Australian actor Jason Clarke began his career after graduating from the prestigious Victorian College of the Arts at the University of Melbourne. Clarke is known for his many credits in Australian theater, film and television, beginning as early as 1994, with a role in the television movie Halifax f.p.: Hard Cops. His first regular television role was in the Australian drama series Mercury which starred Geoffrey Rush. His other early television appearances include Heartbreak High, Wildside, Blue Heelers, All Saints, Head Start and Home and Away.
Clarke is also known for his films. His first film was Dilemma, an action flick which premiered in 1997. He since appeared in other films such as Twilight, Praise, Schmooze, Kick, Our Lips Are Sealed, Better than Sex and You Can’t Stop the Murders. He also appeared on stage, having performed in Australian productions of Hamlet and The Tempest, and directed a musical version of A Clockwork Orange.
Clarke first gained recognition in the United States for his role in the film Rabbit-Proof Fence. An adaptation of the Doris Pilkington Garimara, inspired by her mother’s life, the film won numerous awards in Australia and elsewhere, and formed part of a major debate about the way Australia treated Aboriginal children in the past—the “stolen generations.” Clarke played the role of Constable Riggs, the formidable police officer following the escaping Aborigine women. This led to roles in several American television shows—a recurring role in Farscape and other guest roles—before getting a regular role in the drama Brotherhood. He played the role of Tommy Caffee, the brother of criminal Michael (Jason Isaacs) and a member of Rhode Island’s House of Representatives.