Steve playing ‘a not very nice person at all’ in Last Train to Freo
A movie called ‘Broke’ is currently being filmed right here in Gladstone! And, oddly enough, it’s not based on my financial history.
I did score a small part though, after the producers misheard a comment from a mate who had described me as a ‘full on bit of an artist’.
So, as ‘Walking Customer #2 at the service station’, my dazzling four seconds of acting bought a depth to the role that was slightly deeper than the paper it was written on.
Although my best acting was done behind the scenes when I pretended to be assisting the caterers; but was actually Hoovering up all the good snacks.
In between scoffing down free food and thumbing through the expensive magazines in the service station, I caught up with the nice folk who were making the film; usually just after they’d asked me, “Who are you? And why are you drinking my coffee?!”
The lead actor, Steve le Marquand, plays a down and out ex-footballer living on Gladstone’s streets, and he’s captured the role so perfectly that when he wandered over to introduce himself, I growled, “Shove off pal, these sandwiches are for the cast and crew!”
Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one fooled.
Apparently several passing locals also offered Steve money and food during filming and he was so impressed by our local generosity that he declared, “If I ever end up living on the streets, then I’m definitely doing it here in Gladstone. It’s warm, and the locals give you stuff!”
At this point I politely asked him not to spread this around when he got home.
Filming wraps up in a couple of weeks’ time, and if you’d like to meet one of the stars, just look for a broke looking bloke ‘assisting’ the caterers.
