Producer/director/co-writer Peter Jackson cast New Zealand actor Karl Urban in The Lord of the Rings after viewing a rough cut of the critically acclaimed indie film The Price of Milk, which garnered Urban a Best Actor nomination at The New Zealand Film Awards.

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Urban first appeared on television as a child. Throughout his school years he wrote, directed, and starred in many film and stage productions. As a young adult Urban postponed his university studies to further pursue his acting career, training and working throughout "Australasia" in theatre and film.

Urban landed his feature film debut in Miramax's Heaven, starring Martin Donovan and Richard Schiff, and garnered his first Best Actor nomination at the New Zealand Film Awards for his work in Via Satellite. He also appeared in the Warner Bros./Dark Castle production Ghost Ship, starring opposite Gabriel Byrne and Julianna Margulies.

Most recently, Urban completed David Twohy's The Chronicles of Riddick, opposite Vin Diesel, and will next be seen opposite Matt Damon in The Bourne Supremacy, directed by Paul Greengrass.