Biography
Born in Adelaide, the second youngest of seven children. Hugh can trace his passion for the arts back to his musical family, growing up with dad and jazz musician Denis Sheridan. He was put into acting classes at age 5 at Unley Youth Theatre, where he is now patron. It was here his passion for entertaining and storytelling was born. Hugh seized every opportunity to be part of creating theatre through his adolescence, in local community work, high school and with other theatre companies in South Australia. At 16 Hugh was encouraged by his parents to study dance to support his music and drama. That same year his dance teacher Terry Simpson, suggested he audition for the prestigious Australian Ballet School, she knew that experiencing the rigorous and gruelling entry process would set Hugh up for future drama institution auditions. To Hugh’s surprise (and his family’s) Hugh was granted entry to the Advanced Diploma in Dance. So, he moved to Melbourne to study dance at the ABS, while there he also studied opera part time at the Victorian College of Arts under Monique Brunelle. As a student Hugh was selected to work with The Paris Opera Ballet, The English National Ballet and The Australian Ballet. Hugh, at just 18, was accepted into full time Bachelor of Arts in Acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney. In his final year Hugh won the role of Ben Rafter in Seven’s pilot for Packed to the Rafters, a show that spanned six series, consistently holding #1 drama in Australia. Rafters would make him a household name and give rise to him winning four Silver Logies in a row.