The former soap star is grateful to have a ‘bloody hard job’.
With four projects now in development, Stephen Peacocke is leading Australia’s new television golden age after putting in a lot of work on Home and Away.
under 2023, there will be new seasons of Five Bedrooms, The Newsreader, and RFDS. The crime drama Human Error is presently under production.
It’s everyone’s dream, isn’t it? to be an actor getting some work,” chuckles Stephen, who earlier this year welcomed a daughter with his spouse Bridgette Sneddon. It’s excellent. I work with fantastic folks on all of these nice, enjoyable projects.”
The 41-year-old doesn’t take having several projects on the go as a given, knowing how tough the industry can be to not only break into, but to remain in too.
“I’ve never taken any job for granted,” he shares. “Everyone knows how hard it is to get work. It never gets old. I’ve never had a boring day.”
While grateful, Stephen admits some days are easier than others. “It’s always a bloody hard job,” he adds.
“In many ways, it’s fun because it’s what I love, but everything’s challenging and I’m very nervous before I do any of it.”
Since he started out, Stephen says the TV industry has undergone a huge change – for the better. Streaming platforms have led to more work and greater global exposure too.
“Streaming services mean that sometimes you do a show where previously it would only have been seen in Australia, but now it can be seen around the world,” he says.
Since its premiere in 2021, RFDS—in which Stephen plays flight nurse Pete Emerson—has attracted viewers from all across the world, including this one in Aotearoa.
Growing up in rural New South Wales’ Dubbo, Stephen reports that the outback town of Broken Hill, where the tale is based, has benefited from increased tourism as a result of the series, and that donations to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the subject of the episode, have increased.
“Anything that brings people out here is worth it because it’s such a cool town,” he claims.
“When I was eighteen, just out of high school, I worked on a sheep station. It was a pretty remote location with vast, open spaces. I adore it. Therefore, it’s great to combine the two: acting and spending time in the bush with wonderful people doing amazing things.”
Even with his successful career, Stephen is always reminded of his River Boy origins—he portrayed Darryl “Brax” Braxton on Home and Away ten years ago.
“Any time you can play a character or do a job that finds a big audience and resonates with people, you should just be grateful,” he says. “It was a great, enjoyable job. I consider myself fortunate that audiences have somewhat kept with me; in fact, because I’m doing various things now, that audience has grown.
“The main goal of acting is to please the audience. Count your blessings if you can draw an audience and they enjoy what you’re doing.”
Stephen believes his success has stemmed from his work ethic. “I figure that if you turn up with the right attitude – and it’s easy to because it’s a great job – and you put in the effort, which I always like to think I do, then hopefully stuff will lead from it.”
Stephen teases that he has some exciting projects in both film and TV in the works.
“The good thing about being an actor these days is that it used to be that you did television because you wanted to get into film. Film is great – and I’d love the opportunity to do more and there’s a bit of that on the horizon – but television now is awesome.
“It’s as good as it’s ever been, if not better, and the stuff most of us watch at the moment is good telly.”
RFDS screens 8.55pm Thursdays on TVNZ 1.
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