Benjamin Turland (born 13 July 1998) is an Australian actor and dancer. Turland won the grand final of the revived Young Talent Time series with his dance group Lil' Banditz Krew, before going onto the semi-final of Australia's Got Talent. He later appeared as a dancer on The X Factor Australia and The Voice Australia. In 2014, he made a guest appearance in the drama series Love Child and played Jordan Walsh in Home and Away during 2016. From 2019 until 2022, Turland portrayed Hendrix Greyson in fellow Australian soap opera Neighbours. He also appeared in the spin-off Erinsborough High, and was nominated for Best Daytime Star at the Inside Soap Awards. After leaving Neighbours, Turland appeared in the television miniseries Riptide as Ethan Weston. He filmed a role in the 2023 thriller 13 Summers and joined the supporting cast of Paper Dolls. The Casting Guild of Australia named Turland as one of its 12 Rising Stars of 2023.

Ben Turland
Born
Benjamin Turland

(1998-07-13) 13 July 1998 (age 26)[1]
Other namesBenny Turland
Occupation(s)Actor, dancer
Years active2012–present

Early life

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Turland grew up in Mittagong and Bowral in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales.[2][3] He has an older brother and sister.[3] Turland began dancing when he was three years old, and experienced some bullying as he was the only male dancer in his town.[3] He attended Bowral High School, where he became interested in acting.[2][4] He later studied performing arts.[4]

Career

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In 2012, Turland appeared on the revival of Young Talent Time with the all boys dance group Lil' Banditz Krew when he 12 years old.[5] The group won the grand final and then toured Australia.[6] Two years later, Turland made it to the semi-final of Australia's Got Talent. He later admitted that his experience with the show made him want to pursue an acting career.[6] He also appeared as a dancer on The X Factor Australia, and he choreographed a tour for the series winner.[7] In 2014, Turland guested in the first season of Nine Network drama Love Child.[4] He joined the recurring cast of soap opera Home and Away as foster child Jordan Walsh in 2016.[4][8] Turland later appeared on The Voice Australia as a dancer.[7]

Turland appeared as Joey in the 2019 production of Saturday Night Fever at the Sydney Lyric.[3][9] That same year, he joined the main cast of soap opera Neighbours as teenager Hendrix Greyson, the son of established character Pierce Greyson (Tim Robards).[4] His manager had asked him to send in a self-tape, but did not tell him that he was not what the producers was initially looking for.[10] Turland received an invitation to audition for the role and was flown to Melbourne for a chemistry read with Robards and Jemma Donovan (Harlow Robinson). Three days later, Turland was informed that he had the role.[10] Hendrix was described as an entitled brat with a "bad attitude".[4] Turland also appears as Hendrix in the online spin-off Erinsborough High.[11] In 2022, Turland received a nomination for Best Daytime Star at the Inside Soap Awards.[12]

Turland quit Neighbours in 2021 in order to pursue new roles and work overseas.[13] His decision came just months before the show was cancelled in early 2022.[13] Producers chose to kill his character off, and Hendrix dies after a failed lung transplant.[14] Turland described his last few weeks on set as "intense" and he was left exhausted.[13] Turland briefly appears as Hendrix in the serial's then-final episode broadcast on 28 July 2022.[15] After leaving Neighbours, Turland filmed the television miniseries Riptide.[16] He plays Ethan Weston, whose father dies in mysterious circumstances. It was filmed in five weeks at the Neighbours studios, Mount Eliza and the Dandenong Ranges.[16] Turland said his "troubled" character needs "validation and love" from his father, adding "I think it's a good way to tell stories, especially for young men who don't know how to process their emotions."[16]

Turland filmed a role in Jeremy Stanford's thriller film 13 Summers, which was shot in Hervey Bay in late 2022. Turland plays a "mysterious backpacker" who encounters the film's protagonists Ben (Nathan Phillips) and Vee (Hannah Levien).[17] He joined the supporting cast of the Network 10/Paramount+ series Paper Dolls as Eli in March 2023. The drama was filmed in Sydney.[18][19] The series follows fictional girl group Harlow, who are formed on a reality television show.[18] Turland is also filming a role in Rebel Wilson's directorial debut feature The Deb.[19] In November 2023, the Casting Guild of Australia named Turland as one of its 12 Rising Stars of 2023.[20]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2013 Threaded Jason Short film
2014 Love Child Ronnie Episode: "#1.2" (as Bennie Turland)
2016 Home and Away Jordan Walsh Recurring role
2019–2022 Neighbours Hendrix Greyson Main cast
2019 Erinsborough High Hendrix Greyson Main cast
2022 Riptide Ethan Weston Miniseries
2023 Paper Dolls Eli Recurring role
2023 13 Summers Alex Feature film
TBA The Deb Filming

References

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  1. ^ @NeighboursTV (13 July 2020). "Happy 22nd Birthday Benny Turland!" (Tweet). Retrieved 15 November 2023 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ a b Meyers, Jackie (28 April 2020). "Southern Highlands Neighbours' cast member gets stamp of approval". Southern Highland News. Retrieved 13 November 2023. Benny Turland, who grew up in Mittagong and went to Bowral High School, is now featured on the $1.10 stamp.
  3. ^ a b c d Myers, Matthew (1 February 2020). "Love thy Neighbour!". DNA. No. 241. pp. 44–45.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Kilkelly, Daniel (13 September 2019). "Neighbours – who is newcomer Hendrix Greyson and actor Benny Turland?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  5. ^ Biscoe, Emma (13 November 2012). "Krews' control". Southern Highland News. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  6. ^ a b Julians, Joe (31 August 2020). "Neighbours star Benny Turland talks Hendrix's clash with Nicolette". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  7. ^ a b Devlin, Briannah (27 July 2022). "Ben Turland reflects on his time on Neighbours and what's next for him". Lismore City News. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  8. ^ Mitchell, Harriet (13 August 2022). "Neighbours star Ben Turland teases new role after emotional soap exit". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  9. ^ Moran, Jonathon (18 April 2019). "Lachlan Dearing grateful for Hi-5 days but career has changed since landing musical role". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  10. ^ a b Norrish, Tahlia (20 January 2022). "How to Get Cast on 'Neighbours'". Backstage. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  11. ^ Spilsbury, Tom (9–15 November 2019). "Flying High!". Inside Soap. No. 45. pp. 22–23.
  12. ^ Harp, Justin (18 July 2022). "Inside Soap Awards announces nominations and new category for 2022 event". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  13. ^ a b c Ellis, Sarah (11–17 June 2022). "Farewell, Hendrix!". Inside Soap. No. 24. p. 51.
  14. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (24 April 2022). "Neighbours announces huge new Hendrix Greyson storyline". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  15. ^ Knox, David (29 July 2022). "'How do you begin to describe a street?': Neighbours bows out in nostalgic hug". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  16. ^ a b c Devlin, Briannah (27 June 2023). "Ben Turland brings the struggles of young men to life in the drama Riptide". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  17. ^ Walker, Carlie (26 November 2022). "Wolf Creek star Nathan Phillips talks about new film 13 Summers". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  18. ^ a b Knox, David (1 March 2023). "More cast join Paper Dolls". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  19. ^ a b "CGA names 2023 Rising Stars". If Magazine. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  20. ^ Knox, David (12 November 2023). "Casting Guild of Australia: Rising Stars of 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  21. ^ "Ben Turland". Showcast. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
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