Paul Mercurio on AllMovie

A lifelong dancer whose inspiration sprang from watching the legendary moves of Elvis as a child, handsome actor/choreographer Paul Mercurio is the man responsible for the memorable moves in such films as Baz Luhrmann's 1992 breakthrough Strictly Ballroom and the 1999 dance drama Kick. A native of Swan Hill, Victoria, Australia, Mercurio's early viewing of Jailhouse Rock prompted an enrollment in ballet school, and his supporting mother would offer just the sort of encouragement needed to provide him with confidence in his abilities. An avid surfer as well, Mercurio subsequently attended the John Curtain College of the Arts before winning a scholarship to the West Australian Ballet Company. Although Mercurio would view himself as something of an outsider at the Australian Ballet School of Melbourne, an offer from the Sydney Dance Company served as a bit of consolation, and the burgeoning dancer made friends with the city's social outcasts at a Darlinghurst cafe -- relationships that eventually resulted in his acclaimed Cafe dance. His association with the SDC found him gaining increased recognition in the Australian dance scene, and following his work on Strictly Ballroom, Mercurio was in high demand for numerous stage productions. Honing his acting skills in such efforts as Exit to Eden (1994) and Back of Beyond (1995), Mercurio took the lead in the 1995 film Joseph before appearing on the Australian television series Medivac in 1996. Though subsequent roles in Kick (1999) and The Finder (2001) would find Mercurio in relatively low-key roles, he maintained a high profile in the Australian dance scene and opened a brewpub just outside of Sydney around the millennial turnover.