Australian actor Mitchell Bourke chatted about starring in “A Prince in Paradise.”
The movie will premiere on Great American Family on Saturday, January 7, and Bourke stars opposite Rhiannon Fish. It will be a part of the network’s 2023 “Great American Winter” series, and the first movie of the New Year. “What an honor to be the first film of the year, and what a treat for all the viewers to kick off their year with this fun-loving movie,” he said.
The synopsis is as follows: Olivia (Rhiannon Fish), struggling with writer’s block after a break up, takes a tropical holiday in hope of some inspiration and meets Prince Alexander (Mitchell Burke), who needs some distance from his duty to marry royalty.
On being a part of this experience, Bourke said, “It’s not everyday you get to dress up in a prince outfit and put on an accent. So to be given the opportunity to play such a fun and deep character in Prince Alexander was pretty surreal and a huge privilege. Especially given that what Alexander stands for is something I can relate to.”
“His quest for love in a world that can be controlled and influenced by those around him is one that many can relate to… we are so often told what to like and to stay clear of, without giving ourselves the chance to figure it out for ourselves. And until we do go out on our own and put ourselves into these situations we never truly know what is good for us,” he elaborated.
Bourke described working with Rhiannon Fish as a “dream.” “Rhiannon is by the far the most professional person I’ve ever worked with and brings such an energy to set. Her aura is intoxicating and I learned so much from her. So overall, it was a blessing to be able to work with her,” Bourke said.
A preview of “A Prince in Paradise” may be seen below.
Regarding his daily motivations as an actor, he shared, “My motivation is that with each role or story I take on I can help being be seen and allow then to spark conversations that are needed to be had. We as actors have a responsibility to give people a voice that feel like they don’t have one. So if I can do that through entertainment, drama, comedy, romance that is what motivates me.”
For young and aspiring actors, Bourke remarked, “Fall in love with acting, the doing of the craft, the ability to bring yourself to a role, not the rewards or hype it brings you.”
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Bourke responded, “Its exciting and scary at the same time. Because there is the excitement that more people will see your work but that is also a scary thing. The accessibility that people have these days to find out your secrets is hard to comprehend which is why I don’t post about my breakfast or that type of thing very often.”
“The digital age is definitely creating a lot more work and also stories to tell as we continue to move forward in this back to the future type world,” he added.
Success
On his definition of success, Bourke said, “Someone who put in an extreme amount of work and has been recognized for it. And is able to share it with their friends and family. And then works even harder to maintain it. It is never a given, you have to keep working at it every day, otherwise the next guy is just waiting at the door for you to become complacent.”
Bourke concluded about “A Prince in Paradise, “What I want people to get out of this movie is that, Love is always around the corner even when you don’t expect it, and that all you need to do is be open to it. Listen to you gut feeling and back yourself. Respect those that have your best interest at heart because we need those people in our lives.”
To learn more about Australian actor Mitchell Bourke, follow him on Instagram.