REEL TIME TWO OF A KIND

brother, I ended up playing the I doubt if that’s me. I tend to be Screen legends and Michael tortured brother and it was someone who is more inclined Caton reunite as warring brothers in a real change of pace for me. to toe the line. I’m a law abider. I usually play sympathetic a reimagining of endearing comedy Rams characters; it was a challenge It’s unbelievable that the pair of to play someone edgier and you haven’t worked together since RAMS What is Rams about at its heart? wild and out of control. . What was it like Saturday July 31 at 8.30pm and Michael Caton: I’d say to reunite 40 years on? miscommunication. Both When I first knew Michael, watch On Demand Did you identify with any aspect Neill: brothers are hopeless at of your characters? he was a regular on The Foxtel Movies Premiere [401] communicating their feelings. Caton: I refuse to answer on the Sullivans and I had a guest Les just stews, unless he gets grounds that I could incriminate spot. He was a roaring boy at on the sauce – and then God myself! [Laughs] He is a tortured that point – he’s a much quieter n Australia’s robust but help you! And look at Col soul. There’s a whole backstory bloke now – but I’ve always relatively small film industry, – he has so much trouble for Les; the way he [didn’t inherit] been fond of him. He was it’s hard to believe that saying what’s on his mind. the family farm and came back kind to me when I was a Kiwi renowned actors Sam Neill Sam Neill: It’s about sibling from serving in Vietnam, and who had just crossed the and Michael Caton haven’t rivalry and communities under how he is affected by all of that. Ditch, wet behind the ears. Iworked together since 1980, pressure, the nature of Neill: Colin is a still- I’ve always been when Neill had a guest spot friendship and pandemics. waters-run-deep grateful for that. in Caton’s WWII-set series It touches on a lot of things kind of bloke. Not “It touches Caton: I’ve always The Sullivans. that are universal. that I particularly on universal really liked Sam. In the decades since, their identify with that, but He has a beautiful careers have taken different What attracted you to the I sort of understand things” manner about him. yet equally stellar trajectories – Rams story? it. I’ve spent a lot – Sam Neill He moves through Neill known for his international Neill: I was sent a script and of time on farms the world very roles, including Dr Alan Grant I immediately said no, because and there is a thing gracefully. I wish I had in the blockbuster Jurassic I’d seen the original, which about people on the land, that gift. It was a hell of a shoot, Park franchise, while Caton is a film I liked very much. people like Colin: they don’t though. In one scene, I’m on became synonymous with I didn’t see any point in it being say much, but they like a quad bike and there are wind playing affable patriarchs in remade. But Jeremy [Sims], to lean on gates and stare and smoke machines, I can’t cult classic The Castle and the director, said, ‘Please into the distance quite a bit. see a thing in front of me, and

popular TV series Packed read the script.’ He talked [Laughs] So I know a lot of Jeremy wants the quad bike STORY: LEIGH LIVINGSTONE. PHOTO: ROADSHOW FILMS to the Rafters. me into it, basically, in the full Colins and there might even and sheep in the same shot. Rams reunites the icons in understanding that we weren’t be a bit of Colin in me. So I’m right up on the sheep an adaptation of the award- really doing a remake. It was and Sam’s behind me shouting, winning Icelandic film of the a springboard – a very different When disaster strikes, Les is ‘Dog! Dog!’ because the dog same name as Colin (Neill) film in a very different country. openly defiant and Colin is a quiet took no notice of the quad and Les (Caton) Grimurson, Caton: Originally, I was going to rebel. Would you behave the same bike. I had to brake savagely estranged brothers facing play the role of Colin. Then we way in your character’s situation? a couple of times to avoid Michael Caton shifts a pandemic that threatens their had a meeting with Jeremy Caton: I’d be the quiet one. running over this dog, so we Sam Neill perfectly gears to play “tortured captures the “quiet soul” Les in Rams community and the family’s and they’d rewritten the script, Anything to avoid a blow-up. had a great partnership in rebel” in Colin sheep-farming legacy. so instead of playing the nice Neill: Colin is a quiet rebel, but that regard. [Laughs]

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