‘IT’S AN UNGLAMOROUS SEX AND THE CITY !’
The Kiwi actor wrote and stars in Homebound 3.0, screening 9pm Thursdays on Three
What was the inspiration behind
Homebound 3.0?
I had just turned 30 and was living at home with my parents after quitting my law job to pursue this acting thing again. Then I looked around me and noticed a lot of other people I knew were also moving home for various reasons. So I thought maybe this could be the premise for an unglamorous Sex And The City, where instead of being single, 30 and living it up in NYC, they are single, 30 and living with their parents in West Auckland.
What do your family and friends think of the show?
My mum and dad have had a sneak peek of the rough cuts for the first two episodes. Afterwards, they were like, “This show’s basically just a piss-take of us, right?” And I replied, “Yeah, pretty much!”
They love it. My dad’s been badgering me about why he wasn’t cast as Dad in the show. Maybe he can be an extra if we get a season two.
Are they excited to watch the show?
I think my mum will probably be more excited about me being in Woman’s Day. She runs a little newsagency in Sydney with my dad and religiously keeps up with all the goss on the royals, and how many times Brad and Angelina have split up and remarried. Too bad this isn’t going to be in Australia, but I think she’ll still appreciate the copy I send her!
Do you have any funny anecdotes from filming?
I was pretty bad when it came to the giggles on set. Every time [co-star] Aaron McGregor did anything, I was gone. I’m pretty sure I’ve ruined some of his best takes because the shaking from my supressed laughter was so bad.
Most famous celebrity you’ve ever met?
Probably Frances McDormand while I was volunteering at a theatre company in New York. I didn’t know who she was at the time because I never saw Fargo, but people assured me she was like famous-famous!
Do you have any exciting plans for the future?
The main character in Homebound wants to escape to South America permanently to become a Patagonian cowboy. If we get a season two, I might book a one-way ticket there under the guise of “research” and do my own version of The Motorcycle Diaries… but without all the killing and revolution stuff.