Guy Edward Pearce (born 5 October 1967) is an English-born Australian actor and musician, best known for his portrayal of anterograde amnesia victim Leonard Shelby in Christopher Nolan's Memento, his performance as Lieutenant Ed Exley in the film L.A. Confidential, and for his role as Mike Young in the popular Australian television series Neighbours.

Early life

Pearce was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire, the son of Anne Cocking (née Pickering), a County Durham-born schoolteacher specialising in needlework and home economics, and Stuart Pearce, a New Zealand-born air force test pilot who died when Pearce was nine.Interview: Guy Pearce | Interviews | guardian.co.uk FilmGuy Pearce biographyGuy Pearce Biography (1967-) When he was three years old, Pearce moved to Geelong, Australia, where his mother ran a deer farm. He attended The Geelong College and was a member of the GSODA Junior Players. From ages 16 to 22, he was a competitive amateur bodybuilder, culminating in a Mr. Natural Victoria title. Pearce lived in Blackburn North in the late 1980s while working on the Australian drama series Neighbours.

Career

Pearce starred in several theatre productions when he was young, and graduated to television when he was cast in the Australian soap opera Neighbours in 1985, playing the role of Mike Young for several years. Pearce also found roles in other television series such as Home and Away (1988) and Snowy River: The McGregor Saga (1993).