Unlike his co-stars, Joseph Zada was still at school when he learned he would play one of the titular “Invisible Boys” in the Stan series about teenagers struggling with their sexuality in a small town.
While his battles may have been different to his character Charlie, a punk rocker who is outed on social media after an encounter with a married man, Zada says he understands the pressures to fit in, or at least not stand out.
“I had a lot of stuff going on when I was younger and some schools just don’t know how to handle that, and I ended up being kicked out,” he says. “I was going to an all-boys school and there was a bit of a stigma around acting. I just thought it was a very vulnerable place to be.”
It’s one of the reasons Zada believes “Invisible Boys,” which premieres today (February 13), will speak to so many. As Charlie falls for farm boy Matt (Joe Klocek) and gradually finds his voice, he realises he must be true to himself.
“It will definitely give people the opportunity to see the power of being able to express yourself the way you want to – and perhaps the dangers of not doing that,” Zada says.
Set against the backdrop of the 2017 same-sex referendum, the 10-part series is based on Holden Sheppard’s bestselling novel of the same name. The series was filmed in Perth and Geraldton, where Sheppard grew up.
Directed by Nicholas Verso (“Crazy Fun Park”) and written by a team of queer writers including Sheppard, the series also stars Zach Blampied and Aydan Calafiore, with screen veterans Pia Miranda and Myles Pollard among the supporting cast.
It’s a stifling hot day in Perth when Variety AU/NZ visits the set. The debutante ball scene is being filmed in an old hall before production moves north to Geraldton. Charlie is walking down the makeshift red carpet with his date but dreaming that the gorgeous Matt stands in her place; the two dates – real and imaginary – swap in and out for take after take.
Sporting Charlie’s spectacular shock of aquamarine hair, Zada is remarkably upbeat for someone who has spent much of the past week in tears.
“I had crying, emotional scenes almost every day last week, and I don’t tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve like Charlie does,” he says. “But I think it was very good for me coming into this character and this role – it’s taught me to be vulnerable. I have more access to my emotions, and I think that’s been a very big gift.”
Calafiore, best known as a finalist on “The Voice,” is also thrilled to be one of the invisible boys. He plays smart but sensitive Zeke, whose homophobic mother Anna (Miranda) is infuriated by the company he might be keeping.
“It’s a very important story, a story that has been told many times in that it’s about teenagers growing up in Australia, but I feel like a lot just aren’t told in a way that is as raw and real as this one,” Calafiore explains.
As Zeke is often the target of Kade “Hammer” Hammersmith’s bullying, it also plays close to home. “I went to a sports high school and I was into acting and drawing and dancing, so it definitely brings back some not-so-great memories from school,” Calafiore reflects.
It’s one of the universal themes in “Invisible Boys” that Calafiore believes will resonate with audiences. “There is a level of relatability in all of the characters; people have real struggles with their parents and real struggles at school, well beyond their grades.
“Zeke starts in a safe but unhappy place and that’s part of the struggle – do you leave this safe haven to chase real happiness when you don’t know where you’ll end up?”
Blampied, whose conflicted footballer Hammer has perhaps the biggest character arc, says he just wanted to do the story and his character justice. “The boys are all on their own journey of coming out and for an Aboriginal male, there are other complications that come with that,” he says.
“Hammer feels like he’s had to take on so much responsibility to be the successful one. His dad is the mayor but his dad’s not Aboriginal, so he has to carry the burden of so many young black men. He has to be excellent – it’s not good enough to just be good.”
As a young footballer, Blampied dreamt of playing in the AFL before he discovered a passion for acting, but he was happy to tap into his own experiences and push the boundaries for a role he hopes will encourage important conversations.
“I think the show and Hammer in particular can help other footy players and up and coming youth to embrace who they truly are,” he says, “and show that even if you are in the public spotlight, you can stand your ground and really embrace your individuality.”
“Invisible Boys” premieres on Stan on February 13.