Paul O'Brien "I wasn't proud of Home and Away"

[scottieshez]

I found this hilarious when I saw it. It only confirms what people have said to me about what he's really like....

So he leaves the show and jets straight out to Hollywood, hoping to emulate the success of some of his former co-stars, but nothing comes of it and he's now back in Melbourne playing another cop who's going to end up dead.....

Given his credibility as an actor, he should do himself a favour and not come out with comments like that - otherwise no-one will want to employ him at all.

Lol thats exactly what i was thinking. a year in america and the only filming he did was a message home to his fans!

Id pay a million dollars never to see his face in summer bay again. I always used to think he was looking in the mirror when he was filming!

He was quite happy to collect his paycheck each week and put his face in magazines advertising the show he was so ashamed of starring in.

[Sabrina]

I'm a bit disappointed in Paul. I was surprised he'd say something like this.

[I love music]

Well, as I've never been a fan or otherwise of Paul O'Brien and I read this article out of pure curiosity I hope I can say something completely impartial:

NEVER believe EVERYTHING you read, hear or see in the media

In general, TV, newspapers, magazines (and the internet these days) are usually in the business to make money. The more controversy they can stir up, the more notice people take of them, the more you watch the show, the more gains through advertising; the more newspapers and magazines are sold, the more their profits go through the roof. It's very, very easy to influence people: TV simply edits bits out; newspapers etc chop and switch words around. For instance, you could tell me "I'd like to visit Australia one day" and I could write "So-and-so plans trip to Australia". You haven't actually planned any such thing, you've just said you'd like to but I've twisted your words.

So what's probably happened with this article is words have been edited, twisted etc to make it sound like the actor has said exactly what's written. I very much doubt someone who's hoping to carve a greater career for himself would verbally attack all the other actors and a show he made his name with. My advice is take it all with a pinch of salt.

ps And how do I know all this? Oh, easy. I work in the public sector. Like the vast majority of public sector workers I'm on a very low wage, won't be receiving any "gold-plated" pension, don't get thousands in bonuses or redundancies...But day after day after day The Daily Mail prints lie after lie after lie saying otherwise and the brainwashed actually believe it...

[Mink22]

He sounds like a jerk. He should be greatful for the opportunities Home and away has given him. Without Home and away he would've been a stranger just like you and I. I'm glad he's gone. His acting weren't that great and I never liked his character anyway!

[-Kevin-]

Well, as I've never been a fan or otherwise of Paul O'Brien and I read this article out of pure curiosity I hope I can say something completely impartial:

NEVER believe EVERYTHING you read, hear or see in the media

In general, TV, newspapers, magazines (and the internet these days) are usually in the business to make money. The more controversy they can stir up, the more notice people take of them, the more you watch the show, the more gains through advertising; the more newspapers and magazines are sold, the more their profits go through the roof. It's very, very easy to influence people: TV simply edits bits out; newspapers etc chop and switch words around. For instance, you could tell me "I'd like to visit Australia one day" and I could write "So-and-so plans trip to Australia". You haven't actually planned any such thing, you've just said you'd like to but I've twisted your words.

So what's probably happened with this article is words have been edited, twisted etc to make it sound like the actor has said exactly what's written. I very much doubt someone who's hoping to carve a greater career for himself would verbally attack all the other actors and a show he made his name with. My advice is take it all with a pinch of salt.

ps And how do I know all this? Oh, easy. I work in the public sector. Like the vast majority of public sector workers I'm on a very low wage, won't be receiving any "gold-plated" pension, don't get thousands in bonuses or redundancies...But day after day after day The Daily Mail prints lie after lie after lie saying otherwise and the brainwashed actually believe it...

Things are always always twisted in the media, its how they function! They don't usually make up blatant lies but they do overdramatise situations and add bits and pieces to make it sound very sensational and very bad. I believe they had the conversation, I just think they published the warped version.

[KirstyEkua]

I agree that the majority of interviews in trashy magazines are usually cut and paste jobs. In a lot of ocassions interviews don't actually take place and the journalist (if you can call them that ) just takes bits and pieces from old interviews and changes things around to make it seem real. (i have a degree in journalism and have done so work in the industry).

But i think in this situation Paul's comments have probably been exaggerated and twisted to make it sound more dramatic. However if it really did differ a lot from what he actually said i'm sure he could demand an apology or something. No matter how you look at it the just of what he said comes acorss loud and clear. And all it does it make him sound completely arrogant and full of himself.

[Nathan.]

I would comment on this ungrateful *person* but I believe that what I have to say would get me banned from this forum. Jerk.

[sooty]

I agree with what several people have said about how the trailer trash section of the media (and this includes TV Week) can distort what people have said or even totally misquote them.

However, I do find it disappointing that Paul O'Brien who pretty much hasn't been seen or heard from for a year and a half should decide that this is the moment (when he finally gets another acting job on a TV movie) to diss Home and Away. I say this from the point of view of someone who doesn't watch the show any more but who did find one of the few highlights of the last few years to be Jack and Martha. It's a shame that someone who was very popular with the young fans of the show who after all actually make up the majority of the show's audience as well as the readership of TV Week should decide to "trash" the show in a publication that is going to be read by a lot of Home and Away fans. As others have rightly pointed out, Paul O'Brien was and is by no means a great actor and I can understand he was frustrated by the way in which a show like this is shot/plotted. However, that is the way of shows like this and it's a shame he didn't acknowledge for example what Jack and Martha meant to alot of fans and how he was proud to be part of one of the show's most popular ever couples or the good work/storylines around Martha's cancer storylines which I think were Jack and Martha's best moments.

Other actors who have left the show e.g. Chris Hemsworth, Kate Ritchie have wisely chosen the diplomatic route and have not publicly trashed the show even if they do have negative feelings about it in private. Paul O'Brien would be well advised to follow their example at least until or if he ever has an established acting career beyond Home and Away and then he should still at least acknowledge that Home and Away was the show that give him his first real break and start in acting.

[LovingBeachh]

Ok, maybe Paul said it and it made many of us mad, angry? But the truth is, even if you're saying, you didn't like how he acted or you didn't like his character - I think many says because they're angry, but the fact is - I think, that Jack as character was one of the best. He was jerk, but also a romantic guy, who cared alot of Martha. I say, it shocked me also (this article). But it's harsh to see, now when he's jerk, we must be tho?

[**Julie**]

O'Brien full of gratitude for Summer Bay

Sunday Herald Sun

July 18 2010

Paul O'Brien has come out in support of his former employer, Home and Away, despite being quoted in TV Week bagging the show.

O'Brien spent nearly four years on the soap.

He told TV Week he was not proud of his work.

'As an actor, I was like, 'What am I doing?' I get asked every day, 'When are you going to come back?',' he told the magazine during the week.

'It's never going to happen.'

O'Brien, who has just finished the lead role as murdered cop Rodney Miller in the first Underbelly telemovie, said he was taken out of context and was full of gratitude for Home and Away.

'I loved my experience on Home and Away and loved working on the show,' he said.

'It was a fantastic learning curve.'

The actor moved to Melbourne this year and has set up an acting school in St. Kilda called The Actors Nest.

He has always been a keen teacher.

As for his role in Underbelly: Tell Them Lucifer Was Here, O'Brien was tight lipped, only saying he enjoyed every minute of filming the Channel 9 telemovie this year.

'The fact is it's a true story, so it does have a weight to it,' he said.

'As an actor it does make you enjoy it more.'