James Mason interview - Neighbours

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'Neighbours' James Mason interview: 'Chris wants to find love again'

Published Monday, May 13 2013, 00:02 BST  | By Daniel Kilkelly

James Mason © Channel 5

Neighbours star James Mason has helped to break new ground for the Aussie soap with his portrayal of Chris Pappas, Ramsay Street's first ongoing gay character.

More than three years after he arrived on screen, Chris remains a firm favourite with fans and looks set to remain in the thick of things in the coming months.

With Chris now single again and his closest friends having left the Street, Digital Spy recently caught up with James to hear about the next chapter for his character.

You've now had over three years at Neighbours. Are you still enjoying it as much as when you first started?
"I am! It's been about three and a half years now and it's been amazing. I suppose in any other job you might get bored after that length of time, but Neighbours is so different and it's always going to be the place where my acting career first started.

"The thing that keeps it interesting is that we've probably had two major 'renovation' periods in the show during that time, in terms of cast coming in and out. There was a period when I first joined Neighbours where a lot of regular cast members left and a lot of new people came in, including myself. That always keeps things interesting and changes things up.

"More recently, we've had new producers and a new story team come in, so the show is always being renewed in some way. As a cast member, it's great to watch those changes unfold and it motivates you to keep going and be part of this new direction of Neighbours."

Chris was originally introduced as a guest character. Did you have any idea then that he'd be around three years later?
"I had absolutely no idea! When you come in as a guest character, you never know what your future will be on the show. I came in and for all I knew at that point, I'd be around for three or four weeks. I was really surprised when they kept calling me back.

"One funny thing is that when I was first cast, I knew right away that Chris was going to be a gay character, but in the first three weeks when I received my scripts, I noticed that there wasn't any mention of it. I wondered whether they'd decided to avoid it altogether, but much to my surprise, they were a bit sneaky and held onto the secret for a long while.

"It was nearly a year into my guest contract when the viewers found out that Chris was gay, so they drew it out, which was a fantastic thing for me because it gave me a journey on the show and we could see the response to Chris. A lot of guest cast have already gone by the time their episodes air, so I guess by dragging it out like that, I was able to get a response from the audience. That possibly led to the fact that I'm still on the show now!"

James on set at Neighbours. © Channel 5

As Chris is the first ongoing gay character for Neighbours, do you still get a lot of feedback from fans?
"Yeah, I do. The fans have been fantastic with the way that they've backed Chris up. It's great that what we're doing with the character is being supported so much by the audience. I think that's because it's something that Neighbours has never done before and a lot of Australian shows have never done before. That's really why Chris was introduced, as there'd been a high demand from Neighbours viewers to see a character like him.

"It's also great that people can be so passionate and defensive about the character! I don't want to give away too much, but at the moment in Australia we're broadcasting a storyline where Amber Turner starts developing feelings for Chris. We're getting all these people saying, 'If Chris turns straight, I'm not watching it anymore!' It's great to see that people are really for the character - there a lot of people out there who really want to see a gay character that they can relate to."

As this had never really been done before on the main two Aussie soaps, were you nervous about the response?
"I guess it was a bit of a worry at the start. I wondered whether there'd be negative feedback, but in another sense, we approached this character very carefully.

"Susan Bower, who was the executive producer at the time, wanted the storyline to be as genuine, sensitive and as real as possible. We didn't want to sensationalise it by jumping straight into a kiss or anything like that, so it all unfolded very slowly. I think a lot of people could relate to that and we had a lot of faith that we were handling the story in the right way."

Chris with first boyfriend Aidan Foster. © Channel 5

A lot of fans were sad to see Chris and Aidan split earlier this year. Would you like Chris to have another long-term boyfriend?
"I really loved working with Bob Morley who played Aidan. Right from when we first met, we had a friendship which seemed to translate well on screen. We have quite similar personalities and that just makes it so much easier to work with someone, especially when we're doing something which is very different to our own lives.

"We shot some scenes on Neighbours that have never been done on the show before, in particular the first male gay kiss. A lot of people really loved that relationship, so it just goes to show that if we want to deliver what the fans want, then another long-term boyfriend is certainly an option down the track."

What's coming up for Chris in the next few months?
"There are potential relationships coming up for Chris. There are a couple of different guys who come in and out, so I guess Chris is really just assessing his relationship status and how he wants to go about things.

"Chris is cautious of how his last relationship has ended, so he doesn't want to get hurt again. You'll see that Chris does want to find love, but he doesn't want to jump straight into it. He's willing to sit on the outer and assess things until he finds someone that he's really compatible with.

"Aside from that, there's a great bond between Chris and Amber - they form a really great friendship. With Mason working at the garage, Chris doesn't really trust him and the way he goes about things, because he's a little bit sneaky! There's a bit of stuff to work through with those two. We'll also see the Willis family come into the show, and Chris has quite a bit to do with them.

"I actually think Chris is a really interesting character because he's the only person on the street who's not related to anyone else at the moment. I think that makes him the link between a lot of people on the street, as he mingles in with everyone."

You worked very closely with Valentina Novakovic (Tash), Jordy Lucas (Summer) and Jordan Smith (Andrew), who've all left Neighbours. Are you missing having them around?
"Definitely. It's certainly a different dynamic because not only do they bring a spark to the scenes that they're in, they also bring something special to work every day because of their personalities off-camera. Every time somebody leaves, there's a personality missing in the room.

"But even though it's sad, you're also happy for them because you know they're going onto other things they want to pursue. It's an inevitable process when the show has been going on for so long. It does feel like a new generation now because Chris was part of the Tash/Summer/Andrew group, but he now gets a new friendship group with the new cast members coming in. He also steps up into the world and goes into the slightly older group. It's a new chapter of my time on the show."

Chris with former characters Tash and Summer. © Channel 5

Do you share the same US ambitions as some of the departed cast members?
"I tend to keep my options pretty open. As long as I'm acting, I don't care where I am or what I'm doing - whether it's Australia, US or the UK - or even whether it's stage or TV. I just want to build a career around acting. I haven't really decided how long I want to stay at Neighbours - it's something that I'm going to take one step at a time. You can't really think 12 months or two years ahead, because things constantly change all the time.

"In terms of goals and aspirations, I would like to try my luck overseas at some point, take to the stage a little more, and get involved in different areas of the art. To me, it's about experience and adventure, and if I get to do that for the rest of my career, I'd be pretty grateful!"

Earlier this year, you swapped the screen for stage by starring in a play called Flame Trees. Does Neighbours give you time off to pursue other things?
"Well, in this case, the part was offered to me through a friend of mine who used to storyline at Neighbours. He wrote and produced the play. It was the perfect time of year and the perfect role. It was more of a supporting role, but it was still a significant part of the play.

"We were rehearsing at night and it was during the time of year where we don't do any night shoots on Neighbours, so that worked really well for me because I had the time to do it. It was great to experience something that I haven't dived into before.

"I have since spoken to the people at Neighbours and if you give enough notice, they will give you time off to pursue other things. Theatre is such an art and you can bring so much back to Neighbours after doing it.

"Through doing Flame Trees I've learned so much, not only about theatre but my acting in general. It helps to refresh the character of Chris and bring new skills back into the show. The producers at Neighbours can see that and are happy for the cast to develop their skills. There's never a point in your career where you know too much!"

Chris with recently-departed character Sophie. © Channel 5

Away from Neighbours, you do a lot of charity work, including being an ambassador for mental health charity Headspace in Australia. How did you get on board?
"Headspace really got me involved in the homophobia side of their work, obviously based around my character. I haven't been through these experiences myself, but through Chris, I can get an understanding of how people who experience homophobia feel and how hard it must be for them.

"I was also bullied when I was at school so I'm very passionate about stopping bullying. It can have such an effect on people, especially young people who don't really know who to turn to or how to deal with it. If you keep it locked inside, it can really damage you.

"Having experienced that first hand, I can understand where homophobia victims are coming from because it's a form of bullying and it needs to be stopped. There are so many people who are damaged and suffering in their later lives from things that happened to them when they were younger. It's really disappointing to see that this is still going on in this day and age.

"Getting behind Headspace helps to get the word out there that help is available if you need it. People shouldn't be ashamed to come out and say they're being bullied or that someone is being homophobic."

You've also been doing the Live Below The Line charity challenge which has meant living on $2 a day for five days. How have you found it?
"I didn't expect it to be quite so hard, but it's been really good because it's been such a challenge. I've been living on nothing but oats for breakfast, pasta for lunch, rice for dinner and a bit of frozen veggies scattered around those meals! I also managed to get hold of a couple of bananas and a loaf of bread which fitted into my budget.

"I've been feeling a bit flat while I've been doing it, but I'm managing to survive! I love following through with a challenge, and it's also great to raise money and awareness for Live Below The Line. They're working to provide food, textbooks, education and scholarships for communities around the world who are in extreme poverty. I'm very lucky to only be doing it for five days, while people around the world experience this all the time."

Out of the established cast members at Neighbours, you're one of the only ones who hasn't been flown over to the UK for promo work and TV interviews. Would you like to come over?
"I would love to come to the UK - but unfortunately, I don't think it's in my control! I guess I just have to wait my turn! People are being sent over in sets of two by the Neighbours production and they've been doing that for about two years now. I'm waiting to get the nod, but I'd be over there in a flash.

"You guys over in the UK are pretty much our biggest audience, and you're probably the reason that we're still going. You provide us with a job and we provide you with a television show! The UK supports us so well, so the least we can do is provide you with a bit of time and a bit of thanks. I'd love to be over there, and if my time doesn't come soon, I might just have to make it soon!"