Who is Patrick Holman?
I’m an actor, writer and musician from Sydney.
What would you do differently to what you do now?
I would stop overthinking and allow myself to realise that I have much more to gain than to lose.
Who inspires you and why?
Firstly, my parents, because of their immense support, and encouraging me to pursue the artistic avenues that I love. In terms of acting, James Dean and Heath Ledger are the guys I get the most inspiration from as role models for exploring and creating characters, as well as rising to the top of their art form.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
I would convince Australians to put aside apathy towards current problems and politics. I especially think we need to encourage the idea that given the size of our huge continent, we could very easily already be leading the world in renewable energy use.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Rome. It was the first city I had been to overseas and it was wonderfully overwhelming. To walk around and get such an immediate sense of history on that scale was breathtaking. Every day was incredible – feeling the vastness of the piazzas and buildings, witnessing protests and riot police, discovering that gelato really could be a hundred times better, and experiencing a very golden sunset from the top of the Castel Sant’Angelo.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
Bronte beach. On a sunny day it is one of the nicest places to swim and have lunch. You can watch the waves from the top of the headland, swim in the pool, try to spot fish in the Bogey Hole and then have food from one of the cafés while you sit in the sun.
What are you currently reading?
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain.
What are you currently listening to?
The album By the Way by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It is music that comes with a huge dose of nostalgia. Something about the sound takes me back to the early 2000’s and makes me feel a kind of nervous but hopeful energy.
Happiness is?
Making the most out of the present, appreciating the loved ones around you and doing the things which make you feel a sense of fulfillment.
What does the future hold for you?
In the immediate future, playing the character Eugene in Neil Simon’s Broadway Bound at New Theatre from November into December. A bit further away, hopefully more theatre productions, a short film, trying to make progress on a novel I have been working on and banging away at my drums (much to my neighbours delight!)
Patrick stars as Eugene in Broadway Bound by Neil Simon at the New Theatre: 15 November – 15 December 2018. For more information, visit: www.newtheatre.org.au for details.
Image: Patrick Holman (supplied)