Ben Lewis

Ben Lewis (28 September 1979 – 6 October 2025) was an English-born Australian actor and baritenor singer. His most well-known role was as the Phantom of the Opera in the original Australian production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies. In 2017 and 2018 he reprised the role in Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera in the original West End theatre production. His other notable roles included Chad and Frank Farmer in the UK tours of Love Me Tender and The Bodyguard, as well as Larry in the 2018 West End revival of Company.

Lewis was born in London to a theatrical family. His father, Michael Lewis, is an opera singer and his mother, Patricia Price, was also an opera singer and is retired as head of vocal studies and opera at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. His brother, Alexander Lewis, is an opera singer and actor who completed three years as a young artist at New York's Metropolitan Opera. During his childhood, his family went back and forth between England and the North Shore of Sydney, Australia.

After initially studying in England, Lewis graduated from Newington College in Sydney. He then undertook an arts degree at the University of Sydney but dropped out after three and a half years. He was introduced to the drama society while at the university and later enrolled at the Australian Theatre for Young People, where he was awarded a Lendlease scholarship to study voice at the Royal College of Music in London. Upon returning to Australia, he applied to study at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) with his brother and both were successful. It was during his time at WAAPA that he met his wife, actress Melle Stewart. Australian performer Tony Sheldon was a visiting director during his time at WAAPA, and Lewis later credited Sheldon with helping him through his student years.

Lewis was married to Australian actress Melle Stewart and was her primary care-giver after she had a stroke in 2021.

In July 2025, it was publicly revealed that Lewis had been diagnosed with a fast-spreading bowel cancer in February 2024 that became incurable. His brother, Alexander, launched a GoFundMe campaign for him the same month.

Lewis died from bowel cancer on 6 October 2025 at the age of 46. His friend Todd Woodbridge released a statement about his death on Instagram.

In 2012, Lewis received a nomination for a Helpmann Award and won a Judith Johnson Award for Best Actor in Leading Role in a Musical at the 2012 Sydney Theatre Awards for his role as the Phantom in Love Never Dies.