THE man certainly knows how to make an entrance.
Motorbike helmet tucked under one arm, mobile phone glued to his ear, Paul Mercurio struts into the Well-Connected cafe in Sydney's Glebe, promptly orders a cafe latte and then apologises for the radio interview he has to do . . . immediately.
Yes, Mercurio seems every inch an actor, although one unsullied by a star ego.
"I'm looking forward to this," he says cheerfully, his phone interview with Derryn Hinch over. "I've never been to an Internet cafe before. I don't hang out in cafes as much as I used to because of the kids. And every time I get on the Internet at home, they jump on my lap and play with the keyboard."
Mercurio runs off a list of subjects he'd like to explore on the Net: home brewing, roller blading, surfing and motorbikes ("I had a really hot ride at Eastern Creek the other day").
These knock-about interests began early. Mercurio grew up in Perth, studied "surfing and motorbikes" but smashed the macho mould by deciding to become a dancer - a choice that prompted some "poofter" baiting from his mates and a worried letter from his father (tough guy actor and former boxing champion Gus Mercurio).
After stints with the Western Australian Ballet Company and Melbourne's Australian Ballet School, Mercurio joined the Sydney Dance Company in 1982, where his fancy footwork earned him accolades in productions such as Some Rooms, After Venice and Cafe.
His canniest career move, though, was playing Scott Hastings in Strictly Ballroom - the surprise hit of '92 that raked in $60 million at the box office and stuffed enough cash in Mercurio's wallet to last him a lifetime.
But it was a tough act to follow.
Mercurio's film projects since Ballroom - Exit to Eden and Back of Beyond - were savaged by the critics and closed within weeks of opening in Australian cinemas. This failure lay more with the films' vapid scripts than Mercurio's acting skills.
In the short film Red Ribbon Blues, he delivers considerable emotional punch as a HIV-positive gay man plotting to steal life-saving drugs.
"Call me an overnight star, but an overnight talent - definitely not, " says Mercurio firmly, as he brings up his first site on the Internet: What's Brewing? "I've been a home brewer for seven years and I love this site," he says, ogling the screen. "There are heaps of recipes - the one for pumpkin beer is great. "I've talked to Tony Laughton on the Internet - the guy who set up this site - and we met up in Melbourne for a beer." Mercurio smiles as he brings up photos of Laughton and his offspring on the home page.
"I like the way technology brings people together," says Mercurio. "When I'm travelling, I e-mail my wife and kids, but that doesn't stop me from spending hours on the phone talking to them." Mercurio resents the tyranny of the image makers who insist on presenting him as a freewheeling sex symbol rather than a happily married man with two young daughters, Elise (seven) and Emily (five).
A self-confessed "petrol head", Mercurio searches for some wisdom on his hero, world 500cc motorcycling champion Mick Doohan and then surfs to the Yoshimura site. He wants to buy parts for his motorcycle - a Suzuki GSXR1100. An image of the Bandit 1200 presents itself - "Wow, what a beautiful bike; I want one," he gushes.
Mercurio is disappointed with the Australian food sites on the Net but loves a recipe archive site in the USA appropriately titled yumyum. He searches for a kangaroo meat recipe without success ("it's a great meat for barbecues - lean and in good supply").
Next on Mercurio's agenda is Inline skating - he explores a couple of sites here and abroad.
"Here's a new style of Inline skate that isn't available in Australia yet," he says. "There are a couple of great skate parks in Sydney but they don't appear to have any sites." Mercurio wraps up his session with a visit to NASA and a viewing of the space shots of the day.
So what does he think of the bad press the Internet has received lately: the fears of childhood corruption through readily available sleaze? "My first response is, what sleazy stuff? For the real adult material you'll be asked for your visa card number and there aren't too many kids with one of those.
"I think the controls should come from parents rather than government censorship."
Mercurio believes the Internet is a vital communications tool. "Because it's interactive it's far superior in educational value to things like television.
"Conservative forces in America and Australia are very keen to enforce censorship devices such as the V-chip , but what an over-reaction. Americans seem to get more upset by sex than violence - this is a country where people go to a shooting range, attend a 6pm sermon and then get infuriated by a bare breast on a computer screen.
"I think Australians are more adult than that."
Yes, Mercurio seems every inch an actor, although one unsullied by a star ego.
"I'm looking forward to this," he says cheerfully, his phone interview with Derryn Hinch over. "I've never been to an Internet cafe before. I don't hang out in cafes as much as I used to because of the kids. And every time I get on the Internet at home, they jump on my lap and play with the keyboard."
Mercurio runs off a list of subjects he'd like to explore on the Net: home brewing, roller blading, surfing and motorbikes ("I had a really hot ride at Eastern Creek the other day").
These knock-about interests began early. Mercurio grew up in Perth, studied "surfing and motorbikes" but smashed the macho mould by deciding to become a dancer - a choice that prompted some "poofter" baiting from his mates and a worried letter from his father (tough guy actor and former boxing champion Gus Mercurio).
After stints with the Western Australian Ballet Company and Melbourne's Australian Ballet School, Mercurio joined the Sydney Dance Company in 1982, where his fancy footwork earned him accolades in productions such as Some Rooms, After Venice and Cafe.
His canniest career move, though, was playing Scott Hastings in Strictly Ballroom - the surprise hit of '92 that raked in $60 million at the box office and stuffed enough cash in Mercurio's wallet to last him a lifetime.
But it was a tough act to follow.
Mercurio's film projects since Ballroom - Exit to Eden and Back of Beyond - were savaged by the critics and closed within weeks of opening in Australian cinemas. This failure lay more with the films' vapid scripts than Mercurio's acting skills.
In the short film Red Ribbon Blues, he delivers considerable emotional punch as a HIV-positive gay man plotting to steal life-saving drugs.
"Call me an overnight star, but an overnight talent - definitely not, " says Mercurio firmly, as he brings up his first site on the Internet: What's Brewing? "I've been a home brewer for seven years and I love this site," he says, ogling the screen. "There are heaps of recipes - the one for pumpkin beer is great. "I've talked to Tony Laughton on the Internet - the guy who set up this site - and we met up in Melbourne for a beer." Mercurio smiles as he brings up photos of Laughton and his offspring on the home page.
"I like the way technology brings people together," says Mercurio. "When I'm travelling, I e-mail my wife and kids, but that doesn't stop me from spending hours on the phone talking to them." Mercurio resents the tyranny of the image makers who insist on presenting him as a freewheeling sex symbol rather than a happily married man with two young daughters, Elise (seven) and Emily (five).
A self-confessed "petrol head", Mercurio searches for some wisdom on his hero, world 500cc motorcycling champion Mick Doohan and then surfs to the Yoshimura site. He wants to buy parts for his motorcycle - a Suzuki GSXR1100. An image of the Bandit 1200 presents itself - "Wow, what a beautiful bike; I want one," he gushes.
Mercurio is disappointed with the Australian food sites on the Net but loves a recipe archive site in the USA appropriately titled yumyum. He searches for a kangaroo meat recipe without success ("it's a great meat for barbecues - lean and in good supply").
Next on Mercurio's agenda is Inline skating - he explores a couple of sites here and abroad.
"Here's a new style of Inline skate that isn't available in Australia yet," he says. "There are a couple of great skate parks in Sydney but they don't appear to have any sites." Mercurio wraps up his session with a visit to NASA and a viewing of the space shots of the day.
So what does he think of the bad press the Internet has received lately: the fears of childhood corruption through readily available sleaze? "My first response is, what sleazy stuff? For the real adult material you'll be asked for your visa card number and there aren't too many kids with one of those.
"I think the controls should come from parents rather than government censorship."
Mercurio believes the Internet is a vital communications tool. "Because it's interactive it's far superior in educational value to things like television.
"Conservative forces in America and Australia are very keen to enforce censorship devices such as the V-chip , but what an over-reaction. Americans seem to get more upset by sex than violence - this is a country where people go to a shooting range, attend a 6pm sermon and then get infuriated by a bare breast on a computer screen.
"I think Australians are more adult than that."
By Greg Callaghan
The Weekend Australian
31 August 1996
