@VFHollywood: Eric Bana

I noticed that you have a photo of me

which is kinda interesting.

Just a temporary one on the table.

I mean this guy could probably end up--

Yeah we could put you up there.

Over there somewhere.

Or maybe just, you know like, stuck to the couch.

I consider my greatest achievement to be

the fact that I'm still alive.

My greatest extravagance

is, without doubt, time.

You were in just for one day to LA

from Australia, here on the circuit for Close Circuit.

Thank you.

Yes.

(laughter)

So what about this part made you wanna do it.

I was actually on a research trip for something else

and was passing through,

and my agent emailed me the script as I was

getting on the plane in Melbourne

and said I know that you're shot down and you're preparing

for something else, but if you like this script,

the director's there for two days.

I read it on the plane and thought it was fascinating.

A massive act of terrorism is about to take place.

And you guys are then thrust in the aftermath of that.

How is that in Australia?

How is terrorism and all that read?

Because of Julian Assange and because of

people like David Hicks and so forth,

we have an interesting perspective.

I think Australians in general

are quite strong when it comes to civil liberties

so it is the subject matter that

I think is very relevant for us.

And then you have Lone Survivor

which is a film based on the book

by Marcus Luttrell,

about the Navy SEALs.

I'm a big fan of the book

and have since gotten to know Marcus Luttrell

and it's just one of the great stories of survival.

I mean I think, just take it out of the context

of it being in the midst of the battle

and take all of the political stuff out of it.

To me, the overwhelming theme of that story is

the one of survival and just what

the human body and the human spirit can endure.

Your background was in improv

and you did stand up comedy in Australia.

These guys that race cars, every time something

(expletive) up, they're blaming something.

Just once, I'd like to hear this, you know.

So what happened out there?

I was a bit scared.

(audience laughs)

Why haven't you done any stand up here in America?

When I came here,

and I had the opportunity to switch my career,

in my 30s, I just thought it was too good to be true.

So I did turn my back on comedy and have since

except for Funny People, was the first thing

that was sent to me where I thought, okay,

I can contribute to this but

I sometimes miss it but,

realistically, I'd have to take a considerable amount

of time out of acting to do it any justice

and I don't know that I can be bothered.

Do you enjoy the drama more than the comedy?

Because I really would love for you

to do just some straight up comedy.

Well, here's the thing.

I don't think I could do it American.

There's an area that you need to access

when doing comedy that's different to drama,

and it never bothers me doing an accent

when it comes to drama.

But I think it would really bother me doing an accent

if I was doing comedy.

What was the point for you that made you decide you

wanted to go into acting, be it comedy or stand up.

I mean, that's not something that most kids grow up

thinking, I'm dying to do stand up.

This is gonna sound stupid and arrogant,

but in all honesty, I just felt like

I could do it.

When I started doing stand up

and then I started doing sketch,

to me it kinda pulled the mystery vail down

from acting and I just felt like why not?

No different from someone who

picks up some timber and finds that they have

a knack for carpentry.

By doing, I felt like I could do more

and I wanted to do that.

Talent I would most like to have

is, according to my family,

being able to sing.

The words or phrases I most overuse are

are you guys ready for school?

My idea of perfect happiness is just

being on my dirt bike.

I'm done.

(acoustic jazz music)