Before landing your role on Neighbours, what sort of acting roles had you had?
I had done a few guest roles on different Aussie TV shows, including a small one on Blue Heelers - my character was called Hugh Grace and in rehearsals one of the leads kept calling my character Hugh Garce - I didn’t get the joke till I reflected on it years later.
What inspired you to pursue acting?
To be honest I always loved being centre of attention and especially making people laugh. My school reports always reflected this. But I never figured that I could actually be one of those kids on the TV shows I watched, until I acted in a video for my Dad's work and the younger kid who played my brother told me to look up an acting agent.
You appeared on the show in 2004 as Braydden Tuffnell, a year 8 student who was asked out by Summer Hoyland. What do you remember about this short time on the show?
I remember finding it to be fantastic fun. I improvised a line about having a fruity bix bar for lunch and for years afterwards kids in the school corridor would yell out 'fruity bix bar' at me.
I had done a few guest roles on different Aussie TV shows, including a small one on Blue Heelers - my character was called Hugh Grace and in rehearsals one of the leads kept calling my character Hugh Garce - I didn’t get the joke till I reflected on it years later.
What inspired you to pursue acting?
To be honest I always loved being centre of attention and especially making people laugh. My school reports always reflected this. But I never figured that I could actually be one of those kids on the TV shows I watched, until I acted in a video for my Dad's work and the younger kid who played my brother told me to look up an acting agent.
You appeared on the show in 2004 as Braydden Tuffnell, a year 8 student who was asked out by Summer Hoyland. What do you remember about this short time on the show?
I remember finding it to be fantastic fun. I improvised a line about having a fruity bix bar for lunch and for years afterwards kids in the school corridor would yell out 'fruity bix bar' at me.
You then returned in 2007 as Riley Parker, the eldest son of the newly arrived Parker family. What was it like becoming a regular character in a new family?
Absolutely fantastic. I had a great time. It was amazing to be getting up every day and doing what I loved, with people who I grew to really love as well. Being able to act regularly without worrying about when the job was going to end, and being able to really explore and build relationships with other characters over time was a real luxury, after only ever having done short gigs.
What did your audition process involve?
I had auditioned for Neighbours a couple of times over the years. I went in for the role of Declan Napier, and got the call asking me to go in for a final round audition for Riley Parker, who they felt I was more suited to. I thought I had messed up the audition, and was really angry with myself on the way home. I threw a rock at a tree. Haha.
Are there any similarities between you and Riley?
We became more similar as time went on, but back then I was pretty closed off emotionally, and so was Riley. We both use humour to put people at ease, we both felt pretty misunderstood by the people around us at that time. We both had secrets. I've sorted mine out and now feel very open and comfortable in my own skin, I hope Riley does too, wherever he is.
What was is like working with Steve Bastoni, Nikki Coghill and Eloise Mignon?
Fantastic, I really loved working with them. We developed a kind of very playful family dynamic off camera, and I just genuinely liked all of them as people. I look forward to catching up with them again, we were in the habit of having regular Parker dinners for a while, but haven't for about at least years.
You also worked closely with Pippa Black and Imogen Bailey, what was that like?
Again, really great. Pippa and Imogen and I have caught up semi regularly when we're in the same country, and I have tremendous respect for both of them. Both Pippa and Imogen do a lot of wonderful advocacy work for animal rights and Imogen for asylum seekers as well. Pippa is one of the funniest people I know and always made me laugh. Imogen is a very warm lovely kind person. I miss them both actually!
Is there anyone else you would have liked to work with?
Not really, I don't really bother with regrets or wanting to have changed the past. I really loved all the people I did work with, and got to do scenes with all cast members at least every now and then.
Absolutely fantastic. I had a great time. It was amazing to be getting up every day and doing what I loved, with people who I grew to really love as well. Being able to act regularly without worrying about when the job was going to end, and being able to really explore and build relationships with other characters over time was a real luxury, after only ever having done short gigs.
What did your audition process involve?
I had auditioned for Neighbours a couple of times over the years. I went in for the role of Declan Napier, and got the call asking me to go in for a final round audition for Riley Parker, who they felt I was more suited to. I thought I had messed up the audition, and was really angry with myself on the way home. I threw a rock at a tree. Haha.
Are there any similarities between you and Riley?
We became more similar as time went on, but back then I was pretty closed off emotionally, and so was Riley. We both use humour to put people at ease, we both felt pretty misunderstood by the people around us at that time. We both had secrets. I've sorted mine out and now feel very open and comfortable in my own skin, I hope Riley does too, wherever he is.
What was is like working with Steve Bastoni, Nikki Coghill and Eloise Mignon?
Fantastic, I really loved working with them. We developed a kind of very playful family dynamic off camera, and I just genuinely liked all of them as people. I look forward to catching up with them again, we were in the habit of having regular Parker dinners for a while, but haven't for about at least years.
You also worked closely with Pippa Black and Imogen Bailey, what was that like?
Again, really great. Pippa and Imogen and I have caught up semi regularly when we're in the same country, and I have tremendous respect for both of them. Both Pippa and Imogen do a lot of wonderful advocacy work for animal rights and Imogen for asylum seekers as well. Pippa is one of the funniest people I know and always made me laugh. Imogen is a very warm lovely kind person. I miss them both actually!
Is there anyone else you would have liked to work with?
Not really, I don't really bother with regrets or wanting to have changed the past. I really loved all the people I did work with, and got to do scenes with all cast members at least every now and then.
Were
there any scenes or stories that you particularly enjoyed, or disliked, filming?
I really enjoyed Pippa and Riley's relationship, and Riley's struggles with his parents. I felt the latter resolved themselves too readily, and it would have been fun and complex to have drawn them out over a longer period. I think relationships don't usually shift so quickly.
A major storyline saw Riley and his (adoptive) aunt Nicola be romantically involved, what did you think about this storyline, particularly since it was considered incest?
It didn't bother me at all at the time, it was fun to film and it was a really complex situation for Riley because he had a girlfriend and he really did not want to hurt anyone. Ultimately he was too weak and he compromised his values, which never feels good for anyone and always has a price. Thinking about it now, if it was an uncle/niece dynamic that never would have flown on PG television so perhaps it reveals a bit of a double standard.
What was it like playing someone who had been adopted at the age of twelve? Was there a mindset you had to get into?
It was really interesting to think about all of that. It wasn't easy for Riley, and the circumstances of his adoption left him feeling unwanted by his parents. I was always very loved by my parents but at that time in my life, I was very distant emotionally from everyone, and so I could identify somewhat with Riley's pain.
What led to your decision to leave the series?
Haha, well it wasn’t my decision! I got told my contract wasn’t going to get picked up at the next option. So all up, I think I spent 11 months on the show. I'm not surprised, I was bad at taking direction back then, and being emotionally cut off meant there was a limited range of emotions available for Riley. Also, because Riley switched from feeling unloved and alone to being quite a normal family man so quickly (at least on the surface), he became less of an interesting and distinctive character.
What did you think about Riley’s exit storyline of moving to the Middle East to become a war correspondent after Bridget discovered his affair with Nicola?
Riley was a really nice guy, but kind of avoided his problems. Instead of being willing to stay and have the difficult conversation with his family, and to apologise and try and understand it, his solution was to run away. It was consistent with his character, and I hope he has learned it’s often not a helpful way of doing things by now.
I really enjoyed Pippa and Riley's relationship, and Riley's struggles with his parents. I felt the latter resolved themselves too readily, and it would have been fun and complex to have drawn them out over a longer period. I think relationships don't usually shift so quickly.
A major storyline saw Riley and his (adoptive) aunt Nicola be romantically involved, what did you think about this storyline, particularly since it was considered incest?
It didn't bother me at all at the time, it was fun to film and it was a really complex situation for Riley because he had a girlfriend and he really did not want to hurt anyone. Ultimately he was too weak and he compromised his values, which never feels good for anyone and always has a price. Thinking about it now, if it was an uncle/niece dynamic that never would have flown on PG television so perhaps it reveals a bit of a double standard.
What was it like playing someone who had been adopted at the age of twelve? Was there a mindset you had to get into?
It was really interesting to think about all of that. It wasn't easy for Riley, and the circumstances of his adoption left him feeling unwanted by his parents. I was always very loved by my parents but at that time in my life, I was very distant emotionally from everyone, and so I could identify somewhat with Riley's pain.
What led to your decision to leave the series?
Haha, well it wasn’t my decision! I got told my contract wasn’t going to get picked up at the next option. So all up, I think I spent 11 months on the show. I'm not surprised, I was bad at taking direction back then, and being emotionally cut off meant there was a limited range of emotions available for Riley. Also, because Riley switched from feeling unloved and alone to being quite a normal family man so quickly (at least on the surface), he became less of an interesting and distinctive character.
What did you think about Riley’s exit storyline of moving to the Middle East to become a war correspondent after Bridget discovered his affair with Nicola?
Riley was a really nice guy, but kind of avoided his problems. Instead of being willing to stay and have the difficult conversation with his family, and to apologise and try and understand it, his solution was to run away. It was consistent with his character, and I hope he has learned it’s often not a helpful way of doing things by now.
You left Neighbours eight years ago, what have you done since moving away from Ramsay Street?
I spend two and a half years over in LA trying to crack it over there, and was back in Australia filming a few TV guest roles every now and then. I studied acting and stand-up comedy and did a bunch of stand up shows over there, which was a childhood dream of mine. I didn't have much success at all acting wise in the states, but really, like everything, I realised upon coming home that it was all about the people I met, the lifelong friendships I forged, the people who helped me and those who I helped. I lost interest in acting 3 years ago, and am one semester away from completing a bachelor of psychology, and aim to go on to postgraduate study to become a psychologist - the thought of which makes me giddy with excitement. I have worked for a few years as a disability support worker which I enjoy.
Are you still in touch with any of your former co-stars?
Tim Phillipps, who currently plays Daniel Robinson on Neighbours, became one of my best friends in the world while we were in the USA together, and he is currently one of my housemates! Matt Werkmeister and I have caught up occasionally, actually on two separate acting gigs I did (despite being retired). Apart from that, I really don't see any of them! Although through Tim, I have become friendly with many of the current cast of the show.
The Parker’s may have moved away from Ramsay Street, but would you ever consider returning to the show? If so, how would you like your character to return?
The thought of acting really doesn't excite me that much anymore. I got so much from it, in terms of wonderful friends and experience, invaluable self-discovery, and I think I've learned most of what I could from it. It was the therapeutic component of an acting course which made me realise both that I had lost the love for acting, and that I really really loved being around people who were going through some kind of inner transformation, especially in relation to responding to trauma. Hence the move to studying mental health.
Were you a fan before joining the show? Do you still watch these days?
I had never really watched it to be honest, now I watch it to see Tim's work, and I reckon he is doing a fantastic job!
Finally, for a show that nearly didn’t make its first anniversary, it’s amazing to see is surpass the 30th anniversary. What do you think is the secret of the ongoing success of Neighbours?
Well I recently went along to the 30th anniversary celebration in Melbourne, and caught up with and reminisced with a lot of my old cast mates. I think Neighbours is very relatable. There is consistency there with characters like Lou, Harold, Dr Karl, Paul Robinson and Susan, but new people coming and going all the time of course. That’s really like life, isn't it? It also visits people every day. A lot of people with disabilities watch neighbours, because they may have less mobility and opportunity than a lot of people, but the residents of Ramsay Street is there every day.
I spend two and a half years over in LA trying to crack it over there, and was back in Australia filming a few TV guest roles every now and then. I studied acting and stand-up comedy and did a bunch of stand up shows over there, which was a childhood dream of mine. I didn't have much success at all acting wise in the states, but really, like everything, I realised upon coming home that it was all about the people I met, the lifelong friendships I forged, the people who helped me and those who I helped. I lost interest in acting 3 years ago, and am one semester away from completing a bachelor of psychology, and aim to go on to postgraduate study to become a psychologist - the thought of which makes me giddy with excitement. I have worked for a few years as a disability support worker which I enjoy.
Are you still in touch with any of your former co-stars?
Tim Phillipps, who currently plays Daniel Robinson on Neighbours, became one of my best friends in the world while we were in the USA together, and he is currently one of my housemates! Matt Werkmeister and I have caught up occasionally, actually on two separate acting gigs I did (despite being retired). Apart from that, I really don't see any of them! Although through Tim, I have become friendly with many of the current cast of the show.
The Parker’s may have moved away from Ramsay Street, but would you ever consider returning to the show? If so, how would you like your character to return?
The thought of acting really doesn't excite me that much anymore. I got so much from it, in terms of wonderful friends and experience, invaluable self-discovery, and I think I've learned most of what I could from it. It was the therapeutic component of an acting course which made me realise both that I had lost the love for acting, and that I really really loved being around people who were going through some kind of inner transformation, especially in relation to responding to trauma. Hence the move to studying mental health.
Were you a fan before joining the show? Do you still watch these days?
I had never really watched it to be honest, now I watch it to see Tim's work, and I reckon he is doing a fantastic job!
Finally, for a show that nearly didn’t make its first anniversary, it’s amazing to see is surpass the 30th anniversary. What do you think is the secret of the ongoing success of Neighbours?
Well I recently went along to the 30th anniversary celebration in Melbourne, and caught up with and reminisced with a lot of my old cast mates. I think Neighbours is very relatable. There is consistency there with characters like Lou, Harold, Dr Karl, Paul Robinson and Susan, but new people coming and going all the time of course. That’s really like life, isn't it? It also visits people every day. A lot of people with disabilities watch neighbours, because they may have less mobility and opportunity than a lot of people, but the residents of Ramsay Street is there every day.
Interviewed June 2015