Watch this space Director Ron Howard’s When he made the leap from TV actor – on the back new series on humans of his starring role as Richie colonising Mars is out Cunningham in Happy Days of this world, writes – to fi lm director in his mid- 20s, it was in search of that SHANNON MOLLOY familiar boyhood feeling. “I’ve always used this job HOLLYWOOD legend Ron to fuel that original sense of Howard is many things – adventure I felt. Otherwise famed actor, busy producer, I’m a pretty cautious person acclaimed director, doting in life,” he says. “The shows father and, more recently, and movies are what opens a passionate advocate for me up to the world in ways the colonisation of Mars. I’d be too timid to embrace.” Make no mistake, man Just as he followed in will set foot on the red planet his father’s footsteps, his within two decades, and daughter Bryce is also a it’ll be more than a passing successful fi lm and TV actor. visit, he says. As well as a captivating According to Howard, we screen presence, she is will resettle a chunk of our famous for a distinct, high- population there in a bid to pitched and booming laugh. save our species. “You know, she was so “I always thought of Mars quiet as a baby. Really quiet,” like how I’d thought of the Howard laughs. moon – a place to go to better “One day – she was about humanity’s understanding, 18 months old, I guess – I was a terrifi c and romantic idea,” on the other side of the house he says. when I heard this shrieking That was until he started day documentary featuring blockbuster fi lm Apollo 13, Howard’s family drove from noise. I thought, ‘What is work on the bold new TV an array of experts, and part as well as producing the TV New York to Los Angeles so that? Is someone in here?’. series MARS and concluded high-spec drama telling the miniseries From The Earth his parents could pursue “I rushed over to see that settling there is our only fi ctional tale of a manned To The Moon. their Hollywood ambitions. Bryce being pulled around hope of survival. mission to our planetary “I have a very poetic It was the same humble on a blanket by our puppy, “As I began to read more neighbour in the year 2033. relationship with the night age Howard started working, a terrier named Frisky. She and talk to experts, I saw it Howard insists this isn’t sky,” he says. with an acting role in the fi lm was riding it like a sleigh, very diff erently,” Howard pie-in-the-sky thinking, but “I appreciate the beauty of The Journey. laughing her head off . says. “I saw immediate a magnifi cent glimpse at it, its incomprehensibility. It “I remember the magic of “It was the fi rst time colonisation of Mars as a very our very real future. “It’s just doesn’t make me want to go, making that story come to I heard that big, beautiful wise idea, a worthy ambition around the corner,” he says. but the deeper mystery of it life,” he says. “I was caught laugh. She found her voice and a way of perpetuating Howard has long been astounds me.” up in the idea of reaching that day.” our species and restoring this fascinated with space. In Exploring new frontiers people through the lens of a MARS planet before it’s too late.” the ’90s, he put that passion has been a constant theme camera. That gave me a sense SUNDAY, 7.30PM, The show is part modern- into his work and directed throughout his life. At four, of adventure.” NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DA SILVA SHOWS HER SERIOUS SIDE AS the season fi nale of fl ame of lead character Hugh the usually light and often on screen because it’s Doctor Doctor airs this week, Knight (Rodger Corser). comedic storylines her something so many people Nicole da Silva says fans “It runs a perfect balance character is gifted. go through,” she says. “I felt should continue to expect between the two.” “I really cherished that a weight of responsibility the unexpected for our Certainly, tragedy has storyline,” da Silva says. to those who have walked country-town characters. touched Charlie this season. The actor also says she that path to make sure I did “What’s great about Doctor One of the biggest talking was humbled by feedback their story justice.” Doctor is that you have to points was when she and her from fans. expect not only levity, but husband (Ryan Johnson) “They were grateful DOCTOR DOCTOR tragedy,” says da Silva, who experienced an ectopic for having that kind of WEDNESDAY, 8.30PM, NINE plays Charlie, the former pregnancy – a break from heartbreak represented By Tiff any Dunk

EDITOR Ti any Dunk REVIEWS Ti any Dunk, Colin Vickery, Andrew Fenton, Neala Johnson, Leigh Paatsch, Shannon Molloy, Cameron Adams COVER Ron Howard for Mars © HEADPRESS COVER DESIGN Naomi Schmidt ADVERTISING NSW (02) 9288 2104; QLD (07) 3666 6988; VIC (03) 9292 2249 PRODUCTION Pagemasters Published by Hannanprint, 8 Priddle St, Warwick Farm, NSW, 2170, for News Corp Australia. PROGRAM INFORMATION: Is correct at the time of printing, but may be subject to late change by individual television networks amending their schedules.