Forget Tinseltown, Wollongong is where it’s at for Hollywood star Adam Demos

Adam Demos has a superpower. His star has shot to fame in Hollywood, but it’s his mates back home and his biggest supporter — his mum — who inspire and empower him.

Adam Demos attends the GQ Australia Men Of The Year Awards during thew week. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Image

He may be a Hollywood star, but Adam Demos is never happier than when he’s at home in Wollongong with the woman he’s done it all for – his mum.

Lindy, his undisputed ‘best mate’, raised the 38-year-old as a single parent and the sacrifices she made for her son are something he’ll never forget. Note to hardworking parents everywhere – teenagers will in fact appreciate you … one day.

“Let me tell you, as a boy who was always raised by a single mum, we, I mean, this goes for all kids I guess – we always come from back … and she’s my best mate,” he tells Insider, staring out at busy Bondi Beach.

“I mean, she she’s the proudest person in the world.

“This article right now – this will be on the fridge, you can be sure that it’ll be part of the shrine she’s created at their house.

Keeping it real: Adam Demos is clear on what keeps him grounded. Picture: Simon Upton

“It’s just her and I so it’s a very special relationship, it really is.

“We are as close as I could imagine a mother and son being.

“We’ve been through everything together, she’s my best mate.”

Being in Australia, on Bondi Beach, isn’t a sight he takes for granted, living in the US. While he’s in LA living the life he created with Sex/Life co-star and real life partner, Sarah Shahi, and her three ‘awesome’ children, Demos is constantly seeking work that will being him home to lovely Lindy and the mates that keep him grounded.

“My boys from Wollongong, they have no idea about the industry – no idea, and they still don’t really have a clue,” he says.

“They’re like, ‘oh, cool, you’re gonna go shoot this – great, when you coming back for beer?’

Sarah Shahi and Adam Demos. Picture: Supplied

“But they were like a superpower for me, because they never really said, ‘What are you doing? Why are you even trying that?’ – they were always like … ‘awesome’, even if they didn’t understand it.

“So I never had anyone, when I wanted to try ‘this thing’ – say, ‘why would you?’ or ‘that’s stupid’ – they were just like ‘yeah, cool’.

“And even just that laid back support, didn’t give me any cause for concern or doubt to keep pursuing it.

“It really does become such an empowering thing when people around you say go for it.

“There was so many times – years – when I didn’t have that much cash and they’d just buy you beers – they’re the best.

INSPIRATION

“And they are still my best mates today, and they still inspire the hell out of me.

“They are the hardest working blokes I know, and really great family men – and now I’m trying to learn that stuff from them.

“Sometimes men and women who work really hard to give their kids the best life they can – it’s not on a pedestal enough, in my opinion.

“It’s tough, but it’s selfless – and they inspire me a lot.”

He was back earlier this year shooting Aussie film Take My Hand in Byron Bay and in August brought Sarah Down Under for the first time – to meet his mum and his mates, of course. This visit he’s here for the GQ Man of the Year Awards and Tommy Hilfiger.

“I did a spring campaign with Tommy Hilfiger, which is awesome, so part of working with them is I get to come back and go to GQ with those guys and wear some awesome stuff,” he says.

“I’m not going to be here for Christmas, so I get to go and hang with mum and mates down in Wollongong for a while.

“I do come back all the time – just because – it’s like cliche, but time goes so fast, right?

“So I really make sure I get to see my mum more often these days, so I get back every couple of months if I can.”

SMITTEN SHAHI

“My partner’s over there so that’s where my home is now. With her, and a future with her.

“I’m lucky enough to have her and that she’s the greatest ever. I feel like I get the best of both worlds and not just stuck in one spot all the time.

“I could do this forever because I’m never bored at one spot, ever.”

It’s safe to say that Shahi is as smitten with Sydney as she is with Demos. And that’s a lot. She couldn’t cuddle a koala on her great Aussie visit – you can’t do that anymore, he tells Insider – but she got really close, and had her photo taken with one.

“That was the one condition – she goes, ‘I don’t care what we do, I just want to hang with your friends and family – but I need to see a koala otherwise we’re gonna be in trouble’,” he laughs.

“You know when you show someone your hometown or your country, you see through their eyes, and have a whole other appreciation for it?

“She’d never seen Sydney.

“We walked the Harbour Bridge, and I’ve never done that before, so now I’m seeing Sydney like I’ve never seen it before, so it was really cool.

“But to see her just taking it all in and being so excited and blown away by how lovely people are – absolutely blown away, that’s what that was really cool.

Bucket list tick: Adam Demos’ partner and Sex/Life co-star Sarah Shahi’s first encounter with a koala. Picture: Supplied

“When I get here and I drive down past Austinmer, Thirroul, Bulli and I go to Wollongong – it’s like the ultimate detox.

“I feel like I’ve just taken a huge nap, and I’m so relaxed because there’s so much greenery, but then you got the ocean and there’s hikes and everyone’s just like chilling – but getting stuff done, too.

“I don’t ever think chilling and a laid back nature means that it’s not productive.

“It’s almost like a duck paddling on a pond – Aussies look so chill, but underneath, they’re getting shit done – all the time, but they just make it look cool and effortless.”

BUILDING A CAREER

Right now, he’s not experiencing the crazy pre-Christmas chaos that so many are – he’s on holidays. And it shows. And again, it’s possible because of his mum, who first printed out locations of acting classes for her construction worker son who wanted to give ‘this acting thing’ a go – they didn’t have any internet on the farm where they lived, so printing out names and numbers where she worked at the university would have to do. They’ve since sold the farm, but he’ll never forget his roots.

“That is exactly what happened – we had no internet – I was working with steelworks and she worked at the university and I had to tell her what to print off because we had no internet,” he says.

“I look around and I love my life,” he says.

Adam Demos and Sarah Shahi tackle the Bridge Climb. Picture: Supplied

“But it’s not like a career thing- I just feel lucky to have everyone I’ve got around me.

“My mum is still here with us and she’s still happy and honestly, this is not to sound cheesy, but if I can make her proud, and my mates proud, I’m winning.

“You don’t really realise (at the time) and I think the beauty of it is – credit to her, she never let me realise how much she was doing until I was old enough to understand.”

Recently, he shot Aussie movie Take My Hand in Byron Bay with Radha Mitchell, which was another chance he got to come home and live the best of both worlds.

“We were wrapping when the sun went down to so it was like you could go the beach in the afternoon,” he says.

“It was bizarre – like Byron is a holiday destination, and then when you get to work there – it’s ridiculous.”

And then there was the SAG Strike – an intense time, he explains – but for the right reasons.

“And now that they figured out an awesome deal, I think everyone’s just so happy that they got that deal done and now we can all just get back to work.

“I shot Take My hand in Byron Bay before the strike … then I actually did an audio book for Lonely Hearts right before – but I couldn’t talk about it because you can’t talk about projects you’ve done when the strike was on.

“I’d never done an audio book before – it was way harder than I thought.

If you can make it there … Adam Demos checks himself out on a billboard in New York's Times Square. Picture: Supplied

“It’s like trying to narrate a book, but you don’t have your facial expressions or your mannerisms or your body movements to tell a bit of the story – it’s all vocal.

“Doing eight hours a day in a booth – it was so challenging. It really taught me a lot.

“I have so much respect for voiceover artists now. It trained new muscles.”

He says Lonely Hearts is a ‘romantic, cute’ story – as is Take My Hand.

After meeting his real life love of his life on set, Demos is not immune to what we all want: a real life happy ending.

“The world can get crazy, and I do feel like (love stories) make you can forget about things if it makes you feel good at the end of it,” he says.

And then, just to shake things up, he was a pro wrestler, playing ‘Gorgeous George’.

“I actually did a movie during the strike called Queen of the Ring – it was a small role but a really cool role and we were out shooting in Kentucky which was awesome – a period piece about Mildred Burke, the first ever female wrestler,” he says.

“It was wicked.

“It always just keeps you on your toes and challenging – it’s nerve wracking in a good way because I love the job so much that when I get it, I really don’t let not only myself down, but anyone else down.

“I love that adrenaline, I feel like we all seek it in one form or the other, and mine’s making sure I do the best.”

SEX/LIFE A LIFE CHANGER

The Unreal star also featured in Cooped Up, Winners & Losers and Home and Away before heading to America, and has since also done A Perfect Pairing and Falling Inn Love. While he would have done a third season of Sex/Life ‘if there was anywhere for the story to go’, it was the part that changed his life in all ways.

“I think I feel I feel grateful that we got two seasons – I mean, that show changed my life in so many different ways,” he continues.

“Living in Toronto, it was through the pandemic, so it was very meaningful to me, to go through those hard times, and then on the back end of it have a job where not many people did, so I was grateful for that.

“And then it was really special in a lot of ways – and then everyone liked it, so it was a win win.

“I’m trying to be more present, be open to what’s out there – I try not to tunnel vision myself too much any more.”

Adam Demos and Welsh actor Erin Richards for Lonely Hearts. Picture: Supplied

The first thing he does when he wakes up at home is go for a swim and a coffee – he’s off to New York for a white Christmas so it’s all about making the most of the sunshine while he can – and hanging with mum, of course.

“We hang out all the time,” he says.

“I was laying on the couch yesterday, and she goes, ‘I love this – just looking over and my big 38-year-old son is still my boy, laying on the couch watching TV. I don’t even need you to talk but just looking over and seeing you there’ – it’s cool.

“There’s no better feeling than making her happy, making sure I’m representing the values and stuff that she always instilled in me growing up.

“I mean, if I’m getting I’m getting to do this – this is my day – talking to you about this stuff and that’s another thing for mum’ fridge – but it’s a privilege to be able to do this stuff, and then I’m going to the GQ Awards on the beach – like, why would I not be chilled and happy?

“I’m grateful for all this shit.

“The moment that I paid bills acting – you’re winning, from that point on.”

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