The Australian actor Jack Thompson was born August 31, 1940 in Manly, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney. Outisde of Oz, he is best known for his appearances in "The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith," "'Breaker' Morant," "The Man From Snowy River," "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" and "Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones." "'Breaker' Morant," in which he played a military defense attorney defending three soldiers accused of murder during the Boer War, won him internationally renown. Thompson was cited as Best Supporting Actow at the Cannes Film Festival and won the Australian Film Institute's Best Actor award for the role.

In the early part of his career, Thompson balanced a career with the United Nations with his acting: The acting won out. Now, at 65 years old, his career has been recognized by the Critics Circle of Australia, which awarded him its Life Time Achievement Award, and by the Cinema Owners Association of Australia, which gave him its Award for Outstanding Contribution to Australian Film Entertainment.

Thompson lived for a while in a menage a trois with his now-wife Leona King, by whom he has a son, and her sister Bunkie. Though the living arrangement came to an end after several years, Thompsion has no regrets, saying "I wouldn't have missed it for quids."


Educated at the University of Queensland. Made honorary member of the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS). [2002] In 1994, the Film Critics Circle of Australia named him Best Actor for his work as a father adjusting to his gay son in The Sum of Us (1994) opposite Russell Crowe. His brother is the movie reviewer Peter Thompson. He was awarded the A.M. (Member of the Order of Australia) in the 1986 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to the film industry.