Dangerous: articles


Danger ahead: Khan Chittenden, Brooke Satchwell and Joel Edgerton.

Actor reveals 'grim' past

ACCLAIMED actor Brooke Satchwell has revealed acting opportunities were so few and far between for her in recent years she turned to working as a shop assistant to make ends meet.

The former Neighbours star and long-time girlfriend of actor Matthew Newton spoke of her "grim" times, after landing the lead role of Donna in Foxtel's new eight-part drama Dangerous. The series, which stars Joel Edgerton and Khan Chittenden, begins production in Sydney tomorrow.

The story focuses on a romance between Satchwell and Chittenden which takes part against the backdrop of gangs and street crime.

"It is such a brilliant opportunity. She is a fabulous, strong female character who gets to do a whole swag of incredible things. How could I say no?" Satchwell said.

"And I have a pile of bills about as tall as 10 phone books."

Despite having been one of the country's busiest young actors, Satchwell said work opportunities suddenly dried up about three years ago.

"I started on Neighbours at 15 and somehow, through just continuous strokes of good fortune, managed to move into job after job," she said.

"Then I turned into a real actor and I was out of work.

"I was selling clothes for a family friend, I was literally doing anything to make ends meet for a while there. It got really grim for a while.

"It was probably a really beneficial thing that it happened, I think everybody needs a break, but it is also really hard when you have been moving at such a pace to stop. It made me quite hungry (to act) again."

Filming on Dangerous will wrap on November 3, and Satchwell will be on a plane as soon as cameras stop rolling to be in Melbourne for the wedding of Lauren Newton and Matt Welsh the following day.

Despite rumours that their relationship had gone through a rocky patch, Satchwell said all was well with her and Newton.

"He is very, very well. He is fabulous," she said.

September 10, 2006
Sunday Herald Sun