Ben Steel

Steel scored his next big screen role in 2009 when he was cast in Red Tails, which was produced by George Lucas and stars Cuba Gooding Jr and Terrence Howard.

Mid 2009 Steel was commissioned by national Aruban Broadcaster ATV (Aruba) to produce and direct the television program Stars of Tomorrow. The program was a reality drama series that follows the life of aspiring young actors living in Aruba.

Returning to the Czech Republic, he was cast in the role of Fletcher in the much anticipated Solomon Kane with James Purefoy. The 2008 film was set in the late 16th Century during Puritan times and was based on the classic novel written by Robert E Howard . The film was entirely shot in Prague during the middle of winter.

2007 and Steel moved to Prague the capital of the Czech Republic.

However, in August 2007 Steel briefly flew back to Australia for a supporting role in the indie feature film Four of a Kind a/k/a Disclosure directed by Fiona Cockrane.

2006 brought Steel back to Australia where he worked with director Spike Jonze on the movie Where the Wild Things Are.

2005 saw Steel depart to the UK to revive his character of Prince Valentine in the pantomime Snow White, it also marked the year that Steel made his West End Theatre debut. Steel headed up the cast of The Vegemite Tales, an Australian play that is set in a share-house in London. The play ran for 12 weeks to sellout audiences. Next Steel continued performing in theatre in 'Serial Killers' a New Zealand play written by James Griffen performed at the Darby Playhouse.

He returned home in 2004 to star in the cult theatrical production of Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical to a sold out season.

In 2002 he took his filmmaking to new extremes, when he rose to the challenge to make "Diagnosis Narcolepsy", a 16mm, 7-minute film, starring Scott Major, Erik Thomson, Salvatore Coco, Lara Cox, Jeremy Kewley and Deni Hines, and the film was completed in just 24 hours.

Steel met Deni Hines on the set of the Seven Network Perth Telethon in 2001. Hine's sang her then current single "Frenzy" while sitting on the knee of Steel. The couple were reported as dating several months later, and were seen travelling to many destinations around the world. Their engagement was announced in the social pages of Australian newspapers in 2003. The reason for their 2004 break-up has never been made public, though the rumours say she broke up with him leaving him severely heart broken.

Steel attended Good Friday Appeal 2001–2002. The Good Friday Appeal is a fundraising activity that brings together people from all parts of the community in a very special way. The common goal is to raise money for The Royal Children's Hospital, in Melbourne, and to ensure that all children with life-threatening illnesses receive the best possible medical and clinical care.

Steel returned to appearing in front of the camera and into the spotlight. On 30 October 2000, Steel made his first appearance as Jude Lawson in the high-rating nightly Australian soap Home and Away. He played the popular character for three seasons and appeared in more than 160 episodes.

Steel's parents are Glenys Steel and Ray Steel. He has two older sisters, Nicole Simpson (Steel) and Kara Joiner (Steel). Steel moved to Sydney after completing his high school studies in 1993. His family remained in Melbourne.

He made his first appearance on a television drama series in 1992 when, as a seventeen-year-old, he appeared in the award-winning crime series Phoenix on Australia's ABC-TV.

Ben Steel (born 9 October 1975) is an Australian actor and director who is most known for his regular role of Jude Lawson in Australian soap Home and Away.