Joel Tobeck

Joel has worked on the radio extensively. From 1988-95, he worked with New Zealand's 95 BFM as the D.J. News Reader for the Breakfast Show and did the "Tobeck Weather Centre". He was also a copy writer/promos/jingles, and won "Best Voice" and "Best Promo". He also worked for Concert FM/RNZ.

Joel has appeared in a number of short films, including Peach, The Summer the Queen Came, Sure To Rise, and Share the Dream.

In 1997, Joel was nominated for "Best Actor" for the show Share the Dream at the NZ Film and Television Awards.

In 2005, Joel was nominated for "Best Supporting Actor" in the movie Perfect Strangers at the NZ Film and Television Awards.

In 2006, Joel was nominated for "Best Supporting Actor" for Interrogation at the NZ Film and Television Awards.

In 1994, Joel was nominated for "Best Actor" for the show True Life Stories at the NZ Film and Television Awards.

Joel has performed several times with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra, first for their Sky City Starlight Symphony Concert, and second for their Sympphonic Rock Concert.

Joel is 6'1" (1.85m), with dark blonde hair and blue-green eyes.

Prior to their appearances on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Joel and [the late] Kevin Smith did a great deal of improv theater together. Joel says that very often on Hercules, when they would finish a scene, the directors would leave the cameras running in order to see what the two men would come up with on their own.

As a child, Joel worked as an usher at the Mercury Theatre in Auckland. He admits that he would call up the various directors, at home, and asking if he could be in their shows.

Joel's theatre credits include: (2001) Hair "Berger" ATC Sky City Theatre, Dir Simon Prast (2001) Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead "Hamlet" ATC Dir Colin McColl (2002/03) The Rocky Horror Show "Frank n' Furter ATC, Dir Simon Prast

Joel's talents include stand-up comedy, impressions, dancing, and juggling.

In 2003, Joel was nominated "Best Supporting Actor" for Mercy Peak at the New Zealand Film and Television Awards.

Joel is represented professionally in New Zealand by the Robert Bruce Agency of Auckland. In Australia, he's listed with the firm Sue Barnett & Associates.

Joel was the leader of the House Band for the New Zealand late night variety show Ice As.

Joel performed in the radio play Cross Over by Stephen Walker along with Liddy Holloway, Paul Gittins, Marton Csokas, and Lisa Chappell for New Zealand National Radio.

In 1999, Joel was nominated for "Best Supporting Actor" for his role as the villain in the TV show Lawless.

At one point Joel was said to have been cast as Smeagol in The Lord of the Rings by Production Designer Grant Major. Joel did go on to play the part of an Orc Lieutenant 1 in The Return of the King. Joel lost the role of Smeagol because Peter Jackson decided that he wanted a different body type playing the part. Joel was too tall and skinny in his view.

Fellow Kiwi actor Dean O'Gorman lived with Joel when they were working in Australia.

Fellow Kiwi actor and talk show host Temuera Morrison describes Joel as a New Zealand Steve Buscemi or Willem Dafoe- destined to play a bad guy.

Joel wanted to be in the Rowan Woods movie Little Fish so much, he auditioned in person. Usually he sends a tape, but knowing that Sam Neill and Cate Blanchett were already signed on, he wanted to do whatever he could to get the part. He won the role of Steven Moss, the right hand man of The Jockey (Sam Neill).

Joel's favorite albums are Prince's "Sign O' The Times", The Rolling Stones' "Love You Live", and Stevie Wonder's "Innervision".

Joel plays guitar in a band called Splitter.

Joel narrated the audio book version of The House Within.

Joel's dream role would be to play Mick Jagger in his life story.

When Joel auditioned for the role of Strife on Hercules, he was told that he had to be over the top for the part. He did his best, but it wasn't working. So he asked the casting director to go again, and this time he did his best impression of Jim Carrey and Eddie Murphy and it got him the part.

In 1997, Joel won "Best Actor" for his role in the movie Topless Women Talk About Their Lives at the New Zealand Film and Television Awards.

Joel took over the role of Frank N Furter in the musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show after Kevin Smith, who originally had the role, died in an accident. Joel and the rest of the cast dedicated their performances of the show to Kevin.

Joel is a good singer (tenor), and often takes part in the Cabaret show at Xena conventions. He also plays the guitar. He has trained in various danced styles, including ballet, contemporary, jazz and Maori.

Joel and Yvette, his longterm partner, had a daughter who was born on July 15, 2006.

Joel is the son of actress Liddy Holloway, they appeared together on New Zealand soap, Shortland Street.