Christian Clark and Josh Lawson Any Questions for Ben? Interview

Wednesday, 19 June 2013
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Christian Clark and Josh Lawson Any Questions for Ben? Interview

Question: How are your characters, in the film, similar and different from yourselves?

Christian Clark: Josh Lawson is exactly the same as Ben.

Josh Lawson: Hang on! I think Christian Clark is exactly like Andy (laughing)! I guess I am similar in that there was a big period of my life where I could pack up everything I owned into two suitcases and travel anywhere at the drop of a hat. As an actor I never stay in one job for more than a couple of months and in that way I am similar to Ben.

Question: Christian Clark your character is great, I wish I was that laidback!

Christian Clark: Well I just had a crisis about half an hour ago because I came downstairs and I was under dressed!

Josh Lawson: Christian Clark saw me in my waist coat and thought 'a t-shirt is not going to cut it'!

Christian Clark: Yes... I got changed! What is strange is that Josh Lawson keeps saying that I am like Andy because I am very chilled and maybe I am. I'd love to think that I had the get-up-and-go attitude, like Andy, but I think he...

Josh Lawson: I think Christian Clark is a lot more sensitive than Andy as Christian Clark would be more aware of a situation than Andy is.

Question: Have either of you experienced a quarter-life crisis?

Josh Lawson: Yes, Ben goes through a quarter-life crisis, in the film and I think my quarter-life crisis was brought on by the film itself. Doing the film made me realise that maybe my priorities were a little out of wack and it made me look at my life and think there are deeper things that are more important to me; I have discovered them, focused on them and I feel a lot happier for it.

Christian Clark: I had a quarter life crisis this morning when I had to decide between a banana or berry smoothie. Then I had to decide soy milk or normal milk. I chose soy milk and it was the right choice, I loved it!

Josh Lawson: I think he has about six or seven a day! The crisis is one thing, it's the solution that matters.

Christian Clark: That is very true!

Question: Can you talk about the amazing places you got to travel to for the filming of Any Questions for Ben?

Christian Clark: The first scene we shot was filmed on the top of a mountain, in the middle of nowhere in New Zealand and we had got a helicopter to the top of the mountain and I thought we were making the sequel to Lord of the Rings and we were hobbits, for a little while. The view was amazing! I then started chatting about The Castle to Working Dog and they said "yes, we've kind of got to make a movie"! It was amazing.

We did extensive ski training the day before and on the first take I think I got about 5 meters and then I fell over. Unfortunately we can't take credit, most of that was stunt doubles but we did sign Life Insurance and we did jump off that bridge.

Josh Lawson: We did go bungee jumping that was us, no doubles there! We also got to go to amazing places in Melbourne such as the Rooftop Cinemas. Melbourne has its own amazing places and we didn't necessarily have to go to Queenstown to be dazzled by something. We also got to go to some of the best restaurants in Melbourne, we went to the races, the Australian Open!

Christian Clark: Metropol at Crown.

Josh Lawson: We did everything. Then of course I ended up on the other side of the world, in Yemen.

Question: How was traveling to Yemen, Josh Lawson?

Josh Lawson: It was great! It was really exciting. We got escorted by a former SAS security officer. It was a little bit nerve-racking but the Yemeni people were lovely.

Christian Clark: That is actually what they're called, Yemeni is the correct term.

Josh Lawson: I'm not making that up! We had a great time.

Christian Clark: That's where Aladdin lives, yeah?

Josh Lawson: Yes that's where Aladdin lives!

Question: What do you hope audiences take away from this film?

Christian Clark: I hope they have a good time and have a laugh because at the heart it's a comedy. Without saying anything corny I feel like you want to go on an adventure after you see it. My parents actually booked a holiday after seeing it, a holiday they had been putting off for about ten years, and they are going to Alaska. They haven't listened to me for ten years but they saw the movie and now they're going.

The movie also gives audiences a chance to see an Australia that to me feels is Australia, at the moment. All the other films that Australia makes are irrelevant at the moment and that's what excited me about Any Questions for Ben. I can relate to this film and so can my friends and so can Josh Lawson.

Question: Is it refreshing that this Australian film wasn't filmed in the outback?

Josh Lawson: I am so glad you've said that because we think the same thing, we think that it's important to tells the stories of an Australia that we can relate to because it's our Australia and it's an Australia a lot of Australians will be able to go 'that's more me than those outback films'.

The outback films are important too but I feel that we need more of a balance. I feel that the Australia shown in Any Questions for Ben is underrepresented.

Question: What was the most memorable aspect of filming?

Josh Lawson: I got to fall in love; I think I'll say that! Rachel Taylor and I met on set. We'd met once or twice before but we didn't know each other very well as we'd only met in passing. We became very close on set and I'll say no more about it because a gentleman doesn't kiss and tell.

Question: Did you see this relationship evolving whilst filming Christian Clark?

Christian Clark: I read all about it in the gossip magazines (laughing) he wouldn't tell me anything! That's how much of a gentleman he is.

Josh Lawson: I wouldn't tell Christian Clark anything, he'd tell everyone! I actually think it ended up in the gossip magazines because I told Christian Clark!

Christian Clark: For me, before I am an actor, I am a movie fan and two of my favourite movies are The Castle and The Dish and getting a chance to work with Working Dog was a dream come true.

Question: Was Working Dog the reason you signed on to Any Questions for Ben?

Christian Clark: Yes and that I needed a pay cheque (laughing). I was finishing on Home and Away at the time where I was playing a psychopath and I was called to play a part in this comedy because they had been watching Home and Away. I said "I don't know how you went from that role to this role but thank you for believing in me" and I jumped at the chance!

Question: Can you tell us about your working on at the moment?

Christian Clark: I am halfway through a movie called Border Protection Squad, it's a comedy that is Ed Kavalee's first feature film that he is directing with a lot of other great actors including Peter Helliar, Andy Lee, Dave Hughes (Hughey) and Ryan Fitzgerald. Border Protection Squad supposedly did offer Josh Lawson a role but he declined to do some movie with Will Ferrell.

Josh Lawson: Look, it was a schedule complexity. I have just finished filming a movie called Dog Fight with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis which was shot in New Orleans and that will open in the states in August.

Question: Can you talk about working with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis?

Josh Lawson: I'm going to say unashamedly it was more fun working with the guys on Any Questions for Ben. The Americans are great guys but this is home, I will always feel more at home shooting in Australia, no matter how many jobs I do in America.

Question: When visiting Melbourne places in the film, was it your first time for most of the locations?

Josh Lawson: Yes! The races

Christian Clark: I'd never been to the races and I hadn't been to the Rooftop Cinemas. After we'd wrapped up shooting we'd often stay around the locations and have a drink or grab dinner in one of the alley ways.

Josh Lawson: There were plenty of places we'd never been before.

Christian Clark: I've spent most of my life in Sydney so I was a big Sydney fan but filming this has really opened my eyes to Melbourne and now I am a huge Melbourne fan after discovering it whilst making a movie. I think the movie is the same way because it shows Melbourne in all its glory.

Question: Can you talk about filming at the Australian Open?

Josh Lawson : We only shot a little bit at the Australian Open, we got the exteriors of me walking down into the stadium whilst the rest was on an off day, where we'd take a quarter of Rod Laver Arena and make it look like it was full but we only had about 20 minutes before the Crusty Demons came in and filled the stadium with dirt! We had to shoot those scenes, really fast.

Christian Clark: You did really well, man.

Josh Lawson: Thanks! We had two guys holding up the net because we didn't have net poles in and it was all very, very quick. The shots where I am featured on the big screen was filled with extras and was shot on a day when the stadium was empty.

Question: Where you two friends before the film?

Josh Lawson: We were.

Christian Clark: We met in 2005 out the front of Fitness First in Bondi Junction through Ed Kavalee and we trained, had a great gym workout.

Josh Lawson: And our friendship was solidified.

Christian Clark: We bonded through the gym workout. We've been friends ever since.

Question: How do you get along with the rest of the cast?

Christian Clark: Everyone is great!

Josh Lawson: I didn't like them at all (laughing)! We were laughing, everyday on set, we had a great time, everyone was awesome!

Christian Clark: I think a lot of the credit goes to Working Dog for knowing how to cast the film with people who have a great personality and vibe. I think that's why everyone was so great.

Question: Rob Stitch said the role was written for you, Josh Lawson.

Josh Lawson: That's what they tell me which is flattering and I didn't want to let them down so I had the pressure to make the film the best I could, to make them proud of me.

Christian Clark: There were a few technical things wrong; he was actually with a French tennis star not a Russian (laughing).

Josh Lawson: Yes, well there is a bit of fiction in there (laughing). It was great fun, the guys of Working Dog are friends and to be able to work with friends is the best thing.

Question: When you picked up the script did you find it was easy to work as Ben?

Josh Lawson: Absolutely! The script really spoke to me in a personal way and I think it speaks to a lot of 20-somethings who don't know what to do with their lives. We only get one shot at this and you ask 'Am I ruining this?' You don't get to do your 20's twice and I think a lot of people will be hoping they haven't wasted their time.

Question: How was it driving the Ferrari?

Josh Lawson: It was fantastic! I want one... I'd have to steal it, I couldn't afford it!

Question: How did the premier of Any Questions for Ben go?

Christian Clark: It was a lot of fun, strangely I was nervous at the premier, it was the only time I've been nervous, I think it's the big numbers of people. I find making the film very relaxing.

Everyone responded to the film really well and what's good about a comedy is that when everyone is laughing you know it's going well. Everyone was laughing non-stop!

Any Questions for Ben?

Cast: Josh Lawson, Rachael Taylor, Daniel Henshall, Christian Clark, Felicity Ward
Director: Rob Sitch
Genre: Comedy
Rated: M

Synopsis: For 27-year-old Ben (Josh Lawson), life couldn't be better. A well paid job, friends, parties, girls and nothing to tie him down. But when he is invited back to his old school to join several other ex-students including Alex (Rachael Taylor) and Jim (Ed Kavalee) in talking about their personal achievements, something goes wrong.

Ben is the only speaker not to be asked a question by the school kids. This triggers a year of soul searching and looking for answers in all the wrong places. From his best friend Andy (Christian Clark) whose solution is that they both take another holiday, to his mentor Sam (Lachy Hulme) who loans him a sports car in the belief that there's nothing like excessive speed to resolve emotional turmoil.

Not even Ben's father (Rob Carlton) or friends Nick (Daniel Henshall) and Em (Felicity Ward) can offer much in the way of meaningful guidance. Of course, it's not easy seeking enlightenment in nightclubs, or on the ski fields of New Zealand, and when you start dating a Russian tennis star things can get really complicated.

As the poster boy for a generation desperate to tick every box, Ben begins to suspect that the meaning of life may well reside in the things he's already doing and a girl he used to know.

Release Date: February 9th, 2012