Jesse Spencer

Early Life

Jesse Gordon Spencer was born on February 12, 1979, in Melbourne, Australia, to Robyn and Rodney Spencer. His parents were politically active, founding the Australians Against Further Immigration party and later contesting the 1998 Australian federal election for Pauline Hanson's One Nation party. Jesse attended several schools, including Canterbury Primary School and Scotch College, where he developed an interest in acting. He auditioned for the long-running soap opera "Neighbours" during his school years and, after completing his VCE, deferred a place at Monash University to pursue his acting career.

Career

Spencer's acting career began with his role as Billy Kennedy on the Australian soap opera "Neighbours," where he starred from 1994 to 2000 and reprised his role in 2005 for the show's 20th anniversary. He later appeared in films such as "Winning London" and "Uptown Girls." Spencer gained international fame for his portrayal of Dr. Robert Chase on the Fox medical drama "House" from 2004 to 2012, becoming a key member of the show's ensemble cast. He then starred as Captain Matthew Casey in the NBC drama "Chicago Fire" from 2012 until 2021. In 2022, he returned to "Neighbours" for the series finale and was confirmed to join the cast of the Disney+ series "Last Days of the Space Age" in 2024.

In addition to acting, Spencer has a musical background, having performed with the Australian Boys Choir from 1986 to 1992. He plays the violin in the charity band Band from TV, which includes his former "House" co-star Hugh Laurie, and has performed at various events to raise money for charity.

Personal Life

Spencer's personal life has been marked by high-profile relationships, including a romance with actress Jennifer Morrison, whom he proposed to in 2006 but later separated from in 2007. He dated Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira from 2010 to 2013 before finding lasting love with neuroscientist Dr. Kali Woodruff Carr, whom he married on June 27, 2020. The couple welcomed their first child, a son, in April 2022. In a significant personal milestone, Spencer became an American citizen in November 2021.