Work your way home, Sam
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325854)
Rockingham, Australia
June 28, 2022 9:49am CST
I’ve just come home from our retirement village clubhouse after watching Man on a Ledge starring Sam Worthington. Sam grew up in the suburb next to where we are now so I was keen to see the film. It’s always nice when a local lad makes good.
For some reason, I googled him and here’s what I found. He was born in Godalming, Surrey, in south-east England and came out to Warnbro, a suburb of Rockingham, just south of Perth, Western Australia, when he was six months old.
He studied drama at John Curtin College of the Arts but didn’t graduate. Maybe that upset his father because he was then given $400 and sent on a one-way ticket to Cairns, Queensland, with the instruction to ‘work his way home’.
He found work here and there and at 19, while working as a brick layer, he auditioned for the National Institute of Dramatic Art and was given a scholarship. He has acted in a number of high-profile films, none of which I’ve seen so I’m guessing some myLotters will be more familiar with him than I am.
The photo was taken in Queensland and shows a train trip we took out of Kuranda.
11 people like this
11 responses
@LindaOHio (156271)
• United States
29 Jun 22
Sam Worthington doesn't ring a bell with me.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Jun 22
@LindaOHio I wouldn't watch these type of shows either. This was a drama but I like to support the people at the clubhouse who put these films on for us so I go to see whatever is on offer. Next week is Walk The Line - the Johnny Cash movie.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (156271)
• United States
29 Jun 22
@JudyEv I've heard of the movies; but they aren't the type that I watch.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170025)
• United States
28 Jun 22
Local Boy Makes Good! This just makes me wonder about something...I bet when Mel Gibson is in Austrailia he talks like an Aussie. Of course here in the US he talks like an American. I bet he is perfectly comfortable speaking in both dialects.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170025)
• United States
29 Jun 22
@JudyEv When he is interviewed on TV he sounds very American, but he did grow up here until he was 12 so I think it is easy for him to turn it off and on.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Jun 22
This guy apparently still sounds Australian in some of his movies where he shouldn't. He must find dialects hard. And Hugh Jackman is another of our local guys who has made 'very good'. At least, WA claims him as he went to the Performing Arts Academy here. 
But he was born in Sydney.
But he was born in Sydney.1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79772)
• United States
28 Jun 22
That's quite interesting to hear about his life before he became famous.
That train trip looks awesome!!
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (79772)
• United States
29 Jun 22
@JudyEv one of the things on my "bucket" list is to travel by train across the US. My aunt and uncle did it many many years ago and hearing how much they loved it made me want to do it one day too, Hopefully I'll still be able to
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Jun 22
@Marilynda1225 I still enjoy train travel but I really liked the old steam trains.
@RebeccasFarm (86764)
• United States
28 Jun 22
Whoa that must have learned him good. Quite the punishment if that is what it was.
A beautiful photo Judy.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325854)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Jun 22
It was probably the making of him. Thankfully, it seems to have worked. He has done well since.
@wolfgirl569 (95261)
• Marion, Ohio
28 Jun 22
Great view. I am sure dad didnt expect that to happen.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73473)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
28 Jun 22
Great photo of the train, I do not know that actor but he sure did good in his life.
1 person likes this
