March 30, 2025 • 35 mins
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Spencer Connelly was five when he was set on fire by his dad in an unforgivable act of revenge. Still bearing the scars, he never wanted to let his trauma get in the way of achieving his goals, which has led him to star in a blockbuster Hollywood movie.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Approache Production.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to Secrets of the Underworld. I am Neil the
Muscle Commons, and in this episode I speak with Spencer Connley,
who went from childhood trauma. It's a Hollywood actor.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Yes, I remember getting into the car and then my
biological father who set the car alight near the near
the boot of the car because in the boot of
the car were gas cylinders. Capaw, the cylinders blew up,
car blew up. We spent Christmas in hospital that was basically.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Our new home.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
There have been times in the past where yeah, just
someone said something and it's an intern happened to actually like,
look this week, quost, I hope you dine a fire
like Spencer should have. Just imagine a fourteen year old's
mind as he's getting escort out of the car to
then be escorted to a makeup then to then be
escorted back to my trailer, to then be escorted to
my car to then be escorted to set, to then
(01:02):
be escorted to my tent to then be escorted on set.
So the es got to lunch. It was flipping wild.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Before we get into everything about your life and everything
that's happened, just tell me because there must have been.
I don't know, because you're five years old, so that
it's pretty intense to remember. I can remember up towards
like three years old. But just tell me some of
the good times that you remember before all the things happened,
and even schooling you and your brother, and then we'll
(01:34):
slowly get into everything else if you want. You know
what I mean, of course.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, So I'm currently seventeen. I don't really remember much
past the age of five before. I guess naturally people don't.
But I also think that understanding what happened to me,
that's probably blocked in a little bit, blocked everything past.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
But like before that, everything else.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Can you remember any of that, like months before? Then
they get the good times before that with you and
your brother? Or is it still vague because of the
yeah that happened to here?
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I think because of what happened to me, it's just
all they wiped.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
My whole memory of before the suffering burns is just
all wiped out.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
How is your brother?
Speaker 3 (02:20):
He's really good. He's twenty one now. He stuffer burns
when he was eight, so he's got a full time
job now in his living life.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
That's good. That's good. Is he in sassy?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Yeah, he'sn't tazzy. He still loves at home.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
But you're the only movie stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
On the I'm the one who does most of the
cool stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Can you can you remember that day on the fifth
of December? Can you remember it beforehand when you got
picked up from daycare?
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
So I tell everybody that what I can basically remember
is that I can remember specific information of like what
happened to me, and I remember certain like flashbacks. But
it's crazy how the brain does is there's just certain
blackouts that I just can't remember.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
So I can remember certain stuff happening, but then you
complete other stuff.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
During the day.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Nothing nothing, Yeah, the brain protects you or blocks it out.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah all right, So tell me what you can remember
from that day on the fifth of December.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I remember we drove home and we got told will
gun and a family picnic.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Our favorite stuff. Animals are in the car.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
We got loured in with lollies, and this is one
of the memories that I do remember. I didn't want
to get in the car for some reason. Average five
year olds just didn't want to get in the car,
didn't want to go. But then obviously with that luring
in of lollies and stuffed animals, like any other five
year old would just follow and go.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
At the time, was your mom and dad separated?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
I believe they were on the way, on the way, okay, Yes,
I remember getting into the car. My brother obviously was
in there too, and then my biological father who set
the car a light in a revenge attack. Basically, he
lit a cigarette near the boot of the car because
(04:17):
in the bird of the car were gas cylinders.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
There are the things.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Yeah, yeah, there are a few of those in the
back and just the light of the cigarette. You didn't
have to actually do anything, just the light of the cigarette. Kapaw,
the cylinders blew up, car blew up. My brother and
I were very lucky to escape. We are jump quickly
jumped out of the car.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
So you actually did jump out of the car.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
You actually did, Yes, I believe so from my memory.
Obviously at that point in time, myself, my brother, and
my biological father, we were the only ones there.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
So just from my memory, that's all.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Like, that's all I can really say is that that's
what I believe is what happened.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Okay, did he say anything to you like, like, can
you remember parking anywhere? Did it look strange that he
was going to a different place where you went used
to go in, or you remember that now?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
So when we got picked up and we got taken,
the whole incident happened in our backyard. Oh okay, yeah,
so it all happened in our backyard. To this day,
I've gone like in front of the house, but again,
like it just brings up bad vibes. I don't usually
go close to where it happened since then. But I
have got no memory of the lead up. It's all
(05:29):
just you know, certain scenes from what happened when it happened.
Nothing before, nothing, nothing straight after.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Did he give any signs away that he was gonna
like harm you?
Speaker 3 (05:43):
I don't think so, but I wouldn't really know. I
was at the age of five. I had no.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Did you have a good relationship with him or do
you don't remember if you.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Did, I've got no idea. And that's why people have
said to me, do you do you still love him more?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Do you think you ever forgive him?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
And the fact is no, it's I mean, obviously I
wouldn't because what he's done is just horrible.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
But I have basically zero memory of him at all.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
He's basically been wiped out of my mind completely, And
I think that's obviously an amazing thing.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Is that Is that the same for your brother too, Fletch?
Is that is that the same for him?
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I would say so, or even have a little a
little bit more memory because he was obviously eight at
the time, but we've never really spoken about it. And yeah,
I think we've basically got no memory of that day
except really small parts of it.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Do you remember the intense of the flames and then
the explosion? Can you remember? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:44):
It is the important part.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
And funny part is that that day and my memory,
I remember parts of it of like when it like
for example, when I was in the stage of being
on fire, but all the memory of fire is gone.
I've got no memory of fire.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Wow. Yeah, so you can't even remember how it hurt
you and the pain from that.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
I remember no pain.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
The one of my memories is sitting up after I
guess I was still on fire at this point, I
looked up for my brother and my first thought was
that he's faced look different. And again, just having that memory,
there's zero remembrance of fire at all.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
There's no fire in my memory. Wow.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Do you remember anything about going to the hospital after it?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I remember going up so running up to my gate
of the house, and then again blackout nothing, and then
I remember an ambulance. I remember getting in the ambulance
and the paramedics cutting off my T shirt because my
T shirt was stuck to me, and then again blackout nothing.
(07:51):
I think the reason that is because we got drugged
with ketamine.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
It jogs you out.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, ketamine which is used for horses, so we got
drugs we got drugged with that could Yeah, it basically
knocks you out in a stage where it doesn't actually
put you to sleep. It kind of puts you in
that in that phase where you know nothing's bothering you.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Correct. Yeah, yeah, so that's why the pain. You can't
remember the pain because you were drugged out, so you
wouldn't have Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Wow, that's it. Yeah, And small memories of the early.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Stages of the hospital, like I remember being in a
bed in one of those rooms where it's not just
like a normal hospital room, it's actually one where people
are coming in quite regularly, and I.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Guess doing stuff for you.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Yeah, but traveling to the hospital, like from the obviously
I'm from Kazi, and yeah, I suffered my burns in Bernie,
but I've never heard of it, but it yeah, okay, yeah,
so from the traveling from Bernie to it would have
(08:58):
been to the hospital there. I'm pretty sure, no memory.
I remember getting flown to Obart. Yeah, that's what I remember.
I remember being in a stretcher on a plane. Anything
past that, nothing.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Was your mom with you at this time at this point?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Yes, my mom met at the first hospital and then
came with me to Hobart.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Wow, so is it like how like I know, like
what happens and he's been put in jail for this? Now,
well what's your mom's thoughts on this? Now? Well, like,
what's what's her thoughts on it?
Speaker 3 (09:34):
You know?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
There, we've we've all moved on.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
So we're just living our life, and you know, we
always we always see the positive in you know these
these you know, me suffering burns has given me some
of the opportunities.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
And I was also for my brother Fletcher.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
So how long were you in hospital?
Speaker 1 (09:52):
For five and a half months, so almost half a year.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Was the same with your brother too, he was a
little bit less.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
But it's still in the hospital for a long time.
We spent Christmas in hospital, We spent my brother's birthday,
we spent I spent Easter.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
That was basically our new home. It has to be.
You know, you're in there for half a year, it
becomes your home.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Can you remember all that your time in the in
the spool for that five months, How it felt like
we are lonely? It must have been lonely time.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
No, No, my mum was with me for basically all
of it. Yeah, I remember small parts of it. I
remember making a friend, but yeah, I mean you've got
really no friends, and then you've got the nurses that
help you.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
But other than that, you're kind of in your own mind.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah yeah, yeah, how intense was like do you I know,
because you didn't feel the pain and the what about
the mental side of it all? Trying to get yourself
back on track?
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Yeah. So my brother and I we are we go
off in therapy and we did therapy. But I've always
had really good mental health. My mental health is basically perfect,
or as perfect as it can possible be for a
person like me. But yeah, my brother and I were
perfectly fine from what's happened to happen thirteen years ago?
(11:12):
So we were past all the setbacks basically we're we're
only up and thriving now.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Yeah. Yeah, but back then you had a lot of
family and friends to support you and all that.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Yeah, of course, yeah, we all support one hundred percent
of sport. Even nowadays with all my friends, they're also
really supportive and always have my back.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
What was the biggest setback from all this you think?
Speaker 3 (11:37):
I think just looking different to everybody else and also
just not being around people my age For five and
a half months I was stuck in hospital and then
having to go back to school. I just switched schools
because we you know, I had to move away, and yeah,
I think just having to maneuver my life. I basically
(11:59):
had I just start new life completely. I had to
make new friends, I had to live somewhere else. Yeah, yeah,
but I started the whole new life.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Yeah. Well, when you said, when you say that it
was hard looking different, how hard was that for you
going to a new school, you know what I mean,
for people to accept how you did look from the
from the tragedy. How how was that for you?
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I mean it's already it's already hard for anybody just
to transit into a new school at a young age,
and being probably would have been six at the time.
It was a struggle, and just like any other normal kid,
it's not easy switching to a new school and having
to start new life. So I guess in a way
it was probably a little bit harder for me because
(12:44):
obviously looking looking different and you know, going to school
but not being in the normal routine.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Yep, because it would have been hard. It would have
been hard, plus you going to school coming out of hospital,
plus media attention as well. Media attention would have followed
you around for a long time after.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yes, yeah, so a lot of articles went out when
the first off of my burns. My mum actually explained
a few months ago that she asked my brother and
I whether we wanted the news, like the media to
stop or to continue, and I said I wanted to
stop if it was my choice now and I could
go back in time keep it coming. I mean, that's
what's I'm all of at the media. I'm all of that.
(13:23):
I'd be one of those celebrities where if something was happening,
I'd call the propriety on myself that's what I'd do
a hundred yeah, one hundred percent. But yeah, like just
the media was massive when I first stuff with my burns.
I got a Bravery Award when I was I think
(13:44):
six for you know, surviving burns in a Yeah. Yeah,
the media was definitely my friend back then.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
They are.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Sometimes it can help in a way, you know what
I mean. Yeah, especially you know, like if you go
down a different path with your life, and yet you know,
it can always help. And I've found that I was
in the past. Media can help me even if it's
bad news for me, you know what I mean, bad
news can make it make you thrive a bit more.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
It at least gives in a way your view or
the truth in like a view of what something was
like or you know.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Yeah, here's a question for you. Okay, when when he
gets out, what would you do if he reached out
to you?
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Yes, so there's a chance that he gets out this year, okay.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Yeah, So when he when he first went in for
like trial, and you know, whether he was guilty or not,
he was originally going to get over twenty years, but
they thought it was too harsh, which in just myself
is the one who you know, it was the one
who experienced the horror that day. I think it's just
(14:53):
very disappointing that someone's thought that, and that people have
agreed with that, And in a way, someone who thinks
that someone who tried to murder their own sons at
the time we're under the age of ten and the
age of five. It's just a thought that's just sickening.
(15:13):
And the fact that someone's thought that the sentence was
too harsh, it is just beyond explainable.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yeah, if he does get out and he did reach
out to you, and I know straight away, like you,
from what I gather from you, you don't want anything
to do with him, And that's that's I'd be the same.
But what would you do? I spoke to someone. It's
funny because I spoke to someone just before you, totally
different circumstances, but totally kind of nearly the same in
another interview, and I was trying to get the way
(15:42):
she was talking about she forgives her father, and I
was going, what the fuck? And I said, you can't.
How can you forgive somebody when someone has done blindly
blow to you? You know what I mean? And that's
why I want to see, Like what your opinion would
be if he got out, came face to face with
you and tried to apologize for what he did.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Yeah. Yeah, in my opinion that it crazy that someone
would depending on how bad something is, I guess it
doesn't really matter. It matter if it's like, if it's
serious in a way like what I experienced, I think
you just never forgive.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
It's not correct. I'm with you for that.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I mean, if he ever tried to reach out, you'd
get chucked straight back in prison because he'd be on
parole and he'd be breaching his perrolment, so it'd be
chucked back in Yeah. But yeah, I think if you
ever tried to reach out, I just keep on doing
what I've done for other circumstances. One of my brother's
(16:43):
done for other circumstances, and we just we just ignored.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Completely.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
What about is what about his family side? If they
tried to reach out to you, or they still talk
to you.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
They haven't for like a long time, but they have tried,
and we don't understand why. I mean they should see
in their own minds, why would we want to you
know that he's part of that family. Why would we
want to be anywhere near them more, talk to them
like we want to block him and whoever he's with
(17:12):
out of our life completely.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Did he did he suffer any burns?
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Burns? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (17:18):
So when when he suffered burns, just like my brother
and I, because obviously what he did was his own doing,
and what he did was wrong. He got minimal treatment. Yeah,
so he wasn't given all like the amazing treatment from
the doctors and surgeons like myself he was. He was
(17:40):
just given minimal treatment. But he had to wear, like myself,
a face mask, like a compression face mask.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
So he's got those scars too.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
So he's he now looks every day to himself in
the mirror and knows what he's done, and that's going
to live with him forever.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
What age were you when you fill me in, because
I'm trying to think you your five years old and
as you said, you can hardly remember stuff, it's blocked out.
But there must have been a time in your life
when you you hit rock bottom from what's happened, and
you know, you get as I said, well, I don't
know if you get flashbacks back when you were younger,
but you know was there a time when it was
(18:21):
a hard time for you, and you were like kind
of like, there's a lot of negativity around.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
You, because yeah, I kind of just grew up with
the scars, so I really don't know any different. There
have been times in the past where yeah, just someone
said something and it's kind of put me a step back,
and then did happened actually, like look this week where
(18:45):
someone said something. Yeah at school, Yeah, someone said something.
They actually used the quote. They were talking to someone
else and they said, I hope you dyne a fire
like Spencer should have whoa yeah, And I don't think
they understand that, you know, this is that that's really bad.
You can't you can't say that. And I'm lucky to
(19:08):
have a really good mental health and that it minimalistic.
It does not affect me at all. But someone who
doesn't have good mental health, or someone who maybe is still,
you know, recovering from what has happened, like for example,
suffering burns, that that could that could be very lethal.
It could affect them so much. And I'm just grateful
(19:31):
that it happened to me not someone else, because it's
just it's horrible and it's not on you know, you've
got to gotta respect everybody.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Wow, I can't believe that's what happened to you recently.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Yeah, and it's it's funny because you'd expect it online,
but not as much in real life. I mean, obviously
you're going to get the odd maybe stare or the
odd comment, but not something that like in a way
and this is kind of ironic but flammable, you know,
that's what she's just. They've used that on me and
(20:04):
behind my back. I happened to find out from a friend.
And it's not good for anybody if anybody hears that.
The person who this person was telling it to, she
was telling it to a bunch of people. They went
back and told the teacher and they actually felt very
offended themselves because of the comment that they said, because
it's just something it's unimaginable, and they were breaking down,
(20:27):
they were crying because it's just such a horrible comment.
And again like that could affect their mental health and
you know, maybe maybe not mine, but someone else is.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
You gotta be careful what you say.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
So is your brother coked? All right? With that? Kind
of in a way the same way it was what
I've just asked you, Is he strong like you?
Speaker 3 (20:50):
I would I'm the strongest survivor out of the both
of us. Again, we're both strong survivors, but we both
show it in different ways. My brother does suffer from
stuff that I don't suffer from, so with his scars
he might Well, he's not as much anymore. But was
not very good at talking to people in public compared
to me. I can talk to hundreds of people in
(21:11):
a room. My brother at one point in his life
could not say hello to anybody.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
So throughout his life he had to basically teach himself
again with the confidence to speak to people again, and
just remember that he's just like anybody else. He's just
a public person on the street who you know needs
and you know be able to accept that he you know,
(21:38):
acknowledges that he should get the same respect as everybody else.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Wow. So has it ever stopped you from doing anything?
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Like?
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Have you stopped through your teens or anything like that.
It's never stopped you. You've always been strong enough to
get through them.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
I've always been strong. I've played soccer from grade five
to grade six.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
I now speak in front of audiences, inspiring them with
my story. I've always grown up playing you know, sports
at school, just every activity. It doesn't matter how down
I am, and I don't know to stop me at all.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
When you were down, though, would you go to your
brother or would you go to your mom or would
you deal with it yourself?
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Yeah? I would mostly deal with it myself.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Like when that horrible comment was said about me earlier,
I didn't go to my mom straight away. I was
actually at school at the time, so I went straight
to one of the teachers there about it. I mainly,
you know, fix problems or issues by myself, unless it's
that series that I then have to, for example, go
(22:47):
to my mum. Yeah, because obviously she supported me throughout it,
all throughout all these thirteen years and the years to come.
But yeah, no, if my brother and I we both
have each other's backs, we both know each other's gone through.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
We've gone through the exact same story.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
Again, we've both had different better if it's from it,
But yeah, we're both We're worth in the same boat.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
So how did how did you get? As the movies
did that and.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
The movie is Furiosa and Mad mac Saga.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
I was lucky enough to some of the faum with
an organization called the Kids Foundation, and they host nonprofit
camps where at the time of when I joined, it
was burn survivors only. So would fly to the mainland,
would stop on a location and we would you know,
stay there for a few days and just do a
(23:36):
bunch of fun activities and connect so that I could
connect with people who.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Are in the same boat as me.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
They're maybe having struggles in life, maybe with burns and scars.
And I happened to be on a camp in April
of twenty twenty two, now that is almost three years ago.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Yeah, I was.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Doing an activity during the day and when one of
my friends saw a post on Facebook they needed burn
survivors to be extras on Furi mad Max Saga. I
was like, well, this is what I want to do.
This is my dream. So they called up and sadly
all the roles were filled.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
I was too late.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
So then what happened is I went throughout my day,
I went throughout my weeks, I went through my months right,
nothing else happened. Then came July. The CEO of the
Kids Foundation was staying at a health retreat and she
was staying in a room with another lady Now the
CEO is also an author.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
She writes books.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
This lady wanted to read the book. So she read
the book and she read Mine and my brother story,
and she asked about us, and then they were just
talking about me and my brother, and then she brought
up how I wanted to be in this blockbuster movie
named Mad Max Furiosa. So the next day a man
happened to walk by and she tapped. He tapped the
(24:59):
CEO Sheldon. He said, I need to talk to you.
My lands being used for that film. I want to
give my roll up, my extra roll off for this kid.
So then the sea you got the CEO. I was obviously,
you know, we don't want to do that. That's your role.
We don't want to take that from you. Give us
the directors and like the management's number, we'll call up
and we'll make inquiries. I was meant to only get
(25:22):
a tour of the set. Yeah, but then the director
offered me an audition for an extra role. Audition for
the extra role. Wasn't good enough for an extras role
I need, I needed the casting role. I wasn't good
enough for an extra role, said that I needed to
speaking part. They said, yeah, so contracts went out. I
(25:45):
did the audition. Contracts went out. I signed a bunch
of contracts. One of the one of the really cool
things is is that I was reading the contract.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Have you seen have you seen the movie? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Yeah, So there's treadmill rats, which are basically really dirty people,
long hair, and they're just really they're really muddy, and
they're really just my hygienic or I could have been
the second thing, a war boy who shaves his head
and gets covered in white clay. So I said, I'm
doing I'm doing it. I said I'm going to be
(26:17):
a war boy. And I said, all right, we're going
to shave your head. I said, let's do it. Let's
just shave all my hair off. Three consecutive months, I
shaved my head off. All my hair was gone. I
got flown up. All flights are paid for. I got
put in a five star hotel. All the combination was
paid for. I got Chris Hemsworth's driver. I got my
(26:40):
own trailer to sit in, with a shower, a bathroom,
a bed, not a bed, couch, a couch at a TV.
I was sadly not on base early enough, so I
didn't get to breakfast, but the breakfast sounded phenomenal, doughnuts, bagels,
anything you could dream of.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Basically I was.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
I was obviously fourteen at the time when filming seventeen
twenty eighteen, so it takes a lot of time to
make a movie. So I wasn't allowed to have the
certain rules for working, for example, people over the age
of fifteen, which is quite funny because obviously anybody would
(27:21):
dream become an actor. And it's funny the fact that
if you were doing any other job, you'd want those
raw requirements to you know, not be for you, because
then you wouldn't have to get episode as early, you
wouldn't work as many hours, but you'd still make as
good as money as anybody else. But when it comes
to be an actor, that's anybodyho's dam job, anyone's if
(27:42):
someone if anything came to someone and they said, you know,
doing a banness film, right, you're gonna say yes.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Anybody would do it, right.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
So maybe in fourteen I didn't have to wake up
at two thirty in the morning.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
I had to wake up at four thirty. It was
a looking with me.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
That's fine, it's fine up at four thirty, have a
quick shower. I wasn't allowed to wash my hair for
I think it was three months. Why is that Because
when you wash your hair, I think with the makeup,
it just like it's like not as good. Yeah, so
(28:19):
I didn't washed my hair for three months, which is
horrible because you'd want to wash your hair. Yes, I
haven't watched my hair for a while. Shagged it all off,
so I got to wear a really cool costume. Makeup
took an hour and forty five minutes. I think, Wow,
an hour forty five minutes. Yeah, it's forever.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
And then you do it again.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Oh in a heartbeat, mate, and a heartbeat. One of
the best experiences anybody could experience. Your atmosphere is just fabulous.
Imagine waking up at four point thirty and getting to
what was called set base or something. You get out
of the car that someone's escorting you in. Then you've
got the person who then escorts you to your trailer.
(29:03):
It's it's five o'clock in the morning, it's pitch black,
and here you are as an important person in life.
You're you sit there, you feel important and at the
age of fourteen, Just imagine a fourteen year old's mind
as He's getting escorted out of a car to then
be escorted to a trailer to then be escorted to
a makeup van to then be escorted back to my trailer,
(29:26):
then be escorted to my car to then be escorted
to set, to then be escorted to my tent to
then be escorded on set, to then be escorted to
lunch bang. To imagine that escorted everywhere everywhere. Yeah, certain
events that I went to for Furiosa, there were bodyguards
(29:46):
we could have.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
We had bodyguards.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
We had an after party for Furiosa, and I remember
leaving at around it would have been ten thirty. Because
there were certain rules. I snuck through those rules for
a little bit. I stay. I stayed longer than I
should have. I was ducking and avoiding staff members, which
(30:11):
was so fun at the age. I was fifteen at
the time, so still obviously under eighteen. And I remember
leaving to jump in an uber and bodyguards like yourself
followed me doing this sort of thing where they're talking.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
I get I'm about to get in the uber.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
I look up. There's a bodyguard on the balcony watching out.
There's a bodyguard next to me, and there's a bodyguard
at a little bit further distance watching me doing the
stuff with their hands and they do this so they're.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Listening and it was flipping wild. It was so cool.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
So is there anything coming up in the future for
movies or anything like that, and or you don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
You can't tell me if there was, I couldn't tell
you the sadly not. I'm right now focusing the school.
It's I got one more year left and then I'm
hopefully going to UNI YEP to get a bachelor degree
of performing Arts. I was very lucky to get this
role that I had. I didn't have an a at
the time, but I didn't have a bachelor to go
performing arts. I was just the luckiest person on earth completely.
(31:11):
Uh And yeah, nothing in the future. I do have
some stuff coming out on Instagram in the next coming months,
some important stuff and some really cool stuff, but nothing
along lines of like movies. I have auditioned for stuff.
I auditioned for The Boys Follows Universe just on Netflix.
I did audition for a role. Did not get that
(31:33):
I was thinking at the time when I was filming Peerio,
So I was going to audition for the Planet of the.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Apes, Rise of kings I never did.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
I still have, for example, lots of friends throughout all
this industry. I'm friends with people. I'm friends with a
guy that's been in parts of the Caribbean, Star Trek,
Star Wars. I with a friend who his name is
c J. He's got a movie coming out this year
they played. He plays Baraka, which he's a really cool character. Yeah,
(32:04):
I've made lots of from this this Furious from Amic Saga,
and yeah, I've been super inspired by all these people
that I've met over the years. And yeah, just filming
Furious that was just wild, you know, being on those
cool sets where everything's fake but it looks real. And
one of the cool things that I got to do
(32:25):
before filming was travel through all the sets that they
were using, So I got to walk through There was
a scene where all the wives were in kind of
like a vault safe and they walk in. I've got
to walk through that. And then some of the titles
that are used in the Citadel I got to walk through,
which were pretty cool. So yeah, just being able to
(32:47):
be at the age of fourteen and doing this amazing
experience was astounding.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
That sounds like, So it sounds like that's the path
you want to go down? Was it right?
Speaker 1 (32:55):
One hundred percent?
Speaker 3 (32:55):
That's like a dream because I wanted to be able
to work a job where I can enjoy it, not
where I'm having to go wake up really early do
it job that don't enjoy and getting a bad pay.
For example, I want about to do a job that
gives me a good pay. I don't care about waking
up early, right, I'll wake up early because I like
the job. And you know, just be able to meet
(33:18):
because with acting you meet so many cool people. You
meet people that can lead you on through life or
that you actually could become friends with. And there's definitely
a dream job that are I really hope I can pursue.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
What would you describe yourself in one word or two words?
I'll give you two words.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
If you say, okay, what would you describe yourself?
Speaker 3 (33:37):
I guess just a inspiring survivor. I'll give me three
words like strong survivors, inspiring. My dopamine is going around
and telling people my story. That's that's how That's what
keeps me happy. I go around so many different places,
whether it be the mainland or entagzy, inspiring people, telling
(33:58):
people my story, which then gives them a smile on
their face. Not because they do care about the bad
stuff that's happened to me, but they're more interested to
hear in the outcomes that have having to me throughout
life and the amazing things that have happened. So yeah,
that's definitely my dad manage. Definitely going around and inspiring people,
whether it be people my age, people are a little
(34:19):
bit older than me, or the elderly.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
It's definitely a big passionate mine.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
You well, you know what, I cannot wait to see
you face to face. I'm hoping that it comes in
the next couple of months because I'll be in Melbourne
and i'll be there in May, so hopefully you know,
fingers crossed. I don't know what you're up to in May.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
And definitely are I'll definitely, you know.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
We'll just have to, I don't know, catch up somewhere.
But if I've got any events that now I know
what you really like, and if there's any events that
I'm kind of looking after or involved with, then I'll
reach out to you to see if you are Yeah,
because I now know what you really like, and if
I've got any contacts, I will send them your direction.
You know what I mean. But you know what, I'm
(35:05):
glad you came on tonight. I'm glad that I have
now talked to you, kind of met you through a zoom.
But my, my goal now is to meet you face
to face now, and I'd like to sit down with you,
even if we can't have an interview. We can't, you
know whatever. I'd like to spend a day and we'll
do something, We'll chill out something
Speaker 1 (35:24):
One hundred perh
Approache Production.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to Secrets of the Underworld. I am Neil the
Muscle Commons, and in this episode I speak with Spencer Connley,
who went from childhood trauma. It's a Hollywood actor.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Yes, I remember getting into the car and then my
biological father who set the car alight near the near
the boot of the car because in the boot of
the car were gas cylinders. Capaw, the cylinders blew up,
car blew up. We spent Christmas in hospital that was basically.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Our new home.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
There have been times in the past where yeah, just
someone said something and it's an intern happened to actually like,
look this week, quost, I hope you dine a fire
like Spencer should have. Just imagine a fourteen year old's
mind as he's getting escort out of the car to
then be escorted to a makeup then to then be
escorted back to my trailer, to then be escorted to
my car to then be escorted to set, to then
(01:02):
be escorted to my tent to then be escorted on set.
So the es got to lunch. It was flipping wild.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Before we get into everything about your life and everything
that's happened, just tell me because there must have been.
I don't know, because you're five years old, so that
it's pretty intense to remember. I can remember up towards
like three years old. But just tell me some of
the good times that you remember before all the things happened,
and even schooling you and your brother, and then we'll
(01:34):
slowly get into everything else if you want. You know
what I mean, of course.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, So I'm currently seventeen. I don't really remember much
past the age of five before. I guess naturally people don't.
But I also think that understanding what happened to me,
that's probably blocked in a little bit, blocked everything past.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
But like before that, everything else.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Can you remember any of that, like months before? Then
they get the good times before that with you and
your brother? Or is it still vague because of the
yeah that happened to here?
Speaker 1 (02:09):
I think because of what happened to me, it's just
all they wiped.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
My whole memory of before the suffering burns is just
all wiped out.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
How is your brother?
Speaker 3 (02:20):
He's really good. He's twenty one now. He stuffer burns
when he was eight, so he's got a full time
job now in his living life.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
That's good. That's good. Is he in sassy?
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Yeah, he'sn't tazzy. He still loves at home.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
But you're the only movie stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
On the I'm the one who does most of the
cool stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Can you can you remember that day on the fifth
of December? Can you remember it beforehand when you got
picked up from daycare?
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
So I tell everybody that what I can basically remember
is that I can remember specific information of like what
happened to me, and I remember certain like flashbacks. But
it's crazy how the brain does is there's just certain
blackouts that I just can't remember.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
So I can remember certain stuff happening, but then you
complete other stuff.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
During the day.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Nothing nothing, Yeah, the brain protects you or blocks it out.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah all right, So tell me what you can remember
from that day on the fifth of December.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I remember we drove home and we got told will
gun and a family picnic.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Our favorite stuff. Animals are in the car.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
We got loured in with lollies, and this is one
of the memories that I do remember. I didn't want
to get in the car for some reason. Average five
year olds just didn't want to get in the car,
didn't want to go. But then obviously with that luring
in of lollies and stuffed animals, like any other five
year old would just follow and go.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
At the time, was your mom and dad separated?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
I believe they were on the way, on the way, okay, Yes,
I remember getting into the car. My brother obviously was
in there too, and then my biological father who set
the car a light in a revenge attack. Basically, he
lit a cigarette near the boot of the car because
(04:17):
in the bird of the car were gas cylinders.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
There are the things.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
Yeah, yeah, there are a few of those in the
back and just the light of the cigarette. You didn't
have to actually do anything, just the light of the cigarette. Kapaw,
the cylinders blew up, car blew up. My brother and
I were very lucky to escape. We are jump quickly
jumped out of the car.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
So you actually did jump out of the car.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
You actually did, Yes, I believe so from my memory.
Obviously at that point in time, myself, my brother, and
my biological father, we were the only ones there.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
So just from my memory, that's all.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Like, that's all I can really say is that that's
what I believe is what happened.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Okay, did he say anything to you like, like, can
you remember parking anywhere? Did it look strange that he
was going to a different place where you went used
to go in, or you remember that now?
Speaker 3 (05:07):
So when we got picked up and we got taken,
the whole incident happened in our backyard. Oh okay, yeah,
so it all happened in our backyard. To this day,
I've gone like in front of the house, but again,
like it just brings up bad vibes. I don't usually
go close to where it happened since then. But I
have got no memory of the lead up. It's all
(05:29):
just you know, certain scenes from what happened when it happened.
Nothing before, nothing, nothing straight after.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Did he give any signs away that he was gonna
like harm you?
Speaker 3 (05:43):
I don't think so, but I wouldn't really know. I
was at the age of five. I had no.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Did you have a good relationship with him or do
you don't remember if you.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
Did, I've got no idea. And that's why people have
said to me, do you do you still love him more?
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Do you think you ever forgive him?
Speaker 3 (06:03):
And the fact is no, it's I mean, obviously I
wouldn't because what he's done is just horrible.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
But I have basically zero memory of him at all.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
He's basically been wiped out of my mind completely, And
I think that's obviously an amazing thing.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Is that Is that the same for your brother too, Fletch?
Is that is that the same for him?
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (06:23):
I would say so, or even have a little a
little bit more memory because he was obviously eight at
the time, but we've never really spoken about it. And yeah,
I think we've basically got no memory of that day
except really small parts of it.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Do you remember the intense of the flames and then
the explosion? Can you remember? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:44):
It is the important part.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
And funny part is that that day and my memory,
I remember parts of it of like when it like
for example, when I was in the stage of being
on fire, but all the memory of fire is gone.
I've got no memory of fire.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Wow. Yeah, so you can't even remember how it hurt
you and the pain from that.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
I remember no pain.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
The one of my memories is sitting up after I
guess I was still on fire at this point, I
looked up for my brother and my first thought was
that he's faced look different. And again, just having that memory,
there's zero remembrance of fire at all.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
There's no fire in my memory. Wow.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Do you remember anything about going to the hospital after it?
Speaker 3 (07:31):
I remember going up so running up to my gate
of the house, and then again blackout nothing, and then
I remember an ambulance. I remember getting in the ambulance
and the paramedics cutting off my T shirt because my
T shirt was stuck to me, and then again blackout nothing.
(07:51):
I think the reason that is because we got drugged
with ketamine.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
It jogs you out.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, ketamine which is used for horses, so we got
drugs we got drugged with that could Yeah, it basically
knocks you out in a stage where it doesn't actually
put you to sleep. It kind of puts you in
that in that phase where you know nothing's bothering you.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Correct. Yeah, yeah, so that's why the pain. You can't
remember the pain because you were drugged out, so you
wouldn't have Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Wow, that's it. Yeah, And small memories of the early.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Stages of the hospital, like I remember being in a
bed in one of those rooms where it's not just
like a normal hospital room, it's actually one where people
are coming in quite regularly, and I.
Speaker 1 (08:36):
Guess doing stuff for you.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
Yeah, but traveling to the hospital, like from the obviously
I'm from Kazi, and yeah, I suffered my burns in Bernie,
but I've never heard of it, but it yeah, okay, yeah,
so from the traveling from Bernie to it would have
(08:58):
been to the hospital there. I'm pretty sure, no memory.
I remember getting flown to Obart. Yeah, that's what I remember.
I remember being in a stretcher on a plane. Anything
past that, nothing.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Was your mom with you at this time at this point?
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Yes, my mom met at the first hospital and then
came with me to Hobart.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Wow, so is it like how like I know, like
what happens and he's been put in jail for this? Now,
well what's your mom's thoughts on this? Now? Well, like,
what's what's her thoughts on it?
Speaker 3 (09:34):
You know?
Speaker 1 (09:34):
There, we've we've all moved on.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
So we're just living our life, and you know, we
always we always see the positive in you know these
these you know, me suffering burns has given me some
of the opportunities.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
And I was also for my brother Fletcher.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
So how long were you in hospital?
Speaker 1 (09:52):
For five and a half months, so almost half a year.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Was the same with your brother too, he was a
little bit less.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
But it's still in the hospital for a long time.
We spent Christmas in hospital, We spent my brother's birthday,
we spent I spent Easter.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
That was basically our new home. It has to be.
You know, you're in there for half a year, it
becomes your home.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Can you remember all that your time in the in
the spool for that five months, How it felt like
we are lonely? It must have been lonely time.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
No, No, my mum was with me for basically all
of it. Yeah, I remember small parts of it. I
remember making a friend, but yeah, I mean you've got
really no friends, and then you've got the nurses that
help you.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
But other than that, you're kind of in your own mind.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah yeah, yeah, how intense was like do you I know,
because you didn't feel the pain and the what about
the mental side of it all? Trying to get yourself
back on track?
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Yeah. So my brother and I we are we go
off in therapy and we did therapy. But I've always
had really good mental health. My mental health is basically perfect,
or as perfect as it can possible be for a
person like me. But yeah, my brother and I were
perfectly fine from what's happened to happen thirteen years ago?
(11:12):
So we were past all the setbacks basically we're we're
only up and thriving now.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Yeah. Yeah, but back then you had a lot of
family and friends to support you and all that.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Yeah, of course, yeah, we all support one hundred percent
of sport. Even nowadays with all my friends, they're also
really supportive and always have my back.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
What was the biggest setback from all this you think?
Speaker 3 (11:37):
I think just looking different to everybody else and also
just not being around people my age For five and
a half months I was stuck in hospital and then
having to go back to school. I just switched schools
because we you know, I had to move away, and yeah,
I think just having to maneuver my life. I basically
(11:59):
had I just start new life completely. I had to
make new friends, I had to live somewhere else. Yeah, yeah,
but I started the whole new life.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Yeah. Well, when you said, when you say that it
was hard looking different, how hard was that for you
going to a new school, you know what I mean,
for people to accept how you did look from the
from the tragedy. How how was that for you?
Speaker 1 (12:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (12:22):
I mean it's already it's already hard for anybody just
to transit into a new school at a young age,
and being probably would have been six at the time.
It was a struggle, and just like any other normal kid,
it's not easy switching to a new school and having
to start new life. So I guess in a way
it was probably a little bit harder for me because
(12:44):
obviously looking looking different and you know, going to school
but not being in the normal routine.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Yep, because it would have been hard. It would have
been hard, plus you going to school coming out of hospital,
plus media attention as well. Media attention would have followed
you around for a long time after.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Yes, yeah, so a lot of articles went out when
the first off of my burns. My mum actually explained
a few months ago that she asked my brother and
I whether we wanted the news, like the media to
stop or to continue, and I said I wanted to
stop if it was my choice now and I could
go back in time keep it coming. I mean, that's
what's I'm all of at the media. I'm all of that.
(13:23):
I'd be one of those celebrities where if something was happening,
I'd call the propriety on myself that's what I'd do
a hundred yeah, one hundred percent. But yeah, like just
the media was massive when I first stuff with my burns.
I got a Bravery Award when I was I think
(13:44):
six for you know, surviving burns in a Yeah. Yeah,
the media was definitely my friend back then.
Speaker 1 (13:53):
They are.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
Sometimes it can help in a way, you know what
I mean. Yeah, especially you know, like if you go
down a different path with your life, and yet you know,
it can always help. And I've found that I was
in the past. Media can help me even if it's
bad news for me, you know what I mean, bad
news can make it make you thrive a bit more.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
It at least gives in a way your view or
the truth in like a view of what something was
like or you know.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Yeah, here's a question for you. Okay, when when he
gets out, what would you do if he reached out
to you?
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Yes, so there's a chance that he gets out this year, okay.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
Yeah, So when he when he first went in for
like trial, and you know, whether he was guilty or not,
he was originally going to get over twenty years, but
they thought it was too harsh, which in just myself
is the one who you know, it was the one
who experienced the horror that day. I think it's just
(14:53):
very disappointing that someone's thought that, and that people have
agreed with that, And in a way, someone who thinks
that someone who tried to murder their own sons at
the time we're under the age of ten and the
age of five. It's just a thought that's just sickening.
(15:13):
And the fact that someone's thought that the sentence was
too harsh, it is just beyond explainable.
Speaker 2 (15:20):
Yeah, if he does get out and he did reach
out to you, and I know straight away, like you,
from what I gather from you, you don't want anything
to do with him, And that's that's I'd be the same.
But what would you do? I spoke to someone. It's
funny because I spoke to someone just before you, totally
different circumstances, but totally kind of nearly the same in
another interview, and I was trying to get the way
(15:42):
she was talking about she forgives her father, and I
was going, what the fuck? And I said, you can't.
How can you forgive somebody when someone has done blindly
blow to you? You know what I mean? And that's
why I want to see, Like what your opinion would
be if he got out, came face to face with
you and tried to apologize for what he did.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Yeah. Yeah, in my opinion that it crazy that someone
would depending on how bad something is, I guess it
doesn't really matter. It matter if it's like, if it's
serious in a way like what I experienced, I think
you just never forgive.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
It's not correct. I'm with you for that.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I mean, if he ever tried to reach out, you'd
get chucked straight back in prison because he'd be on
parole and he'd be breaching his perrolment, so it'd be
chucked back in Yeah. But yeah, I think if you
ever tried to reach out, I just keep on doing
what I've done for other circumstances. One of my brother's
(16:43):
done for other circumstances, and we just we just ignored.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
Completely.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
What about is what about his family side? If they
tried to reach out to you, or they still talk
to you.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
They haven't for like a long time, but they have tried,
and we don't understand why. I mean they should see
in their own minds, why would we want to you
know that he's part of that family. Why would we
want to be anywhere near them more, talk to them
like we want to block him and whoever he's with
(17:12):
out of our life completely.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Did he did he suffer any burns?
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Burns? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (17:18):
So when when he suffered burns, just like my brother
and I, because obviously what he did was his own doing,
and what he did was wrong. He got minimal treatment. Yeah,
so he wasn't given all like the amazing treatment from
the doctors and surgeons like myself he was. He was
(17:40):
just given minimal treatment. But he had to wear, like myself,
a face mask, like a compression face mask.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
So he's got those scars too.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
So he's he now looks every day to himself in
the mirror and knows what he's done, and that's going
to live with him forever.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
What age were you when you fill me in, because
I'm trying to think you your five years old and
as you said, you can hardly remember stuff, it's blocked out.
But there must have been a time in your life
when you you hit rock bottom from what's happened, and
you know, you get as I said, well, I don't
know if you get flashbacks back when you were younger,
but you know was there a time when it was
(18:21):
a hard time for you, and you were like kind
of like, there's a lot of negativity around.
Speaker 3 (18:25):
You, because yeah, I kind of just grew up with
the scars, so I really don't know any different. There
have been times in the past where yeah, just someone
said something and it's kind of put me a step back,
and then did happened actually, like look this week where
(18:45):
someone said something. Yeah at school, Yeah, someone said something.
They actually used the quote. They were talking to someone
else and they said, I hope you dyne a fire
like Spencer should have whoa yeah, And I don't think
they understand that, you know, this is that that's really bad.
You can't you can't say that. And I'm lucky to
(19:08):
have a really good mental health and that it minimalistic.
It does not affect me at all. But someone who
doesn't have good mental health, or someone who maybe is still,
you know, recovering from what has happened, like for example,
suffering burns, that that could that could be very lethal.
It could affect them so much. And I'm just grateful
(19:31):
that it happened to me not someone else, because it's
just it's horrible and it's not on you know, you've
got to gotta respect everybody.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Wow, I can't believe that's what happened to you recently.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Yeah, and it's it's funny because you'd expect it online,
but not as much in real life. I mean, obviously
you're going to get the odd maybe stare or the
odd comment, but not something that like in a way
and this is kind of ironic but flammable, you know,
that's what she's just. They've used that on me and
(20:04):
behind my back. I happened to find out from a friend.
And it's not good for anybody if anybody hears that.
The person who this person was telling it to, she
was telling it to a bunch of people. They went
back and told the teacher and they actually felt very
offended themselves because of the comment that they said, because
it's just something it's unimaginable, and they were breaking down,
(20:27):
they were crying because it's just such a horrible comment.
And again like that could affect their mental health and
you know, maybe maybe not mine, but someone else is.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
You gotta be careful what you say.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
So is your brother coked? All right? With that? Kind
of in a way the same way it was what
I've just asked you, Is he strong like you?
Speaker 3 (20:50):
I would I'm the strongest survivor out of the both
of us. Again, we're both strong survivors, but we both
show it in different ways. My brother does suffer from
stuff that I don't suffer from, so with his scars
he might Well, he's not as much anymore. But was
not very good at talking to people in public compared
to me. I can talk to hundreds of people in
(21:11):
a room. My brother at one point in his life
could not say hello to anybody.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
So throughout his life he had to basically teach himself
again with the confidence to speak to people again, and
just remember that he's just like anybody else. He's just
a public person on the street who you know needs
and you know be able to accept that he you know,
(21:38):
acknowledges that he should get the same respect as everybody else.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Wow. So has it ever stopped you from doing anything?
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Like?
Speaker 2 (21:48):
Have you stopped through your teens or anything like that.
It's never stopped you. You've always been strong enough to
get through them.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
I've always been strong. I've played soccer from grade five
to grade six.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
I now speak in front of audiences, inspiring them with
my story. I've always grown up playing you know, sports
at school, just every activity. It doesn't matter how down
I am, and I don't know to stop me at all.
Speaker 2 (22:15):
When you were down, though, would you go to your
brother or would you go to your mom or would
you deal with it yourself?
Speaker 1 (22:22):
Yeah? I would mostly deal with it myself.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Like when that horrible comment was said about me earlier,
I didn't go to my mom straight away. I was
actually at school at the time, so I went straight
to one of the teachers there about it. I mainly,
you know, fix problems or issues by myself, unless it's
that series that I then have to, for example, go
(22:47):
to my mum. Yeah, because obviously she supported me throughout it,
all throughout all these thirteen years and the years to come.
But yeah, no, if my brother and I we both
have each other's backs, we both know each other's gone through.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
We've gone through the exact same story.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
Again, we've both had different better if it's from it,
But yeah, we're both We're worth in the same boat.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
So how did how did you get? As the movies
did that and.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
The movie is Furiosa and Mad mac Saga.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
I was lucky enough to some of the faum with
an organization called the Kids Foundation, and they host nonprofit
camps where at the time of when I joined, it
was burn survivors only. So would fly to the mainland,
would stop on a location and we would you know,
stay there for a few days and just do a
(23:36):
bunch of fun activities and connect so that I could
connect with people who.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Are in the same boat as me.
Speaker 3 (23:41):
They're maybe having struggles in life, maybe with burns and scars.
And I happened to be on a camp in April
of twenty twenty two, now that is almost three years ago.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
Yeah, I was.
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Doing an activity during the day and when one of
my friends saw a post on Facebook they needed burn
survivors to be extras on Furi mad Max Saga. I
was like, well, this is what I want to do.
This is my dream. So they called up and sadly
all the roles were filled.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
I was too late.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
So then what happened is I went throughout my day,
I went throughout my weeks, I went through my months right,
nothing else happened. Then came July. The CEO of the
Kids Foundation was staying at a health retreat and she
was staying in a room with another lady Now the
CEO is also an author.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
She writes books.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
This lady wanted to read the book. So she read
the book and she read Mine and my brother story,
and she asked about us, and then they were just
talking about me and my brother, and then she brought
up how I wanted to be in this blockbuster movie
named Mad Max Furiosa. So the next day a man
happened to walk by and she tapped. He tapped the
(24:59):
CEO Sheldon. He said, I need to talk to you.
My lands being used for that film. I want to
give my roll up, my extra roll off for this kid.
So then the sea you got the CEO. I was obviously,
you know, we don't want to do that. That's your role.
We don't want to take that from you. Give us
the directors and like the management's number, we'll call up
and we'll make inquiries. I was meant to only get
(25:22):
a tour of the set. Yeah, but then the director
offered me an audition for an extra role. Audition for
the extra role. Wasn't good enough for an extras role
I need, I needed the casting role. I wasn't good
enough for an extra role, said that I needed to
speaking part. They said, yeah, so contracts went out. I
(25:45):
did the audition. Contracts went out. I signed a bunch
of contracts. One of the one of the really cool
things is is that I was reading the contract.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
Have you seen have you seen the movie? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Yeah, So there's treadmill rats, which are basically really dirty people,
long hair, and they're just really they're really muddy, and
they're really just my hygienic or I could have been
the second thing, a war boy who shaves his head
and gets covered in white clay. So I said, I'm
doing I'm doing it. I said I'm going to be
(26:17):
a war boy. And I said, all right, we're going
to shave your head. I said, let's do it. Let's
just shave all my hair off. Three consecutive months, I
shaved my head off. All my hair was gone. I
got flown up. All flights are paid for. I got
put in a five star hotel. All the combination was
paid for. I got Chris Hemsworth's driver. I got my
(26:40):
own trailer to sit in, with a shower, a bathroom,
a bed, not a bed, couch, a couch at a TV.
I was sadly not on base early enough, so I
didn't get to breakfast, but the breakfast sounded phenomenal, doughnuts, bagels,
anything you could dream of.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
Basically I was.
Speaker 3 (27:01):
I was obviously fourteen at the time when filming seventeen
twenty eighteen, so it takes a lot of time to
make a movie. So I wasn't allowed to have the
certain rules for working, for example, people over the age
of fifteen, which is quite funny because obviously anybody would
(27:21):
dream become an actor. And it's funny the fact that
if you were doing any other job, you'd want those
raw requirements to you know, not be for you, because
then you wouldn't have to get episode as early, you
wouldn't work as many hours, but you'd still make as
good as money as anybody else. But when it comes
to be an actor, that's anybodyho's dam job, anyone's if
(27:42):
someone if anything came to someone and they said, you know,
doing a banness film, right, you're gonna say yes.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Anybody would do it, right.
Speaker 3 (27:51):
So maybe in fourteen I didn't have to wake up
at two thirty in the morning.
Speaker 1 (27:56):
I had to wake up at four thirty. It was
a looking with me.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
That's fine, it's fine up at four thirty, have a
quick shower. I wasn't allowed to wash my hair for
I think it was three months. Why is that Because
when you wash your hair, I think with the makeup,
it just like it's like not as good. Yeah, so
(28:19):
I didn't washed my hair for three months, which is
horrible because you'd want to wash your hair. Yes, I
haven't watched my hair for a while. Shagged it all off,
so I got to wear a really cool costume. Makeup
took an hour and forty five minutes. I think, Wow,
an hour forty five minutes. Yeah, it's forever.
Speaker 2 (28:38):
And then you do it again.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
Oh in a heartbeat, mate, and a heartbeat. One of
the best experiences anybody could experience. Your atmosphere is just fabulous.
Imagine waking up at four point thirty and getting to
what was called set base or something. You get out
of the car that someone's escorting you in. Then you've
got the person who then escorts you to your trailer.
(29:03):
It's it's five o'clock in the morning, it's pitch black,
and here you are as an important person in life.
You're you sit there, you feel important and at the
age of fourteen, Just imagine a fourteen year old's mind
as He's getting escorted out of a car to then
be escorted to a trailer to then be escorted to
a makeup van to then be escorted back to my trailer,
(29:26):
then be escorted to my car to then be escorted
to set, to then be escorted to my tent to
then be escorded on set, to then be escorted to
lunch bang. To imagine that escorted everywhere everywhere. Yeah, certain
events that I went to for Furiosa, there were bodyguards
(29:46):
we could have.
Speaker 1 (29:48):
We had bodyguards.
Speaker 3 (29:50):
We had an after party for Furiosa, and I remember
leaving at around it would have been ten thirty. Because
there were certain rules. I snuck through those rules for
a little bit. I stay. I stayed longer than I
should have. I was ducking and avoiding staff members, which
(30:11):
was so fun at the age. I was fifteen at
the time, so still obviously under eighteen. And I remember
leaving to jump in an uber and bodyguards like yourself
followed me doing this sort of thing where they're talking.
Speaker 1 (30:27):
I get I'm about to get in the uber.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
I look up. There's a bodyguard on the balcony watching out.
There's a bodyguard next to me, and there's a bodyguard
at a little bit further distance watching me doing the
stuff with their hands and they do this so they're.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Listening and it was flipping wild. It was so cool.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
So is there anything coming up in the future for
movies or anything like that, and or you don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
You can't tell me if there was, I couldn't tell
you the sadly not. I'm right now focusing the school.
It's I got one more year left and then I'm
hopefully going to UNI YEP to get a bachelor degree
of performing Arts. I was very lucky to get this
role that I had. I didn't have an a at
the time, but I didn't have a bachelor to go
performing arts. I was just the luckiest person on earth completely.
(31:11):
Uh And yeah, nothing in the future. I do have
some stuff coming out on Instagram in the next coming months,
some important stuff and some really cool stuff, but nothing
along lines of like movies. I have auditioned for stuff.
I auditioned for The Boys Follows Universe just on Netflix.
I did audition for a role. Did not get that
(31:33):
I was thinking at the time when I was filming Peerio,
So I was going to audition for the Planet of the.
Speaker 1 (31:37):
Apes, Rise of kings I never did.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
I still have, for example, lots of friends throughout all
this industry. I'm friends with people. I'm friends with a
guy that's been in parts of the Caribbean, Star Trek,
Star Wars. I with a friend who his name is
c J. He's got a movie coming out this year
they played. He plays Baraka, which he's a really cool character. Yeah,
(32:04):
I've made lots of from this this Furious from Amic Saga,
and yeah, I've been super inspired by all these people
that I've met over the years. And yeah, just filming
Furious that was just wild, you know, being on those
cool sets where everything's fake but it looks real. And
one of the cool things that I got to do
(32:25):
before filming was travel through all the sets that they
were using, So I got to walk through There was
a scene where all the wives were in kind of
like a vault safe and they walk in. I've got
to walk through that. And then some of the titles
that are used in the Citadel I got to walk through,
which were pretty cool. So yeah, just being able to
(32:47):
be at the age of fourteen and doing this amazing
experience was astounding.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
That sounds like, So it sounds like that's the path
you want to go down? Was it right?
Speaker 1 (32:55):
One hundred percent?
Speaker 3 (32:55):
That's like a dream because I wanted to be able
to work a job where I can enjoy it, not
where I'm having to go wake up really early do
it job that don't enjoy and getting a bad pay.
For example, I want about to do a job that
gives me a good pay. I don't care about waking
up early, right, I'll wake up early because I like
the job. And you know, just be able to meet
(33:18):
because with acting you meet so many cool people. You
meet people that can lead you on through life or
that you actually could become friends with. And there's definitely
a dream job that are I really hope I can pursue.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
What would you describe yourself in one word or two words?
I'll give you two words.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
If you say, okay, what would you describe yourself?
Speaker 3 (33:37):
I guess just a inspiring survivor. I'll give me three
words like strong survivors, inspiring. My dopamine is going around
and telling people my story. That's that's how That's what
keeps me happy. I go around so many different places,
whether it be the mainland or entagzy, inspiring people, telling
(33:58):
people my story, which then gives them a smile on
their face. Not because they do care about the bad
stuff that's happened to me, but they're more interested to
hear in the outcomes that have having to me throughout
life and the amazing things that have happened. So yeah,
that's definitely my dad manage. Definitely going around and inspiring people,
whether it be people my age, people are a little
(34:19):
bit older than me, or the elderly.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
It's definitely a big passionate mine.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
You well, you know what, I cannot wait to see
you face to face. I'm hoping that it comes in
the next couple of months because I'll be in Melbourne
and i'll be there in May, so hopefully you know,
fingers crossed. I don't know what you're up to in May.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
And definitely are I'll definitely, you know.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
We'll just have to, I don't know, catch up somewhere.
But if I've got any events that now I know
what you really like, and if there's any events that
I'm kind of looking after or involved with, then I'll
reach out to you to see if you are Yeah,
because I now know what you really like, and if
I've got any contacts, I will send them your direction.
You know what I mean. But you know what, I'm
(35:05):
glad you came on tonight. I'm glad that I have
now talked to you, kind of met you through a zoom.
But my, my goal now is to meet you face
to face now, and I'd like to sit down with you,
even if we can't have an interview. We can't, you
know whatever. I'd like to spend a day and we'll
do something, We'll chill out something
Speaker 1 (35:24):
One hundred perh
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