"Bran Nue Dae", based on the play of the same name, tells of a young man (Rocky McKenzie) who is filled with the life of the tranquil old pearling port Broome - fishing, hanging out with his mates and his girl. However his mother returns him to the religious mission for further schooling. After being punished for an act of youthful rebellion, he runs away from the mission on a journey that ultimately leads him back home. Clint Morris caught up with newcomer McKenzie, as well as musicians cum actors Jessica Mauboy and Dan Sultan, to discuss the effervescent new movie musical.
Now, I was supposed to be at Broome for the Premiere....
Jessica: Yeah, I noticed you weren't there.
I have a two-year-old, and just couldn't, for the life of me, find anyone to take care of her for those couple of days I'd be away. My wife is a scientist, working long hours, so she's unable to take time off. But hey, thems the breaks! What did I miss? How was it?
Jessica : Oh, it was great! The whole town was there - they were all really excited!
They would be, because the entire movie was filmed there, right?
Dan : Most of it. But we did shoot some stuff in Perth.
One of the publicists on the film is a good friend of mine, and I recall getting an email from her, the week of the premiere, about 11pm at night, saying it was like 45 degrees... still! Same on the shoot?
Jessica : Yeah, yeah. It was really hot - especially considering what Dan and I had to wear.
Rocky : I was Ok.
Jessica : Yeah, you were Ok because you got to wear nothing but shorts and T-Shirts for the duration of the shoot! [Laughs]
Dan : We were filming between the Dry and the Wet Season. They don't get much rain down there, so it was pretty damn hot. But it wasn't too bad. You could live with it.
How did you guys get involved in the film?
Rocky : I got into it through school.
But I heard you weren't so much into acting, as you were football?
Rocky : Yeah, I was at the football academy. And that's where I found out about the movie. The producer, director and choreographer came in and wanted to meet some of the guys. Me and about 30 other kids tested for the role. I got a call back and did numerous auditions. I ended up getting the part.
And I imagine you're now the talking of the town?
Rocky : [smiling] yeah
Jessica : Rocky! Rockkkkky! Rockkky! Look over here! [Laughs]
You can start charging for autographs soon, mate!
Rocky : That's right.
And what about you Jess, how did you end up in the film? Audition process?
Jessica : I knew the director, Rachel Perkins -we'd met at The Deadlys. And she asked me to come in and audition. I wasn't really confident about it.
I said 'are you sure? I've never done anything like this before'. But she insisted, and I thought I'd give it a shot. And hey, the film sounded fun - I'd get to act, sing... and dance!
What did the audition involve? Singing?
Jessica : Not so much; it was mainly just reading the script.
I suppose they know you can sing - they want to see if you can act!
Jessica : Yeah, it's more about that.
I have a friend who is on the TV series ‘'Glee'', which is of course a musical, and he says just how much tougher it is to work on a show like that - what with the hours and hours of singing rehearsals and choreography that's required - than it's been to work on the other umpteen series he's done. Did you find ‘'Bran Nue Dae'' a similar experience? Grueling?
Jessica : [Glee] would be tough. I actually found this.... Kinda relaxing.
Yeah but like, how many weeks beforehand were you rehearsing?
Dan : It took some time. But it was more just going through the script, working out with Rachel what worked and what doesn't, more so than rehearsing.
And how was it rehearsing, and working with, industry greats like Geoffrey Rush and Ernie Dingo?
Dan : Oh, it was cool. They were just so supportive.
Jessica : Yeah, they really were.
Dan : They spent a lot of time with us. There were bugger-all egos - I don't know whether it would've been any different working in another city with some of these guys, but I doubt it. Everyone just checked their egos at the door. They didn't even check ‘em, they just forget ‘em.
That's great!
Dan : And I also spent some time with [actor] David Field, who isn't in the movie, but is somewhat of a mentor of mine. So there was plenty of support.
Did you feel the pressure though - knowing you'd be sharing the screen with Oscar Winner Geoffrey Rush?
Jessica : Initially yeah...
Dan : But then you realize the most important thing is just to do a good job, and not to think about that. No need to stress. I just found myself trying to take as much in as I could, and learn from [Geoffrey and the other notable cast members] as much as possible. It's like any job, it's good to have mentors and more experienced people around, but at the same time your main goal is to make sure you do the best job possible.
Were you all familiar with the play?
Dan : Not really.
Jessica : I wasn't either. I'd heard of it, but I didn't know much about it - didn't even know it was set in Broome.
Rocky : I didn't know it, but my olds knew it.
I saw the play - which I believe, also featured Ernie Dingo as Tadpole - in Year 12; we down to Melbourne to see it for Drama Class.
Dan : Yeah, right. I knew there was a play called Bran Nue Day, but I didn't know anything about it. Yeah, Ernie was in that original play.
Musicals are all the rage again, right now. Are you fans of the genre?
Jessica : Yeah, I am, definitely. I grew up with them - The Sound of Music...
Do you like ‘'Across the Universe''?
Jessica: Yeah! I have that!
I enjoy it - but find it a bit sluggish.
Jessica : It is a long show!
Dan : there's some good ones, but there's some bad ones. I really like Oh, Brother Where Art Thou.
Something a little more non-traditional...
Dan : Yeah. But, I have to admit, I don't particularly like musicals. I don't have anything against them, they're just not really for me. It's not like my mates see a musical playing, and immediately think to themselves ‘Oh, Dan!' [Laughs]
We haven't done a lot of Aussie musicals - ‘'Moulin Rouge''...
Dan : Priscilla - which is another one of those which is a bit odd, and non-traditional. We don't seem to do the straight-up musical here; we always make them a bit quirky and different.
There was ‘'The Pirate Movie''. Do any of you remember that!?
Jessica : No!?
It came out in.... I think, 1980. I remember seeing it at the Drive-In. It had Christopher Atkins and Kristy McNicol in it. It was a very, very campy musical.
Jessica : Oh god, The Pirate Movie! [Laughs]
It's probably really bad now. I haven't seen it since I was a whipper-snapper. But that was intended to be the big be-all-and-end-all Aussie musical back in the day...
Dan : The Pirate Movie - I will have to check that out!
Jessica : (adopting Pirate voice) Aaaarrrh!
Have you got the bug for acting now?
Jessica : Yeah, I wouldn't mind doing something else. But my immediate concern is working on my new album.
And you Dan?
Dan : I don't know, man. I've been thinking lately, sometimes I wish I didn't do this job. I sometimes wish I could just have a normal nine-to-five job where I could just clock in and clock out, and be done with it. I'm always on the road with this job - I never see my family, can't hold down a relationship... it screws up your life. But, we can't help what we're passionate about can we?
True. Yeah, but I think what people don't understand is that any job in the arts, whether it might seem so on the outside, isn't as easy as it looks. It's now all glamour.
Dan : That's right. It's a bloody lot of flying here and there and everywhere. I shouldn't be complaining, but... it's exhausting. So many mates like to say, ‘You're very lucky doing what you do, Dan'. They don't get it though. They don't see the work that goes into it. But you know what? All it takes is someone to say to tell you that they enjoyed your performance, or they enjoyed your movie, and that makes it all worth it.
‘'Happy Feet 2'' is coming up - surely there are roles that need filling in that? I'm sure Magda Szubanski (who has a cameo in "Bran Nue Dae") will be in it. She can get you in the door!
Jessica : Yeah, I bet she will be - she was in the first one.
Dan : Magda is great. I wish I could've spent more time with her. She wasn't on the film for long. I talked to her at a party though.
Speaking of partying, what was it like down in Broome? Did you guys hit the pub at night?
Dan : Not really - if only because we didn't want anything to happen to Jessica or Missy [Higgins]. Wasn't so much worried about myself. But it's mostly blokes in there, and they get a bit rowdy, so we tended to stay away.
BRAN NUE DAE commences January 14th across Australia
