Daniel Gillies Biography

Fast Facts

• Studied acting at the Unitec School of Performing Arts
• Began his acting career in New Zealand before moving first to Sydney, Australia, then Canada, and finally to Los Angeles in pursuit of acting work
• Made his acting debut as a medic in the 1998 film "A Soldier's Sweetheart․"
• Quote: "(On how he got his start): "Thanks to a series of wonderful accidents, I ended up always being involved in musicals, dramas and theatrical productions․ It was just a natural progression and became more than just a fantasy for me․""
• Quote: "(On why he's an actor): "I have zero respect for the idea of donning a suit every day for work․ The irony being of course that I've ended up playing several characters who wear suits․""
• Best known for his role as Elijah in "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals" and as Dr․ Joel Goran in "Saving Hope․"
• Wrote, directed, and starred in the 2012 drama film "Broken Kingdom," in which his wife, Rachael Leigh Cook, also starred and produced
• The documentary film "Kingdom Come" shows the process of funding his indie film "Broken Kingdom" and features interviews with a number of actors, including Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth, and Don Cheadle