It’s convention season again! Get out your sharpies, prepare some awkward compliments and don’t forget the deodorant because it’s time to meet and greet with your favourite Pop-Culture Icons. Thanks to Supanova, Brendan Dousi got to have a chat with ‘Arrow’, ‘Spartacus’, ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘The Shannara Chronicles’ star Manu Bennett to talk about conventions, the father/actor balance and whether or not he will finally reprise his role as Slade Wilson/Deathstroke.

TOM MAGAZINE: Hey Manu, how are you going today?

MANU BENNETT: Yeah, good mate. Good. Just got back from Peru, filming a movie called ‘Death Race’. Just been back for three days. So yeah, that was an interesting six weeks in Peru.

TOM MAGAZINE: Yeah, it looks like you’ve been a very busy man! Going from ‘The Hobbit’ into ‘Arrow’ and into ‘The Shannara Chronicles’ and now ‘Death Race 2050’. Where do you find the time to do conventions like Supanova? Do you just decide to pop over to Australia for a visit and figure you may as well sign some autographs?

MANU BENNETT: You know what, I always treat going to the Australian conventions as a real opportunity to catch up with family and friends. I grew up in Australia and I’ve got a lot of family and friends on the Gold Coast. I’ve done several productions up there, I did my very first show ‘Paradise Beach’, ended up doing two WWE movies; ‘The Condemned’ and what was the one with John Cena? The Marine. So, you know, I’ve got a long history with the Gold Coast and working there. Whenever I go there I catch up with friends as well as being able to do this convention.

Going down to Melbourne, when I was doing ‘Paradise Beach’ back in the day I made some really great friends because I used to go down there quite a bit. For me, I grew up in Australia, started my acting career in Australia, went over to New Zealand for opportunities like ‘Spartacus’ and ‘The Hobbit’ and that took me over to America and Canada to film these latest projects. So it’s great coming back, getting a chance to come home and visit friends and family.  I also get to meet the new fans of my new shows, too.

TOM MAGAZINE: It sounds like you actually enjoy coming to these conventions.

MANU BENNETT: Yeah, absolutely! To me it’s full circle, you look at the machine; I’m sitting here reading a script, I’ve got a script right in front of me, who knows I might end up doing this film? From here til the point where I get in front of fans and they tell me about my performance is where this particular piece of paper in front of me could lead me to. It’s one thing if it leads me to a casting room, but it’s another thing if I get the job, go to a film set and shoot the film. But, what’s good about conventions is you really get the litmus test on how fans have responded to your work and I think it’s not only a good time to reflect on your place in the popular culture world, but it’s also a time to just genuinely meet people and spread a kind of friendship. I regard what I do with my work creates relationships in some way, you know? When I meet people usually they feel like they know a part of me because they’ve gone on the emotional journey of Crixus or Slade Wilson. They’re interested in finding out how a 5’10” Mauri boy got to play a seven foot tall white Orc. The stories that are hidden behind those walls of studios are very interesting to fans and I can only ever share them with fans if I do conventions. I don’t think I’m quite old enough yet to write an autobiography <laughs> But, I might as well take these opportunities to get out there. Also, it’s about… If you’re a rock bang, you don’t just want to get money out of the CD sales. You go and you play at venues. You meet people. It’s the best way I can think of to open yourself up as an artist and make a connection with your fanbase. So, there’s a hell of a lot of positives to it.

TOM MAGAZINE: Would you say there’s any negatives? Which property would you say has the most intense fanbase so far?

MANU BENNETT: You know, it’s interesting, with Shannara Chronicles it’s a whole new world for me and I find it interesting that I’ll be coming to Australia with a show that’s airing there now without really knowing what the audience there thinks about it yet. So I don’t know how many Shannara fans are going to show up. I don’t know what they’re going to say about the show, it’s still going through its critical assessment after  airing in the States.  Mostly when I come to these conventions I’m addressing ‘Spartacus’ and ‘Arrow’ fans. I don’t think half the world knows that I’m Azog but those who do know come along.

It’s funny, because I’ve become kind of like…  When I first started these conventions, which was probably 3 or 4 years ago, I only had one show; ‘Spartacus’. I’d go there and there’d be other people with just one show. People from Star Trek, people from The Walking Dead and whatever number of shows there are out there now. I’d be over here and I’d be the ‘Spartacus’ guy and they’d be the ‘Walking Dead’ guy. But now, I’m kind of prolific. I find I’m probably one of the only convention guys that’s got maybe four or five shows under my belt now that has this fanbase at conventions. So, for me, this convention world has definitely opened up. I’m always getting calls to attend various conventions around the world, which is interesting, because now my career offers me opportunities to travel much more and meet fans in different countries. It’s not a part of this career I even imagined existing.  Right now I’m just thankful that there’s something else I can be doing, something productive other than having to rely on just filming.

TOM MAGAZINE: Paid holidays mustn’t be too shabby, either.

MANU BENNETT:  There’s that side of it, for sure, but I think it’s a win-win situation. I do have to sacrifice family time, and I don’t like doing that so much. I did at one stage jump on the American convention wagon, but the amount of family time it actually consumed was not good. Now I’m very careful about doing shows in territories I haven’t been to in a while. It’s always good for me to come to Australia, I have family there. My father and sister both live in Sydney with my nieces and nephews. A very good reason for me to come home.

TOM MAGAZINE: Of course. Now, I know you’re not supposed to answer this, but do you have a favourite role at all? Any character you’re particularly fond of?

MANU BENNETT: I’m particularly proud of Crixus. I’m not just proud of it on my level of being an actor, I’m proud of it on a whole production level. The people that I worked with on ‘Spartacus’ had a very unique story to work with for starters, I mean Steven DeKnight was such an amazing storyteller that it really hit a unique button and it got a very good audience. Not immediately, because it wasn’t on a major network. If ‘Spartacus’ had been on HBO, man, it would have be huuge, I think. It only got released on Netflix a few months ago in America and recently in the rest of the world, so it’s having a big second run. But, that character arc of Crixus was just incredible. As someone who got to sit inside the skin of that character, I couldn’t be happier with the way each script came along.

I’ve had a different experience on ‘Arrow’, where I’ve sort of taken a character a certain distance and it’s kind of ceased up. Even though the fans are screaming for more there may never be more of that. Shannara’s interesting because it’s got about 22 book so you don’t know what the possibilities could be with growing and building into the character in that series.

But, as I’ve said, I just came back from Peru doing a film for Universal and hopefull they’ll be happy with it and throw a whole bunch of other movies at me. But it’s a long ride, I’ve invested a lot of my life into this career. Having three children now, it’s a careful balance of how much daddy can be away. At the same time I’ve got to pay the bills like anyone else. Everything sort of ends up happening for a reason. In this latest film part of my contract was to fly in my family. You sort of start to get a few perks the further you work your way up the ladder. I’m hoping in the future as I get these filming projects that I’ll be able to take my family along. That one of the necessities I have now as a father/actor <laughs>.

TOM MAGAZINE: For sure! So, you mentioned ‘Arrow’ before. I have to confess that I’m a big ‘Arrow’ watcher and you are, in my opinion, the best Antagonist this show has had so far. You mentioned before that you might not do any more, is that definite? Have you been told that Deathstroke is off the tables now?

MANU BENNETT: No, no, not at all. That’s still open to negotiation, that role. It’s just, people ask me about it and I can’t even tell them what the possibilities are. Those guys, you hear from them two weeks before they expect you to be there. That’s just the way it is, you know? I’m resigned to the fact that if they want Deathstroke back I’ll get a phone call. I definitely know that the fans want more of Deathstroke, it’s one of those characters that’s come back into the mainstream but it’d be good if- Doesn’t matter if it’s me or it’s someone else, or if it’s in the new ‘Suicide Squad’ movie or whatever – but he’s such a great dark character. With ‘Deadpool’ now in the cinemas they should bring Deathstroke in to tackle the other guy they called ‘Wade Wilson’. I think the two ‘Wilsons’ should come head to head.

**SPOILER WARNING: IF YOU ARE NOT UP TO DATE WITH ARROW DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT**

TOM MAGAZINE: Do you keep up with the show?

MANU BENNETT: Every now and then I’ll catch it. Whenever I jump on a plane I’ll see if they’re playing an ‘Arrow’ episode. I’ve got some friends and people that I really liked off that show so I like to check them out on an episode every now and then. Mate, I’ll tell you, my television at home is dictated by Nickelodeon. I rarely find the time to look at a screen myself, to be honest.

TOM MAGAZINE: Cynthia Addai-Robinson, who you worked with on ‘Spartacus’, is in ‘Arrow’ too as Amanda Waller. Did you hear what happened to her character?

MANU BENNETT: No. No! What happened to Cynthia?

TOM MAGAZINE: They shot her in the head!

MANU BENNETT: Oh no! <groans>

TOM MAGAZINE: I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news!

MANU BENNETT: My god, that’s kind of as brutal as they were on ‘Spartacus’ with her.

TOM MAGAZINE: I know! I was going to ask you if you were disappointed your two characters in ‘Arrow’ didn’t get to share a scene together?

MANU BENNETT: Oh my lord. I actually thought we would one day, but that’s definitely put an end to that.

TOM MAGAZINE: Well, it is comic books, they could bring her back!

MAN BENNETT: <laughs> It’s funny that you told me that Naevia is dead again. Unbelievable. The heartache of it. Cynthia is such a great actress, I think she did a really good job in ‘Texas Rising’. I think she’s got a stellar career ahead of her. I really like her, I’m sure she had no problems. Maybe she wasn’t available anymore and that’s why they put a bullet in her head?

TOM MAGAZINE: There’s been rumours they’re taking a number of characters off the table for the movies and that’s why they’re not going to be in the show anymore. I don’t know if you can say anything about that?

MANU BENNETT: Well, who knows with Deathstoke? They intimated to me that they were definitely going to bring him back at some stage and I’ve heard nothing of it. Maybe that is the reason? There’s all these rumours about whether he’s going to be in the new ‘Suicide Squad’ movie. Who knows?

TOM MAGAZINE: So, basically, you’re as in the dark as everyone else?

MANU BENNETT: Oh, mate, absolutely. It’s very weird when people say to me, “We love you as Deathstroke, are you coming back to the show or not?” Well, you’re guess is as good as mine. My job is to take the roles that are on the page in front of me. I haven’t sat around twiddling my thumbs since ‘Arrow’ finished. There’s been ‘Shannara’, now this ‘Death Race’ movie and a whole bunch of stuff that’s going to go on before I end up on there. But, it’s nice to know that support is there in the ‘Arrow’ fanbase for the character. I’m glad it resonated.

TOM MAGAZINE: Well, I know you’re basically everyone’s favourite character. So, one final question seeing as we’re out of time. I just like to ask everyone; What’s one of your favourite films?

MANU BENNETT: My favourite film? ‘The Deer Hunter’. Robert De Niro. Christopher Walken. It’s just such an unexpected movie. It goes places and it’s like, “What!?” One moment you’re in the hills chasing a deer, next moment you’re in Vietnam.  It just had brilliant performances, you know? Meryl Streep. The scene with Meryl Streep and De Niro when he gets back from the war and she’s knitting the jumper. And the music! The music is on another level. It’s phenomenal. Check it out!

TOM MAGAZINE: Fantastic choice! Thank you so much for talking to me today and I hope you have a fantastic time at Supanova.

MANU BENNETT: Cheers, brother.

Supanova Pop Culture Expo:
MELBOURNE 2016
April 15-17
Melbourne Showgrounds