From the Melbourne gangland war to the Balibo 5, Aussie actor Gyton Grantley (above) isn’t afraid to take on important Australian stories. His latest film, Beneath Hill 60, is no different. A dramatic retelling of a group of Australian miners who dug under the German trenches in World War I, I spoke to Grantley about the film and a bunch of other topics last week.
Movie Mazzupial: First of all, it’s lovely to speak to you Gyton, I’m quite a big fan.
Gyton Grantley: Aw, well thanks, that’s nice to hear.
MM: Now, I saw Beneath Hill 60 and loved it, I thought it was a great Aussie war film. What was it like to be part of that project?
GG: It was incredible and eye-opening. I learnt a lot about our history by doing it and I gained a new found respect for those men. Shooting was hard, it was a tough job.We were either waste deep in mud in the middle of the night or it was the middle of a hot Townsville day in these tunnels with men all over you.
MM: Geez, that sounds almost homoerotic.
GG: (Laughs) Well, not quite.
MM: Was there anything in particular about the character that attracted you or were you more interested in the story?
GG: I just wanted to be part of the story. I loved my character Norman Morris, he's dark with a great sense of humour, but he wasn't afraid to call it as it was when times were horrible. But it was more about being part of the story and personally, for me, just learning more about what these blokes went through.
MM: What was it like on set with everyone, trying to get into this terrible situation and the mind set of these men?
GG: One of the greatest things about the Australian digger was the mateship and how they rallied together. When they were away from home in these terrible conditions, they become each others family. And you can draw that comparison between the cast too because we were away from home and had to rely on each other. There was a great camaraderie between us.
MM: So, would you say it’s important for Australians to see this story, especially coming up to Anzac Day?
GG: It's extremely important that Australians see this story, not just because of its relevance to Anzac Day, but as I'm getting older I see it's so important for the younger generations to realise what these men gave up for us. And it's just such a unique story. I had no idea this war was waging beneath the ground.
MM: From Carl Williams (above), to Balibo (below) and now WWI, is it something about important Australian stories that attracts you to these roles?
GG: I guess I’m learning what with this incredible run of work I’m getting is that some of the best stories told are the real ones. In terms of Australian stories, I’m Australian and love acting my accent. They are fascinating stories that fuel the passion for our country.
MM: So tell me about The Reef, you guys have finished shooting that now and it’s in post-production, yeah?
GG: Yeah, we shot that in Hervey Bay earlier in the year.
MM: I imagine that would have been another intense shoot for you?
GG: It was another hard shoot. We spent all day, 10 hours a day in the water. That might sound exciting, I was excited as I'm a water baby myself, but after a few hours it's not even about the prunes...you begin pruning on the inside. It was another challenge I really enjoyed and a different type of genre.
MM: Just quickly, I loved Being Carl Williams, I thought it was a very dark and humourous little short film. Is that something important to you, whilst doing feature films and TV that you can do a few short film side projects?
GG: Actually, that wasn’t so much of a side project. Abe Forsythe, the director, is a great friend of mine and he finally won Tropfest this year. Besides being a genius actor, he’s a very talented writer and directed. I loved to see him have success. I wouldn’t call it a small thing on the side, I read the script and it was a great script, I wanted to be involved. I have a lot of friends who are artists and in the industry so I like to do a lot of different things with them. This year I helped out with the animation short film One and I sat there for a few days with bit bits of glue and making a world for these guys to crawl around in.
MM: Once the press tour is over for Beneath Hill 60, what’s the next project for you? Are you going to try and crack Hollywood or something?
GG: Ah, well I’ll be promoting this and then The Reef. There’s a couple of films that are on the blotter but I can’t mention just yet and we’re shooting a second season of 30 Seconds. Then I'm going to go to LA and have a look around. I don't know what I'm expecting, it's all new to me, the world of Hollywood. I'm not 19 and blonde, which is what they're after, but hopefully there's someone who recognises my talent and believes in me.
MM: Is there anyone in particular, in Hollywood or here in Australia that you’re dying to work with?
GG: There are lots of great friends I’m longing to do films with so let me just answer it this way: every job I’ve done I’ve met and learnt of incredibly talented and experienced Australian actors. There’s such a wealth of talent out there and such a huge pool of talented people that I just look forward to the opportunities that hopefully might come my way. 
MM: And finally, what are some of your favourite movies?
GG: Tough question. I recently saw Up and that was one of the most inspiring films I’ve seen and it was great to get that out of an animation. Pulp Fiction is really cool, What Dreams May Come, most things by the Coen brothers, um….this is really tough. I guess you can’t answer that question, it’s like comparing one painting to another: they’re telling different stories and I find it hard to compare.
MM: Awesome, well thanks for your time Gyton and I hope a lot of people get out there and see the film.
GG: Cheers, thanks Maria, me too.
Beneath Hill 60 opens in cinemas this Thursday, April 15.
So, new Aussie thriller The Reef is out on Thursday and to sate your sharky appetites, here’s my video REVIEW of the film. Just a few scrolls down is my exclusive chat with the film’s star Damian Walshe-Howling, but if you want a walk down memory lane you can read my equally exclusive chats with writer/director Andrew Traucki here and with co-star Gyton Grantley here.
Australian actor Damian Walshe-Howling is pretty proud of his latest film, The Reef, and so he should be - it nearly cost him his life. Shot in Hervey Bay last year, the film follows a group of people who try to swim to a nearby island after their boat capsizes at sea. To add to the situation, they're being stalked by a Great White Shark. But it wasn't a ferocious, man-eating shark that brought the Underbelly actor so close to his deathbed.
The film also stars fellow Underbelly alumni Gyton Grantley, as well as Adrienne Pickering and Zoe Naylor. The low-budget thriller also incorporates real shark footage, filmed by Traucki and his team in Port Lincoln. As a keen surfer, Walshe-Howling said The Reef hasn't put him off the water, but he's certainly more aware of what's lurking underneath.
The performances in the trenches are solid, with a who's who of Australian actors filling out the strong supporting cast. Brendan Cowell gives the performance of his career as Woodward, one that should surely win him an AFI at the very least. The film falters in the flash back scenes to Australia, where the beautiful Bella Heathcote's turn as love interest Marjorie is so awkward and uneven you cannot help but cringe.