Strictly Ballroom star Paul Mercurio reveals why he never wants to be considered a ‘politician’

The classic Aussie film star has explained his surprise career move in a massive departure from the silver screen.

Strictly Ballroom star Paul Mercurio has stepped away from the silver screen and is instead heading onto the political stage but hopes he’ll never be considered a “politician”.

The actor and dancer – who was also a judge on Dancing with the Stars – put his hand up for the seat of Hastings in Melbourne’s outer south east and was confirmed as Labor’s candidate on Monday afternoon.

The local councillor spoke exclusively to NCA NewsWire about his decision to run for state politics.

“I never meant to be in the political space and it’s a new kind of area for me,” Mr Mercurio said on Wednesday.

He said he first ran for council because he didn’t want to “write letters and whinge” when he felt frustrated about things he wanted to change on the Mornington Peninsula.

“I thought maybe I could do more as an MP rather than a councillor,” he said.

“I thought I’d just test the waters and of course now here I am as the candidate.”

Paul Mercurio at a media call for the collaborative exhibition Starstruck: Australian Movie Portraits, at the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.

After a year working as a councillor for the Mornington Peninsula shire, the former actor said the job was “terrific” but he sometimes felt as though his hands were tied with some issues.

But he’s looking forward to the challenge of campaigning for the seat currently held by Liberal MP Neale Burgess.

“I’ve jumped off plenty of cliffs in the dark – just taking risks and seeing what happens,” he said.

He said it was a “dazzling” experience and was honoured to be selected to run but flagged he was still focused on his council role.

The entrepreneur – who runs his own food business – said he never hoped to be considered a “politician”.

Mercurio says he wants to be considered someone with a varied life experience.

Instead, he wants to be considered someone who had a varied life experience compared to others and who may have just always aspired to be in politics.

It was really important people listened to those in the community and their concerns, he said.

“I can offer an open heart and open ears.”

This approach paid off for him in his role in local government, he said.

But he wouldn’t get drawn into what were the issues facing the electorate and said he had yet to speak to the party officials.

Mr Mercurio starred in Baz Luhrmann’s 1992 film Strictly Ballroom as the rebellious dancer Scott Hastings and went onto roles in Neighbours and Blue Heelers.