Starr’s breakout role came in 2005, when he was cast as the lead in the New Zealand crime drama Outrageous Fortune, which aired for six seasons on TV3. During this time, Starr developed a reputation as one of New Zealand’s most talented and versatile actors, wowing audiences and critics with his ability to effortlessly switch between drama and comedy, often within the same scene. His performance in Outrageous Fortune earned him multiple nominations for the New Zealand Television Award for Best Actor, which he won four times.
In 2013, Starr made the leap to American television, landing the lead role in Cinemax’s Banshee, which ran for four seasons. Set in a small town in Pennsylvania, Banshee featured Starr as an ex-con infiltrating the local criminal underworld to seek revenge on a former accomplice. The show was praised for its gritty, violent, and darkly comedic tone, and for Starr’s electrifying performance as the show’s conflicted and morally ambiguous protagonist.
After Banshee’s conclusion, Starr landed another lead role on the Amazon Prime series The Boys, which has become a cultural phenomenon. The show, which debuted in 2019, is set in a world where superheroes are real but corrupt and abusive, and follows a group of vigilantes seeking to take them down. Starr plays Homelander, the show’s sinister Superman-like figure who masquerades as a superhero for the public but is actually a narcissistic and violent sociopath. Starr’s performance on The Boys has been widely acclaimed, with many critics hailing him as the standout player on the show.
Despite his success on television, Starr has also appeared in several films throughout his career. His film debut came in 1995 in the New Zealand drama film No. 2, and he has since appeared in other movies such as Without a Paddle and Wish You Were Here. He also lent his voice to the character of Garrick Versio in the 2017 video game Star Wars Battlefront II.
Starr’s talent as an actor is undeniable, and his range, versatility, and ability to convey complex emotions with subtlety and depth have earned him a loyal fanbase around the world. Although he is relatively private about his personal life, he has spoken about the importance of his New Zealand roots and his love for surfing and other outdoor activities. With his star on the rise, it will be exciting to see what the future has in store for Antony Starr.