Luke Bracey's Journey from Rugby to Hollywood
Luke Bracey, who plays Charles 'Pa' Ingalls in Netflix's reimagined Little House on the Prairie, did not plan to become an actor. The 37-year-old Australian from Sydney initially focused on rugby and hoped to become a professional player after school. He also expected to join his father's construction business and intended to attend university for further qualifications. Bracey told Square Mile: "I never wanted to be in movies or to be an actor."
His acting career began unexpectedly when a TV producer, the father of a friend, called him to audition for a role. Although he did not get that part, a casting agent later contacted him, leading to his first role as Trey Palmer on Home and Away. Hollywood soon followed, with roles in Monte Carlo, The November Man, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Point Break, and Hacksaw Ridge. More recently, he appeared in Little Fires Everywhere, Holidate, and Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.
Little House on the Prairie and Friendship with Emma Roberts
The eight-episode Little House on the Prairie series, which premiered on July 9, has already been renewed for a second season by Netflix. The show is a heartwarming frontier story about the Ingalls family starting anew in Kansas after leaving Wisconsin.
Bracey maintains a close friendship with actress Emma Roberts, with whom he starred in Holidate and Maybe I Do. Roberts reached out to Bracey to join Maybe I Do, where they worked alongside Richard Gere, Diane Keaton, William H. Macy, and Susan Sarandon. In an interview with Square Mile, Roberts revealed that fans sent scripts hoping to reunite them after Holidate, but the right project did not materialize until Maybe I Do. Bracey expressed his desire to work with Roberts again, saying: "You are awesome. I love working with you, love being your mate, looking forward to going to the pub as soon as possible, and making another film."
Personal Life and Accent Confusion
Bracey keeps his personal life private. He has been romantically linked to Swedish musician Ellinor Olovsdotter, Australian actress Olympia Valance, and Mexican actor Eiza González, but his current relationship status is unknown.
Bracey's real Australian accent once confused Roberts during a chemistry read for Holidate. Roberts assumed Bracey was American and was surprised when the director asked him to use his natural accent. She said: "I was like, 'You're Australian?' I'd seen you doing American only, and I was like, 'Wait, what's happening?'" Bracey described the moment as "really funny" and said they both laughed, knowing the film would be successful.
Little House on the Prairie is streaming on Netflix now.
