Karl-Heinz Urban was born on June 7, 1972 in New Zealand.

In 1993 Karl was offered a role on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street just as he was about to begin his postponed studies at Victoria University. After two seasons on the soap, he went to school for one year, then left to pursue his acting career full-time.

Urban made several guest appearances on a number of TV series, including the Pacific Renaissance Pictures productions Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. He also starred in a children’s show called Riding High, where his love of horseback riding served him very well.

He also appeared in the 2002 Warner Bros. film Ghost Ship and alongside Matt Damon in The Bourne Supremacy (2004). He also starred with Vin Diesel in the Pitch Black sequel Chronicles of Riddick (2004) and in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Following his role in Doom, he played the lead in the Viking film Pathfinder (2007).

Filmography

• Run (2008)
• Black Water Transit (2007)
• "Comanche Moon" (2007)
• Pathfinder (2007)
• Out of the Blue (2006)
• Doom (2005)
• The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
• The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
• Ghost Ship (2002)
• "Xena: Warrior Princess" (12 episodes, 1996-2001)
• The Price of Milk (2000)
• The Irrefutable Truth About Demons (2000)
• The Privateers (2000)
• "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" (2 episodes, 1996-1998)
• Via Satellite (1998)
• Heaven (1998)
• Amazon High (1997)
• "Riding High" (1995)
• "Shortland Street" (1992)
• Chunuk Bair (1992)
• "Homeward Bound" (1992)
• "Shark in the Park" (1 episode, 1990)