On the Verge: Karl Urban

I'm proud to say that I was contacted for information for this article! While it's not 100% accurate (I told them he played Cupid and Caesar on both shows!), it's still very nice. He's one of this year's Sexy Up-and-Comers.

ACTOR Age: 30

Height: 6'1"

Status: Has a girl-friend and a 2-year-old son

Residence: A home in Auckland, New Zealand

Breakthrough Role: Éomer, a warrior in this month's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Background: Growing up in Wellington, New Zealand, Urban got a taste of role-playing as Han Solo in neighborhood games of Star Wars: "I was 5, and I remember thinking, 'Wow, this is exactly what I want to do.'" By 1996 he had made a career of it, landing parts on two syndicated TV TV shows — Cupid on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Julius Caesar on Xena: Warrior Princess. "Karl is ruggedly heroic yet imbues his roles with sensitivity," says Rings director Peter Jackson, who cast Urban because "we needed someone who could hold their own against Ian McKellen."

Winning Ways: "Karl has a confident charm that allows him to be tousled without seeming unkempt," Says Melissa Blake, a writer on Hercules and Xena. The trick, Urban points out, is "putting on the clothes I had on the day before — if they aren't too dirty."

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This is a fan site and is not affiliated with People or Karl Urban. I have no intention of infringing on the copyrights of anyone affiliated with Karl or the magazine. This is just my way of showing my appreciation for a talented actor!