Biography
Stefan Ranaja Weerarathna is an award-winning Sri Lankan-Australian actor born in Melbourne, Australia. He is of Sinhalese and Burgher descent, with the latter shaped by Dutch, Portuguese, and British heritage. A familiar face in television campaigns, Stefan has appeared in national spots for major brands including Honda, Sportsbet, Drumstick, Nexium, Dulux, 7-Eleven, Flybuys, AFL, Coles, Officeworks, Metricon, and The Athlete’s Foot, among others. He has also featured in high-traffic music videos for artists Peach PRC and Mia Rodriguez, each surpassing one million views globally. His screen credits include Rostered On, My Life Is Murder, Find Me a Dream Home Australia, and The Casting Couch. He starred in the lead role of Fuming, portraying an LGBTQ+ character, which won Best Short Film at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival’s Keep the Vibe Alive 2019. In 2021, Stefan produced and appeared in the action-crime short Fracture, which premiered at Monster Fest’s 10th Anniversary and received international acclaim. The film won Best Action Short at the Imagine Rain Independent Film Awards and Best Action Film at both the Los Angeles Film Awards and the Swedish International Film Festival, where Stefan was also recognised with Best Supporting Actor. Stefan trained under some of Australia’s most respected acting coaches at Film & Television Studio International, including Craig McMahon, Kym Valentine, Eve Morey, and Bernard Curry, and trained with master dialect coach Tyler Coppin in the American accent. The name Ranaja, 'Rana' being the Sinhala term for war symbolizing courage and bravery in the face of conflict. In 2025, Stefan was formally diagnosed with ADHD and Impulse Control Disorder. His lived experience with these conditions, alongside broader mental health challenges, has shaped his resilience and creativity, informing his work as an actor and storyteller.
