JESSE SPENCER

Jesse Spencer became a household name and received two Logie Award nominations playing Billy Kennedy in Neighbours. He has also worked extensively in the UK and USA in television, film and theatre. Film credits include Hollywood movie Uptown Girls, the Australian biopic Swimming upstream (with Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis), and Spike Lee’s film Girl is in Trouble. He also starred in the BBC’s adaptation of Lorna Doone and an acclaimed PD James drama.

But playing Dr Robert Chase (opposite Hugh Laurie) in all eight seasons of the television drama House gave Jesse his “big break in the US”. He currently leads as firefighter Lieutenant Matthew Casey in the gritty NBC drama Chicago Fire.

Prompted by his family, Jesse joined the Australian Boys Choir in 1986. He describes himself as “a rebellious sort of choirboy”. During his seven years with the ABC, Jesse became a chorister and toured the USA. He also auditioned for roles in music theatre, including The King and I with Hayley Mills. This early experience of music theatre was instrumental to the development of his career, says Jesse, and he developed his “love of music through the choir”.

Jesse’s work has been recognised by the Screen Actors Guild (USA). His roles in House and Chicago Fire both attracted Teen Choice Award nominations. He is an accomplished musician who plays the violin, piano and guitar. But he says it is the “hard work, discipline and attention to detail” learnt through the Choir that “has resonated in every aspect of my life and career”.