Joe Bird

You can see that there's a disconnect between how people think and how people behave and how people believe.

between large cities and small towns and i don't think that's necessarily just because like an organic um these are who these people are i think there's a lot of life events and beliefs that separate the two and in small towns i mean you can see this in media and in life a lot of times very religious focused really um creating that sense of not just support but of community as i mentioned um it's not again an explicit conversation here but it's something that is so present when you look for it and when you feel it um i i think this is just a really smart screenplay and i think it is easy on a first viewing to maybe miss things about the society structure or about this mom or about their relationship and things um but on rewatches where something where other films maybe fall apart this is one that just feels like it gets more rewarding but i think geography here is a big one also the solution is like well we got to run the initial solution joe bird is like i gotta go like i'll run away you live here like that's fine that he also got moved here and he doesn't really like it here he's like i kind of hate this town i hate most people in it there's not really anything to do um geography plays a big part in the story.

I would say it, I think in life, that is something that maybe deserves a little bit more conversation.

Maybe it deserves a little bit more empathy.

And the director says, when he describes this film, I was watching a few interviews, he always, when they ask him, hey, can you give a synopsis? Can you describe your film? He begins it by saying it's a love story.

First and foremost, this is a love story of two young boys who, in their experimentation, in them trying to find someone, they find someone they authentically love.

I think Joe Bird and Stacey Clawson both are fantastic here.

Stacey Clawson, very like this aggressive form of masculinity, but in a way that isn't like necessarily toxic, has a great chemistry with Joe Bird, who is far more like emotional, far more kind of reserved here.

I'm sitting through this." Apologies, but, um, I just can't.

Anyway, Leviticus stars Joe Bird, Stacy Clauson, Jeremy Blewett, and Mia Wasikowska.

Hell yeah.

That must be the sister of-

Mm-hmm

... and, like, great performances.

I think Joe Bird and, uh...

Who's the guy that plays Ryan?

The performances are really good.

You got Joe Bird, who plays Name, who's more of the naive person of this couple who are very into each other, trying to figure themselves out, trying to figure each other out.

and you've got Ryan played by Stacey Carlson, the connection which they form, I think is very powerful.

You need that to be the case in a film like this where desire is so at the forefront of the thematic work.

Today we're tackling the 2026 Australian horror flick Leviticus written and directed by Adrian Chiarella in his feature directorial debut.

Now this stars Joe Bird who you may remember from Talk to Me.

It also features Stacey Clawson, Jeremy Blewett and Mia Wozniakowska also known as Mike Wazowski from Alice in Wonderland.

The film follows two teenagers who are tormented by a violent entity that shapeshifts into the person they desire most, each other, after being forced to undergo a supernatural conversion therapy ritual.

Again, the concept is great on paper.

I thought it was very aesthetically pleasing.

I really liked the chemistry between Joe Bird and Stacey Clawson.

I thought the acting was really good.

I got to check it out at the Overlook Film Festival.

But it got Joe Bird in it from Talk to Me.

Remember the little boy who held the hand and he, you know.

Mm-hmm.

I saw this at a preview where he came on stage and he was a lovely bloke.

This is starring Joe Bird, who you may know from being the younger brother who smashes his head against the Aussie horror movie.

This is an Aussie horror movie.

The synopsis is, The movie is using horror as a genre, as a conduit to discuss coming of age, coming out as a gay person.

He was the voice of Car in Knight Rider, Monterey Jack in Chippendale Rescue Rangers and Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh.

Other work includes the 70s King Kong, G.I. Joe the movie, The Little Engine That Could, Gremlins and Treasure Planet.

We've all encountered his voice in something that we love.

I've encountered it in everything that I love.

This is what they wanted.

Us to be scared of each other.

This Australian supernatural horror from first-time director Adrian Chiarella focuses on Name, played by Joe Bird, a teenage boy who's moved to a small religious town in Victoria and he struggles to fit in.

He begins a secret romance with Ryan, Stacey Closen, but when he spies him kissing the pastor's son, Hunter, he's so jealous that he outs the other boys to their families.