Handsome, youthful leading man who came to prominence in his native Australia for his portrayal of "Malcolm" (1986), a slow-witted young man with a talent for handling mechanical devices which leads him into a life of crime. Friels is best known to US audiences for his role in the comic-bookish adventure, "Darkman" (1990). Most of his subsequent work has been back in his native land, though Friels ventured again into US production with a supporting role in Bruce Beresford's little-seen political comedy, "A Good Man in Africa" (1994). He is married to actress Judy Davis, with whom he co-starred in "Kangaroo" (1986) and "High Tide" (1987).