Happy birthday, Manu Bennett! The actor turns 47 today.

Born in New Zealand, the actor was raised by his parents Jean and Ted. The family moved to Australia shortly after Bennet was born and grew up between Sydney and Newcastle. The actor ha an interest in sports as a kid and was even chosen to join the New South Wales Schoolboys Rugby Union Team. However, Bennet chose to pursue theater instead and traveled to Los Angeles on a scholarship for the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute.

Bennet kicked off his professional acting career in 1993 when he starred in Paradise Beach, a teen soap opera. The actor was cast in several small television roles before nabbing a leading film role in 1999. A year later, Bennett joined Xena: The Warrior Princess to play Marc Antony. The role would preface his big break circa 2010 when Bennett co-starred in Spartacus: Blood and Sand. Playing Crixus, Bennett stayed on the show for all three seasons.

In 2012, Bennett was cast in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey where he played Azog the Defiler. Later that year, word broke that the actor would star in the first season of Arrow as Slade Wilson/Deathstroke. The actor’s portrayal of the DC Comics baddie has been praised by both fans and critics. Later this fall, Bennett is set to reprise the villainous role in the 100th episode of Arrow.

Happy birthday!