Joel Edgerton is an Australian actor and filmmaker best known for playing Owen Lars in the Star Wars films, Brendan Conlon in Warrior, and Richard Loving in Loving. He is one of Australia’s most versatile screen talents, moving between blockbusters, independent drama and directing with equal ease. His recent work in Train Dreams (2025) brought him a second Golden Globe nomination, almost a decade after his first for Loving.
At 52, Edgerton continues to headline major film and television projects, including the Apple TV+ science-fiction series Dark Matter. He is also a respected writer-director, responsible for the acclaimed thrillers The Gift and Boy Erased. Off screen, he is in a long-term relationship with Christine Centenera, editor-in-chief of Vogue Australia, and they have twins.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Joel Edgerton |
| Date of Birth | 23 June 1974 |
| Age | 52 years old (as of November 2026) |
| Birthplace | Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation | Actor, director, screenwriter, producer |
| Partner | Christine Centenera (2018–present) |
| Children | Two (twins, born May 2021) |
| Nationality | Australian |
Who Is Joel Edgerton?
Joel Edgerton is an Australian actor and filmmaker known to global audiences as Owen Lars, the moisture farmer who raises Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), a role he reprised in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022). He first won wide attention in Australia as Will McGill in the drama series The Secret Life of Us (2001–2002), for which he won an AACTA Award.
Edgerton’s breakthrough film role came as mixed martial arts fighter Brendan Conlon in Warrior (2011), opposite Tom Hardy. He went on to play Tom Buchanan in Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby (2013), a SEAL in Zero Dark Thirty (2012), and Ramesses II in Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014). His portrayal of Richard Loving in Loving (2016), about the couple whose case ended bans on interracial marriage in the United States, earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Drama.
Early Life & Background
Joel Edgerton was born on 23 June 1974 in Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia, the son of Michael Edgerton, a solicitor and property developer, and Marianne Edgerton, a Dutch immigrant born in The Hague. His older brother, Nash Edgerton, is a stuntman and filmmaker, and the brothers are part of the Australian film collective Blue-Tongue Films.
Edgerton graduated from the Hills Grammar School in 1991 and studied at Nepean Drama School at the University of Western Sydney. He worked extensively on stage before moving into screen roles, including a acclaimed turn as Stanley Kowalski in the Sydney Theatre Company’s A Streetcar Named Desire in 2009, which also played at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York.
Career
Edgerton’s early film work included Erskineville Kings (1999), King Arthur (2004) and Kinky Boots (2005). In Australia he built a reputation in films such as The Square (2008), which he co-wrote, Animal Kingdom (2010), for which he won the AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor, and Felony (2013). He also voiced Metal Beak in Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010).
His directing debut, the psychological thriller The Gift (2015), which he wrote, directed, produced and co-starred in, was a critical success and earned him a Directors Guild of America nomination for first-time feature directing. In 2018 he wrote and directed Boy Erased, the conversion-therapy drama starring Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe. The following year he co-wrote and starred as Falstaff in The King (2019), opposite Timothée Chalamet.
On television, Edgerton played the slave catcher Ridgeway in Barry Jenkins’ The Underground Railroad (2021) and now stars as Jason Dessen in the Apple TV+ series Dark Matter (2024–present). In film he has recently appeared in The Green Knight (2021), The Stranger (2022), Master Gardener (2022), The Boys in the Boat (2023) and Train Dreams (2025), in which his performance as logger Robert Grainier earned him a second Golden Globe nomination and nominations for the Critics’ Choice and Independent Spirit awards.
Facts About Joel Edgerton
- He played Owen Lars in two Star Wars films, 17 years before returning to the role in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
- His brother Nash Edgerton directed him in the 2018 film Gringo.
- He has been an ambassador for the Fred Hollows Foundation, which works to restore sight, and visited Nepal with the charity in 2012.
- He guest-starred as a policeman, voicing the role, in an episode of the Australian children’s series Bluey in 2024.
- He was in a relationship with Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman from 2003 to 2005.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is Joel Edgerton?
Joel Edgerton was born on 23 June 1974, making him 52 years old as of November 2026.
Where is Joel Edgerton from?
He was born in Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia, and trained at Nepean Drama School at the University of Western Sydney.
Who is Joel Edgerton’s partner?
He has been in a relationship with Christine Centenera, editor-in-chief of Vogue Australia, since 2018. They have twins, born in May 2021.
What is Joel Edgerton best known for?
He is best known as Owen Lars in Star Wars, Brendan Conlon in Warrior, Richard Loving in Loving, and as the writer-director of The Gift and Boy Erased.
What is Joel Edgerton doing now?
He stars as Jason Dessen in the Apple TV+ series Dark Matter and earned a Golden Globe nomination for his lead role in Train Dreams (2025).