Jeremy Callaghan Acting Profile

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Jeremy Callaghan an Overview

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Jeremy was born on a remote island East of Papua New Guinea on 22 July 1967 (PNG was an Australian territory until 1975). He grew up in Western Australia with his family moving around. Jeremy is the eldest of three siblings with his mother, sister and brother still living in Perth.

Jeremy got his first big break when he landed the role of the irresistably cute and shy Constable Brian Morley in the hit ABC series Police Rescue. It was a role that he desperately wanted and was probably born to play. Prior to this Jeremy had lived, worked and trained in Perth. He developed his interest in acting while attending high school at the Bunbury Cathederal Grammar School. Jeremy was encouraged by his parents to study Japanese and Economics at the Murdoch University although his passion remained for acting. A year into his degree he decided to switch his study preferences to Media and Communications. While his parents were initially uncertain of his choices they supported him. For Jeremy a career in acting "seemed a real possibility" and the theatre beckoned.

Jeremy completed his degree and managed to make a living picking up work in theatres and living a bohemian life of a young actor. At one point he was performing in a play called "Tempest" which toured remote communities and towns around Bali (Indonesia). It was a defining experience for Jeremy and a time of fond memories. The experience confirmed in his mind that he'd made the right life choice in pursuing his love for the performing arts. By 1988 Jeremy began to realise that the training from Murdoch Uni and his own life experiences could only take him so far as an actor. To professionally develop he applied to study at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).

Life at WAAPA was good for Jeremy as he found himself surrounded by an enormously talented and creative body of people who equally shared his passion for the craft of performance. Jeremy worked his way through studies at WAAPA while working as a barman and also performing in a number of professional plays. He graduated from WAAPA in 1991 and immediately auditioned for the role of Brian Morley on Police Rescue prompting a move 4100 km (by road) across Australia to Sydney.

Jeremy was an instant hit on Police Rescue, and not just for his good looks alone. His character was believable and it was obvious to everyone that the new kid on the block from Perth had talent soon becoming one of the most popular members of the cast. In 1993 Jeremy recieved an AFI nomination for Best Actor in a TV Series for the Episode "Whirlwind" where his character Brian finally confronts Constable Kathy Orland (Tammy McIntosh (A former WAAPA classmate)) with his feelings for her. Jeremy worked with other greats in Police Rescue including Miranda Otto (Who he performed a naked scene with), Delta Goodrem (Twice), and Cate Blanchett. Jeremy left Police Rescue at the end of the fourth series in 1994 when producers took the show in a new creative (soap opera like) direction. Many say this was when the show lost its raw appeal.

Jeremy says that he chose to leave the show largely because he felt that continuing to play "Brian" would see him being typecast. Perhaps he saw the writing on the wall for the show. Jeremy's next major TV role was in another popular police drama "Water Rats" where he played SC Kevin Holloway who is murdered in the 10th episode. By 1996 Jeremy was also starting to be noticed overseas and made his international debut in the Munsters Scary Little Christmas. It wasn't a great film but it certainly got him exposure to Hollywood. The following year Jeremy auditioned for Xena after hounding the producers. He played Palaemon in episode "Blind Faith" and was an instant hit winning a legion of fans around the world who had fallen for his boyish charms.

Above: Jeremy in his opening scene in Police Rescue 1992

About Jeremy

Above: Jeremy with Tammy McIntosh in Episode "Whilwind" 1993. Jeremy was nominated for an AFI award in this episode.

Throughout the late 1990's Jeremy worked very hard with a lot of travelling and completing films and TV shows in the USA, Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand and France. A trip to France for two months in 1997 saw Jeremy endulge the good life and sample the best of what France had to offer. Upon returning to Australia and subsequently travelling to New Zealand to film Young Hercules, he'd certainly beefed up which suited him for the roll of Pollux.

Although, being a very active man Jeremy had soon trimmed down for the filming of Sea Change on the Southern Surf Coast of Victoria (Australia) in 1997 and The Violent Earth in New Caledonia in 1998. In 1999 Jeremy filmed in the excellent Australian telemovie "Secret Mens Business" with Australian acting greats Simon Baker, Marcus Graham, Ben Mendelsohn, and Jeremy Simms. Again Jeremy played a straight leading character in a very strong performance. At this time Jeremy was also producing plays for theatre and film documentaries in conjunction with his then production partner. The year 2000 saw Jeremy create his greatest production yet with the birth of his son, while 2001 saw Jeremy travel to Melbourne, Victoria where he filmed in the Australian hit TV crime suspense series Halifax fp. playing (Alex) opposite Australian acting luminary Rebecca Gibney (Jane Halifax). In this role Jeremy played the medical student boyfriend of Dr Jane Halifax fp.

Jeremy was noticably thinner and buffed for this part as he was playing a rower with some scenes featuring Jeremy rowing in skin tight outfits as part of a four man crew on Melbourne's Yarra River. In this role Jeremy's character exuded the same playful, light hearted exuberance that many describe Jeremy as naturally having. Jeremy once described himself as being "laid back and laconic" by nature. His reputation for lightening the mood when ever he enters a set is well earned and he even had Lucy Lawless (Xena) struggling to keep a straight face as the cameras rolled in Xena.

In 2002, Jeremy returned to Victoria's small inland townships and Melbourne's ABC studios for the filming of the last 17 episodes of the hugely popular night time drama Something in the Air. His work at this point was a mixture of acting, producing and directing. Jeremy once described this as a natural progression for many actors, although he confessed that acting was his first love, but still had to do what it took to keep busy. Jeremy's last TV perfomance in Australia was in the brilliant ABC series MDA (Medical Defence Australia). Jeremy and his wife Gaelle moved to Gaelle's native France in 2004 and Jeremy gave his last screen perfomance as an actor in the film "The Great Raid". He acted in the UK briefly but found separation from his young family difficult to manage.

Above: Jeremy in MDA as Justin Harris 2003 (Australia)

With the birth of his daughter in 2004, Jeremy decided to pursue a more stable career that would allow him to work in partnership with his photograher wife as a Freelance Journalist producing the accompanying text to his wife's photography that regularly features in many international lifestyle and design magazines. Their articles mainly centre on architecture, decor, design and how people live in those spaces. Will Jeremy ever go back to acting? Probably not any time soon unless he were to be given an offer that he simply couldn't refuse. However, for the time being it's his family first.

Information on this page is sourced from a number of agencies including the Xena Fans website, past friends and associates, the Australian Television Archive and past fans who have provided information feeds during past forum discussions. We invite visitors to provide any more information and annecdotes as they wish. Although we will not publish anything that may be considered offensive, past illegal indiscretions, or personal information of any description about Jeremy or his family. After all, this site is all about the man and his acting career.

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