Stuntman, producer and director Nash has been making movies in Sydney since his school days. From little-known harbour paths to hidden neighbourhood galleries, check out where this filmmaker spends his downtime.
Sydney with Nash Edgerton
Director, Actor & Stuntman
Food & Drink Chim Chim
‘There’s so much great Thai in Sydney — like Chim Chim in Randwick.’
52 Belmore Road, Randwick NSW 2031
Food & Drink Thai Nesia
‘When I was living in Darlinghurst, Thai Nesia was my spot to get Thai food.’
243 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Food & Drink Bootsdarling
‘There’s so many good joints for breakfast. In Darlinghurst, I’d always go to Bootsdarling.’
333 South Dowling Street, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
Food & Drink A Man and his Monkey
Nature Maroubra Beach
‘When I want to clear my head, I go and jump in the ocean, just bob about without any devices. Or I go for a walk along the cliffs to get out in the fresh air. Whether you go towards Coogee and Maroubra or Tamarama and Bondi, it’s always different, depending on the time of the day and the weather. It’s such a beautiful part of Sydney.
Maroubra Beach, Maroubra NSW 2035
“Sydney is an amazing city in that you can be in the city and then be at the beach within 15 minutes. And the beaches are beautiful and clean — I can’t think of many cities with that proximity and beaches to that level.”
On a good place to start exploring Sydney
Anywhere from Surry Hills or Darlinghurst is great. If you’re walking down Crown Street from Redfern or Surry Hills, you’ll get to Oxford Street, and you can either go into the city or up towards Paddington. You could continue all the way to Bondi Beach if you wanted. If you’re wondering where to go for a drink in Sydney, there are so many great places around Paddington if you go along Oxford Street and then down all those lanes — same in Surry Hills going down Crown Street, if you want to go from there through Hyde Park into the city.
On spending a day in Sydney
I always suggest people do the cliff walks anywhere between Bondi and Maroubra. Along the coast there, no matter whether it’s summer or winter, it’s beautiful. Sydney is an amazing city in that you can be in the city and then be at the beach within 15 minutes. And the beaches are beautiful and clean — I can’t think of many cities with that proximity and beaches to that level.
On a ‘hidden gem’ in Sydney
The Hermitage Walk for me. I’d been down to Milk Beach, but I hadn’t done Hermitage Walk until the lockdown. It’s really quite special.
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On connecting with the culture in Sydney
There’s always something happening if you want to connect to the arts in some way. It’s one of the great things about the city. There are so many different cultural festivals — there’s the Sydney Comedy Festival, Vivid or the Sydney Film Festival. There’s the Writers’ Festival and the Archibald at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
On the best places to eat in Sydney
Pino’s Vino e Cucina in Alexandria is a great Italian restaurant. When I was living in Darlinghurst, Thai Nesia was my spot to get Thai food. There’s so much great Thai in Sydney — there’s another one, Chim Chim, in Randwick. I’m big on Asian food. One thing I missed in LA is I didn’t find lots of great Thai options. You had to really hunt for it. Whereas I feel like every suburb in the greater part of Sydney has a good Thai restaurant or multiple good Thai restaurants. And then there are so many good joints for breakfast. In Darlinghurst, I’d always go to Bootsdarling. Now I’m living over Randwick way, I still venture over there when I can. In Clovelly, A Man and his Monkey is really great.
On local art
There’s the Art Gallery of New South Wales, or the MCA down near Circular Quay, but there are a lot of good little galleries around Sydney, too. Again, that’s the beautiful thing about walking Sydney; you just walk around Paddington and Darlinghurst and walk past them.
The cheapest way to explore Sydney? The breathtaking walks. Our top 3 walks all start from Circular Quay with a choice of heading to Manly, Taronga Zoo or Milsons Point Wharf. If you choose Manly, head to The Corso after your walk for a well-deserved pint on the strip.
On deciding on a career in film
My dad bought a video camera at some point, and my brother and I’d play with it in the backyard. We were never thinking of it as a profession; it was just something to kick around on the weekends. Then, I left school and did electrical engineering at the Uni of New South Wales. I only lasted a year because I got this idea that maybe I should be a stuntman. I went to this girl’s high school formal, and a kid sitting at the table was telling a story, and he said the word ‘stunt’. And there was a light bulb moment: I’m gonna be a stuntman.
On talking your way into the stunt industry
Instead of studying for my physics exam, I went home and looked up ‘stunt’ in the phone book. I found this number for an agency that represented stunt people, and first thing Monday, I called them saying, ‘How do I get into this?’ The lady was friendly but was trying to talk me out of it, telling me how hard it was to get into. But I already made up my mind, so she said, ‘Write a letter about your background and the sports you play’. I drove to the office and knocked on her door and was like, ‘Hey, I’m the kid who called yesterday. Here’s my letter and my background’. I basically called her every week.
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On the fear factor of stunt work
When you’re young, you think you’re invincible. You definitely get scared, but I’ve always been good at overcoming that fear and having an awareness of what I’m physically capable of. But you’re not really thinking about the worst thing that can happen. I’d be more scared of messing up in front of everyone than I was of getting hurt.
On making your own opportunities
I saw people had showreels, and it was the same for stunt performers — obviously, you had to have a showreel to get jobs, but I needed jobs to have material. I got this idea that if I shot some scenes, people would think I’ve worked on a movie. There was a stunt guy I’d met, Tony Lynch, and he’d been doing stunts for maybe five years. He had a video camera, so we would go out, train and film ourselves. My brother, by this stage, had left high school and gone to drama school at Nepean, and he was in the same boat. We set about making something a bit longer; my brother got another kid from his drama school, Kieran Darcy-Smith, and we had this whole action sequence with me and Tony, then acting stuff with the four of us.
On your recent projects
I was making Mr. Inbetween for FX, and I returned to Sydney from LA to do the second season. We stuck around Sydney, and another job got pushed, and I stayed here and started working on a third season. Most recently, I did Shark, and I did a music video for the Hilltop Hoods for their new single ‘Show Business’, which was super fun. They’re lovely guys, and I really resonate with the song because it’s about working in show business for a long time and the highs and lows of it. I’ve got a handful of different things in development, and I’m about to go to Ireland to work on a show.
On how travel inspires you creatively
It’s always great to go to a new place or meet people in another city; see art in another city, hear different music, watch films. Any of that stuff is definitely inspiring. And the great thing about working in entertainment is you’re always meeting new people and having different experiences. I think it all feeds into your creativity in general. You can’t help but absorb those experiences and make them part of what you’re creating.
“There’s something about landing back in Sydney that feels special, even if it’s a short trip. It feels very comforting. I love so many other cities, but there’s something about Sydney that feels special. You come home, and you go, ‘OK, gotta go jump in the ocean and reconnect.”
Next Stop: Sydney
Creators
Beau Neilson
Creative Director & Philanthropist
One of the most exciting figures in Australia’s art world, Beau lives and breathes Sydney’s culture. Her curated collection of music venues and exhibition spaces will surprise you.
Simon Lister
Photographer and Founder
The Sydney-based travel photographer has explored every corner of the world. But nothing beats the delectable delights of his neighbourhood bakeries and beach-side restaurants.
Collette Dinningan
Designer
The fashion legend has built a sanctuary in the Southern Highlands. From artisan food to enchanting English gardens – Collette will help you unwind on a trip from the city.
For more exceptional creators, visit www.exceptionalalien.com
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