Stephen Patrick Hanna, a renowned Irish actor, was born on August 19, 1960, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Prior to his acting career, Hanna pursued a dual path in amateur and professional boxing, commencing at the tender age of ten and continuing until he was 25. Throughout his boxing career, he achieved notable success at the juvenile, junior, and senior levels, even representing his country, Ireland, at the international level. Despite his accomplishments, Hanna decided to hang up his gloves and transition into acting.
He then enrolled in the Rupert Stanley College of Theater for Drama in East Belfast, where he studied theater. However, due to financial constraints, he was forced to leave the institution. Undeterred, Hanna joined Opera Northern Ireland as a cast member, taking on the role of Pepe in West Side Story in 1998. He also performed with The West Belfast community Theaters, tackling various roles that tackled the hardships of living in a war-torn Belfast.
It was during this period that Hanna developed his comedic skills, adopting the personas of individuals struggling to cope with the difficulties of life amidst the turmoil of war. His performances explored themes of prison, drugs, alcohol, marriage, and other challenges faced by those living in the West Belfast area.
An opportunity arose for Hanna to travel to Berlin, where he landed the role of Edward in Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (2002) at the ETB, The Friends of Italian Opera Theater House Berlin.
