Phoenix Raei gained international acclaim with his lead role in the Netflix series, Clickbait (2021). Though the crime drama created by Tony Ayres and Christian White introduced him to a global audience, Raei has been a part of the entertainment industry since the 2010s. His passion for acting dates back to his early life, when he would rather act and make films with his parents’ camera than play with toys.
Despite his apparent knack for acting, Raei almost didn’t become an actor. Education was of prime importance to his parents and this made him study law in college. But as fate would have it, Phoenix returned to acting and built a decent career before Clickbait earned him cross-border recognition.
1. Phoenix Raei Is an Australian of Iranian Descent
The Clickbait actor is from a Persian family. He was born in Shiraz, Iran, on the 28th of October 1990. However, he spent most of his childhood and all of his teenage years in Australia. His family left Iran for Australia when he was a child and Phoenix Raei has lived there ever since. Alongside other members of his family, Raei first lived in Perth, the capital of Western Australia. He eventually moved to Melbourne where he currently lives after his acting career picked up.
2. His TV Debut Was in the Australian Soccer Show Mustangs FC
Phoenix Raei made his TV debut in 2017, appearing as Lachy in two episodes of Mustangs FC. The Australian comedy-drama series created by Amanda Higgs and Rachel Davis paved the way for Raei to pursue more opportunities in Australian TV. 2018 saw him play Amir in three episodes of the Australian television mini-series, Romper Stomper. Thereafter, he was seen as Lukas in Wentworth before he landed a leading role in The Heights (2019-2020). Clickbait ushered in a new era for Raei, taking his career across the borders of Australia. He consolidated that with his role in Shawn Ryan’s action thriller, The Night Agent.
3. Raei’s First Major Role Was in the 2017 Film Australia Day
The Australian actor began his career journey in 2014 with an uncredited role in Julius Avery’s Son of a Gun. He subsequently appeared in short films like Pale Blue Eyes (2014) and portrayed Adar in Kane Arcadia’s Indefinite (2015) before he landed his first major acting role. This was in 2017 when he played Yaghoub Ghaznavi in Australia Day, a drama anthology directed by Kriv Stenders. That same year, he appeared in other films, including 7 Storeys Down and Romeo.
4. The Clickbait Actor Is also a Director
Beyond acting, Raei works as a writer and director in the motion picture industry. The actor made his directorial debut in 7 Storeys Down, which he also wrote. Raei also starred in the film alongside Kate Lister and Jasper Bagg. He is also the writer and director of an upcoming thriller, Schnook. The short film stars Stephen Murphy, Anthony J. Sharpe, and Will Carlson. Upon its release, Schnook might open pathways for Raei to further explore his flair for filmmaking.
5. He’s a Cast Member of Sophia Banks’ Black Site
Raei’s recent movie roles had him play Azad in Maziar Lahooti’s Below (2019) and Uri Wasserman in the 2022 action thriller, Black Site. The latter is an Australian-American film written by Jinder Ho and directed by Sophia Banks. With Raei as one of its top cast, the movie stars Jason Clarke, Michelle Monaghan, and Jai Courtney. On Rotten Tomatoes, it received a 29% approval rating with an audience score of 27%. As his career has gained international traction, Raei is expected to feature in prominent films in the nearest future.
6. Phoenix Raei Is In a Relationship With Kate Lister
Raei is engagaed to fellow actor Kate Lister. She is an Australian actress and producer who has collaborated with Phoenix Raei on various projects. She portrayed Jeannine Murphy in Clickbait and Charlie in 7 Storeys Down. The latter earned her the Festigious International Film Festival Award for Best Actress and the Indie Film Chart April Award dedicated to the same category. Beyond acting, Lister is passionate about music as she performs as a DJ and vocalist. She co-owns a production company called Once Upon a Time Films with her husband-to-be. The actor and his fiancée are parents to a daughter named Odeya Skye Raei.Jeannine Murphy in Clickbait
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