Paul O'Brien - The Official Site

Interview

When and how did your passion for acting begin?

I think I was always considered a funny bugger at school, and when a guy was expelled from a play in year 12, and the teacher said, “we need a person who can learn the play in about two and a half weeks”, I decided to do it. It was a lead role and I really enjoyed it. I came out of it thinking that it had been pretty cool.

A few years later when I was working in construction, I was doing a short radio course, and the teacher said I should try acting. I went to an acting class, and I loved it. More so, I loved the people I was doing it with; to see the way that they viewed and thought about life, who were prepared to talk about life and observations on how people behave… pretty fascinating!

What was your first-ever acting experience?

My first experience at acting was the play at school. But when I was really young, I guess you could say speech and drama classes. I was born in South Africa, and when I came to Australia, my English was very average… I had a really strong accent, not to mention I stuttered! I still can’t say “off” properly, and “somethink” rather then “something”! At school, I got up and did a few poems, and acted them out. Years later I did the play in year 12, which was a one-off. I never did drama at school, so I was a bit clueless.

Name a few of the other things you did before Home and Away?

Loads of stuff! I was an MC on the street, a spruiker, constantly saying “Come in to Price Line… dada da for $29.95!” That was great - standing out on the street in Melbourne, with a microphone and a little boom box… I was doing that, and had just started doing stand-up comedy, only early days then. I was also doing a lot of short films and acting classes. Did a few plays, some even in Woop Woop; taking hours to get there! I had done a load of auditions, and finally I got the job on “Home and Away”!

What made you audition for the character ‘Jack Holden’?

The casting director goes to all casting agencies and gives them a brief. They said we need… looks, tall and easy-going, but with a sense a humour… for example. The casting agency knew me quite well by then, and was like “hey, get Paul in here”. I fit the brief to a T. I let my mum read it, and she said “Paul, that’s you!”. It was freaky that as people we have personality traits; you can kind of tell what kind of person they are. I was stoked when I found I got the part of Jack Holden.

Do you have a favourite storyline you have played to date? Why?

Lately it has been the Jack and his new family with Sam and Rorey, just because it’s nice to have a make-believe-son, we get along like a house on fire! It’s nice to have some happiness rather than drama on the show, although we love it for its drama, but it’s nice to smile.

How have you handled the fame from being on Home and Away?

It’s the hardest part in some aspects, you think you can get your head around it, but you never really do. You kind of have to switch off from it a bit. You do definitely desensitize to the joy of it at first, “Oh my God, people recognise me!”. It is a hard thing to take on; you’re never prepared for it. You come quite paranoid about how you look, your actions and what you do, and always being in the public eye in a way, a role model.

Were there any interesting experiences from your audition for ‘Jack Holden’ or any other character?

Definitely the flight to Sydney. I was with two other guys who I was auditioning with. We kept joking about who was going to get the role, because we knew we were down to a very small group. They hadn’t found the guy in Sydney, so they came to Melbourne. The finalists were knocked down to three, and we all knew one of us would get the part. It was so exciting and nerve racking!

Jodi Gordon was at the final audition, and it hit me; this was full on! We flew all the way to Sydney, walked in to the audition which lasted about 6 minutes; if that! We walked out the door, back in the limo, back to the airport, and then straight on to the next plane. It was a sign of what was to come.

Where would you like to be in the next ten years?

Definitely happy and established, but also to be making some films or shows of my own in Australia, which would be fantastic…! To really get the film industry going. I would really like to produce or direct and continue my acting.

Do you have any plans/dreams/accomplishments you want to achieve as an actor or in life?

To play roles that people don’t recognise me in. To do some really intense stuff, like a person with a mental illnesses, or accents, tough guys, rough guys, romantic guys... you name it! Acting in a James Bond film would also be amazing!

When you aren’t filming with Home and Away, what are you doing?

I do quite a lot of interviews and photo shoots. I have also just bought a unit so I’m renovating a little. I also surf, go to the gym, and play the guitar. I’m starting to get in to some music. I used to play quite a bit before I got in to acting… just my own little jingo. I really enjoy music.

All year has been leading up to the Christmas break for you and all the cast of Home and Away. Do you have any plans?

For Christmas I’m going to see mum and dad, who are in Tasmania at the moment building a house. I’m just going to chill out, eat seafood, and go for some jogs in the mountains. I usually party a lot during this time, but I’m going to go do a cooking course, write some stand-up comedy, and make up a film for Tropfest. I’m working on a film called ‘Beach Rules’, an educational DVD for kids and adults. It teaches where to swim at the beach, what not to do, and the basics on how to bodyboard and surf. We have Lara Cox on board, who was on Heartbreak High, and professional Manta bodyboarder; Andrew Lester, who will both be presenters joined by many others for the DVD. So far we have made a pilot, and we’re just pitching it at the moment. It’s very exciting because it was just an idea, and its scary seeing it come to life. It’s taken a long time, but it’s definitely happening.

If you weren’t an actor, what do you think you would be doing?

Probably some kind of sales job… I’ve never done it before, but I think I’d be good at it! I have a degree in Construction, which was kind of what I was doing before I realised I didn’t want to do it for the rest of my life. That was the turning point in which I decided I wanted to become an actor. I would probably be working with my music as well.

Favourite:

Car Company
Probably Holden… but just to support the Jack Holden name! I’m a fan of all cars!

Animal
Dolphins… birds… dogs… cats… I like both dogs and cats.

Food
Sushi and Thai… There is a great Sushi place near my house, that’s where I spend all my money!

Movie
Right now it's probably ‘The Departed’.

Band/Singer
Jack Johnson and Cat Empire have been getting a good old workout on my iPod lately!

Holiday Destination
A haven’t had a holiday in ages! I worked last holidays!

Actor/Actress you’d like to meet
There are so many. I guess some of the big guys who have made it huge; to pick their brains. It would be rude to just pick one!

Final Comment…

Anyone who is considered famous are just people. We’re happy, we’re sad, sometimes we get angry and frustrated. We don’t think we look that good, maybe sometimes we do (hahaha), but life comes in waves, and it goes up and down. I like to use an analogy; when you come to an obstacle in life, try and be like water. Flow over it, or under it, around it, or just seep through it. Don’t let problems get in your way, they are just a challenge. Life is about challenges, and without them it wouldn’t be enjoyable. Enjoy it and embrace it, because when you get through it, that’s when you're really living. Looking back, I think my life was as enjoyable when I was trying to get auditions, as it is now. Only now I eat fine food, stay in some really nice hotels, and have more shoes than I have feet!