Wenham coming to town to discuss new movie

DAVID Wenham has a new movie coming out next month, and he’s coming to Ballarat to talk about it.

Wenham will be at the Palace Regent Cinema in Lydiard Street for a Q&A screening of SPIT, a sequel to the popular 2003 comedy crime thriller Gettin’ Square, on Wednesday 26 February for the 6.30pm event.

The Q&A session will follow the screening.

Written by Gold Coast-based writer, lawyer and Gettin’ Square writer Christopher Nyst, the new film features the return of Johnny (Spit) Spitieri, who was played by Wenham in the original movie.

The plot has small-time former criminal Spitieri slipping back into Australia on a false passport after 20 years on the run overseas.

But he finds himself locked up in an immigration detention centre with a target on his back as old enemies come looking for him, determined to settle old scores.

As he struggles to stay one step ahead, Spit finds new friends in detention, teaching them his version of mateship and what it means to be truly Australian.

David Wenham (as Spit) makes heavy work of identification in the reprisal of one of his most beloved characters.

Ballarat is the second Victorian stop as Wenham embarks on a national tour to promote the movie, directed by Jonathan Teplitzky.

Along with Bendigo the night before, Ballarat is the only regional Victorian city to host an in-person session with Wenham.

“SPIT, it’s a comedy – which I think we all really need right now – with just a little sprinkling of drama,” Wenham said of the movie.

“I play Johnny ‘Spit’ Spitieri, an ex-criminal with a heart of gold. I’d love to see you at one of these events.”

Wenham is one of this country’s highest-profile and successful television and film actors, gaining prominence in the TV series SeaChange as Diver Dan before appearing in movies such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, 300 and its sequel 300: Rise of an Empire, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and Elvis.

But he has said it is Spitieri he is most asked about when out and about, with people often quoting some of the character’s most iconic lines from the 2003 film.

SPIT is scheduled for a theatre release on 6 March.

Tickets can be booked at palacecinemas.com.au/events/spit-qa-preview.