Don Christopher says his devoted parents were willing to put everything on the line, including their house, to further his tennis career. But he decided that, unlike his former tennis partner, he didn't have the passion to succeed in the sport. He admits that before getting into the National Institute of Dramatic Art, there was a time -- particularly when he would read about Hewitt's latest victory -- that he wondered whether he made the right decision. Now, on his first major television project alongside William McInnes, Colin Friels and Stephen Curry, he's certain his instincts served him well.
‘‘To get this part is great because I thought it was going to be a long struggle to find work after graduating (from NIDA),'' he says. ‘‘I was ready for some hard yakka before I got anywhere; to spend years doing auditions. ‘‘It's really nice to get this. I have loved movies ever since I was a little kid.'' Christopher says he felt particularly thrilled to find himself co-starring with former Water Rats star Friels, but was very nervous about doing the first scene with him.
Christopher says working on The Informant took a bit of adjustment after his NIDA training. At NIDA, he says, you are encouraged to learn and refine techniques for stage acting. Just as he was growing accustomed to the grander gestures, overt facial expressions and the loud, clear speaking voice required to make an impression on stage, The Informant role came along and he had to reassess his technique.
The Informant stars McInnes as Richard Button, who, to his children, is just a daggy dad who's trying to navigate his way through family life and financial worries. But Button is enigmatic -- a man whose life is under the microscope every second of every day as a secret informant for the Australian Serious Crime Agency (ASCA). Button is living a double life -- family man one minute, crime-stopper the next. Christopher is ASCA agent Jim Sivilich and the cast also features Curry as ‘‘grumpy copper'' Simon Ford, Anita Hegh as Button's wife Christine, Friels as ‘‘strong, direct, cop'' Doug Lamont and Leeanna Walsman as surveillance agent Heidi Oliver ‘‘For all intents and purposes, Richard Button and his wife Christine have all the hassles of trying to pay off credit cards and make ends meet as well as trying to solve major corporate crime and murders,'' McInnes says. ‘‘As a piece of entertainment, I think it's a terrific concept.''
The Informant, M. Channel 10, Friday, 8.30pm Home-grown drama Duration: 2 hours
Don Christopher and William McInnes in The Informant.
Siobhan Duck
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24645448-5006022,00.html
November 13, 2008 12:00am
