Christian Wilkins: ‘I’m not just a famous surname’
Having a famous father doesn’t mean things are easy for Christian Wilkins. In a frank interview, the podcast producer opens up about overcoming stereotypes, fighting nepotism — and his relationship with dad Richard.
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Having a famous father doesn’t mean things are easy for Christian Wilkins. In a frank interview, the podcast producer opens up about overcoming stereotypes, fighting nepotism — and his relationship with dad Richard.
My dad (Richard Wilkins — Aussie icon imho) and I are codependent-ly close. We love each other, and we love the space we have created for ourselves — we’re total homebodies.
People are so surprised when they find this out about me. I get so much more joy from my daily vacuuming of the house than I ever do from partying.
I’ll do the dishes and the washing, and when Dad’s late from work, I’ll cook for him (otherwise he’ll just end up eating crackers with butter). I oft feel like the mother of a very successful teenager...
Last month Andrew (my best mate and podcast co-host) and I found out our podcast, Radical Fashionism, had been nominated for Best Original Podcast at the Australian Commercial Radio Awards [ACRAs].
We got the news at 5am and when we told Dad he started to tear up... then he promptly popped a bottle of champagne. He really is an amazing, supportive father. Sometimes he doesn’t completely understand what I’m doing, but I know he is always in my corner.
I’m just as close to my mum and stepdad. Obviously they’re not in the media so perhaps others might not find the relationship as “interesting”, but in a way that’s even more important because my mum’s helped me stay (somewhat) grounded.
Long story short — I just think my parents are f#$%ing tops.
I know I’m lucky. My dad very much helped me get my job at Nine [the Nine Network, where Christian works as a social media producer].
Everything else, however, I’ve had to hustle for. I mean, my father can make that first introduction — but then you need to go into that room and wow them 1000 times more because of it. But I acknowledge that I did get to walk into that room to begin with.
I don’t struggle with people comparing us, as I’m proud of my dad and what he’s achieved. To follow in his footsteps would be an honour.
For me, it’s more my own comparison. Sometimes he has to remind me that he didn’t start working on TV until he was 31. And I do stuff with Nine, with the E! Network, with the podcast — so Dad’s like, “You’re 24 and you’re doing all this. You need to remember where you are, too.”
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I sometimes feel down because I have all these ideas I wanna do. I wanna act, sing, present, write. I wanna add to the creative zeitgeist of this country and it’s impossible to do it all at once.
What’s funny is that if I were to follow in my dad’s footsteps it wouldn’t work; I need to forge my own yellow brick road.
The thing is, I’m happy to work my butt off. Whenever I get down and I’m talking to my dad, I’m like, “I just want the chance.” Because once I have the chance, I’m so prepared to hustle twice as hard.
People like to count me out because I’m someone’s son, or they see something in the paper where I’m wearing some outfit and they think they know who I am.
We all judge books by their cover; I’m not exempt from that, but I think having such a supportive family unit has meant I’m not concerned with the opinions of others. As long as I make my mum and dad proud, then I’ve succeeded.
Radical Fashionism is on PodcastOne Australia, podcastoneaustralia.com.au.