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Tributes for Melbourne millionaire who passed away at just 48

<p>Melbourne rich-lister and property tycoon Jonathan Hallinan has passed away, aged 48, after a lengthy battle with cancer.</p> <p>Tributes are pouring in for the entrepreneur who left a lasting mark on the industry as well as on the hearts of Melbourne’s elite.</p> <p>The founder and managing director of BPM Corporation had hoped to be part of a cancer drug trial, but was given the bad news just days before he passed at Royal Melbourne Hospital on March 23, his wife Mikka said.</p> <p>Hallinan had been battling with bone marrow cancer for two years after a bone marrow transplant in 2021.</p> <p>Mikka shared the news of his death, confirming he died as a “crazy thunderstorm” passed over Melbourne.</p> <p>“Three days ago, his doctor broke it to him that with a bacterial bug, chest infection, fevers of 39C+ and overall unwellness from the level of his disease in his body, he wouldn’t be making the drug trial he was aiming for,” she said.</p> <p>“There was such a crazy thunderstorm yesterday morning in Melbourne. The darkest thunder and lightning, out of nowhere and as fast as it arrived, it left a clear sky behind.</p> <p>“If you saw it, know it was the sky announcing to the heavens that Jonathan Hallinan was coming. Jonnie passed in the storm yesterday morning. In his own words, Jonnie said he was going home.”</p> <p>In December 2022, Hallinan wrote of his “latest setback”.</p> <p>“Recovery is taking absolutely all the strength I’ve got left, and I have nothing to give anyone else,” he wrote.</p> <p>“It is important for me to preserve all remaining energy for myself and my family.”</p> <p>Hallinan, who came in at 199 in Australia’s Richest 250 in 2019, with a reported net worth of $650 million, had only two days to share “beautiful goodbyes with his close family, kids and I,” Mikka said.</p> <p>Hallinan had two sons and a daughter, Estelle, who emphasised his lengthy hard-fought battle with cancer, taking to Instagram to share an emotional tribute “I already miss you so much, Dad. I know how hard you fought these past few years, and I’m so proud of you. I will always love you so much.</p> <p>Tributes flowed from fellow industry players and Melbourne’s elite.</p> <p>“Deeply saddened by this news,” <em>Wog Boys</em> actor and comedian Nick Giannopoulos wrote.</p> <p>“Jonathon was a fighter and incredibly brave — he fought it until he could not fight it anymore. A real gentleman. A good bloke. A very generous man who loved and adored his family and close friends. Rest in peace, Jonathon,” he said.</p> <p>Fellow property developer Diana Cassar wrote, “With you gone, our industry, and the world as a whole, have lost one of the most remarkable minds, an unstoppable achiever and one of the most creative leaders I’ve happened to meet on my way here in Melbourne.”</p> <p>“I will never forget that beautiful smile and charisma that would light up a room. The most kind and generous soul,” Vogue writer Emmaleine Savio said.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CqKZvb4vWAI/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CqKZvb4vWAI/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Mikka Hallinan (@mikkahendra)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p> Actress Natassia Halabi shared an emotional tribute, writing, “We’re going to miss him beyond words. So beautiful being witness to his relationship with you and his kids. His legacy will forever live on with you guys.”</p> <p>“So privileged to have been your friend. Thanks for the wonderful memories that will last a lifetime. I will never forget you and how much you meant to me, my good mate.” Hallinan’s friend Carl Charambous wrote.</p> <p>Reality TV personality from season three of <em>The Bachelor</em>, Sam Wood wrote in reference to Hallinan’s passing during the intense thunderstorm.</p> <p>“Oh I felt it. Both the storm and the impact. What an incredible man,” he said.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Marvel star arrested for assault

<p>Jonathan Majors has been arrested for assault in New York after allegedly choking his girlfriend.</p> <p>The <em>Ant-Man</em> star is “completely innocent” and is the victim of the domestic dispute his lawyer claimed.</p> <p>“We are quickly gathering and presenting evidence to the district attorney with the expectation that all charges will be dropped imminently,” Priya Chaudhry, Majors’ criminal defence lawyer, said in a statement, <em>The New York Post</em> reported.</p> <p>“This evidence includes video footage from the vehicle where this episode took place, witness testimony from the driver and others who both saw and heard the episode, and most importantly, two written statements from the woman recanting these allegations,” his lawyer’s statement continued, adding that Majors’ girlfriend had been recently hospitalised for an “emotional crisis”.</p> <p>Majors, 33, had featured in a series of recruitment ads for the US Army which have since been scrapped after the news of his arrest.</p> <p>“The US Army is aware of the arrest of Jonathan Majors and we are deeply concerned by the allegations surrounding his arrest. We recently released two ads in which Mr. Majors appears. While Mr. Majors is innocent until proven guilty, prudence dictates that we pull our ads until the investigation into these allegations is complete.”</p> <p>Police arrested Majors on Saturday, 25 March in a Manhattan apartment after officers responded to an emergency call.</p> <p>The police determined the 33-year-old had been in a domestic dispute with an unnamed 30-year-old woman who sources claimed was his girlfriend.</p> <p>The woman, who told authorities she had been assaulted suffered minor injuries to her head and neck.</p> <p>Police took the girlfriend to hospital and arrested Majors.</p> <p>The Marvel star was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court later that day on six counts of third-degree assault, three counts of third-degree attempted assault and two counts of harassment.</p> <p>Majors was released by a judge and was told he must return to court on May 8.</p> <p>Sources told <em>TMZ</em> that the actor got into an argument with his girlfriend in a taxi on the way home from a bar in Brooklyn when she confronted him about another woman texting him.</p> <p>He became upset, then allegedly grabbed her hand and slapped her, according to <em>TMZ</em>.</p> <p>The woman claims Majors also put his hands around her neck, and they had spent the night apart before she notified police in the morning, <em>TMZ</em> said.</p> <p>Majors was set to appear in various Marvel projects over the next few years as the main villain, Kang the Conqueror, with a notable release already under his belt, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, where he co-starred with actor, Paul Rudd.</p> <p>He had also wrapped up filming for the second season of Marvel’s <em>Loki</em>.</p> <p>Majors is not new to the screen, previously appearing in <em>Creed III</em> and HBO series <em>Lovecraft Country</em>, Spike Lee movie <em>Da 5 Bloods</em>, and the acclaimed film, <em>The Last Black Man in San Francisco</em>.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

News

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Chrissie, Sam & Browny to leave popular breakfast show

<p dir="ltr">Nova’s breakfast show program featuring Chrissie Swan, Sam Pang and Jonathan ‘Browny’ Brown will stop airing at the end of the year after a huge seven years.</p> <p dir="ltr">The trio announced the bombshell news to listeners on Friday morning - just hours after their colleague <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/kate-ritchie-taking-a-break-from-radio-gig" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kate Richie</a> revealed that she is stepping back from the spotlight of her Nova FM show.</p> <p dir="ltr">Chrissie, Sam &amp; Browny’s last show will air on December 2 after their show sat on the #1 FM or #2 FM Melbourne breakfast show 19 times since it launched back in 2015. </p> <p dir="ltr">This has now raised questions on whether or not Chrissie will be spending more time on The Project next year after <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/carrie-bickmore-breaks-down-as-she-shares-huge-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carrie Bickmore leaves the show</a> at the end of the year. </p> <p dir="ltr">Chrissie however will not be leaving the Nova Network entirely saying she is excited for her new adventure. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved professionally and personally since we first met in 2015 – especially the last few years as we all kept each other afloat during the pandemic,” she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m thrilled to now put a bow on the absolute gift of the Chrissie, Sam &amp; Browny experience and am looking forward to a new adventure with Nova.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Sam also said he is looking forward to “sleeping in” after years of waking up early to host the radio show. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s been a privilege doing breakfast radio in my hometown. I’ve loved my time at Nova and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved in the show over the past seven years,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I would especially like to thank the listeners for their support. It has been a wonderful experience. I’ve made some life-long friends and feel very lucky to have worked with such an amazing team.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Jonathan however will remain at the network as he continues to work with the Fox Footy team.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When the opportunity presented itself to work alongside Chrissie, Sam and Deano seven years ago it cemented my family’s decision to make the move to Melbourne and start a new chapter post-footy,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve shared some life-changing moments with our listeners and the team have become like family to me. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m grateful to the Nova family and our listeners for the opportunities in both Brisbane and Melbourne over the past 17 years and finish up feeling proud of what we’ve created together.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Nova</em></p>

TV

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Child actor becomes police chief in town he filmed in

<p dir="ltr">The child actor who starred in <em>Jaws</em> has become the police chief of the same town the movie was filmed. </p> <p dir="ltr">Jonathan Searle played a small role in the popular movie in 1974 and almost 50 years later has funnily enough been named the police chief of Oak Bluffs, a town on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts. </p> <p dir="ltr">Having been a member of the town’s police force since 1985, Searle was promoted as chief on May 16 following a 3-1 with two other candidates. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m finding the whole thing quite funny myself!”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m clearly elated and I’m humbled and honored to have been offered the position,” he told Vineyard Gazette.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s something I’ve been working toward my whole career.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Universal</em></p>

Movies

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‘Queer Eye’ star's haircare range now available

<p dir="ltr">Jonathan Van Ness, Queer Eye’s expert on haircare and personal grooming, has taken his hugely successful clean haircare brand to Australia and New Zealand.</p> <p dir="ltr">Van Ness launched JVN Hair in mid-2021 in US Sephora stores, partnering with biotechnology company Amyris to create the range of 11 haircare products that aren’t gendered and can be mixed and matched.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Netflix star, who has worked as a hairstylist for 15 years, told <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/face-body/queer-eye-star-jonathan-van-ness-launches-jvn-hair-in-australia/news-story/876b46da5732bc09bcc7a5368c3cd406" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em> that he used his experience to create a product for “everyone” that targets common hair concerns over types of hair.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve got a huge passion for education and understanding product, it’s really important to achieving hairstyle - especially achieving and maintaining healthy hair,” Van Ness explained.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1bb19a45-7fff-514e-fe82-80507f2ad7ff"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“So whether you’re someone who has really fine hair or you’re someone who has thick, coarse, kinky coily hair, all of our products are going to work for you.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZsLaZfOd78/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZsLaZfOd78/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jonathan Van Ness (@jvn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Van Ness said the range, which cost between $28 (NZ 32) and $43 (NZ 49), features a “hero” ingredient called Hemisqualane, an alternative to silicone that’s synthesised from sugar cane that he says is superior for helping protect and repair hair.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Silicones coat the hair and prevent any of the benefits of other ingredients from being absorbed into the hair, whereas Hemisqualane penetrates the hair’s core better to repair, protect and smooth your hair immediately and over time,” Van Ness said in an interview with <a href="https://www.sephora.nz/beautyfeed/article/jvn-launch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sephora</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s an amazing, clean, sustainable ingredient that works wonders on hair,” he told news.com.au.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s also silicone free and sulphate free which is also good for the environment as well as your hair, so we just love Hemisqualane.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Van Ness also stressed that the products were “non gendered” and that the messaging - including the tagline “come as you are” - were designed to be inclusive.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For so long the beauty industry has been very exclusive in who it caters to,” he explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s always been trying to make certain people feel more welcome.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was assigned male at birth and I always felt like I wasn’t supposed to want to play with my hair and I wasn’t supposed to want to feel beautiful. So I always felt unwelcome in the beauty space.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So I just want everyone to know, no matter who you are, your gender, your age, your race, you’re allowed to play with your hair and feel beautiful while doing it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The range of JVN Hair are available to purchase <a href="https://jvnhair.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online</a> or in Sephora stores in <a href="https://www.sephora.com.au/brands/jvn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australia</a> and <a href="https://www.sephora.nz/brands/jvn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Zealand</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-eaa6d0b0-7fff-74b7-b403-e4858d55a996"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @jvnhair (Instagram)</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Jonathan Pryce on being an actor and not a star

<p>Jonathan Pryce is one of the finest actors of his generation yet you may not immediately know his name. Rather than seeing acting as a way of accruing riches and fame, Pryce has instead built a stage and screen career portraying a vast range of complex characters – people that leave a strong impression on his audiences.</p> <p>His acting career began in the early 1970s after accepting a scholarship to study acting at London’s famous Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Today, almost five decades later, Pryce holds a prestigious Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and, at 71, remains dedicated to his art.</p> <p>Growing up in the small village of Carmel in North Wales grounded Pryce. “As the years go on I feel more and more Welsh,” he says. “I’m a proud Welsh man – [though] I’d rather be a proud European.</p> <p>“My father was 14 when he went down the mines. He was a coal miner until he met my mother and the two of them opened a small grocery store in Greenfield when he was 19 or 20.”</p> <p>Pryce’s breakthrough role came in 1985 when he appeared as Sam Lowry in the futuristic science fiction film Brazil. Directed by Terry Gilliam and co-starring Robert De Niro, it’s now considered a cult sci-fi classic.</p> <p>Pryce views his role as Sam Lowry as his career favourite. Set in a consumer-obsessed world governed by a bureaucratic, totalitarian state, Lowry is forced to work a monotonous job by day while being haunted at night by dreams of a woman who is troubled and needs his help.</p> <p>“Brazil resonated then and it still resonates,” he says. “It’s an 1980s film that has kept up with political changes and life changes and it is still relevant.”</p> <p>Like the rest of Hollywood, Glenn Close, who co-stars alongside Pryce in his latest film The Wife,first became aware of Pryce when she saw him in Brazil. “I’ve never forgotten him in that performance,” she says. “He’s just one of the greats of his generation, so it’s a huge thrill and an honour to be working with him.”</p> <p>Over the years, the pair had crossed paths on several occasions. During filming The Wife, they got on very well ­together and developed a friendship based on mutual respect.</p> <p>“We stayed at the same hotel and had dinner most nights,” he explains. “Glenn and I have a lot in common. We are both the same age and have had long careers.” The topic of conversation least likely to be on the menu was the day’s work. “That was the last thing you wanted to do – it’s a bit like in any relationship you don’t go home and talk about your work.”</p> <p>The Wife portrays life inside a 40-year marriage. Pryce plays Joe, a philandering high-achieving novelist who has been awarded a Nobel Prize for Literature. His wife, Joan, played by Close, is also a talented writer but put her husband’s career ahead of her own. The film is an adaptation of the 2003 novel by Meg Wolitzer of the same name, and is directed by Swedish director Björn Runge. Although set in Sweden, most of the filming took place in Scotland. As the film has dark undertones, Pryce admits it was important that both he and Close were able to have some fun during their down time.</p> <p>“Off set we would tease each other,” he says. “We shared the make-up room in the morning. We had quite a bit of banter about what kind of music to put on. I like a variety of music – she [likes] show tunes.</p> <p>“We talked mostly about art and theatre. I like her honesty and integrity. She is a sharp, bright person and I knew that we would work well together. All the banter brings up a sense of trust.”</p> <p>Pryce’s own marriage is a happy one. “I have a happy relationship with my wife Kate. We have been together 46 years now,” he says. The couple have three children together. It was a second marriage for both actors and they only decided to get married secretly in 2015. “It has not made any difference to our relationship,” says Pryce of getting married. “It was a very nice thing to do after such a long time. Kate wears a ring and she never used to wear jewellery. I’ve worn a ring for years so now it is a wedding band.”</p> <p>As a character actor, Pryce’s experience is extensive: he portrayed the former president of Argentina, Juan Perón, in the 1996 film Evita, was the Bond villain Elliot Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) and Governor Weatherby Swann in the hugely successful Pirates of the Caribbean blockbusters. More ­recently, he played Cardinal Wolsey in the BBC’s award-winning adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall. He has also gained a new following of fans as High Sparrow in the mega-series Game of Thrones.</p> <p>Pryce’s latest role is Pope Francis in the upcoming Netflix film The Pope, with Anthony Hopkins, which he recently finished filming in Italy.</p> <p>“What I tend to do as an actor is to believe in the character. You believe what you are saying. In the Game of Thrones I was constantly surprised people were saying what a frightening bad man High Sparrow was – I thought he was a good man who believed what he was doing was right.”</p> <p>As someone who prides himself on being an actor and not a ‘star’, it’s not surprising that Pryce sometimes finds ­attention from fans difficult. ­Although that attention is just as likely to come from a Game of Thrones devotee as a fan of an ­obscure 1970s film.</p> <p>“It can be intrusive at times if you’re with family having dinner,” he admits. “Mostly the downside of this recognition is selfies. You used to sign a piece of paper or sign a photo – now you have to be careful how you leave the house in the morning and what you are wearing.”</p> <p>A cause for concern given the fact that Pryce was once described by an old headmaster as resembling a ‘bottle of skinless pork sausages’. “I probably had my hair too long and I didn’t wear my cap – worst things have been said to me since!”</p> <p><em>Written by Kathy Buchanan. This article first appeared in </em><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/entertainment/jonathan-pryce-being-actor-not-star?items_per_page=All"><em>Reader’s Digest</em></a><em>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </em><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA93V"><em>here’s our best subscription offer</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

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Why Jonathan Pryce loves a musical

<p>He’s appeared on our screens in <em>Game of Thrones</em> and the <em>Pirates of the Caribbean</em> franchise, but Jonathan Pryce still has a soft spot for his big musical debut.</p> <p>Now 25 years on, the West End musical<span> </span><em>Miss Saigon</em> still captures hearts with its passionate and profound tragedy. A special anniversary documentary takes viewers backstage and behind the curtain in an intimate exploration of how this powerful performance is brought to life. </p> <p>Recorded in one take, <em>Miss Saigon 25th Anniversary</em> is a must-see for musical theatre fans.</p> <p>Jonathan Pryce from the original cast of <em>Miss Saigon</em><span> </span>shares his take on the musical and why the role of The Engineer remains a special one for him.</p> <p><strong>When you were first asked by Cameron MacKintosh to play The Engineer in<span> </span><em>Miss Saigon</em>, what was your reaction?</strong><span> </span></p> <p>I wanted to do a musical after seeing<span> </span><em>Les Misérables</em>, which I went to see because Patti LuPone was in it and we’d done a play together. Musicals were never part of my life; but I went to see it purely to see Patti. I was completely blown away by it and by her – and by Colm Wilkinson and I thought this was something I wanted to do.</p> <p>Through a series of events Cameron became aware that I could sing and when Nick Hytner (Director,<span> </span><em>Miss Saigon</em>, 1989 - 1999) said to him ‘what we need for this role is Jonathan Pryce … if only he could sing’, Cameron said ‘well he can!’ So they sent me the demo tape, which I listened to and thought it was really exciting and quite different from anything else I’d heard.</p> <p>Then they started talking about the possibility of my doing it and coming in to sing for them. By then I was doing<span> </span><em>Uncle Vanya</em><span> </span>in the West End and I knew the composers were coming to see a performance of Vanya before I sang for them.</p> <p>There was a small song I performed as Dr Astrov in<span> </span><em>Uncle Vanya</em><span> </span>– a drunken song – that became an audition piece! It got longer and longer and longer till the night they came to see it … I eventually went to sing onstage at the Palladium for them and they offered me the job.</p> <p><strong>What was it about the role of The Engineer that appealed to you?</strong><span> </span></p> <p>The Engineer is an extraordinary character with great songs, including “The American Dream”. That song was very much up for grabs when we started rehearsing it: how it would be performed, how it would work; it was all those dreams of being a pop star or a crooner or somebody who worked in Las Vegas – they’re all there in that number.</p> <p><strong>Was he based on anyone you knew?</strong></p> <p>No! It was obviously a character of the author’s experience and imagination and it was just incredibly well drawn; it’s an easily recognisable, identifiable figure. But it’s also a figure of a very desperate person who wants to get out of this very desperate situation and I think that’s one of the reasons it was a relevant musical then; post-Vietnam was still fresh in our memories about people trying to get out of the city, trying to get out of the country to escape the war and the children being the victims.</p> <p>And I think that’s why it continues to be relevant; sadly possibly even more relevant today given the political situations around the world where people are forced to flee and become refugees and migrants and people constantly trying to stop them.</p> <p><strong>What are your memories of the first time you stepped in front of the audience?</strong><span> </span></p> <p>It felt quite dangerous but very exciting and I think the excitement of it all took care of any nervousness. There was a long rehearsal period and a long technical period so we spent a long time working on the music and seeing it all come together.</p> <p>I thought less about me and more about the show, which I was very confident about - I knew it would be criminal if the show wasn’t a success and I think that’s what my overriding emotion was. To actually perform it was very exciting; what I really couldn’t believe was that it continued to be exciting for the two years I did it and that has everything to do with the show and, especially, the music, which I’d never experienced before.</p> <p><strong>And what about returning to the stage for<span> </span><em>Miss Saigon: The 25th Anniversary Performance </em>special finale – how was that for you?</strong><span> </span></p> <p>It was a lovely occasion and not overly sentimental; it was great to see Lea Salonga (Kim) and Simon Bowman (Chris) sing and to be with all the other members who came back for the ensemble. And how was it singing that song again? It was great! It’s a stand-alone song and it’s great to do whether you’re free to move along with the music or not! I enjoyed it – I had a great time.</p> <p><em><strong>What is your favourite Jonathan Pryce musical?</strong></em></p> <p><em>Written by Editor. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/entertainment/why-jonathan-pryce-loves-a-musical.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.</em></p>

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