Australian-born Travis Fimmel, best known for his striking Calvin Klein advertising campaign, makes his acting debut as the legendary Tarzan in The WB's
Tarzan, a modern-day retelling of the classic adventure story.
Quote:
|
"The WB is doing for orphans raised by apes what Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Smallville did for vampires and Superman, namely reviving a tired franchise with a healthy dose of angst, melodrama, and forbidden love. Which is not to say there's no action. Set in New York City, the new Tarzan also clambers around the skyline, tracks bad guys using superhuman senses, and beats people up with a savage elegance, like a gorilla who's studied tai chi. Young girls and pregnant wives will indeed swoon over Fimmel's brute metrosexuality, but he cuts an equally attractive figure for 35-year-old nerds." Lord of the WB by Dennis Cass
|
Quote:
|
"But I haven't told you about what may be the best part of the show. As much as I'm shocked to be saying it, it's Travis Fimmel. For an Australian farm boy with no acting credits aside from modelling, Fimmel seems to have been well cast as John Clayton. (And to the writers' credit, the name Tarzan basically doesn't appear anywhere but in the credits.) First and foremost, Fimmel is tremendously physical in the role. He's doing many of his own stunts (you can tell, because the editors milk them in slow motion so you can be sure to see his face). I have no idea how much Fimmel's been coached and trained, but he conveys a very chimp-like manner to his motions and action sequences. When he leaps, he lands solidly with both feet and doesn't waver: precisely the skill needed to land on a branch in a forest, or the ledge of a building. When he fights (which isn't as often as you'd think) or when he's moving rapidly over uneven ground, he's immediately low to the ground, like a chimp, nearly on all fours and covering ground quickly. In a fight, there are no rules: full body checks are fine; teeth are fine; battering an opponent who's down is expected. When he hangs by one arm, the arm is relaxed; when he needs to climb, he conserves motion marvelously and his torso seems to be doing much of the work. This is no swimmer who's put on a loincloth and is carefully swinging from fake-vine to fake-vine, or an actor being obviously swung around on wires: Fimmel's actually kind of astonishing, and it lends substantial credibility to what could easily be an unbelievable character." Burroughs in the Boroughs by Geoff Duncan
|
Travis was born on July 15, 1979 to parents Chris (a cattle farmer) and Jennie (a nurse), and was raised on a dairy and beef farm about 40 miles outside of Echuca in Victoria. The youngest of three brothers, Fimmel worked on the family farm, milked cows, fished, hunted, camped and rode motorcycles on their land. After an injury forced him to quit the Australian Football League, Fimmel enrolled in the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology to study commercial architecture and engineering. After one year at school, he decided to join a friend on a trip to London with the intention of returning to finish school, but ended up traveling and living in Europe for two-and-a-half years.
Growing restless, and with only a small amount of money, Fimmel headed to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of acting. Within a matter of days, modeling scouts discovered him and booked him for the now world-famous Calvin Klein campaign. Fimmel, still determined to make it as an actor, continued working with an acting coach and auditioning. Fimmel was tapped for the role of Tarzan after a worldwide search over four continents to find the perfect actor.
In his own words: "It's hard to live up to those photos," he says. "It isn't all really me. Thank God for computer editing and special camera lenses and lighting."
His ideal woman: "There is nothing better than an attractive woman who doesn't act attractive," Fimmel says. He also wants someone who likes to travel and doesn't take herself too seriously, and he has devised a test for his dream date: "Maybe I'd throw a piece of food at her in a restaurant to see what she'd do. I'd love it if she threw it back."
For more info (and pics [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]) of Travis check out the following links...
What Do You Crave?
Travis Fimmel.com
Travis Fimmel Online Photo Gallery
Travis' Official Fanlisting
Travis as John Clayton aka "Tarzan" and co-star Sarah Wayne Callies (Jane Porter)
Tarzan is currently on hiatus and there is a huge campaign going on right now to ensure that it comes back. For more information check out the
official campaign website and
Wild Innocence.
[ 01-07-2004: Message edited ~*Ambrosia*~ ]