Julian Bailey Dennison: The New Zealand Actor Who Went From School Auditions to Hollywood Blockbusters

Few young actors have had a rise quite as unlikely or as charming as Julian Bailey Dennison. What started as a school audition in a small New Zealand suburb turned into a career that’s now spanned Marvel movies, Legendary Pictures blockbusters, and one of the most beloved indie films to ever come out of New Zealand. For fans trying to piece together his journey, his roles, and what makes him such a distinctive screen presence, here’s a full breakdown of who he is and how he got here.

Who Is Julian Bailey Dennison?

Julian Bailey Dennison is a New Zealand actor born on October 26, 2002, in Lower Hutt, a city just outside Wellington. He’s the third of four children and has a twin brother, Christian, who was actually his direct competition for his very first film role. Julian is of Māori descent, belonging to the Ngāti Hauā iwi, part of the wider Tainui tribal confederation — a heritage he’s spoken about with pride throughout his career. His mother, Mabelle Dennison, is also an actress, so performing wasn’t exactly a foreign concept growing up in the household.

What makes Julian Bailey Dennison’s story stand out isn’t just talent — it’s how early and how naturally it showed up. He wasn’t groomed for stardom through years of drama school or child-actor pageant circuits. He auditioned at his primary school for a film almost on a whim, and the rest more or less snowballed from there.

Early Career and Breakout Role

Julian Bailey Dennison’s first credited film role came in 2013’s Shopping, where he played the younger brother of a troubled teenager. He was just 11 years old, and the performance was strong enough to earn him the New Zealand Film Award (then called the Moa) for Best Supporting Actor — a remarkable achievement for a debut. He followed that up with a supporting role in the Australian production Paper Planes (2015), which helped introduce him to audiences outside New Zealand.

But it was 2016’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople, directed by Taika Waititi, that turned him into a household name. Playing Ricky Baker, a rebellious foster kid who ends up on the run through the New Zealand bush with a gruff older bushman, Julian Bailey Dennison carried the emotional weight of the film with a mix of humor and vulnerability that critics loved. The movie went on to become the highest-grossing New Zealand film in history, and it remains the role most people associate with him to this day.

From Wellington to Hollywood

That breakout performance opened doors internationally, and Julian Bailey Dennison didn’t waste the opportunity. In 2018, he took on the role of Russell “Firefist” Collins in Deadpool 2, introducing him to a massive global superhero-movie audience. A few years later, he joined the cast of Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) as Josh Valentine, further cementing his place in big-budget studio filmmaking. He also appeared as Belsnickel in The Christmas Chronicles 2, a role that showed off a lighter, more comedic side of his range.

Despite the blockbuster credits, Julian Bailey Dennison hasn’t drifted away from more personal, character-driven work. In 2023, he took on a leading role in Uproar, a drama set against the backdrop of the 1981 Springbok rugby tour in New Zealand — a performance praised for its restraint and emotional honesty. In interviews about the film, he described it as a project where he felt like he was genuinely finding his voice as an actor, rather than just delivering a performance.

Most recently, Julian Bailey Dennison stepped into the world of dragons, voicing Fishlegs Ingerman in the 2025 live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon — another sign that his range spans everything from grounded New Zealand drama to major franchise filmmaking.

Why Julian Bailey Dennison Resonates With Audiences

Part of what makes Julian Bailey Dennison such an appealing figure to follow isn’t just the résumé — it’s the consistency of his screen presence. Whether he’s playing a wisecracking teenager on the run, a fire-wielding mutant, or a grieving young man finding his footing, there’s a groundedness to his performances that doesn’t feel manufactured. He brings a naturalistic, almost documentary-style honesty to roles that could easily tip into caricature in someone else’s hands.

His willingness to move between massive studio productions and smaller, personal New Zealand films also sets him apart from a lot of actors who broke out young. Rather than chasing only the biggest paycheck or the most exposure, his filmography suggests someone genuinely interested in varied, meaningful work.

Final Thoughts

From a school audition in Lower Hutt to sharing the screen with some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Julian Bailey Dennison has built a career defined by range, authenticity, and steady growth. He’s proven he can anchor an indie darling, hold his own in a Marvel movie, and carry the emotional core of a serious drama — all before turning 25. As his filmography continues to expand, it’s clear his early promise was never a fluke, and audiences will likely be watching Julian Bailey Dennison’s career for a long time to come.

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