In the show, which he describes as being “between a telenovela and a drama that weaves comedy into each episode”, Younes plays Danny. “A new employee at the hotel. He catches the eye of the hotel owner’s daughter Alicia (Denyse Tontz), much to the disdain of his boss and, for all intents and purposes, he seems just like a nice guy but you find out at the end of the first episode that there’s a lot more to him than he lets on. I think the interesting thing with Danny, both playing him and I guess from an audience perspective watching him, is you never quite know if he’s being sincere or if he’s manipulating everyone.”
Although the handsome star has been in front of the camera for years, Younes says that – unlike his confident new character – he’s struggled to feel secure in himself. “I was one of the shyest kids you’d ever meet, truly. I still get very shy and I think every actor has slips of confidence every now and then.”
Using meditation and fitness as a means to cope with the pressures that come in the City of Angels, Younes reveals the most important part of his journey is to enjoy the projects he is working on. “I really love what I do and that, at the end of the day, no matter how hard the industry can be, that’s what keeps me going. Because I want to do this for the rest of my life, so might as well kind of stick to it.”
And while he’s riding the Hollywood wave, the humble star reveals he’s keeping his feet firmly on the ground. “It’s an incredibly difficult industry and coming over to LA it’s now become a globalised industry, so you’re in competition with everyone for American roles, which makes it a bit more difficult,” he admits. “But I’m very grateful for the opportunity and I have so many wonderful actor friends that are so talented and they haven’t been given the opportunity yet. I know the wonderful position I’m in right now, but I just hope that more Australians get the chance to show what they can do over here.”
With a chuckle, Younes admits he’s getting used to bigger-budget projects, but he proudly professes the training ground on sets Down Under is nothing short of impressive. “It’s funny, because there’s such a wonderful foundation that comes from doing the shows back in Australia with a much smaller budget,” he says. “Having done a big-budget show over here, you know the crew and creatives we have back home are of the highest calibre, and I think it translates very well over here.”
Asked if he would revisit the show that made him a household name playing Casey Braxton, Younes says he’d be appreciative of the opportunity but that era is well and truly over. “That part of my life was such a perfect chapter for me and I do believe that you shouldn’t go back to things to try and recreate that experience. So, for me, I got everything out of it I could have ever hoped for and that chapter has finished but I would love to come back to Australia to do TV and film if the opportunity arose. I love working back home.”
And with his work at the forefront of his mind, Younes admits that he doesn’t have much time for dating. “I’m very much focusing on work at the moment,” he says. But should he find the time, he tells WHO, he’s isn’t concerned when it will happen – or where. “I’d date an American; I’m not geographically specific with my love life. When the time’s right, if I find the right person, then I’ll be open to it – but for now work is very much my focus.”
For more exclusive interviews, pick up this week's issue of WHO Magazine.
