DAMIEN GARVEY
He’s appeared in a swag of local shows such as Jack Irish, Harrow and Rake, playing politician Cal Mcgregor. What will conniving Cal get up to in the series finale (Sun., Oct. 7 at 8.40pm; ABC)? The 53-year-old actor, next seen in Netflix’s Tidelands, gives WHO the scoop.
Rake is coming to an end. Cal really has been on a roller-coaster ride over the series, hasn’t he? He’s had many twists and turns over his career. His first love is politics, that’s where he started. So, when given the opportunity this season, he jumped at going back to it. Was Cal modelled on anyone? Very early on, [co-creator] Peter [Duncan] had suggested a few old-time Labor politicians; very staunch, backroom operators. But Cal’s personality seemed to grow over time and unfortunately there are a few politicians out there you can take ideas from. So he became an amalgam of the not-so-good parts of the political system. Because this season has centred on the world of politics, do you think it feels like a different show? It’s a different dynamic. It’s very interesting and, given what’s happening in politics at the moment, we may be up for a best documentary award, you never know.
You worked on Chinese science-fiction film Bleeding Steel starring Jackie Chan. What was that like? We were in Beijing for 12 days and that was just amazing. You’re working in a different film industry with different rules and regulations and a different way of communicating. Often, the assistant directors would be acting out my role so I was aware of what I was supposed to be doing. I had one scene with Jackie – he’s a calm man and very pleasant. You were a latecomer to acting, playing in Brisbane bands in the ’80s and early ’90s, right? Yes, I was the angry young singer. I probably had a mullet. I played in an outfit called Neighbourhood Unit and another called the Tellers. We would play at shows with Powderfinger and Keith Urban. Could you tell Keith would be big? As a guitarist and singer, Keith was a step above the rest. He really had his chops down at a very young age.