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Paul Joseph Mercurio (born March 31, 1963) is an Australian actor and dancer who was the star of Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom (1992). His father is character actor Gus Mercurio.

Mercurio is one of four judges on the Australian version of the popular television show Dancing with the Stars which was broadcast in Australia on Channel Seven in 2004, 2005, and 2006.

Mercurio is best remembered for his lead role as rebel "Scott Hastings" in Baz Luhrmann's movie Strictly Ballroom. He is also an accomplished dramatic actor, appearing in popular Australian shows: Blue Heelers, All Saints, Murder Call, Medivac, Water Rats and The Day of the Roses.

Early life

Born in Swan Hill, Victoria in 1963, Mercurio began ballet at nine. By the age of 19, in 1982, he was Principal Dancer with the Sydney Dance Company — a position he held for ten years. During this time, he was commissioned to choreograph six works performed by the company.

Mercurio left the Sydney Dance Company to join the Australian Choreographic Ensemble, where he was the Director, Principal Dancer and Principal Choreographer.

Mercurio made his film debut in Strictly Ballroom, receiving an Australian Film Institute Award nomination in 1993. His film credits have since included; Exit to Eden, Back of Beyond, Cosi, Red Ribbon Blues, Welcome to Woop Woop, The Dark Planet, The First 9 1/2 Weeks, Kick and Sydney: A Story of a City. He also starred, wrote, choreographed, produced and directed the short film Spilt Milk. Mercurio made his TV debut in a documentary on his life called Life's Burning Desire in 1992. He starred in the lead role of Joseph in the Emmy award–winning US TV mini-series The Bible: Joseph, in 1995.

The late 1990s saw Mercurio working as a labourer on building sites and later selling computers to support his dancer wife, Andrea, and their three daughters.

Today, Mercurio continues to dance and choreograph professionally. He was a movement consultant on the Will Smith movie I, Robot, and has choreographed a USA TV campaign for Coca Cola, the Harry M Miller production of Jesus Christ Superstar and Annie Get Your Gun.

In January 2004, he appeared on stage in The Full Monty. Mercurio is also a judge on the New Zealand version of Dancing with the Stars.

External links

• Paul Mercurio biography at AustraliaDancing

de:Paul Mercurio

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