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| 12 December 2001 |
| 12 December 2001 Big Year for Big Brother's Blair By Lousie Napier BLAIR McDonough sits in a Nunawading office surrounded by pictures of former Neighbours stars such as Kylie Minogue, Guy Pearce, Craig McLachlan and Jason Donovan. He admits to being "a little star-struck by it all", but, really, it's just another in a string of extraordinary experiences the 20-year-old has had in the past 12 months. "I just take it as it comes now," McDonough says. "If I sat and analysed everything freaky that has gone on in the past 12 months, I'd be in a white-walled room with a straitjacket on by now." A little over a year ago, McDonough decided to make a break from his sporting background and enrol in a 12-week acting course. His brother is an entertainer and, excited about the idea of performing, McDonough decided it was time for a change. "Acting was just an avenue I was dipping my toe into a bit because, after seeing what my brother was doing, I knew I'd enjoy it," McDonough says. "But I never had the guts to get away from my football and try something like that. "None of my friends were interested in acting so, to take that step was a big thing and I kept it pretty quiet." At about the same time,McDonough also applied to take part in the TV reality series Big Brother, and was fortunate enough to be selected out of thousands of hopefuls as one of 12 housemates vying for a prize of $250,000. His life was about to change forever. Three months of quietly pursuing a dream at acting school was followed by three months of intense scrutiny and public exposure on national television. "Looking back, I don't really remember much of what went on in the (Big Brother) house at all," he says. "But I do know there was plenty that people enjoyed. "I never went in there with the idea that it would launch my career as an actor or anything. The only time I played up was when we were doing the news report thing, because it was performance-based, but, really, if you're not yourself on that type of show it makes the job so much harder." McDonough was amazed by the popularity of Big Brother when he left the show's isolated Gold Coast house on Day 85 as runner-up to good mate Ben Williams. "People were clawing at me and security guards were trying to keep them away," he says. But amid all the fanfare in the aftermath of Big Brother, he was offered a role on Neighbours. Three months on national television as Blair McDonough was followed by three months filming in a Nunawading studio as fictional Ramsay St character Stuart Parker. Now, McDonough is about to be exposed to a national television audience again. "That's been the beauty of it � that I filmed my first episode three months ago and it is only coming out now, so I only get the pressure now," he says. "I also know that my performance from then to now has changed considerably. "I can say my first episode wasn't the best thing, but watch what I have done since." Stuart Parker is the younger brother of one of Drew's best mates from the bush. He is a fun-loving guy, but doesn't understand women. He was about to get married when he came across his best mate with his bride-to-be and, unable to handle it or explain it to his family, he did a runner the day before his wedding and landed in Erinsborough. "Stuart is from the country and he loves having fun and likes going off on his own little adventures," McDonough says. "He will probably never grow up. He knows the difference between right and wrong, but always gets caught up and carried away with the moment and doesn't really think about the consequences. "We share the same smart-alec kind of remarks, but he handles things differently to me. "He's a little softer and feels a bit more guilty about things." For instance, McDonough doesn't feel the slightest bit guilty about landing a coveted role on Neighbours in an unconventional way. But it does have its pitfalls. "Some people ask me if I'd recommend they try their hand at a reality series to get into acting and I say `don't do it', because it takes a lot more work to gain respect and integrity," he says. "You've got to work doubly hard because, you know, you're just some kid off a reality TV show who got a lucky break. "I'd think that of anyone else � `Oh yeah, he's going to go on there and make a fool of himself'. "But I have come here and work bloody hard, so maybe one day people might go, `he's doing OK'." McDonough is not ashamed of where he has come from, but armed with new knowledge, he wishes things could be a little different. "People ask me would I do something like Big Brother again and the answer to that is: `No, never again'. "Knowing what I know now, I'd rather work from the bottom in acting, do my courses, learn and have the respect and integrity from the onset." Article from The Herald Sun |
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| From reality to soap: Blair McDonough has enjoyed the transition from Big Brother to Neighbours. |