Almost all fans know that Owen Dampier is Australian, though few realize that he was in fact born in Darwin to a working class family. He was born to Anne Marie and Jacob Dampier, neither of whom could have ever predicted that their first born son was destined to become an actor, nonetheless an a-list one at that. He was the first of their five children, and as such, he was given the firstborn's share of their attention -- which is to say not much at all and it was frequently paired with the added pressures of having four younger ones looking up to him. Though he was adventurous even in his youth, he never showed much of a flair for the dramatic. Storytelling or play acting was never something he had much time for, as he saw more practical use in saving his charisma for his lies. While other actors might have learned their craft from drama classes and Shakespeare, Owen learned to act by watching his parents. Functional alcoholics to the extreme, they were teachers in their own right.

Admittedly, Owen fell into acting more than he ever chose it. Upon graduating school -- barely, admittedly -- he moved to the bigger and brighter city of Sydney. All of the Dampier children would eventually scatter across the continent, but Sydney became his home for the next seven years. He originally found work waiting on tables, which eventually turned into tending bar on the weekends to help makes end meet. With no interest in continuing his education and his skills being limited, he was not one to pass up an opportunity, so when he was stopped by a scout to do a bit of modeling, he agreed with a healthy level of skepticism. When it actually turned out to be legitimate and it led to a small handful of very Australian commercials, he couldn't have been more pleased about the easy income. "Home and Away" followed shortly after, and while it mainly seemed like a role to show him off without a shirt, it gave him the idea to move to Los Angeles. It was then that things began moving quickly for him. He did not work constantly, but the roles he did land were significant for a young actor.

It was in 2010, however, that his big break came. It was announced that he beat out dozens of other actors for the role of Thor in the latest of superhero franchises. It came with a shock that they cast an unknown actor for the part, but it was a challenge Owen seemed prepared for. He had never been one for comics or superheroes, admittedly, but he was willing to make up for lost time. He put on twenty pounds of muscle for the role, from that point on engraining a gym habit that he has not since broken. He took to the character easily and surpassed expectations, and when The Avengers filmed later, he felt as though he was officially apart of the Marvel family. The touring and conventions put a hold on some aspects of his social life, but it was a small price to pay for a working class boy from Darwin.

At this point in his life, Owen cannot help but be satisfied with what he has accomplished. He might be an actor that is known more from his brawn than his talent, but given the doors it has opened for him, he isn’t in a position to complain. When not working, he mostly spends time in Los Angeles at the home he shares only with his dog. He is not known to stir up tabloid fervor, but that is due more to love of privacy more than him being a homebody. That doesn't keep photographers from camping outside his home on most days, however.