Five minutes with … BRYAN BROWN
AFTER FIVE DECADES ON SCREEN, THIS AUSSIE ACTOR IS ADDING A NEW STRING TO HIS BOW
He’s been gracing our screens since the ’70s and now Bryan Brown can add published author to his résumé.
The actor – who has starred in local and international hits such as Two
Hands and Cocktail – has written his rst novel, a collection of short crime stories called Sweet Jimmy.
It’s a project that’s been years in the making.
“I didn’t set out to write a book,” the 74-year-old tells WHO. “I wrote the rst story 35 years ago as a pitch for a lm, which went nowhere, and just placed it in the back of the cupboard,” he explains.
Then, two years ago, the writing bug bit again and Brown found he couldn’t stop himself from telling a few good yarns.
What inspired your stories?
As an actor, I like to examine how a character is formed. I think everybody who writes does so from their experiences in some way. I’ve looked back at people I’ve met along the way and wondered what would happen and where they’d be now if they made some bad choices in life and wrote about it.
How have you kept your uniquely Australian accent despite your time in Hollywood?
Well, I never saw a reason to give it up and no-one asked me to change it. I’ve done so many American movies but never done the accent. There are enough Yanks, they don’t need me.
You’ve worked with everyone from Tom Cruise to Hugh Jackman. When was the last time you were starstruck?
I met Paul McCartney when I played his manager in Give My Regards to Broad Street. Ringo Starr was in it, too, and I did say to myself, “Bryan, these are the bloody Beatles!”
Is there anyone you’d still love to work with?
Most of the actors I’ve come across are terri c people. They just want to do a good job and have worked their butts o to get where they are. Once the director yells “Action”, all actors are the same regardless of how famous they are.
(Sweet Jimmy is out now)