A Quick Chat With Liam McIntyre
Australian actor Liam McIntyre, star of SPARTACUS – VENGEANCE (yes, that’s right, we are chatting with Spartacus) took some time out of his busy schedule to answer AussieTheatre’s 20 questions…
1. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an artist! A great one like Botticelli, or Rembrandt, or Renoir… certainly not an actor!! That, that never really panned out.
2. Who is the most important person in the world to you?
I’ll never pick one – My parents, my partner, my best friend and my step dad. I wouldn’t be who I am without any of them.
3. What animal best represents you and why?
A Labrador – loyal, thoughtful, fun and protective. I don’t yet know any animals that play computer games however.
4. If you were a contestant on Deal or No Deal, how much would you need to be on offer before you walked away?
I’m more of a Millionaire guy, I’m a nut for trivia. In that game, probably $125,000, I hate quitting, but also, you gotta know when you’re beat!
5. What was the first piece of theatre/film/TV you ever appeared in and how old were you?
I was in a gem called ‘Did you hear the one about the Irishman’. A one act play. It was a debacle. I was 21, and didn’t know any better.
6. Windows or MAC?
Windows, oh sweet god Windows.
7. Favourite food?
Chocolate Mousse. I really miss it. A lot.
8. Who is the actor you would most like to work alongside?
Daniel Day Lewis. I love other actors arguably more (Sir Ian McKellan, Brad Pitt…) but as far as fundamentally earth shattering work, that guy is the master.
9. What five songs would be the first you put a mix tape?
I Want to Hold Your Hand – The Beatles
While My Guitar Gently Weeps – The Beatles
The Four Horseman – Metallica
California Love – Tupac and Dr Dre
When You Wish Upon a Star – Erin Hasan
10. What is the best thing about theatre in Australia?
The accessibility. At an amateur level there’s a great network of community theatres where you can hone your craft and perform truly memorable roles, and there’s fantastic resources like STC and MTC where legendary actors perform on a regular basis, and we have one of the worlds’ best fringe and independent theatre industries as well with Short and Sweet, the Adelaide Fringe and countless others.
11. What’s the worst thing about theatre in Australia?
As you move up, it can be harder and harder to be seen. Australia can be scared of casting new talent. And great Australian written theatre isn’t as easy to access as it should be.
12. Name one moment when you looked around, breathed happily and felt content.
When I had returned home after being overseas, and realised I had the job of my dreams, the girl of a lifetime and was surrounded by friends.
13. Where is the most interesting place you have travelled?
Rome. That place is incredible. History that sounds made up intermingles with modern life in a way that is simply surreal. What a beautiful, crazy place.
14. Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?
Difficult. Probably Samuel L Jackson. That dude is stupidly cool.
15. Most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to you onstage?
Ha. Besides having to perform a song about sperm donation early in my career, then probably lying face down in the mud in a forest in south Victoria realising that a monologue from act one was turning into a monologue from act five and not having any control over it cause I was magically asleep. And then improvising through the hilarious consequences. Ah Shakespeare.
16. What’s your life motto?
Work as hard as you have to to be happy.
17. What’s your favourite post-show snack?
Previously Pringles, currently, er…a protein shake?
18. What’s your biggest phobia?
The Dark. Yuck. And Spiders. They suck too.
19. What is the worst date you’ve ever had?
Being young. Being asked to walk a girl home, asked upstairs, and not realising why. Then leaving nervously. Awkward.
20. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Jesus. Hopefully still working, hopefully still happy. That’d be enough for me. Or being James Bond. That’d be fine too.
Spartacus Vengeance will air on GO! in Australia this year.
