Currently best known for his role as backpacker Ben Mitchell in Wolf Creek (2005). He began his career in the traditional rites-of-passage for Australian actors with a role in Neighbours (1985) in 1999. He worked entirely in television until 2001, with roles in Child Star: The Shirley Temple Story (2001), Something in the Air (2000) and The Saddle Club (2001). In 2002 he began his movie career with a role in Warriors of Virtue: The Return to Tao (2002). His next role, toplining Australian Rules (2002) saw him nominated as Best Actor for the 'Film Critics Circle of Australia' award. Since then the 25 year old has starred in the Australian films Take Away (2003), One Perfect Day (2004) and Under the Radar (2004). Wolf Creek (2005) has introduced him to an international audience and big things are predicted for the Sunbury born actor.

Phillips will be seen in his American film debut Snakes on a Plane (2006), opposite Samuel L. Jackson, in 2006.