Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia)

June 1, 2000

Day Dream

Claire Sutherland

IF A bomb had gone off at the Boathouse restaurant in Sydney last December, the cream of Australia's acting talent would have gone with it, as well as a reasonably important US star.

Muggers star Matt Day was there. So was Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, David Wenham, John Polson -- and Tom Cruise.

Just an informal and impromptu lunch between pals.

His lunch mates came as something as a surprise to Day.

``They have these boys' lunches every now and again. Sam just rang up and said, `We're going to meet at this restaurant','' Day says.

``I didn't know who was going to be there, and there was Tom. It was good fun.''

Day was surprised at how well the Sydney crowd took the esteemed company in their stride.

``I was quite surprised that everyone in the restaurant was just like, `That's Tom Cruise', then went back to eating,'' he says.

Day is on the promotional trail for Muggers, his latest film, which he filmed in Melbourne 18 months ago. It co-stars Titanic's Jason Barry and former Neighbours star Nicola Charles, (now engaged to Barry after sparks flew on set) and is about two medical students who steal body organs to finance their studies.

The film has had mixed reviews, but Day isn't in a position to give his own opinion about it.

``I've hated every film I've done,'' he says, only half seriously. ``It's hard for me to be objective and form an opinion. I'm very critical of myself. My wife hates it because she has to put up with a week of me deconstructing my performances.''

Day is about to go on an extended holiday with his new wife, Channel Nine researcher Kristy Thompson. They plan to base themselves in London, where Day is hoping to get some acting work.

He has just about exhausted the supply of work in Australia, having appeared in several TV series and eight local films in six years, including Muriel's Wedding, Kiss or Kill and Love and Other Catastrophes.

Not every actor finds it necessary to move overseas to work, but Day does.

``It depends on what kind of work you want to pursue. Maybe if I was a bit older and had some kids and some debts I could stay here and be quite happy about it, but at this point in my life, if you want to work in films you definitely have to go overseas. There's just not enough here,'' he says.

And he doesn't seem to think the recent opening of Fox Studios in Sydney will make any difference.

``That's the big misunderstanding, that Fox has anything to do with Australian film. It's just a backlot that is a lot further away from LA. A lot of actors work on the US stuff, doing telemovies, and it's good work and good pay, but it's not really where my head's at,'' Day says.

He doesn't really know where his head is at.

``I just know what I don't want to do,'' he says. ``The older I get the less I know.''

Muggers is now showing.