australian television information archive

Aussie star a Mummy's boy

ANOTHER former McLeod's Daughters star is set for Hollywood fame.

Joining Rachael Carpani in the U.S., Sydney actor Luke Ford, 26, has been given the biggest break of his career - as the new star of hit film franchise The Mummy.

Director Rob Cohen says Luke was cast with the expectation that he will carry the franchise after Brendan Fraser, who played the adventurer who battled the monster in the first two instalments, completes his three-film deal.

"We may spin off into a complete father-son direction with Brendan, but by getting an actor who is in his 20s and not a teenager, we can also put the future on his shoulders," Rob says. "He tested against four much more established actors and he was magic when he read with Brendan."

In the sequel, Ford will play Alex O'Connell, the 20-something son of adventurer Rick O'Connell (Fraser), who journeys into the forbidden tombs of China and into the Himalayas, where they run into a new shape-shifting mummy, a former Chinese emperor who was cursed by a female wizard.

Action star Jet Li is confirmed to play the mummy, while Michelle Yeoh will be the wizard.

The studio has tested six actresses to replace Oscar-winning British actress Rachel Weisz in the role of Evelyn Carnahan O'Connell.

Shooting will begin in Montreal on July 27 and then move to China.

The film is scheduled to open in July, 2008.

The first two Mummy films grossed over $1.02 billion worldwide and spawned hit spin-off The Scorpion King.

Unlike most Aussie actors trying to crack Hollywood, Ford did not actually move to the U.S. to land his break.

His Australian manager, Matt Andrews, says he is excited for his young client.

Luke just finished starring with Toni Collette and Australian supermodel Gemma Ward in the Elissa Down-directed The Black Balloon .

He was nominated for the best new talent Logie for his recurring role on McLeod's Daughters [as Craig Woodland].

By Peta Hellard
May 03, 2007
The Advertiser