Q ’n’ A: Rob Mills
Rob Mills has had a finger in every possible entertainment industry pie since 2003 with careers as diverse as singing and recording to hosting children’s television shows. More recently though, he’s been heavily involved in musical theatre, first getting his break in 2009 with the Australian production of Wicked and last year earning a lead role in Legally Blonde. This year will see Mills take on his first starring role as Danny Zuko with the reprised musical production of Grease. We sat down with Mills at the TMN offices to talk about why he won’t take on John Travolta, plus Australian Idol,The Apprentice and his candid opinion of The Voice.
Would you say the industry has treated you well or is there another reason why you constantly hop from one job to another?
I just like all aspects. I did cover band gigs for years and years and years, and loved that. But then when I went on to Idol, just for something different, just to see what could happen. I loved every aspect of the TV show, I got to know the producers pretty well and saw they were going for storylines, then I got to know the camera guys and what sort of angles they were shooting, what lenses they were using. Then we got to the [recording] studio and it was a whole other world again, you’ve got managers and you’ve got directors and you’ve got directors who are shooting all the shots. Then when I got to doing the interviews I was asking journalists how they got into it [laughs]. I realised there’s so many different aspects of the entertainment industry that you can do, I particularly love the performing side of things, I love t be on the stage and in front of the camera. I don’t know, I just went from job to job because they were there I suppose, I just found out about auditions and went to them and loved the hosting side of things, loved what Andrew [Gunsberg] and Jimmy [Mathison] were doing when they were there. Last year I got to do YTT [Young Talent Time], which was great as well. I don’t know if I’ve been lucky or just worked hard and been in the right place at the right time.
You’re a publicist’s dream really.
Yeah. I was talking to [Melbourne actor] Cameron Daddo about this, I’m working with him at the moment on Legally Blonde. We’re actually quite similar, not in age, he’s an old guy now, I like giving him crap about it. He’s of the same mind set as me: just say yes. You just say yes and you never know what doors it will open. If it’s an audition that you know you’re not right for, just go and do it anyway. The director might say to you ‘you’re not right for this but here’s another TV show that you’re perfect for’.
Theatre seems to be where you’ve shone the most in a professional sense, why do you think that is?
I’m so expressive in my face. Maybe that’s why I can’t get anything on TV, I’m too expressive in my face! I really love the performing, the acting, the singing, I like the dancing – I’m just not very good at it. I’ve been really lucky, Wicked is still the biggest show in the world, I think it launched in 2005, and it’s still huge today, it’s coming back next year with the Australian production launching again.
Would you do it again?
I don’t know. If I go back I feel like it’s a step back a bit – and there’s someone else who would love to do that.
When I first heard it was coming out and I’d seen the show over on London I thought ‘ I could do that! I’d love to do that!’ So I went and got heaps of acting lessons, heaps of singing lessons, took dance classes. I came back [from the U.K.] and thought ‘yep, this is it, this is it for me’.
It just sort of resonates with me, I grew up on Mary Poppins and The Sound Of Music, I love all those big Disney movies. There’s also a lot of, uh, I don’t know the best way to say this without it sounding condescending; there’s a lot of camp male actors out there, I think to have to have a straight lead guy is kind of cool.
Would you say musical theatre is your preferred role in the industry?
Nup. Nup. I still wouldn’t mind being the third guy from the left in a TV series, just because it’d be interesting.
Are you saying that’s your end goal?
No no, I would take if it meant something different. I think I just don’t like staying stable, I like challenging myself, I like meeting new people… The end goal is just, I look at Hugh Jackman and he’s the guy. He works really hard, he chooses good roles, he’s a great singer and actor. I’d really love my career to go from musical theatre to film. Hopefully in a couple of years when I’ve done a few more roles…Grease will be my first major lead role in a musical.
You had to jump ship with Legally Blonde to take on the role, how did that go down with the producers?
I finish up with Legally Blonde on the 14th of July, and I start rehearsals on the 15th. One of [the producers on Grease] is the same producer on the show, so he had to talk the others into it. It’s an opportunity you can’t pass up, it’s a lead role but I’ll be sad to leave [Legally Blonde], I love that cast.
You’re working with some huge names on Grease, (Bert Newton, Todd McKenney, Anthony Callea and Lucy Maunder), I know you’ve worked with a few of them before in Wicked.
Todd McKenney, he judged me poorly on Dancing With The Stars[laughs]. I’m still not sure if I want to work with him. Seven? I was like ‘Seven? What?!’ I like to win and when I don’t win I go a bit… [laughs and looks at the floor].
Everyone over 20 should be a massive fan of the film and know at least one song verbatim.
When I went into the audition I thought ‘I don’t think I know any of these songs.’ He [producer John Frost] was like ‘you know it, you’ll be right.’
Mills then reenacts his audition where the lyrics and tune fell in place
I’ve probably seen it twice, three times, but the amount of times it’s been playing at parties or at mates’ houses growing up… Maybe I have seen it more than twice.
My challenge is to try not to be Travolta I suppose, let him do his Danny and I’ll do my own. It’s so iconic in our youth, but at the same time you don’t want to take it so far from it.
Do you have plans to get yourself in character in the lead up to rehearsals?
I’m already wearing the old school sweatshirt. [pulls at his baseball t-shirt]. Not really, this is not even mine. It’s just from a shoot today, just haven’t taken it off.
They let you keep it?
Mmmm [laughs]. It was just really comfortable! Feel it!
I don’t even know if I’m going to watch the film again. I’m just going to leave it and get the director to tell me what he wants. I’ll probably go with it instinctively.
Will everyone be using an American accent?
I imagine we will be. There’s a contentious point at the moment though, in the musical in London and Broadway – which is what we’re doing, the West End version – Sandy’s got an American accent, because it’s the original musical theatre production. The only reason Olivia Newton John was Australian was because she couldn’t do the accent. I said to the producers the other day ‘surely she has to have an Australian accent,’ they said ‘no it’s the musical theatre version.’ But it’s so iconic for Australia, that movie put Australia on the map really. I’m going to speak up, I think I come from a wider world outside of musical theatre and I think you have to go with an Aussie accent.
You’re all over TV at the moment for the latest season of The Apprentice, how did that come about, is that something your agent chases or were you approached?
It’s a bit of both… [Mills’ publicist chimes in: “Our entertainment director knows the producers over there so we had some chats about Rob.”] And then my manager at the time was campaigning and we sat down and had a meeting. It’s kind of like any reality TV show really, they’re looking for different people that will blend with the other people. The want somebody obviously who is a bit crazy, they want someone who’s a bit nice, they want someone who’s a bit gorgeous, a bit sporty…
And which are you?
I think I’m a bit of everything. I’m just a nice guy maybe. [sighs]
That was quite a deep breath.
I think I feel alright. Someone said to me ‘do you think you’re going to be portrayed alright?’ I can’t say ‘oh I can’t believe they showed that!’ But the one thing that’s going to probably come back and bite me is when I concentrate – just the way my mouth is with my lips when my jaw’s together. My lips do this [pouts]. It’s ridiculous, I was watching the clips and I thought [audibly sighs].
If that’s your only gripe then you’ve done quite well.
I’m more just angry with myself for being so quiet and not speaking up a bit more.
What’s your view on the slew of Australian talent shows now airing? Having come out of the inaugural Australian Idol, do you think the shows still have the same life-changing affect on their winners?
I think if you’re good enough and you’ve got a brand and you’ve got a good song or you’re just a phenomenal performer, you’ll stand out and your career will take over. I think that’s what it did for a lot of us in the first year. Guy [Sebastian] for me, is just the most phenomenally talented musician we have in this country, sings, writes, plays, produces, can’t dance (laughs) that makes me a little bit happy. With Shannon, Paulini and even some of the ones since then have gone on to have pretty careers, and even the ones that haven’t, if you’re good enough and you want it bad enough, it will happen. It’s like with every industry I think.
Do you think the industry is better now for televised talent show winners now, or worse?
Yes and no. Yes because with the power of the Internet, anyone who’s good enough can be a star. And when I say a star I mean their video can go viral, they can be known more quickly than any other era before. The record industry for me, I don’t really like, but I think its better now because kids of any sort of musician, if their song’s good enough they’ll just put it on YouTube and word of mouth will get around, you don’t just have to be a product of Idol, of any of these shows.
My only thing with shows these days is there’s so much emphasis – and I find it a bit crap – on just entertainment. That’s why we’re watching it, not necessarily just for the talent, seeing this person grow as a performer, we’re just watching the comments from the judges. That’s what the show is becoming.
We have three international judges and one Aussie girl who no one seems to respect or care about her opinion anyway, from what I gather.
You’re talking about The Voice?
Yeah, with Delta. I just think it’s come down to being about the judges and not about the talent that’s being offered to them. I like the concept of not seeing them and just listening to their voice, letting it hit the heart, but after that it’s just another show I suppose.
Grease kicks off at QPAC in Brisbane on August 20