Bruce Spence was born on September 17, 1945, in New Zealand, where he grew up in Henderson, just outside of Auckland, in a family of winemakers. As a young boy, he worked in the family winery and later attended Henderson High School and Massey University, where he studied horticulture, retaining a passion for growing things that would stay with him throughout his life.
At the age of 20, Bruce moved to Australia, where he was accepted into the National Gallery of Victoria Art School, a surprise given his background. His mother, Olga, was a painter and potter, and Bruce's artistic inclinations were evident from an early age. In 1969, he joined a group working at the La Mama theatre in Melbourne, which would later become the revolutionary Australian Performing Group.
It was during this time that Bruce's talent for acting was discovered, and he was forced to choose between pursuing a career in art or acting. He decided to try his luck at acting, going on to perform in numerous plays with the group, the Melbourne Theatre Company, the Sydney Theatre Company, the South Australian Theatre Company, and several other companies.
Bruce has since appeared in close to 100 films, including Mad Max 2 and 3, Ace Ventura Part II, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Finding Nemo, The Matrix Revolutions, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell no Tales. He has also had numerous television roles, including starring as the wizard Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander in the cult series Legend of the Seeker, which was filmed in New Zealand.
When not working, Bruce lives quietly with his wife, Jenny, and their adoring tabby cat in Sydney. They have two children and four grandchildren. Between jobs, he works on his own garden and as a volunteer at the Royal Botanic Garden, where he and his group propagate plants. He is also currently chair of the NSW Actors' Benevolent Fund.
