Eleven years ago, Brandon Walters was a slender Native American boy living in a small town in Washington state who, in the opening scene of Baz Luhrmann’s cinematic love letter, called a cow “sassy” with his iconic lilt. It melted the hearts of the world to hear him call it “A Bull.” Australian outback.
In early 2007, one of the talent scouts spotted Buzz being dropped off by his father at a public pool in the remote town of Broome, the gateway to the Kimberley, and cast him in the lead role alongside Hugh Jackman and Nicole. When he made that choice, he was literally forced into obscurity. Kidman in an epic movie.
Both A-list actors immediately took the then-12-year-old under his wing as he prepared to play wide-eyed, caramel-haired orphan Nula.
Brandon was chosen out of 1,000 boys for his long, curly hair, strong family spirit, and, as he himself once declared, for being “good and listening to Buzz.” .
In the first minutes of the film, Brandon surprised the industry by performing an intense desert scene. There, a young man with no dramatic training is repeatedly and violently “punched” by the film’s villain, Fletcher, played by David Wenham.
Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman), Drover (Hugh Jackman) and Nula (Brandon) fight to save the cowshed.
(Image: James Fisher)
Thanks to his amazing natural acting talent, it wasn’t long before big plans were hatched at Fox headquarters in Sydney to make little Brandon a star. The blueprint for stardom never materialized. In the blink of an eye, Hollywood’s newest rising star unexpectedly disappeared from the radar, save for a brief appearance on the ABC TV show “Bushwhacked!” in 2012. when he was 16 years old.
Brandon is currently 23 years old, lives in Broome, Washington, and is the father of two sons, an infant and a newborn, with his partner Kanisha.
It’s kind of surprising to hear Brandon’s voice on the other end of the phone. Nura’s infectious childish rhythms are gone, replaced by the deep voice of a grown man, but his infectious Australian accent and phrasing remain.
Brandon has two sons, Quaid (now 2 years old, pictured) and a newborn.
(Image: attached)
“It’s been a long story since then,” he teases, as his 2-year-old son Quaid coups d’etat in the background of our early morning chat.
“My partner Kanisha and I met in high school and have Quaid, who’s almost 3 years old, and we just had another boy,” Brandon said with a smile. “But he was a few months early, so he’s still in the hospital.”
WATCH: Brandon’s former co-star Nicole Kidman talks about returning to her Australian hometown. Story continues after video…
Brandon revealed the surprising news in an exclusive interview. After years of living in the shadow of stardom, he has relaunched his acting career on ABC’s hit show, which also features fellow Australian star Aaron. Pedersen, Judy Davis, Deborah Mailman, and Colin Friels.
“I’m actually filming the TV series ‘Mystery Road’ next week,” he reveals. “They’re filming near here. It’s a surprise so I can’t say specifically, but I’m only doing one scene. It’s worth it. I didn’t audition, they shot me in Broome. You found it for me.”
return to acting
Brandon’s new role comes after a long period of “a few jobs here and there,” including a stint at a local mine. “I fell off the map. I got loose,” he admits. “I was tired of looking for work, so I decided to go back to acting.”
And he hopes his brief appearance on Mystery Road will lead to another chance to move on to bigger things. “My dream is to work with a Hollywood actor. I’d love to work with Chris Hemsworth. I’ve never met him, but I’d love to. I’d love to see him in ‘Thor.’ I like him and he’s Australian,” he says.
Brandon and Australian castmate Nicole Kidman.
(Image: James Fisher)
“[After Australia]I went to Los Angeles and New York. It was a long way from home. I remember walking down Hollywood Boulevard and feeling really weird,” Brandon said of his short stay abroad. .
Tinseltown’s bright lights are just like Broome, which has a population of just 14,000.
“We go fishing and hunting, but there’s not much fun to do in Broome,” Brandon says. “Bad things happen here too. There’s a lot of violence, drugs, alcohol, people fighting. I grew up around that.”
Brandon was born and raised by his father, Peter, and mother, Janie, in a nondescript, government-funded rental house in the center of Broome.
Even after their son’s movies became big hits, the family was often scrambling for cash, and collecting $160 a week for gas was expensive. And it got even tougher when little Brandon, just 6 years old, suffered a horrific health scare after discovering him. At that time, I was diagnosed with leukemia.
Brandon attended the 2009 G’Day USA Australia Black Tie Gala in New York with his family.
(Image: Getty)
“It was hard for my parents and sad for me,” he said in 2009. Only the skin (of my head) was shaved. I felt really bad, but I just prayed for myself and made myself better. I got better eating lots of bush tucker, kangaroo and all kinds of fresh meat. And it happened. It’s gotten better. ”
When Brandon was cast in Australia, it seemed like his family had finally caught their breath and found some good fortune. However, despite the film grossing $211 million worldwide and Brandon appearing in a $40 million tourism campaign encouraging tourists to “walk around,” He earned just $120,000 from his role in the big movie.
live modestly
With the proceeds, he bought his parents a used Nissan Patrol and two motorcycles. Paul said they also set aside cash for Brandon “for when he gets older.”
Little is said about Nicole’s promise to “protect” the boy at the time of filming. “If the movie does well, he’s going to need protection,” she said at a press conference, stroking her hair.
At the time, there were reports that Nicole and Buzz were planning to set up an education fund for Brandon. When asked about this, he admitted that she had accepted the offer, but he turned her down.
Brandon and director Baz Luhrmann at the 2009 AFI Awards in Melbourne.
(Image: Getty)
“Nicole wanted me to go to school in Sydney, drama school, and I didn’t want to go. I was too young. I didn’t want to be alone,” Brandon admits.
Once all the fuss surrounding this film faded, so too did our contact with Brandon and his A-list ensemble, save for the always friendly Hugh Jackman.
“I heard about it from Hugh Jackman. He sent me a video a few years ago,” Brandon recalls. “It was him and his son. He said he wanted to catch up with me, but that’s it.”
And while we wait with bated breath for the former star to anchor our screens once again, the Broome-based grassroots dad, who describes himself as a somewhat private family man, is in the spotlight. He admits that he attracts.
“I don’t use social media anymore because hundreds of people from all over the world add me every day,” he says. “It’s so weird!”
Brandon may have disappeared 11 years ago, but to his many devoted fans, he’s still the adorable little Nula from one of the greatest Australian films of all time. We remember him as a “creamy” boy blessed with the magic of Dreamtime. He decides to walk around calling his adoptive mother, Lady Sarah Ashley, played by Nicole, “Mrs. Boss.”
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