Luke Bracey has been making waves since debuting on the hit Australian series Home and Away. He would soon make waves in Hollywood, making his film debut on Monte Carlo opposite Selena Gomez and even playing the Cobra Commander himself in G.I. Joe: Retaliation in 2013. He played the role of Johnny Utah, originally played by Keanu Reeves, in the remake of Point Break in 2015. He has returned home to his native Australia to play Sgt. Bob Buick in the war biopic Danger Close, coming to theaters, On Demand, and Digital on November 8 from Saban Films.
World Film Geek had the chance to talk to Bracey about making the film.
I just reviewed Danger Close and it was a very good war film, perhaps one of the most accurate I’ve seen in recent years.
Thank you so much! It’s great to see the film gain a following outside of Australia and it was such an undertaking to do, but we all did our best to get this film made. We are excited to hear that it’s getting rave all over the place. I mean, we never would imagine that a piece of our Australian history would gain so much attention, but it has, and we are excited about it.
What attracted you to the role of Sgt. Bob Buick?
I was given the script and once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. I saw Bob was more than just a soldier, but as a person as well. He was one who seemed like a taskmaster. He was very involved in the mission, but as he began to lose men in the battle, he finds himself to do what it takes to make sure he gets his men out of there alive. So, it was great to play the character. This is actually my first Australian film as I’ve done mostly stuff in Hollywood so it’s great to play someone close to home.
You’ve done your share of military style and action roles. Would you consider this role one of your most challenging?
Absolutely. This had to be one of the physically challenging roles I’ve done. I mean we were there in dirt and mud for a good portion of the film and it was very uncomfortable. We had some help in the form of seasoned veterans who fought in Iraq and they trained us. It seems weird because here are us actors pretending to be these soldiers and you have these soldiers who actually were involved in war. Nevertheless, they really did a good job at training us and we felt lucky to have these guys. It is definitely one of my most challenging roles so far.
You got to work with some great talents on the film, including Travis Fimmel, Daniel Webber, and Richard Roxburgh. What was it like working with them?
The cast was excellent! I mean you have Travis, who is young like me and is a big star and Richard Roxburgh who is a legend. We have some great newer guys like Alexander England and Daniel Webber. We all did an excellent job, considering this is an independent Australian film. I mean there was the issue with time and budget, but we all got together and not just the cast, but the crew really gave it their all. They wanted to do something special and we wanted to help bring that, so it was great working with everyone on the film. Cast and crew!
What was the most difficult thing about shooting this film?
I would say the battle scenes. I mean, they were physically challenging and at times exhausting. Again, it’s time and budget. I mean, there were times when I stayed into character because I was determined to get the film finished and we all went through a lot making the film. We persevered and got through the battle scenes and it was a great experience, but very demanding and exhausting.
Finally, what we can expect next from you?
Well, I’m doing a bit of a departure. I just finished my first romantic comedy, with Emma Roberts. It’s called Holiday and it’s coming to Netflix. It was quite fun making the film. I like to do different movies and play different roles, so for once, I won’t have to be seen in green (Laughs).
That’s great! Danger Close comes to theaters, On Demand, and Digital on November 8. This is perhaps one of the best war films to come out in recent years with excellent performances from everyone. Thank you again Luke for taking the time to talk about the film.
Thank you so much mate!
A Special Thank You goes to Katrina Wan PR and Luke Bracey for making this interview possible.
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