Toby Wallace is one of the few Australian actors who can really show how intense and deep the emotions of youth are. Wallace was born on June 6, 1995, in Westminster, London. His journey from a British upbringing to becoming one of Australia’s most promising talents is a testament to his unyielding passion for storytelling. Wallace is only 30 years old as of 2025, but he has already made a name for himself in indie dramas, punk rock biopics, and high-stakes thrillers. He has won many awards and has a growing international fan base.
Life and Schooling
Wallace’s early years were full of moves across the Atlantic that helped him become more flexible. His family moved to Melbourne, Australia, after he had lived in the UK for the first eight years of his life. He went to Jells Park Primary School in Wheelers Hill until Year 6, where he learned about the local culture. Wallace wanted to learn more about the arts, so he moved to Caulfield Grammar School, where he worked on his drama and theater skills. This formal training sparked his passion for performing, setting the stage for a career that would soon take off.
Wallace showed a natural charm and empathy from a young age. Director Shannon Murphy later called these traits “selfless” and “magnetic” when she talked about working with him. Wallace grew up in Melbourne’s creative scene, where he balanced school with his growing interest in acting. He eventually turned his hobby into a career.
Getting into the business
Wallace’s first professional role was in the 2009 Australian outback thriller Lucky Country (also known as Dark Frontier), directed by Kriv Stenders. He was only 13 years old at the time. Wallace’s performance as Tom, a boy dealing with a terrifying encounter with strangers, was a revelation. Critics praised his ability to show fear and vulnerability, which led to his nomination for Best Young Actor at the Australian Film Institute (AFI) Awards. This early praise made him a name to watch in the competitive Australian film industry.
Wallace worked on his resume over the next few years by getting guest spots on TV shows and supporting roles in movies. He was in the TV movie Underbelly Files: The Man Who Got Away in 2011 and played Corey on the famous soap opera Neighbours for a month in 2012. His portrayal of a troubled teen struck a chord with audiences, showing that he is good at creating complex, relatable characters. Wallace played a young Michael Hutchence in the miniseries INXS: Never Tear Us Apart in 2014. He channeled the rock star’s rebellious energy with amazing accuracy.
Breakthrough and Praise from Critics
In 2018, Wallace’s career took off when he got two leading roles that required a lot of emotional and physical intensity. He played Erik Jensen, a young biographer who got caught up in the chaotic life of artist Adam Cullen (Daniel Henshall) in the biographical drama Acute Misfortune. The movie, which was based on Jensen’s memoir, looked at what happens when mentorship goes wrong. Wallace’s nuanced portrayal of youthful ambition and disappointment received a lot of praise. That same year, he played the neo-Nazi skinhead Kane in the controversial miniseries Romper Stomper, which was based on the cult movie from 1992. His scary performance showed off his range by changing from a weak teen to a tough enemy.
Babyteeth, Shannon Murphy’s first time directing, was the best thing that happened in 2019. Wallace gave a breakout performance as Moses, a pierced, opioid-addicted dropout who falls in love with a terminally ill teenager (Eliza Scanlen). The performance was both tender and desperate. The Venice Film Festival was a huge success for the movie. Wallace won the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor, becoming only the second Australian to do so. Wallace won Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2020 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards for Babyteeth. Murphy said that Wallace’s “effortless charm and gap-toothed grin” drew everyone to him, making Moses a character that people could really relate to, even though he wasn’t perfect.
Hollywood and Beyond: Expanding Horizons
After Babyteeth, Wallace’s fame grew around the world. As Campbell Eliot, a manipulative bully with psychopathic tendencies who drives much of the plot’s tension, he joined the Netflix YA thriller series The Society in 2019. Wallace’s role as the crazy villain in the show, which was canceled after one season, showed how versatile he is.
Wallace played Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones in Danny Boyle’s FX/Hulu miniseries Pistol, which was another big role for him in 2022. Wallace’s portrayal of the punk icon’s raw energy during the band’s anarchic rise was one of the best parts of the six-episode biopic. Critics praised its authenticity and fire. Wallace said in a 2025 interview, “It’s unbelievable, because the whole thing is true.”
Wallace was fully immersed in Hollywood blockbusters during the years 2023–2024. He played “The Kid,” a volatile young recruit in Jeff Nichols’ gritty motorcycle club drama The Bikeriders, which also starred Tom Hardy and Austin Butler. People who liked and didn’t like his scenes with Hardy talked a lot about them. One person said that Wallace could “go toe-to-toe” with the veteran star. He also played Matty, a scary bar customer, in Kitty Green’s thriller The Royal Hotel that year, and Charlie, a fisherman caught up in crime, in Tommy Lee Jones’ action-comedy Finestkind. These roles showed how he was moving toward more edgy, ensemble-driven work.
Wallace played Adrian Murfett in the Australian prison drama Inside with Guy Pearce in 2024. The story was tense and about being in prison and finding redemption. He also played Robert Phillipson in Ron Howard’s Eden, a survival thriller based on the infamous Galapagos Affair from the 1930s. Eden will come out in the U.S. on August 22, 2025. It stars Wallace as he tries to survive on a chaotic island paradise that has turned deadly, along with Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby. As Wallace joked, the story’s manipulative “Baroness” and betrayals that keep getting worse make it a “pretty unbelievable” ride based on real events.
Recent Work and What Lies Ahead
Wallace has had a great year in 2025, with a number of projects that show how much he’s moving forward. He was in the cast of Justin Lin’s Last Days, a drama that premiered at Sundance earlier this year. He was with Bowen Yang and Radhika Apte. The movie looks at how a group falls apart when they are alone, and Wallace’s role adds to the mystery.
Wallace will have a recurring role in HBO’s Euphoria Season 3, which will start in 2026. This is the most exciting news. As Dylan, a handsome, 20-something soap opera star caught up in the show’s web of desire and dysfunction, he’ll join a star-studded cast that includes Zendaya, Sydney Sweeney, and new stars like Sharon Stone. The casting call says there might be “nudity/sexual scenes,” which is a promise of Wallace’s signature intensity. People on X (formerly Twitter) are already excited. One person said he was a “amazing actor” when he was on Society.
Wallace is also working on The Last Days of John Allen Chau, a biographical drama about the American missionary’s failed trip to North Sentinel Island.
Awards and Legacy
Wallace’s trophy case shows how quickly he rose to fame: he has won five awards and been nominated for three more, including the Marcello Mastroianni Award, the AACTA Best Actor Award, and the AFI nomination for Lucky Country. Directors who want to tell complicated stories about young people often turn to him because he can make flawed characters, like punk rockers and psychopaths, seem real.
Life Outside of Work
Wallace keeps his personal life private and doesn’t talk about it in public. He has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million as of 2025. He has over 336,000 followers on Instagram (@tobywallace_), where he shares pictures of sets and trips. Wallace is single and focused on his career. He often says that empathy is important to his process when he takes on roles that challenge him.
As Euphoria comes out and Eden hits screens, Toby Wallace is at a crossroads: he’s a homegrown star who’s gone global. He doesn’t just ride the wave; he defines it with his gap-toothed smile and steady gaze. In an industry that eats up young people, Wallace survives, showing that real stars shine from the inside out.
