As actors, we strive to attain regular work, and as our careers, progress over the years, hopefully, become remembered and admired for our work. We start out learning our craft, seek out like-minded individuals and explore and create endless possibilities. We learn how to ‘act naturally’: The subtle art of learning how to act without looking like you’re acting. I like to think of it as ‘having a conversation’. One of the hardest things to overcome for most thespians is how to become vulnerable.

That aside, time goes by from the time you enrol in your first acting workshop or school, to getting your first agent. You prepare for that one great role that’s going to launch your career into the stratosphere. Thing is, you don’t know what it is or when it’s coming. Sure you envisage playing an astronaut alongside Matt Damon in ‘The Martian 2 – Spudnik Returns’ but the reality is, is that if you grew up never having a job, still living with Mummy and Daddy until you were 30, chances are your first role is going to be of a dole bludger.

You see your first roles will 9 times out of 10 be what your own life experiences reflect. You will get trusted to portray characters you know. So if being a sponge to your parents is all you’ve done in life, don’t be surprised if your first role is for a ‘spoiled lazy fuckwit’ or ‘the wanker in the basement’. That said, good on you if you did book one of those types of roles. Maybe just question why that’s the only thing you ever get cast for 20 years down the track… that said if you can book work in this industry constantly for 20 years in those roles and make a living from it, who gives a shit. Just don’t be spoiled fuckwit about it.

My experiences saw me start out in roles such as Security guards, Police, Wardens, Thugs, Dads and family Dad roles. When the trust level comes about and you prove that you are capable of taking on and exploring larger roles, casting directors and agencies won’t hesitate to put your name into the mix. By then if you’re pumping out great work, your name will already be there.

So basically its actually a good thing that we get cast in roles that we would understand and can bring a part of ourselves into the role. It is an expensive road booking an actor for a role and paying them for months to research and prepare for a role mentally and physically.

I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of my heroes, sharing screen time with them. Good talking roles. Then along comes a role like this; ‘The BBQ Dad’. This role I could really dig my heels into, actually more like my teeth into, I did eat a lot of sausages! Thankfully, I needed absolutely zero preparation for this baby, nada, zip!

“How the hell is that possible Stevo?” I hear you ask. Good question. Did I get put up for the job because of my background as a  professional cook? Was it because of my ability to go method like Daniel Day-Lewis and live and breathe the life of a football dad on bbq duty? Maybe it was just because I’m a jolly-looking fucker with good teeth.

THE ISUZU D-MAX and MUX Campaign – The Wayman’s Family

Great cast and crew, which always makes it easy to get through the day.  A very enjoyable day on set. I always marvel at the speed the crew get between shots, even in this day and age of digital cameras. Josh Fisk (Mr Wayman) top guy, funny as. Would enjoy working with that cheeky bugger again for sure. It’s awesome when you can get on well with the other folk’s onset (I’ve never had a problem) makes for a long day otherwise. All up, it was a good gig, but…

I’ll be fucked, I’ve been in the acting industry for a decade and out of all my credits, friends and family seem to have just caught on that I do this for a living. When this campaign hit the screens (for those not familiar, they’re the TVC’s that use Fleetwood Macs hit song ‘Go Your Own Way’) my facebook feed and Instagram feeds and message banks started getting more hits than Chuck Wepners face from Muhammed Ali fists. People texting and messaging that they just saw me on TV. People taking screenshots and sending them to me. Funny bastards!

That was the general messaging for a while. Now don’t get me wrong, it was cool having people getting a kick out of what they saw me do. But the thing is quite a lot of my friends, whom I thought knew what I did for a living, apparently, don’t. I now feel like I’m on par with Chandler Bing from TV show ‘Friends’. Which made me wonder, did they think I was telling them to bullshit all those years? Heads up people, I’m an actor, not a liar.                                                                                                                Me and ‘Mr Wayman’ Josh Fisk

 

Anyway, with all the fun and banter soon came the misquotes. Now look I’m no diva, and I’m not being pedantic, but when I have mates draw reference to an ad that I’m in whereupon I have ONE line, I’m just saying maybe its best to quote the exact line or I’m not going to have a fucking clue what you’re talking about.

Mate: “Hey dude didn’t know you could cook”   Me: “I’ve cooked for you plenty of times”

Mate: “Hey man, would ya like a steak?”    Me: “I’m good, I’m eating one”

Mate: “Hey bro, want a sausage?”    Me: “I’m flattered, but I don’t think of you that way”

Mate: “Those sausages look a bit burnt Loony”    Me: “fuck off, they’re char marks”

Now like I said, I only had one line in this ad, and the line is “Hey Dave, fancy a snag?” I think it’s funny that it gets misquoted. Almost like the Mandela Effect, it feels reminiscent of the ‘Mr Fuck You Man’ in Eddie Murphy’s ‘Raw’

End of the day whether there be misquotes or jibs and jibes, I do enjoy the piss takes. I always get a kick out of being recognised in a positive way for my work in whatever I’m doing. It is nice to bring a little bit of joy to someone’s day and make them forget about the mundane shit. I will always be grateful to do this acting gig for a living. It beats the shit out of sweating your arse off digging holes in the hot sun.

BTW, I knew all those Saturday mornings at Bunnings getting sausage sanga’s for breakfast would pay off. Here’s to the next TVC!

 

YOU CAN GO YOUR OWN WAY!