By Shane A. Bassett
Do you have a favourite film that you enjoy over and over? “Roadhouse is a great movie with Patrick Swayze, and Jim Carrey is excellent in Me, Myself & Irene. It makes me laugh every time.”
Who is your most admired actor/actress? “Mel Gibson and Eddie Murphy are a combination who I wish would work together. Jim Carrey is a comic master in my eyes. As for the ladies, Julia Roberts is consistent and I’ll watch Cameron Diaz in anything.”
What is your preferred genre? “I’m a real movie buff. I’ll watch anything and everything, but sci-fi appeals to me the most. I simply can’t get enough movies.”
What’s the first film you remember seeing as a child? “That would be Jaws. I was with my parents and it scared the shit out of me! When I was 16 my mate and I snuck into the local Mt. Druitt cinema four days in a row to watch Porky’s. It was R rated so we distracted the ushers each time.”
What are your munchies of choice during a film? “Always a choc top and popcorn…the largest one there!”
With your success on and off the rugby league field, have you ever thought of making your own DVD like Andrew “Joey” Johns did? “I released a book of my footy memoirs called Rugby League Rebel in 1994. It sold about two copies, so no, I don’t think so.”
Have you ever come across any movie stars while you were playing? “On the Kangaroo tour in 1990 in France, Kevin Costner came into the sheds to meet the team. He was filming Robin Hood at the time. He was a nice bloke but had little to say. Colin Friels is a favourite Aussie actor of mine, and I believe that he enjoys his league.”
Is there any local product that you have particularly enjoyed? “The Mad Max trilogy is supreme stuff. The Castle was amusing and Romper Stomper was full on for its time.”
Who are your favourite Australian actors? “I’ve always liked Colin Friels; he comes across as a tough guy but remains cool. Hugh Jackman’s films appeal to me the more I watch them, and Mel Gibson is fantastic of course…if you could call him an Aussie, that is.”
Are there any fellow players that remind you of a certain film personality? “Are you kidding? More than one player in my day, and more so now because they talk it up in the sheds. Tony Butterfield was a main culprit – he appeared in Bootmen, so we heard all about it. John Cartwright reckons that he’s Kevin Costner. I think that Vinnie Jones or Steven Seagal (in his hey-day) would be perfect to play me in a movie.”
Mark Geyer can currently be heard on Triple M, as well as appearing on Fox Sports and Channel 9’s TV series, The Rookie. This article was first published in 2004. NRL State Of Origin: Game 2 is on tonight on Channel 9.
