'I'm more excited than nervous': Underbelly actor Damian Walshe-Howling is making his mark on the international film festival circuit with the movie MESSiAH
He is best known for his portrayal of tattooed killer Andrew 'Benji' Veniamin in the acclaimed first season of Underbelly.
And now Damian Walshe-Howling is making his mark on the international film festival circuit, including the Sydney Film Festival, with his award-winning short film MESSiAH.
Speaking to the Daily Mail Australia ahead of the film's screening at the New South Wales festival on Tuesday evening, Damian said he was filled with a combination of 'excitement' and 'nervousness'.
Switching over: Underbelly actor Damian Walshe-Howling has made his film-making mark at the Sydney Film Festival with short film MESSiAH
'I just feel if you put your heart and soul into something and collaborate with a very incredible group of people of course you are going to be nervous with how it's received,' the 45-year-old said.
'But I'm more excited than nervous.'
Damian was announced as one of four winners of the Lexus Short Films international competition at the Napa Valley Film Festival in California in November 2015.
Filled with emotion: Damian said he was filled with a combination of 'excitement' and 'nervousness' ahead of the screening on Tuesday evening in Sydney
The competition attracted more than 4000 entries from more than 100 countries, and boasted a lucrative prize - with winners to direct their short film to be produced by the Weinstein Company then tour international film festivals to promote it.
Damian said he found out about the competition through a friend and only had days to turn his idea into reality.
'I think funny enough the pressure of the time made it relaxed. I thought 'oh well',' he said.
'I'd just threw an idea in and waited to see what happened. Because of that, the creativity flowed in that moment and I was lucky enough that they liked the idea.
'I won the award through that and I spent the next two months writing the script and breaking it down until we got to a place that we wanted to shoot it.'
Famed actor: The Melbourne native has also starred in a number of popular TV series including Blue Heelers, Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms, Neighbours and Janet King, as well as the films The Reef and Mystery Road
The film follows two travellers, an Irishman and his Parisian girlfriend, who get more than they bargain for when they meet a mischievous stranger in the Australian outback.
'It looks at the quirky ideas outside ourselves to find the meaning of life,' he said.
'The word Messiah we might think of a prophet or messiah or whatever. I guess we chase things that are material, spiritual or emotional to find to bolster to our thinking in life.
'But, it's really looking at where does the meaning come from.'
The famed Aussie actor has also also written and directed two short films including The Bloody Sweet Hit (2007) and Suspended (2013) before moving into shooting commercials.
His breakthrough role came in the first season of Underbelly, co-starring with Frankie J. Holden as Garry Butterworth and Vince Colosimo as Alphonse Gangitano.
Gleaming credentials: The famed Aussie actor has also also written and directed two short films including The Bloody Sweet Hit (2007) and Suspended (2013) before moving into shooting commercials
To add to his gleaming credentials, the Melbourne native has also starred in a number of popular TV series including Blue Heelers, Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms, Neighbours and Janet King, as well as the films The Reef, Mystery Road and Around The Block.
His breakthrough role came in the first season of Underbelly, co-starring with Frankie J. Holden as Garry Butterworth and Vince Colosimo as Alphonse Gangitano.
Award winner actor and writer and director: Damian was announced as one of four winners of the Lexus Short Films international competition at the Napa Valley Film Festival in California in November 2015
Big appeal: The competition attracted more than 4000 entries from more than 100 countries, and boasted a lucrative prize
Damian is now following in the footsteps of Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster who made the daring decision to pursue a career behind the lens.
Although these transitional actors have influenced and inspired Damian, he admits it was his mother who has helped him the most to realise his dreams.
'My mother is an actress and a director and I grew up around the theatre scene in Melbourne. My mother definitely inspires me a lot as an actor,' he said.
'My mum was always doing theatre and directing theatre and devising pieces.
'I guess as a child it was a natural inclination to either be interested or not. I was and I was fascinated with what they were doing.'
New path: Damian is now following in the footsteps of Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster who made the daring career decision to pursue a career behind the lens
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