Slick Logie nominee discovers Carl Williams was a bit crumpled, by Erin McWhirter and Geoff Shearer - The Courier-Mail - 29th April 2009

The day Gyton Grantley rolled up to audition for the role of prominent Melbourne underworld figure Carl Williams he had it all wrong.

Decked out in a sleek black suit, his hair slicked down and filled with confidence, producers took one look at him and shook their heads.

"I do remember the audition really well," the Brisbane actor says as the sides of his mouth curl up.

"It was set in (Melbourne's) Crown Casino and I came in dressed in a suit, had a tie and was looking very smart. Basically they said to me 'Can you screw all that up in a ball, throw it on the floor, because he isn't that smart'," he laughs.

"I knew about the 10-year war, but didn't know Carl that well. I did a quick search on the internet that night but it wasn't until I got the job that I discovered him."

While Grantley, pictured, was busy unearthing the inner-workings of a drug-dealing murder, Australia was embracing the dopey-looking, track-suit wearing gangster who tied the knot with foul-mouthed, straight-shooting Roberta.

It's this role that has earned Grantley, who before the phenomenal success of Underbelly enjoyed guest roles on soap Home and Away and hospital drama All Saints, two Logie Award nominations for Most Popular Actor and Most Outstanding Actor this year.

A newcomer to the ceremony last year, Grantley says there's no denying Underbelly has changed his life for good and bad.

"I am recognised a lot as Carl and people like to call me Carl," he admits.

"Sometimes it gets frustrating and you think 'Well, if they liked me that much they could maybe learn my name'. You've just got to make your peace with it because it's what I signed up for and they are only doing it because they loved the show."

Held at Melbourne's Crown Casino this Sunday, it will be the 51st annual TV Week Logie Awards. They will be hosted by Gretel Killeen on the Australian television industry's night-of-nights with the nation's top entertainers celebrating the year's highlights of the small screen.

"My preparation is: make sure your suit is on in time and have a bit of 'bravey gravy' as Eric Bana says in his latest doco," Grantley jokes.

"Enjoy the night and don't put too much pressure on yourself. I was nervous last year because Les Hill and I had to introduce Kate Ritchie's tribute and I was nervous about speaking on the television."

Grantley, who went to school at Carina Heights on Brisbane's eastside before studying acting at QUT, says he was first pushed into a theatrical career when his mum decided he needed to attend elocution classes.

"Now, playing Carl, I'm kind of at the other end of that whole elocution thing," he says.

The huge popularity of the first Underbelly series caught Grantley by surprise. Cast and crew knew they were working on something special, he says, but never expected it would become as big as it did. "You can't imagine the type of hype I've experienced from it," he says.

"It's a strange world - celebrity - people fuss over you and they get you things and make sure you look OK.

"I don't spend a lot of time in front of the mirror staring at myself - so I'm not the kind of person who's going to get wrapped up in the whole inner-looking thing. Celebrity is just part and parcel of the career I suppose."

Up next for the actor is the movie Balibo, due out in late July, early August, which recreates events surrounding the shooting of five Australian journalists during Indonesia's invasion of East Timor in 1975.

Meanwhile, as Grantley gets his suit pressed for Logies night, Gold Logie-nominee darlings Kate Ritchie and Natalie Bassingthwaighte have got their frocks picked, but now face the biggest challenge of the evening: making it out of the car and on to the red carpet without a wardrobe malfunction.

"That is the most stressful moment," Ritchie, 30, admits. "There are so many unflattering photos of people getting out of cars."

"Those moments are scary or malfunctions of any sort are weird," chimes in Bassingthwaighte, 33. "I think the moment just before the award is announced you just get so sick and nervous because everyone has made you feel that in the lead-up to it. It's almost like brainwashing that goes on before the award. Getting asked 'Are you nervous, are you worried'?

"But you are genuinely chuffed to be nominated."

Nominated for Gold in 2006 for her role as Izzy Hoyland on soap Neighbours and twice for the most popular actress category, Bassingthwaighte, who is also performing her single 1000 Stars on the night, says it's great to be nominated for presenting.

After her baptism of fire hosting the first local version of So You Think You Can Dance Australia last year, Bassingthwaighte backed up for the second season again recently.

"I don't know what the right word is, but I am really overwhelmed," she says.

"I went into this wanting to conquer my fears and get better at it. That's how I live my life. I don't want to play it safe, I want to dive in."

With Ritchie's breakfast radio co-hosts Merrick Watts and Tim Rosso hoping their colleague will score a hat-trick by winning her third consecutive Gold Logie, the former Home and Away star says she feels the pressure is off.

"The past 18 months have been a period of transition and it was a little on the turbulent side this time last year," admits Ritchie, who says she felt the heat to conclude her 20-year stint as Sally on Home and Away with a second Gold Logie last year.

"I just felt unsteady about where I was and what I was doing. I had a new job and it felt like I was caught between two worlds on Home and Away and radio. I was really all over the place and I could see that when I watched the Logies back (from last year). Just look at that poor girl on stage. I feel for me.

"But, I am at a really good place in my life now."

Both girls will be taking their boyfriends to the event, but agree to be nominated among talent including Andrew Denton, Rove McManus and Rebecca Gibney for the Gold is an incredible feeling.

"As a young actress I watched Rebecca Gibney on television and thought that when I grew up I wanted my own TV show and to be an actress like her," Ritchie says. "To think I am there alongside her is actually really flattering in itself."

"It feels like a real honour, to be honest, because I am new at this (presenting) so it's really crazy," Bassingthwaighte adds.

"I am nominated with Andrew Denton, I mean, that's just stupid," laughs the bubbly personality.

TV Week Logie Awards, Sunday, Nine, 7.30pm (Credit: The Courier-Mail)

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