Mandy Griffiths
Guy Edmonds has completed the rounds of essential Australian series such as “Home and Away” and “Underbelly: Razor”, and is about to hit the L.A. scene as a double threat actor and filmmaker. But not before starring in this charming new Australian comedy series “A Moody Christmas”, currently airing on ABC1.
As one point of an ongoing love triangle, Edmonds stars as Hayden, the good looking, intelligent, funny, obsessed with status cousin in “A Moody Christmas”. The show follows the annual pilgrimage of 25-year-old Dan Moody (Ian Meadows) to celebrate Christmas with the family he travelled to the other side of the world to escape. While most families bask in the warm glow of Christmas spirit, the Moodys tend to crack under the pressure of forced civility and their own unique brand of domestic politics.
You work both in front of and behind the camera, do you have a preference or do you enjoy experiencing both sides?
I really enjoy both sides of the camera. They satisfy different parts of my brain. My first love is always going to be acting and I’ve worked so hard at making a career out of it for the last 8 or so years. I’m at a stage now where I’ve been a part of some really amazing shows, both on camera and stage, and now LA is starting to become a reality, it’s all very exciting and a big focus for me.
In regards to filmmaking, I’ve always loved the process (I studied film production before I went to drama school) and it’s great to have control over an artistic vision. But I’m at an early stage with this side of the career so there is a lot of begging borrowing and stealing to realise said vision. I’ve made 3 shorts, which have done very well on the international festival circuit and won a bunch of awards. I’m currently directing a new short and then a feature next year (“SUPER AWESOME!”). I’ve got a couple of treatments for bigger films locked away in the drawer… The long term filmmaking dream is for “SUPER AWESOME!” to be a big indie hit, get some attention and then some nice investor/s finances the $8 Million Sci-Fi movie… 🙂
What inspired you to get into film and television? Was there any particular show, movie or director?
I actually started in music playing a variety of instruments (I currently play drums for RED FIRE RED, but always had an intense love of film. To me film and music go hand in hand. Score is so important to me and is a big part of my process. I will often start with music before I write. Top five directors are Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, John Lasseter, Ridley Scott and George Miller. To this day my most watched film would probably have to be Disney’s “Aladdin”.
I have to say, watching “A Moody Christmas” there were many (too many) instances that felt very familiar, from the backyard cricket to the casually racist relative, did you identify with the family in any way?
Every way! This show is a little too close to the bone. I think every cross-section from a normal family is covered here. But you can’t help but love them, they may be flawed but they have good hearts, all of them.
I really liked how the show stayed away from going too far into caricature mode, was this part of the appeal of working on the show?
Totally! The moment I met with Phil and Trent I knew that they were going to steer clear of broad caricatures and really try to do something different. I am a big fan of British comedy, and this show has a few of its sensibilities. Dialogue driven story/comedy, moments of real drama and pathos peppered amongst the laughs and sharply drawn characters. It was like nothing I’d read before. I am so chuffed to be a part of it!
There’s a bit of a love triangle with your character, do you think Hayden really loves Cora?
Hayden absolutely loves Cora. I actually think he is an insecure person but masks it with all the confident bravado. He lives in a world where your self worth is measured by the number of zeros on your pay cheque, Cora isn’t from that world, she’s an artist. I reckon he secretly wants to be more like her but just doesn’t have the life tools to handle it.
Do you always make it home to Australia for Christmas if you’re away working?
I don’t always make it back for Xmas… No. For about a decade my parents lived in Dubai, so we did miss the odd one. But wherever possible we try and make it work.
What other upcoming projects are you working on?
I just shot a feature film “Proof of Concept” for Guilty Content in Melbourne. It’s for a film called “Drone”, produced by Jason Byrne and directed by Edwin McGill. What I’ve seen of it looks amazing. I’m about to do a one man show at NIDA of “The Witches” directed by Lucas Jervies, a really well known dance choreographer and director. It’s going to be new for me having never worked with a choreographer, and a wee bit daunting do a one man show… but nonetheless, very excited about it. And then its pre-production time for “Super Awesome!” We’ve got the crowd sourcing campaign launch next month, we shot a great pitch with Jane Turner (“Kath and Kim”) which is shaping up to be really funny. Then next year will be LA pilot season time! Oh, and of course, Christmas 🙂 We’re doing an “orphans Christmas” at our house this year. Backyard cricket may be a bit tricky in our terrace courtyard, but we’ll give it a go!
Congratulations on the show and thanks so much for your time, and we at Moviehole will be watching your career with interest!
Thanks a lot!
Catch “A Moody Christmas” on Wednesday nights at 8.30pm on ABC1 in Australia or watch it online here
