A Quick Chat With Stephen James King

Stephen James King trained at The Julliard School, has appeared on stage in New York and Australia, recently finished filming Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby and is currently appearing in Darlinghurst Theatre Company’s Reasons To Be Pretty.

Stephen took some time out of his busy schedule to answer our 20 questions…

1. As a child what did you want to be when you grew up?
Rich and famous.

2. Who is the most important person in the world to you?
Where would we be without our Mum…

3. What animal best represents you and why?
A lion. A selfish, lazy, vain one. I’m a textbook Leo.

4. If you were on Deal or no Deal, how much would you need to be on offer before you walked away?
I’m not familiar with that show but I’d be happy with a cool mil.

5. What was the first piece of theatre/film/tv you appeared in and how old were you?
Year 3 playing “Beast” in Beauty and the Beast. Not my subtlest work.

6. Windows or Mac?
Once you go Mac, you never go back.

7. Favourite Food?
A Steak and Pomme frite from Onde in Darlinghurst.

8. Who is the actor you would most like to work alongside?
Judy Davis.

9. What five songs would be the first you put on a mix tape?
Anything by James Taylor gets me in a happy place.

10. What is the best thing about Theatre in Australia?
When it’s good, it’s very good.

11. What is the worst thing about Theatre in Australia?
The exclusive nature of a couple of theatre companies.

12. Name one moment when you looked around, breathed happily and felt content?
The weeks following a silent meditation retreat.

13. Where is the most interesting place you have travelled?
I lived in New York CIty for five years and it never got old.

14. Who is the most famous person you have met?
Tom Cruise bought me a drink when I was 12.

15. Most embarassing thing that has ever happened to you on stage?
My fly was undone for an entire performance. Tom Cruise was in the audience. Hopefully that’s not the reason he bought me the drink.

16. What’s your life motto?
Be nice.

17. What’s your favourite post show snack?
Post show? Sugar and carbs. No limits.

18. What’s your biggest phobia?
Not being good enough.

19. What is the worst date you’ve ever had?
With my then not-yet wife, nine years ago. I felt completely inadequate and had just been rejected from NIDA that afternoon. We didn’t get together until years later.

20. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Being sworn at by Judy Davis onstage.

Reasons To Be Pretty by Neil LaBute is currently playing at the Darlinghurst Theatre until June 3, starring Lucy Maunder, Stephen James King, Andrew Henry and Julia Grace.

Venue: Darlinghurst Theatre, 19 Greenknowe Avenue, Potts Point
Session times: Tuesday ­‐ Saturday 8pm, Sunday 5pm

Bookings: 02 8356 9987 or www.darlinghursttheatre.com