Underbelly

16 September 2010, 07:00

Peter O’Brien may have been one of the original Neighbours in Ramsay Street but he has since gone on to an international career in film and television which leaves you breathless. Among his credits in the UK are Casualty, The Bill, Dr Who, and Cardiac Arrest. But it was an appearance alongside STV’s world famous cop show that brought him to Glasgow, a city he still holds dear to his heart.

In fact the time he spent in Scotland nearly persuaded him away from a life on the road. He said: “I lived in Glasgow for a couple of years. I did a series called Cardiac Arrest that was based in Glasgow, did some Taggart there and I shot a couple of films, one of them was for STV, and a couple of big feature films as well.

“I love the city of Glasgow. I nearly bought a house up there, I was nearly going to stay there but work just took me away.

He added: “The joke with me is that Scotland was my reference for everything. I would say ‘oh, ‘this is just like Scotland’ or ‘this is nothing like Scotland’.”

Now living in London, The Return actor splits his time mainly between the UK and Australia, returning to his home country to take on the role of George Freeman in both the second and third series of Underbelly.

Freeman was a man of authority within gangland Australia. He let his fists do the talking; he was feared by all and based his relationships around this control.

Living off the buzz of gambling, illegal bookmaking and brothels, money was his vice. He was a constant in the ever expanding New South Wales crime ring and moved with the times and the crimes to get his piece of the action.

STV GOLDEN OLDIES OF PETER O'BRIEN:

• Minty (1998)
• Taggart (1993)

Having been cast as the smooth-talking thug, Peter enjoyed the challenge saying: “There is nothing more boring than playing someone politically correct.”

He added: “Those parts are always fun to playbut you still have to play a character which is in the parameters of the script.

“It is always good to dress up, wear a wig and wear prosthetic stuff. I think you are able to invest more in something that is a defined character, someone that is removed more from yourself.

“But at the end of the day, it is a costume and that is all I treat it as. I spend more time worrying if it is right for the role and the situation that the character is in rather than looking at myself in the mirror.”

The real George Freeman was never convicted of any of his suspected crimes and unlike many of the other Underbelly characters, died of a natural death.

“He was never charged, so you look at it and are unable to know what is myth and what is the reality. But it is a fictionalised drama, so it is really up to the producers what they want to include, whether it is fact or fiction.

“There were various articles about the guy. His wife is still alive and I believe the producers had consultations with her and they certainly had consultations with the police from that era so it is a fun part to play but it can also be difficult.”

Having written and directed the short film Schadenfreude, Peter enjoyed the close relationships between the cast members and the producers.

“In one of the ways, which was quite liberating, the directors and producers on this were very up for making this, what they believed, was the best they could get therefore you were able to have a lot of input on a day-to-day shooting basis. Anything that made it look more exotic or slightly elaborate, because it was theatre that they were making.

“As long as what you were suggesting had an objective benefit to the scene and the story then people were receptive to it, but if it was too subjective and was too much to the benefit of your character then it wouldn’t work.”

The jet-setter missed the launch of the Australian series, as he was busy over in the UK working on Dr Who, and has since carried over his role of George Freeman into the third series.

But it seems there is no stopping this actor as his busy schedule continues to lead him from one side of the world to the next.

“I have just come back from Malaysia, I was doing a film there,” he said. “I am visiting family in Australia and then I will probably head off back to the UK; chasing work. It would be good to get another job in Scotland, though!”

Find out more about George Freeman and the real story behind the Australian drug crime wave.

Last updated: 16 September 2010, 07:35