Dream role in Hollywood
FOR Australian actor Jonny Pasvolsky, starring in the comedy movie Mortdecai alongside Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Goldblum and Ewan McGregor has been a career highlight.
The Jewish actor with a string of Australian TV roles to his credit ranging from Mr & Mrs Murder and The Moodys to Underbelly 2 and Offspring, is now based in Los Angeles.
“Working with Depp was like being at a masterclass. It was an incredibly special experience for me,” Pasvolsky told The AJN by phone. “Before filming started I wondered what all the big-name stars would be like to work with, but they were all consummate professionals and it quickly became obvious to me that they are such highly respected actors for good reason.”
Mortdecai is a satirical comedy directed by David Koepp about an art dealer searching for a stolen painting that is believed to be linked to a bank account containing Nazi gold. The movie opened in Australian cinemas on January 29, just days after its international premiere.
“The LA premiere was a big red-carpet event on Hollywood Boulevard and two days earlier I was in London for the British premiere,” says Pasvolsky.
“It was a really exciting week with the whole cast getting together on the red carpet and at parties – while shooting the film you don’t get to see a lot of the other actors.”
Pasvolsky, 41, was sent a script for Mortdecai by his manager in September 2013 while working in Australia, and he immediately warmed to the movie.
“I sent a taped audition to the [United] States and two weeks later the director called and asked me to do some extra shots,” he recalls.
“Then it was a waiting game as the producers took it to the studio, and about a month-and-a half later they gave me the green light.
“A few weeks later I was on a plane to London for filming, followed by four weeks in Los Angeles, while the family remained in Sydney.”
Pasvolsky describes his character Emil Strago as a revolutionary and a criminal who is trying to destroy eccentric art dealer Charlie Mortdecai (Depp) while pursuing the valuable painting.
“Emil struggles with English, which adds to the fun, and is hell-bent on getting the painting, which he believes is the key to a fortune that will bankroll his plans for a violent revolution – except that he is not quite sure what his revolution is!”
In the movie Emil teams up with the beautiful Georgina Krampf (played by Olivia Munn) in their fight with Mortdecai.
Although Emil and Mortdecai are adversaries, their moustaches foster an odd fascination between the two.
“The moustaches become a kind of obsession between us,” explains Pasvolsky. “In one scene we are face to face, moustache to moustache, and it was hard for us to keep straight faces. We both ruined quite a few takes, and then the director started laughing next to a camera and he ruined another take. It was our funniest day on the set.”
Pasvolsky says it was great to play an eccentric character in an action role, which included a sword fight scene with Depp and being strapped to the bonnet of a Rolls Royce travelling at high speed.
Pasvolsky was born in Cape Town, South Africa and moved to Australia at the age of five. After completing school in Sydney, he studied dramatic arts at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, graduating in 1999.
He first hit the headlines for his Logie-nominated role in the TV series McLeod’s Daughters and has had guest roles in shows including SeaChange, All Saints, Offspring and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.
Pasvolsky’s film credits include Fatal Contact, Macbeth and Hey Hey It’s Esther Blueburger, and he has appeared on the stage for the Sydney Theatre Company, Griffin and Ensemble Theatre.
Pasvolsky has settled into life in Los Angeles with his wife Carolyn and their three children aged 2, 5 and 7.
“We have been here more than a year – setting up home, work and school has been quite a big job. I have some good Australian friends and we have a nice community here,” he says.
“For our first year we did a house swap with a Jewish family through a mutual friend in Sydney – they also had three kids and wanted to come to Australia for a year, so it worked out perfectly – we had cars, toys, everything we needed. Now they are back in their home and we hang out with them.
“Being based in LA is an advantage; the industry is very big here and I’m always looking for new projects.”
He is currently working on a project with his brother, director and one-time Oscar nominee Steve Pasvolsky.
REPORT by Danny Gocs
PHOTO of Jonny Pasvolsky and Olivia Munn in the movie Mortdecai.
comments