Who is Paul Blenheim?
An Australian actor who recently landed an ongoing role in Game of Thrones. That’s absolutely not true but apparently if you put things out to the universe, the universe will listen.
What would you do differently to what you do now?
Be a dancer for Jirí Kylián. Go to the aquarium.
Who inspires you and why?
My Nonna. She left school when she was eight to be an acrobat in the circus. She tells stories about lions that escaped in the city, and had to be rounded up by Cossacks on horses. The first book she read was The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. She always asks if I’m being paid well. If I say “no, we’re doing it in a garage”, she gets very angry because “charity doesn’t put food on the table, dear”. I’ve asked her to be my agent or work for equity. I love her.
What would you do to make a difference in the world?
Depose the ministers for transport and planning, abandon the East-West Link in favour of better public transport and stop our neighbourhoods being swallowed by tasteless white concrete boxes.
Favourite holiday destination and why?
Turkey, because of apple tea and whirling dervishes and green eyes and blue mosques and the Bosphorus and Alexander the Great and Rumi, and really big moustaches.
When friends come to town, what attraction would you take them to, and why?
KFC and a bottle shop. Then we’d get in a boat and float down the Yarra at Fairfield and end up somewhere with drag queens… like the theatre or something. Stunning! What do you mean, ‘why’?
What are you currently reading?
The House of Yes script, and five years of receipts for tax. Kill me.
What are you currently listening to?
Laura Jean’s new album.
Happiness is?
Definitely coming your way soon. Just make sure you do your tax.
What does the future hold for you?
Just gonna read some poetry and eat some chips until I start shooting GoT, I guess.
Paul Blenheim has a Bachelor of Dramatic Art from the VCA, and has recently appeared at Theatreworks in Bent (Cut Lunch), Thérèse Raquin (Dirty Pretty Theatre), The Motion of Light in Water (Elbow Room) and Psycho Beach Party (Little Ones).
Other recent credits include Arden V Arden (Hayloft Project), The Sovereign Wife (Sisters Grimm/MTC Neon), Salome (Little Ones/Malthouse Helium), Wrecking (Fatboy Dancing/Tamarama Rock Surfers), Eight (Exhibit A Theatre), Rhapsody (Whale Chorus/Performance Space/ Underbelly Arts), 22 Short Plays (MKA) and Daniel Schlusser’s The Hollow.
Screen/Voice credits include Australia on Trial (ABC), Spoilt (Squid Ink), Man Meets Land (Tooth & Claw), Sea Legs (who by fire), Handle with Care & Carnivore (Swinburne), and Capital (ABC Radio National).
Paul can be seen in Wendy MacLeod’s The House of Yes presented by Little Ones Theatre at Theatreworks until 13 December. For more information, visit: www.theatreworks.org.au for details.
Image: Paul Blenheim