Films Cocktail Tom Cruise actor and Bryan Brown actor (Image: -)

I have a confession to make – and I suspect I’m not the only one. While many women were smitten with Richard Chamberlain, the handsome priest from the 1983 hit mini-series, The Thorn Birds, it was always Bryan Brown, the rugged farm stockman, who made my heart flutter like a young lamb in a field.

With his tall stature, gritty charm, devilish good looks, and unmistakable Australian swagger, he had me hooked from his first “G’day”.

Fast forward to today?

Some teenage crushes fade over time. But mine has only grown stronger.

Bryan is now 78, but he’s still got that irresistible charm – and then some. So, you can imagine my excitement when he appears on my Zoom screen from his home in Sydney – still sharp, still charming, and still incredibly attractive, reports the Express.

No wonder his Thorn Birds co-star Rachel Ward fell head over heels for him on set and ended up marrying him – a marriage that has lasted over 42 years!

Was it love at first sight?

“Oh, definitely for her,” he responds. He keeps a straight face for just a moment before breaking into laughter, making me like him even more.

A man with a great sense of humor on top of all his other qualities?

There have been two series of Darby and Joan so far with a third series in the pipline (Image: -)

What’s not to love?

“Seriously, we had a lot of fun on The Thorn Birds and got along very well right from the start,” Bryan continues. “Rachel was only in her 20s when we made it while I was – and still am – 10 years older. I think she thought I was a bit of an idiot and she laughed at me a lot. But, yeah, well. . . it’s lasted. We’re grandparents now – our two daughters have given us three grandkids. We also have a son, by the way.”

A 42-year marriage represents quite an accomplishment for any couple, but in entertainment industry circles it is, as Bryan might put it, a bloody miracle. So what exactly is their secret?

“Always agreeing with your wife is a good idea, I always say! Being the bloke who can say, “Oh what a great idea, darling” and “Sorry, that was definitely my fault”. But, you know, that’s easier said than done. So you don’t always manage to do it and when you don’t, you think, “Oh mate, why didn’t you just keep your mouth shut?

“On a more serious note, I guess people get together in the first place because they kind of see the world in the same way and like the same kind of things – like enjoying life. You’ve got to be on the same page, I think.”

Beyond Rachel, Bryan shares remarkable chemistry with actress Greta Scacchi who portrays his partner in the charming crime drama set in Australia called Darby and Joan. Greta embodies Joan Kirkhope, a straightforward English nurse seeking truth about her deceased husband, while Bryan portrays Jack Darby, a relaxed Australian former police officer harboring a secretive history.

They journey across Queensland in a recreational vehicle, unraveling local mysteries throughout their travels – their mismatched partnership and friendship bringing distinctive warmth, humor and appeal to every investigation they encounter. “Ah, Greta’s a great girl. I’ve known her for donkeys. She’s such a number!” enthuses Bryan of his English co-star.

“She’s so warm and such a good actress. I love working with her, she’s really easy, and she’s always got a story for you. Having married a British woman in real life and spent lots of time there, I totally get the British culture and humour. We Australians have got our humour from the Brits and the Irish, I think. The American sense of humour is far more literal.”

Cruising around one of the planet’s most stunning regions in a motorhome with a close friend… what a gig if you can land it!

Bryan’s Thorn Birds co-star Rachel Ward fell for him on set and went on to marry him, they have been together for 42 years (Image: Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)

“Yeah, I know,” grins Bryan. When the series was initially proposed, I was really drawn to the concept.

I’ll touch on Queensland’s magnificence shortly – clearly that was appealing – but I was genuinely excited about the premise of a man and woman – quite contrasting personalities but sharing a genuine bond – taking to the highways together as companions.

“All too often, shows like this are about two blokes. The first scripts didn’t disappoint – I really liked the tone of them. And yeah, of course the location was an attraction. The idea of driving through Queensland – the rain forests, the outback and the bloody beaches, you know? Australia’s all about the ocean and I love that. I even get to surf in Darby and Joan..”

Just like countless crime dramas, the setting in Darby and Joan serves as the show’s third leading character – much like Oxford does in Inspector Morse, Northumbria in Vera, and the Buckinghamshire countryside in Midsomer Murders.

“Oh definitely that’s the case,” says Bryan. “I know that when I’m watching a British show, I love it if the scenery – the Cotswolds for instance or the Scottish Highlands – is a big part of it. Australia is a very beautiful country and it’s good to get it seen. It’s nice to imagine viewers from all over the world enjoying the Queensland landscape from the comfort of their lounge rooms.”

Two seasons of Darby and Joan have aired thus far. They were broadcast on the Acorn TV network and a box set of both seasons was recently released on DVD.

The creative team is currently in talks about a third season. Bryan and Greta are certainly enthusiastic – and they’re not alone in that sentiment.

“I’ve lost count of the amount of people who come up to me and tell me they love it,” he says. “We’re talking huge numbers and, yeah, like me and Greta, they tend to be of a certain demographic. They like the fact the leads are two people of a certain age who get on OK with each other and have a bit of a connection. They like the whodunnit aspect, the lack of violence and the beautiful backdrop.”

Bryan has been a consistent presence in the acting world since his breakout roles in the 1980s, including The Thornbirds and the 1980 film Breaker Morant.