When the Australian paranormal series Glitch premiered in 2015, it was a runaway hit. Now as it returns, Patrick Brammall tells Matt Myers what it’s like playing a cop in a town where the dead won’t die! Photography by Sally Flegg.
Glitch has been a runaway success. Why do you think that is?
Patrick Brammall: I think what’s crucial to its appeal is that from the beginning it was a high concept genre, but its execution was very much grounded in truth. It needed to feel like a genuine dramatic struggle for real people, rather than just the undead. A lot of that is also in Lou Fox’s writing. She’s been incredible with creating the story, and at the end of each episode, you don’t really have much choice but to watch the next one. That’s why it’s so addictive. It did really well in Australia, but when the Netflix deal was done, it really hit its stride internationally, because people saw the Australian-ism of it.
What’s in store for Police Sgt James Hayes in the new season?
We pick up the story from where we left off. For James it’s pretty much the same, but it increasingly gets out of control. In the first season, the story took place over six days, so James is just coming to terms with what has happened. With his wife Kate coming back from the dead, his life was thrown upside down and everything’s in chaos. So now he tries to take control of the situation, which is really uncontrollable! He’s sworn to protect Kate and to make sure the others are not exposed or taken advantage of, but these are all next to impossible to attain.
That scene where James sees his wife returned from the dead is quite emotional
Yes, they were quite tricky scenes to navigate. That scene was one of the audition scenes and I remember reading it and thinking I can’t do this, and I can’t go to the audition. But a friend of mine said to forget about it as an acting job and to do it as a drama exercise, to kind of play against the text. So I forgot about going for a job, did the scene that way, and it really clicked. It was great advice
What kind of character research did you do to play a cop?
I didn’t go on the beat, but I did meet with a cop who had worked in a small town. John Leary, who plays the other cop, and I met with him and he told us about working in a small town. Very rarely do they actually take their gun out. It’s more about getting to know the town’s folk and basically being a help. In the first episode you see me helping someone put down their dog, and that’s very much what cops do in small towns. But I did get to shoot a gun, which was exciting, and they gave me that LandCruiser to drive around it, which I loved.
And of course there is also the uniform
Yes, initially we were going to have the light blue cop outfits, but at that time the Victorian cops were changing over to the dark blue, so I campaigned strongly for the dark blue. I think it looks a shitload better!
There’s no denying that men in uniform are hot
Oh absolutely, I agree, uniforms look hot. I was very happy with that uniform. It changes my whole walk. I have a swagger when I put it on, not to mention the bat belt on my hip. It’s all good stuff!
You’ve been in a lot of productions from Home and Away and The Moodys to Offspring, Ruben Guthrie and now Glitch. What has been your most challenging role?
I’d say Ruben Guthrie. Each role has it’s own challenge, but being the lead and carrying that film was full on, and it’s such a muscular kind of part playing a guy who goes from being so successful to the absolute depths of being out of control. I was also on set every day and in every scene. That was a big challenge. Also playing Rupert Murdoch in Power Games, because when you’re playing someone real the bar is always set higher.
You also play Danny Bright on Upper Middle Bogan. How do you find transitioning from one character to the other?
I go well with it. It’s all about what comes out of the script. Danny Bright is such a comically active character and Robyn Butler and Wayne Hope, who wrote it, knew exactly what they wanted. I love that character and they kind of wrote it for me, which is incredibly flattering.
You took part in the American version of Upper Middle Bogan, called Furst Born. Was that odd, playing the same role with an American cast
It was a bit odd, but nothing I couldn’t have gotten used to, if it had gone on further than the pilot, but unfortunately it didn’t. But it was a really interesting experience and I was there with Robyn Butler, one of the creators, so while we were sharing the set with all these Americans, she and I would share a wink across the room.
And you were working with Katey Sagal. Did you think Peg Bundy?
Absolutely, and she was incredibly lovely and a total pro. It’s a shame it didn’t continue into a series, as I would have happily hung out with those guys.
This is our Sexiest Man Alive edition. Who do you think fits that bill?
Ewan McGregor goes a long way for me. I love that guy, and it was after I saw his Long Way Round motorbike documentaries, that I finally got my motorbike, and I’ve been riding ever since. I actually bumped into him in LA last year, and I thought I couldn’t walk away without telling him I’m such a fan. So I told him about the motorbike and he was lovely but, you could tell I was the ten thousandth guy who had told him that!
And then he’ll probably see you starring in Ruben Guthrie.
(Laughing) and become such a fan!
Do you ever hang out with gay mates at gay bars?
Not really, but not that I wouldn’t want to. In LA, where I live, there are heaps of gay bars and my girlfriend, a couple of mates and I, went to a huge gay nightclub and it was awesome. There were oiled up dancers on podiums and all that sort of thing. It was so much fun.
Who is your music diva?
I’ve been a Kylie guy for many years and my favourite song is Slow.
Have you ever played a gay role?
Yes, with Stuart Vauvert, who’s a really interesting film-maker. He wrote this beautiful short film called Prada Handbag which was a kind of fairytale story. It was about a girl who has alopecia and her best friend was a chubby gay boy, who I played. He would do her makeup, as he was thoroughly camp, and it was kind of drag makeup. She never knew the difference and finds her way into a drag club where everyone thinks she’s a guy, but of course she turns out to be a girl. I had a lot of fun playing that character and in every scene I had a different outrageous look.
What would you consider to be your sliding door moment for entering this industry?
Probably the moment when I got a call to audition for a Moody Christmas, which came out of nowhere. It was an audition call for the lead part, which I didn’t end up getting because they said I was too old. But they came back and asked me to play the older brother Sean Moody and that was my introduction into comedy, which I’ve always been more inclined toward. But even earlier than that, I auditioned for a Bruce Beresford play called Moonlight and Magnolias, which is about the making of Gone With The Wind. It was a three-hander and I went in for the role of David O Selznick. I thought it was a complete waste of time, and yet I went in and Bruce thought it was good. About a month later I got a call saying that I’d gotten the part, and I was blown away! I was always indebted to Bruce for that.
Jocks, boxers or freeballs?
I’m into boxer briefs, they are the most comfortable, supportive and they look the best, and at the beach it’s boardies.
Glitch screens on ABC1
