychological action film ''[[Swelter (film)|Swelter]]'', alongside [[Jean-Claude Van Damme]] and [[Alfred Molina]]; in the sci-fi thriller ''[[400 Days (film)|400 Days]]'' with [[Brandon Routh]] and [[Dane Cook]]; ''Lucky Dog'' with [[Amy Smart]]; and the family movie, ''Zooey to the Max''.
In 2020, Bowler appeared in a recurring role in ''[[The Baker and the Beauty (American TV series)|The Baker and the Beauty]]'' playing the Australian father of lead character Noa Hamilton, played by [[Nathalie Kelley]].
== Filmography ==
=== Film === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year || Title || Role || class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2003 || ''[[Ned (film)|Ned]]'' || Town priest || |- | 2003 || ''Calling Gerry Molloy'' || Oliver Laird || |- | 2004 || ''One of the Oldest Con Games'' || Sam || |- | 2004 || ''Through My Eyes: The Lindy Chamberlain Story'' || Black Rat || |- | 2007 || ''{{sortname|The|Fall of Night|nolink=1}}'' || Harry || |- | 2011 || ''[[Killer Elite (film)|Killer Elite]]'' || Warwick Cregg || |- | 2011 || ''[[186 Dollars to Freedom|City of Gardens]]'' || Jesus Christ || |- | 2011 || ''[[Atlas Shrugged: Part I]]'' || Hank Rearden || |- | 2011 || ''[[Remains (film)|Steve Niles's Remains]]'' || Tom || |- | 2012 || ''[[I Do (2012 American film)|I Do]]'' || Peter || |- | 2014 || ''[[Swelter (film)|Swelter]]'' || Cole || |- | 2014 || ''Lucky Dog'' || Preston Spencer || |- | 2015 || ''[[400 Days (film)|400 Days]]'' || Walter || |- | 2015 || ''[[One & Two]]'' || Daniel || |- | 2018 || ''[[Painkillers (film)|Painkillers]]'' || Herb Morris || |- | 2019 || ''{{sortname|The|Car: Road to Revenge|The Car (1977 film)#Spinoff}}'' || Rainer || |- | 2019 || ''[[Guns Akimbo]]'' || Degraves|| |- | 2020 || ''[[Bad Impulse]]'' || Henry Sharpe || |}
=== Television === {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year || Title || Role || class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1993–1996 || ''[[Blue Heelers]]'' || [[Wayne Patterson]] || Main role (seasons 1–3) |- | 1996 || ''[[Pacific Drive (TV series)|Pacific Drive]]'' || Garth Stephens || Episode: "#1.10" |- | 1996–1998 || ''[[Medivac (TV series)|Medivac]]'' || Dr. Arch Craven || Main role |- | 1997 || ''[[Halifax f.p.|Halifax f.p: Someone You Know]]'' || Bob Palance || Episode 13 |- | 1998 || ''[[Wildside (Australian TV series)|Wildside]]'' || Peter Simms || Episode: "#1.27" |- | 1999 || ''[[Farscape]]'' || Shaman Liko || Episode: "That Old Black Magic" |- | 1999 || ''Close Contact'' || Mike Heyns || Television film |- | 1999–2001 || ''[[Stingers (TV series)|Stingers]]'' || Sean Peck || 3 episodes |- | 2000–2003 || ''{{sortname|The|Mole|dab=Australian TV series}}'' || Himself (host) || 40 episodes |- | 2000 || ''[[On the Beach (2000 film)|On the Beach]]'' || Lt. Peter Holmes || Television film |- | 2000 || ''{{sortname|The|Lost World|dab=TV series}}'' || Montague Fitzsimmonds || Episode: "London Calling" |- | 2001 || ''Finding Hope'' || Jack || Television film |- | 2001–2002 || ''[[Something in the Air (TV series)|Something in the Air]]'' || Mark Waters || 26 episodes |- | 2002 || ''[[White Collar Blue]]'' || Steve Petrovic || Episode: "#1.9" |- | 2002 || ''[[Always Greener]]'' || Greg Steele || 11 episodes |- | 2004 || ''[[McLeod's Daughters]]'' || Jarred Wuchowski || Episode: "Fool for Love" |- | 2004–2005 || ''[[All Saints (TV series)|All Saints]]'' || Nigel "Mac" MacPherson || 20 episodes |- | 2004–present || ''[[Border Security: Australia's Front Line]]'' || Narrator || 105 episodes |- | 2005–2009 || ''[[Outrageous Fortune (TV series)|Outrageous Fortune]]'' || [[List of Outrageous Fortune characters#Wolfgang West|Wolfgang West]]|| Main role |- | 2008 || ''[[Lost (2004 TV series)|Lost]]'' || Captain Gault || 3 episodes |- | 2008 || ''[[Canal Road (TV series)|Canal Road]]'' || Detective Ray Driscoll || 10 episodes |- | 2008–2010 || ''[[Ugly Betty]]'' || Connor Owens || 17 episodes |- | 2010 || ''[[True Blood]]'' || Cooter || 7 episodes |- | 2011 || ''[[Panic at Rock Island]]'' || Jim Quinn || Television film |- | 2011 || ''{{sortname|The|Cape|dab=2011 TV series}}'' || Razer || Episode: "Razer" |- | 2011–2012<br>2014 || ''{{sortname|The|Amazing Race Australia}}'' || Himself (host) || 34 episodes |- | 2012 || ''{{sortname|The|Great Mint Swindle}}'' || Ray Mickelberg || Television film |- | 2012 || ''[[GCB (TV series)|GCB]]'' || Mason Massey || 2 episodes |- | 2012 || ''[[Liz & Dick]]'' || [[Richard Burton]] || Television film |- | 2013–2015 || ''[[Defiance (TV series)|Defiance]]'' || Joshua Nolan || 38 episodes |- | 2015 || ''[[Gallipoli (miniseries)|Gallipoli]]'' || [[William George Malone|Lieutenant Colonel William Malone]] || 7 episodes |- | 2015 || ''[[Getting On (American TV series)|Getting On]]'' || Dr. Ron Rudd || 8 episodes |- |2016 |''[[Still Star-Crossed]]'' |Damiano Montague |Main role |- |2016 |''[[J.L. Family Ranch]]'' |Sheriff Henry Whitlock |Television film |- | 2019 || ''[[Harrow (TV series)|Harrow]]'' || Francis Chester || 10 episodes |- | 2019 || ''[[Reef Break]]'' || Carter Eastland || 6 episodes |- | 2022 || ''Super Volcano'' || Eric || TV Movie |- | 2022 || ''20.0 Megaquake'' || Eric || TV Movie |- | 2023 || ''Ice Storm'' || Eric || TV Movie |- |}
=== Video games === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year || Title || Role || class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2013 || ''[[Defiance (video game)|Defiance]]'' || Chief Lawkeeper Jeb Nolan || Voice |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} *{{IMDb name|101198}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060112052106/http://www.outrageousfortune.co.nz/ Outrageous Fortune Official site] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080721005219/http://www.suebarnett.net/bios/bowler_grant.pdf Sue Barnett & Associates | Grant Bowler] *{{cite web |url = http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/01/17/grant-bowler-signs-on-for-lead-in-syfys-upcoming-epic-science-fiction-series-defiance/116791/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120121020049/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/01/17/grant-bowler-signs-on-for-lead-in-syfys-upcoming-epic-science-fiction-series-defiance/116791/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = 21 January 2012 | publisher = [[Syfy]] [[press release]] via Zap2It.com| title = Grant Bowler Signs On For Lead In Syfy's Upcoming Epic Science Fiction Series, 'Defiance' | date = 17 January 2012 | access-date = 25 October 2012}} *{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/tv-guide/65807492/Grants-Gallipoli-campaign |title= Grant Bowler on ''Gallipoli'', the 2015 TV miniseries |publisher= Stuff/Fairfax |date=9 February 2015}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowler, Grant}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Australian male film actors]] [[Category:New Zealand male film actors]] [[Category:1968 births]] [[Category:Australian male television actors]] [[Category:New Zealand male television actors]] [[Category:New Zealand emigrants to Australia]] [[Category:20th-century Australian male actors]] [[Category:21st-century Australian male actors]] [[Category:Male actors from Auckland]] [[Category:Male actors from Sydney]] [[Category:Male actors from Brisbane]] [[Category:Male actors from Perth, Western Australia]]