Not long before he came to prominence as the man who played David Gray in Out Of The Blue, Matthew Sunderland took the part of a fictional, and less sinister, character in another New Zealand film production, The Last Magic Show.
Though Sunderland was required to put on a substantial amount of weight for the role, the film offered the Auckland actor one of those less-is-more cinematic opportunities.
As the curiously named Lemuel, Sunderland is occasionally seen within the confines of a flat, watching dating shows on television.
His life seems as drab as his clothes. Yet that's the point.
Lemuel is a foil for The Last Magic Show's key character, Ronny Roman, a magician whose thin emotional hide is protected by the illusion that he holds special powers.
Speaking from an Auckland café last week, Sunderland (35) confessed he missed the last cast and crew screening so has yet to see a finished version of The Last Magic Show.
However, its themes (delusion, the pain of loss, fear of commitment) and the assembly of a variety of lost souls remain clear.
The basic plot runs thus: Ronny, hurt by a childhood sweetheart who betrays him for a rival magician, creates a fantasy world for himself.
While also searching for ways to resurrect his career in magic, Ronny (played by the film's writer and director, Andy Conlon) finds his only bookings are for children's parties and the local hospice.
It's the classic situation of like attracts like, Sunderland reflects.
"I see in Lemuel - and in Ronny, too - they are basically kindred spirits. They have their own world, really.
"It's a damaged playing ground, if you like, but there is a level of empathy between that helps them out of their own respective ruts."
With his favourite attire being just underpants and socks or, occasionally, grey fleece trackpants, Lemuel also provides a visual contrast to the more opulent costuming of others, in particular Ronny, who is never without his top hat and tuxedo.
The film, which opens nationwide next Thursday certainly looks good: cinematographer Duncan Cole picked up the Images and Sound Award for Best Technical Contribution to a Digital Feature at the 2007 Air New Zealand Screen Awards for his efforts; while the modern-day fairytale also claimed the Honourable Mention Award at the Dances With Films Festival in Los Angeles in August last year.
Despite funding from Creative New Zealand and Arkles Entertainment, budgetary constraints meant the movie was shot in a variety of film and digital video formats.
Cast and crew have yet to be paid for their efforts; they are on a points system in which box-office takings are calculated and efforts rewarded.
A common arrangement in New Zealand, it does not affect an actor's preparation, Sunderland says.
"Whether it's a $4 million film or a $4 film, you have to bring a certain level of integrity to the work and God forbid if you scaled that to the budget of the film.
"I've worked in films of no budget, low budget and high budget and it's a privilege for you to be on set in the first place. You can never forget that."
And, like a budget, the size of a role does not matter, Sunderland says.
"There is a great adage that you have to fall back on: There are no small roles, only small actors.
"Often, small roles really offer an opportunity to explore the nuances of a character in a way larger roles do not.
"I never judge a role on how small or big it is; it is all to do with character . . .
"It's all about feeling the story at the end of the day."
Sunderland can not quite remember all the details of how he how progressed from Lemuel's bit part to the big part of David Gray in Robert Sarkies' Out Of the Blue, the film based on the 1990 Aramoana tragedy in which David Gray killed 13 people, before being fatally shot by police.
He just auditioned. He also shed a lot of weight for the new role.
"I think in that period between Lemuel and David Gray, I must have lost about 30kg all up.
"In between those jobs, I was telemarketing, so it's not as if it's a life of one glamorous role to the next.
"Certainly, I had my work cut out on that one."
Despite garnering good reviews for his performance as Gray, Sunderland still has to pay the bills.
Recently, he has been working for an investment company, which is not so much telemarketing; it is more appointment-setting, he explains. "God forbid these people on the end of the line should know they were speaking to David Gray, but you've got to pay the rent."
With a 20-year background in theatre, Sunderland has appeared in a range of productions, from Gary Henderson's Peninsula to television soap Shortland Street and gothic art film Woodenhead.
His most recent project is A Song of Good. Due to be released at the International Film Festival in July-August, the movie requires Sunderland to play a drug dealer.
Though there are other projects in the pipeline, he is loath to discuss them. To do so could equate to a curse, he says.
"The bubble has a way of bursting sometimes . . .
"I just like working, mate. Anyone with a good story and a good character, I'll get in behind it.
"At the end of the day, that is what I enjoy doing."
- The Last Magic Show opens nationwide next Thursday.
