Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/103334
closeup Cowell in character On the eve of Brendan Cowell's latest film release, Emma Wheaton catches up with the screenwriter and actor to talk about growing up, cricket and mateship. When he was younger, Brendan Cowell says he was a bit of an anomaly. He loved sports and playing rough, but he was also interested in writing and drama, studying from a young age. By the time he was in his teens, sport had fallen by the wayside and the "pop power" of holding an audience had given him the acting bug. "I was becoming obsessed with writing stories and observing people and performing … that notion of making people laugh, even if it was just my mum and my grandma late at night while I was doing Michael Jackson impersonations," he says. Since those early days of lounge room performances, 36-year-old Brendan has gone on to entertain people with his screen and stage acting and screenwriting, along with his producing and directing. A regular theatre performer, he's also a familiar face because of his long list of acting and writing roles, including the acclaimed TV series Love My Way, for which he also wrote episodes, Howzat! Kerry Packer's War and the films Beneath Hill 60, I Love You Too and Three Blind Mice. The Sydneysider's latest writing and acting gig, Aussie cricket comedy Save Your Legs!, gives Brendan the chance to relive his sportsplaying days. The film is about a group of 30-something guys in a D-grade cricket team 10 who, flying in the face of 'growing up', are living the dream and going on tour in India. The film is based on a real team, the Abbotsford Anglers, and a documentary about their tour to India. When Brendan met the doco's producer, Abbotsford Anglers team member Nick Batzias, at the Sundance Film Festival they spent some time together and discovered a mutual passion for cricket. Bonding over drinks late one night, watching the Ashes on Batzias' computer, the new mates formed a "bromance", says Brendan, who suggested the documentary be made into "a big fat comedy". In the film there is a strong theme of growing up and dealing with change as the main character, Ted (played by Stephen Curry), struggles to come to terms with his teammates no longer putting the Abbotsford Anglers and their enthusiasm for cricket first. Brendan plays party guy Rick, and even he's maturing with some big life changes under way. And then there's Ted's other best mate, Stavros (played by Damon Gameau), who is married with kids and whose commitment to the team is waning. "Life's full of surprises, you know, and you have to adapt, which is sometimes a hard thing for a bloke, and that's what the movie's about, I guess," says Brendan.