# Jesse Spencer

Jesse Gordon Spencer (born 12 February 1979) is an Australian actor. He is known for his roles as Billy Kennedy on the Australian soap opera Neighbours (1994–2000, 2005, 2022), for which he was nominated for two Logie Awards, Dr. Robert Chase on the American medical drama House (2004–2012) and Captain Matthew Casey on the American drama Chicago Fire (2012–2024).

## Early life

Jesse Gordon Spencer was born in Melbourne on 12 February 1979, the son of Robyn and radiologist Rodney Spencer. His parents were the founders of the far-right party Australians Against Further Immigration and would both later contest the 1998 Australian federal election for the right-wing populist party Pauline Hanson's One Nation.
Spencer attended Canterbury Primary School, Malvern Central School and Scotch College. While there, he auditioned for the long-running soap opera Neighbours. He completed his VCE and gained a place at Monash University but deferred to pursue acting.

## Career
### Acting

Spencer starred as Billy Kennedy in the Australian soap opera Neighbours from 1994 to 2000. He later reprised his role in 2005, in an episode celebrating the show's 20th anniversary. His character was the son of long-term iconic Ramsay Street residents Dr. Karl Kennedy and Susan Kennedy.
After his time on Neighbours, he co-starred in films such as Winning London with the Olsen twins, Uptown Girls and Swimming Upstream.
Spencer starred as intensive care specialist and surgeon Dr. Robert Chase on the Fox medical drama House from 2004 to 2012. He played Chase for the show's entire run, becoming the second longest-serving member of the title character's team.
Spencer starred as firefighter Captain Matthew Casey in the NBC drama Chicago Fire from 2012 to 2021.
In 2022, it was confirmed that Spencer would return to Neighbours as part of the series finale.
In 2024, Spencer was confirmed as part of the cast for Disney+ series Last Days of the Space Age.

### Music

Spencer began his musical career with the Australian Boys Choir, performing with them from 1986 to 1992. He plays the violin in Band from TV, a group that includes his former House co-star Hugh Laurie. They play at various events, giving the money they earn to charity. The band played on Idol Gives Back in April 2008.

## Personal life

Spencer began dating American actress Jennifer Morrison, who played his character's love interest in House, in July 2004; he proposed to her at the Eiffel Tower during Christmas 2006, but they called off their engagement in August 2007. He also dated Brazilian surfer Maya Gabeira from 2010 to 2013.
He began dating neuroscientist Dr. Kali Woodruff Carr in 2014, and they were engaged in 2019. They were married on 27 June 2020.
Spencer became a U.S. citizen in November 2021.

## Recognition

For Neighbours, Spencer was nominated for "Most Popular Actor" at the 1998 and 1999 Logie Awards. For House, he was nominated for "Choice TV Breakout Performance – Male" at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards and "Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series" at the 2008 Screen Actors Guild Awards; he received a "Golden Boomerang" at the 2006 Australians in Film Breakthrough Awards for his work. In 2007, he was included in People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People issue. For Chicago Fire, he was again nominated at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards for "Choice TV Actor – Action".

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Lorna Doone | Marwood de Whichehalse | |
| 2001 | Curse of the Talisman | Jeremy Campbell | |
| 2001 | Winning London | Lord James Browning, Jr. | |
| 2002 | Stranded | Fritz Robinson | TV film |
| 2003 | Swimming Upstream | Tony Fingleton | |
| 2003 | Uptown Girls | Neal Fox | |
| 2004 | Action Man: Robot Atak | Flynt (voice) | Animated tie-in |
| 2006 | Flourish | Eddie Gator | |
| 2006 | The Script | Ben | Short film |
| 2010 | Tell-Tale | Lover | Short film |
| 2013 | Skum Rocks! | David Lockhart | |
| 2015 | The Girl Is in Trouble | Nicholas Feinstein | |
| 2021 | Queer Fish in God's Waiting Room | Liam | Short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | Time Trax | Young Bill | Episode: "A Close Encounter" |
| 1994–2000; 2005; 2022 | Neighbours | Billy Kennedy | Main role (1994–2000); guest role (2005, 2022); 471 episodes |
| 1998 | Hercules | Triton, Jr. (voice) | Episode: "Hercules and the Son of Poseidon" |
| 2002 | Saishu Heiki Kanojo | Shuji's Father (voice) | English version; Episode: "Soshite, bokutachi wa koishiteiku" |
| 2003 | Death in Holy Orders | Raphael Arbuthnot | 2 episodes; TV miniseries |
| 2004–2012 | House | Dr. Robert Chase | Main role; 171 episodes |
| 2006 | Blue Heelers | Lee Cruickshank | Episode: "Dangerous Animals" |
| 2012–2021 | Chicago Fire | Captain Matthew Casey | Lead role (seasons 1–10); guest role (seasons 11–12); 205 episodes |
| 2013 | Phineas and Ferb | Liam McCracken (voice) | Episode: "Primal Perry" |
| 2014–2019 | Chicago P.D. | Captain Matthew Casey | 7 episodes |
| 2017–2019 | Chicago Med | Captain Matthew Casey | 4 episodes |
| 2024 | Last Days of the Space Age | Tony Bissett | 8 episodes |

### Music videos

| Year | Artist | Title | Role |
| 2009 | Caitlin Crosby | "Still Have My Heart" | Dentist |
| 2010 | Katharine McPhee | "Say Goodbye" | Boyfriend |

## Stage

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1991 | The King and I | Louis | State Theatre |
| 1992 | Winnie the Pooh | Christopher Robin | The Alexander Theatre |
| 1993 | Scrooge | Older brother of Tiny Tim | The Princess Theatre, Melbourne |
| 1998–1999 | Peter Pan | Peter Pan | White Rock Theatre, Hastings |
| 1999–2000 | Jack and the Beanstalk | Jack | Wolverhampton Grand Theatre |
| 2003 | The Modernists | Terrance | The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Awards | Category | Work | Results |
| 1999 | Silver Logie Awards | Most Popular TV Actor | Neighbours | Won |
| 1998 | Silver Logie Awards | Most Popular TV Actor | Neighbours | Nominated |
| 2005 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Breakout Performance – Male | House | Nominated |
| 2008 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | House | Nominated |
| 2013 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice TV Actor – Action | Chicago Fire | Nominated |