Grant Bowler

Grant Bowler (born 18 July 1968) is a New Zealand-Australian actor and television presenter who has worked in American, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian film, television, and theatre.

He is known for playing the role of Constable Wayne Patterson in Blue Heelers and Wolfgang West in Outrageous Fortune. He also appeared as Wilhelmina Slater's love interest Connor Owens in Ugly Betty. He significantly starred as Joshua Nolan on the Syfy television series Defiance.

As a presenter, he was best known for hosting reality game shows – including The Mole Australia and The Amazing Race Australia, both of which aired on the Seven Network.

Bowler has been the voiceover narrator for Border Security: Australia for the Seven Network since 2004. He has also provided the narration for the Canadian version and the American version when those versions air in Australia and New Zealand as Border Security: International on 7two.

Personal life Bowler was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but moved to Australia when he was young, and was raised in Brisbane.

In 2011, he separated from his wife of nine years, Australian actress Roxane Wilson, with whom he has two children.

Career Bowler is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art. For two years, he worked extensively in theatre with the Bell Shakespeare Company touring with the original company founded by John Bell.

His first television role was as Constable Wayne Patterson on Blue Heelers, from 1993 to 1996. He had recurring roles on Always Greener and Stingers, starred in the television adaptation of On the Beach, spent a year on the ABC series Something in the Air, and starred in the 2004 miniseries Through My Eyes about the disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain. Bowler had a recurring role on All Saints from 2004 to 2005.

Bowler hosted the Australian version of The Mole from 2000 to 2003. He was replaced in the 2005 series by Tom Williams because of family commitments and his duties with Border Security: Australia's Front Line. He is the narrator of the latter show, having begun as on-camera host in 2004 and transitioning to the off-camera role after the first season.

Bowler appeared in the New Zealand series Outrageous Fortune in the recurring role of Wolfgang West. He was in greater demand since joining the program, but turned down other work to remain with the show.

Bowler guest starred as Gault, the captain of a freighter on the American television series Lost, starting with the season four episode "Ji Yeon".

In 2008, he began a recurring role on Ugly Betty as Connor Owens, corrupt CFO of Meade Publications and the love interest of the series' main villain. Bowler said of his character, "He's got a lot of evil secrets." In December 2009, he was cast as Cooter, a werewolf, in the HBO urban fantasy series True Blood, for that show's third season.

In late 2010, he was announced as the host of Seven Network's The Amazing Race Australia and remained for three seasons. He did not return for the 2019 Network 10 revival of the series, being replaced by Beau Ryan.

He played Hank Rearden in Atlas Shrugged: Part I (2011), the first part of a planned three-part film adaptation of Ayn Rand's novel of the same name. He was also seen in 2011 in The City of Gardens, and the film Killer Elite.

In 2012, Bowler was cast as Richard Burton opposite Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor in the biographical TV-movie Liz & Dick for Lifetime in the US.

He was seen in the war drama Gallipoli, released in 2015 on Channel 9, Australia. Bowler was also seen in the psychological action film Swelter, alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme and Alfred Molina; in the sci-fi thriller 400 Days with Brandon Routh and Dane Cook; Lucky Dog with Amy Smart; and the family movie, Zooey to the Max.

In 2020, Bowler appeared in a recurring role in The Baker and the Beauty playing the Australian father of lead character Noa Hamilton, played by Nathalie Kelley.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2003 Ned Town priest 2003 Calling Gerry Molloy Oliver Laird 2004 One of the Oldest Con Games Sam 2004 Through My Eyes: The Lindy Chamberlain Story Black Rat 2007 Harry 2011 Killer Elite Warwick Cregg 2011 City of Gardens Jesus Christ 2011 Atlas Shrugged: Part I Hank Rearden 2011 Steve Niles's Remains Tom 2012 I Do Peter 2014 Swelter Cole 2014 Lucky Dog Preston Spencer 2015 400 Days Walter 2015 One & Two Daniel 2018 Painkillers Herb Morris 2019 Rainer 2019 Guns Akimbo Degraves 2020 Bad Impulse Henry Sharpe

Television Year Title Role Notes 1993–1996 Blue Heelers Wayne Patterson Main role (seasons 1–3) 1996 Pacific Drive Garth Stephens Episode: "#1.10" 1996–1998 Medivac Dr. Arch Craven Main role 1997 Halifax f.p: Someone You Know Bob Palance Episode 13 1998 Wildside Peter Simms Episode: "#1.27" 1999 Farscape Shaman Liko Episode: "That Old Black Magic" 1999 Close Contact Mike Heyns Television film 1999–2001 Stingers Sean Peck 3 episodes 2000–2003 Himself (host) 40 episodes 2000 On the Beach Lt. Peter Holmes Television film 2000 Montague Fitzsimmonds Episode: "London Calling" 2001 Finding Hope Jack Television film 2001–2002 Something in the Air Mark Waters 26 episodes 2002 White Collar Blue Steve Petrovic Episode: "#1.9" 2002 Always Greener Greg Steele 11 episodes 2004 McLeod's Daughters Jarred Wuchowski Episode: "Fool for Love" 2004–2005 All Saints Nigel "Mac" MacPherson 20 episodes 2004–present Border Security: Australia's Front Line Narrator 105 episodes 2005–2009 Outrageous Fortune Wolfgang West Main role 2008 Lost Captain Gault 3 episodes 2008 Canal Road Detective Ray Driscoll 10 episodes 2008–2010 Ugly Betty Connor Owens 17 episodes 2010 True Blood Cooter 7 episodes 2011 Panic at Rock Island Jim Quinn Television film 2011 Razer Episode: "Razer" 2011–20122014 Himself (host) 34 episodes 2012 Ray Mickelberg Television film 2012 GCB Mason Massey 2 episodes 2012 Liz & Dick Richard Burton Television film 2013–2015 Defiance Joshua Nolan 38 episodes 2015 Gallipoli Lieutenant Colonel William Malone 7 episodes 2015 Getting On Dr. Ron Rudd 8 episodes2016Still Star-CrossedDamiano MontagueMain role2016J.L. Family RanchSheriff Henry WhitlockTelevision film 2019 Harrow Francis Chester 10 episodes 2019 Reef Break Carter Eastland 6 episodes 2022 Super Volcano Eric TV Movie 2022 20.0 Megaquake Eric TV Movie 2023 Ice Storm Eric TV Movie

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2013 Defiance Chief Lawkeeper Jeb Nolan Voice