Matt Wilson, who plays Neighbours' Aaron Brennan, made a flying visit to London and Soaplife caught up with him for a chat…
Neighbours star Matt Wilson talked to Soaplife about life away from Ramsay Street on a recent trip to London…
We hear you are single at the moment, Matt… what do you look for in a girl? “Someone who will challenge me, is smarter than me, emotionally intelligent, and adventurous enough to come hiking with me. A girl who has a real zest for life - like me.”
You like hiking then, Matt? “Love it! Every weekend, I throw my swag - that’s a rolled up canvas - in the back of my truck and take off into the bush or national parks. I love hiking and taking photographs of the landscape and the animals that live there. After I leave London in a few days time, I’m going to Morocco where I’ll be camping in the desert for four nights. I can’t wait!”
Is this your first time in London? “Second. I love it but unfortunately it’s rained both times I’ve been here. I’m longing to see it in the sunshine - apart from anything else I hear there are some great rooftop bars in London.”
Where else have you visited on this trip to Europe? “Portugal, Paris and Rome. I loved Rome in particular - the history, the food and the general vibe. There seemed to be people playing music on the streets wherever I went.”
Apart from travelling and hiking, what else do you like doing when you’re not working? “Hitting the gym two or three times a week - it’s just part of my routine. I also enjoy playing golf. I often play with Travis Burns (Tyler Brennan) and Scott McGregor (Mark Brennan). A few weeks ago, I also played with Alan Fletcher (Karl Kennedy) and Stefan Dennis (Paul Robinson). Let me tell you here and now that Stefan cannot play golf! The ball goes everywhere but nothing upsets that man.”
Sounds like the Neighbours actors enjoy spending time together away from work! “We do. Maybe it’s the nature of the kind of work we do but it’s certainly not the case of us only seeing each other for ‘After Work’ drinks on a Friday night.”
Is it true you were a carpenter before you joined Neighbours? “Yeah - although I was doing acting classes as a hobby. I also did some modelling because it meant I could just stand there and get paid rather than having to hump about a big piece of timber! Anyway, I was on the brink of getting my final builder’s license after seven years of working hard when Neighbours happened. I accepted the role of Aaron straight away - those seven years no longer seemed to matter. Now, two-and-a-half years later, I’m loving it as much as ever and feel very, very fortunate.”
Did you want to act from an early age? “Yes. My mum was only saying the other day that she always knew I’d be an actor because whenever she took me to the shopping mall when I was a child, I’d pretend to be someone else and start walking and talking in a different way. I insisted on staying in character but my poor mum found it very embarrassing!”
Would you like to follow other Aussie soap stars and go to Hollywood? “Absolutely at some point. Ideally I’d like to do it and stay in Neighbours but unfortunately that’s not possible. I’m very happy where I am for now.”
