Actor Alex Williams reveals ‘there is a lot of pressure’ in playing the part of Shane Warne

The family and friends of late cricket legend Shane Warne have been offered a private screening of the much-anticipated drama series, as the lead actor reveals the pressure he’s under.

Family and close associates of Shane Warne will be offered an early showing of the drama about his colourful life. Picture: Supplied/Channel 9

The family and close associates of Shane Warne have been offered a private screening of the Channel 9 drama series based on late great cricket legend’s life before it is screened publicly.

Warne’s longtime manager James Erskine revealed the offer had been extended by the network as more photos are released showing how headline making moments in Warne’s extraordinary life have been recreated for the Warnie mini series.

Photos from the show of Warne’s famous relationship with Elizabeth Hurley (played by Shanti Kali) mirror the real life pictures of the pair when they met at Goodwood Racecourse in 2010 and their relationship as it became public.

Other images show Alex Williams, who plays Warne, in character at various stages of the spin king’s cricketing career.

Williams, who previously played Julian Assange on screen, said taking on the role of Warne was the greatest acting challenge he has faced.

Alex Williams in character as Shane Warne and Shanti Kali in character as Elizabeth Hurley in the Channel 9 mini series Warnie. Picture: Supplied

“I felt a lot of pressure, probably the most pressure I have felt going into a role,” Williams said.

“I grew up in Perth, I live in Sydney and I always thought that Warnie was an Australian sporting icon. I felt like it was a national ownership of him.

“But then when you get down to Melbourne, it is another level.

“Obviously there is a lot of pressure, but I grew up loving Warnie, watching him on TV and seeing the magic he performed on the field, and that motivated me to work as hard as I ever have to make sure I did everything I could to give people an insight into his life that they may not have had and to emulate a lot of stuff they already knew about him and to get that right.”

The drama was filmed in Melbourne late last year.

“I think there are some really beautiful moments in there that give an insight into his life and it is also a fun trip down memory lane for a lot of people as well,” Williams said.

He has had no contact with Warne’s family, but did speak with a number of people who knew him through media and cricket when researching the role.

He also was coached by cricketers Steve O’Keefe and Bryce McGain in spin bowling.

“As soon as I started auditioning for the role I basically did not put a cricket ball down,” Williams said.

Alex Williams says he feels great pressure in the role. Picture: Supplied/Channel 9

Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley at the Crown Oaks Day at Flemington Racecourse on November 3, 2011. Picture: Getty Images

“Leg spin is incredibly difficult, a very specific skill and even understanding how a wrong’un works baffled my brain for a moment. I hope I got his run up and mannerism, wrist position and fingers all right.

“Am I happy that it cuts away to the actual balls, yes, I am. If I could re-create anything he ever did I would be playing for Australia.”

Erskine said following meetings last year between Nine, himself and Warne’s children, who were distressed the show was going ahead without their knowledge, he was confident the mini series would celebrate Warne’s life in a sensible way.

“You would be a blithering idiot to do something that was knocking Shane Warne, he made Australians proud all around the world,” Erskine said.

“We did not ask for editorial control and neither would they have given it to us.

“They did not call him (Warne) Hollywood as a nickname for nothing. He was larger than cricket. No one was expecting to have a completely sanitised version, a documentary of Shane Warne taking wickets.”

Warnie will air during The Ashes on 9.