Home And Away‘s Stephen Peacocke fears stoic Aussie blokes like Brax are a dying breed

HOME And Away tough guy Stephen Peacocke says Aussie blokes — yes you, Nick Kyrigos and Bernard Tomic — need to stop whinging and harden up.

EXCLUSIVE

HOME And Away actor Stephen Peacocke made his name as one of Australia’s favourite TV tough guys, but the actor tipped to be our next leading man to make it big in Hollywood argues Aussie blokes need to harden up.

Pointing the finger at the new breed of tennis players like Nick Kyrigos and Bernard Tomic and comparing them unfavourably to their more hardened mentor Lleyton Hewitt, the Dubbo-bred former labourer fears our international reputation for “getting on with the job” is being eroded by whingers and those wanting to take the soft option in life.

Brax is back ... Peacocke agreed to return to the Channel 7 soap to appear in a special episode which features only his character Brax and co-star Bonnie Sveen (as Ricky). Picture: Supplied / Channel Seven

“You look at some of the tennis players who are famous at the moment and then you look at Lleyton Hewitt,” Peacocke told NewsCorp Australia.

“Now there’s a bloke you couldn’t kill with a stick. He’s obviously been colourful on the court and people can say what they like about that but he just never gave up ... he’s for me that quintessential Australian. There are still lots of people around like that but it’s just become more about ‘if there’s an easier route I want to take that’ or ‘I want to be famous but I don’t want to do this or that.’”

COMMENT BELOW: Is Steve Peacocke right about the tough Aussie male?

The 34-year-old returns to our small screen next week, in the Channel Seven soap which earned him a Gold Logie nomination last year as beach heavy, Daryl ‘Brax’ Braxton.

Despite making his exit from the role in late 2014, a grateful Peacocke agreed to film the special episode which features him and co-star Bonnie Sveen only, so fans can get closure for their characters’ relationship.

Peacocke also stars in Rebecca Gibney’s new Thelma and Louise-style road trip drama Wanted, which is launched on Seven on Tuesday (9pm). He plays ambitious young detective Josh Levine on the hunt for Gibney’s character Lola and Chelsea, played by Geraldine Hakewill, who are on the run after witnessing a fatal car jacking.

GIBNEY TO PEACOCKE: ‘WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?’

PEACOCKE: ‘GOD, YOU’RE KEEPING UP WITH TINA FEY’

TV’s everywhere man again ... Peacocke with Geraldine Hakewill and Rebecca Gibney who star in the new drama series Wanted. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

The Home and Away series, which began in 1988, has been hit by a ratings slump since he left, a fact which both flattered the actor and raised his concerns for the dying breed of Aussie blokes like Brax.

“I’ve worked in factories, labouring, as a jackaroo, lots of things and I knew that type of Australian bloke. Whether they’re from the coast or the country, there’s something staunch about how [we] used to be ... now Australian blokes are becoming generic, could be from anywhere in the world. I wanted to make [Brax] how I think Australians used to be ... staunch, never say die, couldn’t kill him with a stick. It’s good to know that worked [on TV]. Peopled liked that about him, he wouldn’t cry at the drop of a hat, he’s always got on with the job and didn’t feel too sorry for himself which is dying out a bit and I think that resonated,” Peacocke said.

Closure ... Brax (Stephen Peacocke) returns from the “dead” but finds an angry and emotional Ricky (Bonnie Sveen). Picture: Supplied / Channel Seven

Now chasing his movie ambitions in Los Angeles, with wife and fellow Home And Away alumni Brigette Sneddon, he has supporting roles in two films set for release: comedy Whiskey, Tango Foxtrot, opposite Tina Fey (out on March 4) and tear-jerker Me Before You, which he compares to The Notebook.

Peacocke is taking his career cues from Chris Hemsworth, another graduate of the Summer Bay soap and one of the hottest actors in the world today.

“You hear these big-time producers talk about Chris and the first they say is how hardworking he is and how naturally modest he is. Obviously he’s got the talent and he’s a good-looking fella but it’s good to know what they really like about him is that he’s such a nice bloke. If anyone could have an ego right now it would be him but you never hear anything but good stuff about him and that always makes you proud as another Aussie.”

Staunch ... Peacocke argues his character resonated with the Home And Away audience because he “didn’t cry at the drop of a hat.” Picture: Supplied/Seven.

HOME AND AWAY AIRS PEACOCKE’S SPECIAL EPISODE, 7PM MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, ON CHANNEL SEVEN

Email: [e-mail]

Twitter: @byrnesh