Eric Bana Wife
Eric Bana’s wife is Rebecca Gleeson, an Australian photographer and former publicist born in 1971 in Australia. Eric Bana is the acclaimed Australian actor known for films like Chopper, Black Hawk Down, Hulk, Munich, and the Netflix series Untamed. While Bana has built a decades-long career in Hollywood and Australian cinema, his personal life has remained closely tied to Gleeson, his wife of nearly 30 years. This article covers everything publicly known about Rebecca Gleeson — her background, career, how she met Eric Bana, their marriage, family life, and more.
Who Is Rebecca Gleeson?
Rebecca Gleeson was born in 1971 in Australia. She is the daughter of Murray Gleeson, who served as the 11th Chief Justice of Australia from 1998 to 2008, and his wife Robyn Gleeson. Her older sister, Jacqueline Gleeson, followed a legal path as well and has served as a justice of the High Court of Australia since March 2021, making the Gleeson family a well-respected name in Australian public life.
Rebecca grew up in Australia and entered the media and entertainment industry in the early 1990s, working behind the scenes rather than in front of the camera. She started out as a network publicist, a role that eventually led her to cross paths with a then up-and-coming comedian and actor named Eric Bana. Detailed information about her school and university education has not been made public, as Gleeson has largely kept her personal history away from the press, choosing instead to let her professional work speak for itself.
Rebecca Gleeson’s Career & Professional Life
Rebecca Gleeson began her career in the 1990s as a television publicist for the Seven Network in Australia. Her early credits include publicity work on the popular drama series Blue Heelers and Newlyweds, as well as The Eric Bana Show Live in 1997. This publicity career is how she first connected with the entertainment world that would eventually become central to her family’s life.
After stepping away from public relations, Gleeson reinvented herself as a professional photographer, a passion she discovered later in life. She has said she fell in love with photography after experimenting with her husband’s camera equipment, eventually enrolling in a short course that grew into full photography training. She has described the moment she picked up a camera as an instant connection, noting that even during her publicist days, photo shoots were always her favorite part of the job.
Today, Gleeson works as a freelance portrait photographer, and Eric Bana has shared examples of her photography publicly, expressing pride in her work. Because she maintains a low public profile, her exact net worth has not been independently verified or publicly disclosed.
How Did Eric Bana and Rebecca Gleeson Meet?
Eric Bana and Rebecca Gleeson met in 1995 while both were working in the Australian entertainment industry. At the time, Bana was filming the sketch comedy series Full Frontal, and Gleeson was working as a publicist for the Seven Network. Their professional paths crossed on set, and the two soon began dating.
Their relationship moved forward quickly by public standards, but the couple kept much of their courtship private. In 1996, Bana was named “Bachelor of the Year” by Cleo magazine, a title that came with a trip for two to the United States. He invited Gleeson to join him, and during that trip, he proposed to her. It was a fitting, slightly ironic twist that the very trip celebrating his single status became the setting for his proposal.
From the beginning, the couple made a deliberate choice to shield their relationship from excessive media attention, a pattern that has defined their nearly three-decade partnership. Even as Bana’s career took off internationally, Gleeson largely stayed out of the spotlight, appearing at select premieres and events by his side.
Marriage & Wedding Details
Eric Bana and Rebecca Gleeson got married on August 2, 1997, in Australia. As with most aspects of their relationship, the couple kept the wedding details private, avoiding the kind of media circus that often surrounds celebrity weddings. Few specifics about the ceremony — such as the exact venue or guest list — have ever been made public, which is consistent with how the couple has handled their relationship throughout the years.
What is well known is that the marriage came shortly after their U.S. proposal trip, and it marked the beginning of a partnership that has now lasted nearly 30 years, a rarity in the entertainment industry. Bana has spoken fondly about the relationship in interviews, once telling Women’s Health that having a partner who is genuinely fun to be around is one of the most important ingredients in a lasting marriage.
Children & Family Life
Eric Bana and Rebecca Gleeson have two children together. Their first child, a son named Klaus, was born in August 1998. Their second child, a daughter named Sophia (sometimes referred to as Sophie), was born in April 2002.
The family has consistently prioritized privacy when it comes to their children, rarely discussing them in detail in interviews and keeping them out of the public eye as much as possible. Bana has described himself in interviews as “an ordinary dad with an extraordinary job,” and has called parenting the most rewarding job he has, while also acknowledging it takes the most thought and energy. The family occasionally appears together at film premieres and public events, but they otherwise maintain a private home life away from Hollywood’s spotlight.
Rebecca Gleeson on Social Media
Unlike many partners of A-list celebrities, Rebecca Gleeson does not maintain any public social media accounts. She has chosen to stay out of the digital spotlight entirely, letting Eric Bana handle public-facing communication and occasionally share glimpses of her photography work on his own platforms. This deliberate absence from social media is very much in keeping with the couple’s broader approach to privacy over the years.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Rebecca Gleeson (also known professionally as Rebecca Bana) |
| Year of Birth | 1971 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Profession | Photographer; former TV publicist |
| Married to | Eric Bana |
| Marriage Year | 1997 (August 2, 1997) |
| Children | 2 (Klaus and Sophia) |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed |
FAQ Section
Q: What is Eric Bana’s wife’s name? A: Eric Bana’s wife is Rebecca Gleeson, though she is often credited as Rebecca Bana since their marriage. She is an Australian photographer and former television publicist.
Q: How old is Rebecca Gleeson? A: Rebecca Gleeson was born in 1971 in Australia, which puts her in her mid-fifties as of 2026. Her exact birth date has not been publicly confirmed.
Q: What does Rebecca Gleeson do for a living? A: Rebecca Gleeson currently works as a freelance portrait photographer. She previously worked as a television publicist in the Australian entertainment industry during the 1990s.
Q: When did Eric Bana and Rebecca Gleeson get married? A: Eric Bana and Rebecca Gleeson got married on August 2, 1997, after meeting in 1995 while working in the Australian television industry.
Q: How many kids do Eric Bana and Rebecca Gleeson have? A: Eric Bana and Rebecca Gleeson have two children together: a son named Klaus, born in 1998, and a daughter named Sophia, born in 2002.
Conclusion
Rebecca Gleeson may not seek the spotlight, but she has been a steady, private presence throughout Eric Bana’s rise to international stardom. From her early days as a television publicist to her current work as a photographer, Gleeson has built her own path while supporting her husband’s career for nearly 30 years. As Eric Bana’s wife, she represents a rare Hollywood-adjacent love story built on privacy, partnership, and longevity rather than public spectacle — and their marriage remains one of the most enduring in the entertainment world.
