Leigh Whannell

Australian actor, screenwriter and producer Leigh Whannell is best known-some might say notorious-for his horror collaborations with director James Wan, most notably the original "Saw" (2004) and the "Insidious" films. After a few Aussie TV roles in his youth, he appeared briefly in the sci-fi sequel "The Matrix Reloaded" (2003) and became intent on writing his own film with Wan. The result was the bloody and unexpected hit "Saw," which made a huge return on its small budget, prompting a slew of sequels.

Whannell co-penned "Saw II" (2005) and "Saw III" (2006) and served as an executive producer on the films. He later moved on to co-writing "Dead Silence" (2007) with Wan, but the movie wasn't successful critically or commercially. In 2010, Whannell and his go-to collaborator reunited for the supernatural film "Insidious." The eerie and unsettling tale, which featured Whannell as a paranormal investigator's assistant, was a huge hit. In 2013, he returned for "Insidious: Chapter 2," which was well received, and once again showcased his clear talents as both a screenwriter and supporting actor.

A native Australian, Whannell grew up fascinated by film and television, particularly since his father worked in the TV industry. While attending film school in Melbourne, where he met Wan, he landed a hosting gig on the local youth-oriented show "Recovery" (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 1996-2000). After a period away from the screen, Whannell snagged a small part in the massive production "The Matrix Reloaded," and strengthened his resolve to make his own movie.

Working with Wan, he wrote and starred in the low-budget short film "Saw" (2003), which served as method of getting producers to back a full feature. Their efforts paid off, and "Saw" debuted in 2004, with Whannell in one of the key roles, along with Cary Elwes and Danny Glover. Introducing the Jigsaw Killer character and his creepy puppet, Billy, the movie launched an entire franchise, with Whannell co-writing the subsequent two installments and acting as executive producer on all sequels. Whannell and Wan both expressed mixed feelings about the later sequels, which met with big business but uniformly poor reviews.

Following a small part in Wan's revenge thriller, "Death Sentence" (2007), Whannell and the director worked on a new horror film in a very different vein than the torture-oriented "Saw" series. The resulting movie, "Insidious," was an atmospheric chiller that featured Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne as a couple whose son is plagued by evil spirits. The production also allowed Whannell some screen time as one of two ghost hunters backing up a highly intuitive medium (Lin Shaye).

Around the time that "Insidious" made the film-festival rounds, Whannell also voiced a feathered character in the owl-centric animated adventure "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole" (2010). In 2013, Wan, Whannell and other main cast members offered up "Insidious: Chapter 2," with more scares and box-office success.