Joey Vieira joins us on Close-up Culture to talk about his upcoming role in James Bobin’s adventure film, Dora And The Lost City Of Gold.
Q: ‘Dora And The Lost City Of Gold’ arrives in cinemas this August. What excited you about being involved in Dora’s big-screen debut?
A: I was so excited to be part of Dora!
It was a great role for me because I come from a multilingual family, and my son grew up watching Dora and Diego. The story has been part of my life for so long, and has been something that has been with my family since well before the movie was announced. Being able to do it in this new way is exciting, and seeing the trailers has got me so pumped for this film.
It was a wonderful set to work on, and seeing it come to life is awesome!
Q: What do you feel Isabela Moner will bring to the Dora character?
A: Isabela Moner also comes from a multilingual family, and she is such a wonderful and dedicated actress to work with. She was the best cast choice to represent such an iconic character and brings authenticity and a sense of adventure to everything she does.
Q: You play Diego’s father Nico. How much fun did you have being a part of this project and working with your on-screen son Jeffrey Wahlberg?
A: Pia Miller (Diego’s mother) and I met Jeffrey on the morning he landed in Australia. From the start, it was all hugs and smiles. The cast is really close and we all made efforts to socialise together every week. We really got to know each other and bonded like a real family.
Q: The first season of ABC’s ‘Reef Break’ is under way. How have you enjoyed seeing the show out there and hearing the audience response?
A: The cast and crew of Reef Break have been working hard for seven months now, and we just got to see the first episode in cinema with friends and family. It was phenomenal to see all that work on the big screen. We giggled through the intimate scenes, laughed out loud, and may have shed a tear or two by the end.
I feel so lucky and proud to be working with this world class crew! And I am so glad audiences get to see and enjoy the effort and passion that went into bringing this show to screens around the world.
Q: What do audiences still have to look forward to from Detective Tolan this series?
A: We just wrapped, and I, as usual, can’t say too much about it! Let’s just say I hope he doesn’t get too tempted to cross to the other side.
Q: You’ve posted some fun BTS content from the show on Instagram. What are some of your favourite memories from filming the show?
A: There are so many great memories from the show!
We laugh a lot behind the scenes and most of the time its in the hair and makeup trailer. We see all of our imperfections in the mirror; double chins, grey hair, zits… and it’s all gone with a wave of the magic make-up fairy dust. We become Ken or Barbie.
You have to be able to laugh at the process, and at yourself. It unites the cast and crew and that is what makes a show great to be on – the ability to work hard and play hard together.
Q: You have put up a few posts on Instagram about your CrossFit workouts. How important is fitness and staying active to you?
A: I played a lot of sport during school and after, and jumped into CrossFit in my 30s to keep my body and mind fit. I find most of the roles I am up for require me to look fit, and CrossFit, along with a plant-based diet, has helped me do that in a healthy way in a short amount of time.
Q: What is next for you? Any ambitions or plans to tell us about?
A: I have a few other Australian projects coming up this year, but I am most excited about learning Mandarin and taking the family to China on our winter holiday!
Stay tuned – there is much more fun to be had!
Thanks for the interview James Prestridge! Hope you’re enjoying REEF BREAK!!
Thanks Joey! Excited to see the rest of the series!