I think there are more Australians making it in Hollywood... we have a fantastic reputation for having a great work ethic.
I'm from Australia, where the film industry is potent but small.
In 'A Few Best Men,' I play a lesbian character. I played the lesbian sister of the bride who ends up kissing a dude at the end, but she was, like, a full-on lesbian in that. And I beat out famous Australian lesbians for the role.
In L.A. Confidential, it was great to surprise the audience with Guy Pearce and Russell Crowe - two Australian actors that they didn't know at all - and let people discover them through the course of the film.
Like every Aussie actor, I'd rather be working here; it's just we've all been forced to go to the States. Business-wise, as an actor, it's more lucrative, and there's also a lot more of it there.
It seems that people are tired of everyone looking the same on television. And this seems especially true for white people. Even white people are tired of watching the same white people. That's why we've been importing them from Australia.
You don't leave Australia unless you are passionate. Any Australian actor who comes to America is really committed. There are no dabblers - it's all or nothing.
What's funny is that there's a lot of great Australian actors in American movies but you don't often hear them do their Australian, original accent.
I don't know that many Australian actors in Los Angeles, but there are a few of us. I mean, we kind of get together occasionally, but I wouldn't say it's an alliance or anything like that.
Hollywood is the place to be for actors - and there's just a big rush when an Australian comes over just because there's less of them. I guess that's just how it is. Like if you pick a pink jellybean out of a jar of green ones it'd be amazing, but if you pick a green one, no one will care.
I think it’s because there's quite a few of us now but because we’re less frequent than American actors - because Hollywood is the place to be for actors - and there's just a big rush when an Australian comes over just because there's less of them. I guess that's just how it is. Like if you pick a pink jellybean out of a jar of green ones it’d be amazing, but if you pick a green one, no one will care.
I'd love to be on an Australian show and in Australian cinemas - they've really picked up their game.
The comforting thing for Australian actors is that there's a strong community in L.A. as well - it's almost like you swap one home for another. I didn't feel any pressure.
Money is tighter now, with the advertising dollar spread a lot more thinly across a whole range of media because of the Internet. It means the television networks have less power to produce shows, and TV is where most Australian actors make their money.
I seem to have a soft spot in my heart for Australia and Australian actors. After having worked with one in 'Cinderella' and a multitude of them in 'Cats,' I've wanted the opportunity to actually perform 'down under.'
