“Hello, Dan. It’s Joe here.”
It’s an introduction so many Australians play on repeat every Christmas, and thanks to the work of award-winning musician Meg Washington and director Nick Waterman, the story of Paul Kelly’s How to Make Gravy will soon be arriving on our screens.
Ahead of the film’s release, WHO sat down with the film’s leading brothers, Brenton Thwaites and Daniel Henshall, to delve deeper into the on-screen adaptation of the classic Australian song.
What is How to Make Gravy about?
Based on Paul Kelly’s 1996 song of the same name, How to Make Gravy expands on the narration provided in Joe’s letter home for Christmas – introducing a world of supporting characters and further exploring the power of family.
While the film may delve deeper into Joe’s new world in prison, the film adaptation also introduces the perspective of the letter’s recipient Dan as he continues to navigate the complex emotions that arise during his first Christmas without his brother.
“The extra element that I think is a wonderful thing about Dan is he is quite mature. He’s not taking the bait. He’s not snapping at Joe. He’s trying to get better. He’s trying to be a different person,” Brenton told WHO.
“Joe’s trying to bait Dan and trying to access that anger and that frustration, but Dan’s in a different place and doesn’t want to do that… He’s a character that’s learning and growing and he’s in the middle of it. He’s not there yet. He’s trying to figure out who he wants to be.”
Who is the cast of How to Make Gravy?
Joining the cast alongside Brenton Thwaite’s Dan and Daniel Henshall’s Joe is an ensemble cast of Australian talent.
Flying in from the coast as Stella is The Twelve star Kate Mulvaney, with The Artful Dodger‘s Damon Harriman joining the cast as the un-fightable Roger and Agathe Rousselle starring as Joe’s wife, Rita.
The film will also introduce a number of characters who were not mentioned in Kelly’s 1996 hit, with Hugo Weaving joining Joe in prison as fellow inmate Noel and Kieran Darcy-Smith featuring as Joe’s nemesis, Red.
Reflecting on the storytelling of the family unit, Daniel shared, “The storytelling. the characters that [Paul Kelly] writes, and the people that he speaks about within his songs, regardless of if they’re people in my life or not, they feel like home to me, and How to Make Gravy was a huge part of that.”
Where to watch How to Make Gravy
While the original letter may have been dated December 21, How to Make Gravy will be available to stream on BINGE from December 1, 2024.
Stream How to Make Gravy on BINGE from $10/month with a 7-day free trial. Subscribe here.
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