Eric Bana: The Many Faces Before 'Untamed'
Eric Bana isn’t just a familiar face – he’s an actor who has slipped into wildly different skins and worlds over the years. Before sweeping onto Netflix as detective Kyle Turner in ‘Untamed,’ Bana's Hollywood path jumped from the rage-fueled Hulk in Ang Lee’s 2003 blockbuster to Homeric warrior Prince Hector in ‘Troy’ (2004). Swinging from comic books to swords-and-sandals epics, he kept Hollywood guessing.
But Bana never settled into a single lane. The guy took on real-life tensions in Spielberg’s ‘Munich’ (2005) as Avner Kaufman, a Mossad agent wrestling with the fallout of violence and revenge. Then he flipped the script entirely – channeling a chilling intensity as Nero, the vengeful villain, in the 2009 'Star Trek' reboot. You could argue Bana was more than up to the task of playing anyone, from heroes to antiheroes.
- Marvel’s Bruce Banner (‘Hulk’)
- Prince Hector in ‘Troy’
- Mossad agent Avner in ‘Munich’
- Nero in ‘Star Trek’
- Manipulative John Meehan in ‘Dirty John’
Fast forward to 2018, and Bana kept viewers awake at night with his performance as John Meehan in ‘Dirty John.’ Stepping into the shoes of a real-life sociopath, he pulled off a disturbing mix of charm and menace, marking a new chapter in his career for true crime fans.
'Untamed': A Detective Story Out In the Wild
So, what’s different about ‘Untamed’? For one, it’s set in the sweeping expanse of Yosemite National Park, but it’s not just the backdrop that matters. As Kyle Turner, Bana brings to life a detective pushed to the limits by both nature and the politics of policing. He’s after the truth behind a young woman’s mysterious death atop El Capitan—a case tangled with secrets, red tape, and wilderness threats.
This six-episode miniseries, pulled together by Mark L. Smith (of 'The Revenant' fame), is less about nonstop action and more about slow-burn tension and gnawing dilemmas. Bana’s Turner isn’t your classic TV cop. He’s rough around the edges, fighting both bureaucracy and his own haunted past. The comparisons to ‘True Detective’ and ‘Mare of Easttown’ aren’t just hype—the show doubles down on deep characterization, murky justice, and powerful mood.
Surprisingly, the team shot most scenes in British Columbia. Why not just use Yosemite? It’s logistics—filming permits and environmental restrictions in national parks can be a nightmare. But standing in for California’s granite cliffs, Canada’s wild beauty helps sell the illusion (and, honestly, only diehard climbers would spot the swap).
‘Untamed’ gives Eric Bana a chance to command the screen without superhero CGI or ancient armor. This time, he’s up against brute nature—and his own conscience—as he hunts for answers no one wants him to find.