australian television information archive

Dishy Dustin loses his inhibitions in Satisfaction

DUSTIN Clare appears awestruck by his recent fortune. Whether luck or fate, the star who wooed female fans of McLeod's Daughters is in hot demand in Australia.

Having spent the past 12 months attempting to carve out a career in Hollywood, Clare has found more success back home. Now, the young talent - who played farmer Riley in McLeod's Daughters, is playing a hunky sex worker in series two of Satisfaction.

Clare joins the sex-working cast of Madeleine West, Alison Whyte, Peta Sargeant, Kestie Morassi, Diana Glenn and Bojana Novakovic as the brother of straight-shooting but vulnerable madam Mel (West).

Viewers are first introduced to Sean when he comes face-to-face with Mel having vocal and steamy sex in her apartment.

From the outset it cements their friendship and the interesting take their parents had on relationships while growing up.

"I think with sibling relationships you either go two ways," says West, who rose to prominence playing Dionne Bliss in Neighbours and has continued to score sought-after roles in Underbelly and film productions Big Reef and Hercules.

"You either live out of each other's pockets or don't speak," she says.

"Mel and Sean know each other too well. It's almost like it's unsaid, they know what each other is thinking and that is really delicious because you don't often get the opportunity to play that.

"This is something Australia hasn't really touched on before, especially on TV," Clare adds. "These high-class sex workers who make a living like that, but also have these other lives. Sean is a very fun and likable guy who is thrown in among the girls to shake things up. But let's just say he's not always completely aware of the consequences of his actions."

For the returning cast, West says making series two allowed the actresses to let go of their inhibitions because they'd been there, done that.

"That shock element of 'Oh my god, I am a sex worker' wasn't there any more," West admits. "It was 'I am a sex worker and this is how I function in day-to-day life' which is confronting at first. There was a different energy this time around, we had taken that initial hurdle and as actors we understood what it was about.

"The fear element was gone. We are trying to show a sex industry which is less cliched. You get to see these women at work and then you get to see them at home looking daggy, relating to friends, family and partners."

By Erin McWhirter
November 25, 2008
The Advertiser