'We Were All Pinching Ourselves': Eric Bana Talks Netflix's ‘Untamed'
Published: 18 Jul 2025
Share Copy Link
Readtime: 5 min
Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here.
Eric Bana has been a mainstay in the Australian creative industry for as long as we can remember, and for good reason. An incredibly talented actor, Bana's got the ability to play across multiple genres, from sketch comedy in his breakout role in Full Frontal, his work as Bruce Banner in 2003's Hulk, to his moodier, more dramatic offerings in The Dry.
And now Bana is back, working with Netflix on the newly launched Untamed: a rather unique concept for a show, straddling the line between murder mystery, character-focused drama, and a beautiful invitation into the natural world.
In Untamed, Bana plays Kyle Turner, a special agent for the National Parks Service who has been tasked with investigating a Jane Doe found in Yosemite National Park. Throughout the six-episode mini-series, Turner uncovers the seedy underbelly of the park, as well as Jane Doe's identity, and killer.
It's a great watch if you haven't already dived in, and we were given the chance to chat with Bana ahead of the shows release, where we asked about the filming process, his time on set, and when we'll get some more Poida (don't hold your breath).
Eric Bana in Netflix's Untamed | Image: Supplied
First of all, congratulations on the show – it looks really great. Can you tell me a bit about the process of filming Untamed on-site? It's based in Yosemite National Park, but it was filmed in British Columbia in Canada, which is really dense woodland. How difficult was that?
I guess once we got there it wasn't too bad, I think the most difficult part was searching for the locations and making sure they matched what was on the page and to try and get the epic scale of what we wanted—that was the huge selling point of the show, to have a murder mystery set in a national park. We wanted to deliver a transportive experience to the audience that would feel like they were somewhere else, that they could breathe in that air.
It was tough on the crew in terms of moving the equipment around and the logistics of it, but once we were in those locations we were all pinching ourselves.
You play Kyle Turner, a special agent of the National Parks Service. Can you tell me a bit about how you fleshed the character out over the course of filming, or how you found the character in something that is as character-driven as Untamed?
There was so much on the page, and it was so beautifully written. When I first came across the material we only had the (script for) the first episode, but there was more than enough to tease and flesh out the potential—not only for my character, but the relationships he has with the other characters in the story. Mark Smith's writing is superb, so I was really confident that the journey we were about to go on would be a great one. It just kept revealing itself to me, every episode, it kept getting more intense, with more twists and turns.
Eric Bana in Netflix's Untamed | Image: Supplied
Is there any particular part of the filming process that sticks out to you as something that was really special, or memorable?
I think every episode had a scene or a location where you'd stand there in the quiet moments and just really, really take it in. Particularly for Lily Santiago, who plays Naya (Vasquez), her and I were on our horses most days, traipsing around the mountains of British Columbia, and I'd always just say, 'we're getting paid for this, this is actually a job'. It was quite an amazing experience.
Is there anything you're most proud of with the show?
All of it, really. It is the show that we set out to make, it is the show that we had in our minds, and we were greatly supposed by Netflix to go out and make exactly what Mark had written. I think the scale of it is what really sets it apart—like I was saying, our hope was that when our audience click on to watch, they can feel like they've gone somewhere. There's a crime to solve, and there's a genre I'm familiar with, but this world feels very different.
It's almost like a combination of a nature documentary with murder mystery.
Sam Neill and Eric Bana in Netflix's Untamed | Image: Supplied
You got to work with some pretty amazing actors in Untamed I wanted to ask about working with Sam Neill. It's always super exciting to see Aussies and Kiwis on the big screen, can you tell me about that experience?
It was really special, we'd actually never worked together before. We have a lot of mutual friends and so I felt like I already knew him, and I got exactly what I was expecting and more from him. When we got together, I was like, 'we've actually never met. We've actually never been in the same room as each other,' which was so bizarre given all these years. And he plays such a pivotal character in the show, we were so lucky to get him onboard. Without giving too much away, his journey and our journey together through the course of the six episodes… I was really fortunate to have him as a scene partner.
I think the whole cast was great. Just a really wonderful cast, greatly supported by some epic writing from one of the best writers around at the moment.
When I told the rest of the Man of Many team, everyone had the same question: when are we getting more Full Frontal?
(laughs) You must have an old team. How do you even find that stuff.
Untamed is available exclusively on Netflix.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Aussie rock star living his teenage Meat Loaf dreams
Music has helped Adam Thompson navigate life's high and lows since his world was turned upside down with the death of his mother to cancer when he was 13. Almost 50 years later, the Chocolate Starfish frontman and his bandmates are rocking audiences around Australia on their Bat Out Of Hell tribute to the 1977 Meat Loaf album that got him through his darkest days. In many ways, Thompson says, he's been preparing for the Bat Out Of Hell shows since the album soundtracked his grief and hope as a teen. "I remember jumping off the corner of the couch pretending it was a stage when I played the album and practising, practising," he tells AAP. "It's the dynamics and the complexity - the operatic and the theatrical part of it definitely appealed to me." Composed by the late Jim Steinman, with gloriously melodramatic vocals by Meat Loaf, Bat Out Of Hell remains the highest-selling album in Australian music history (1.7 million copies), trumping John Farnham's Whispering Jack. "The year it came out, I was just turned 14 and mum died that year from cancer and I'm just in the throes of puberty and trying to work out what it's all about," Thompson says. "The songs gave me promise, gave me a voice - even if it was just to express it to myself in my bedroom. I could get it out." Heavily influenced by teenage angst, the magnum opus was loaded with hits - from You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth to Two Out of Three Ain't Bad, Bat Out of Hell and Paradise by the Dashboard Light. "I dreamt about singing those songs," Thompson says. "I dreamt about meeting Meat Loaf and literally years later, I was backstage with him for his 50th birthday. "He drew everyone into a big circle and sang Happy Birthday. And he's got his arm around me and I've got my arm around him. "You can't orchestrate that unless you're a 14-year-old boy putting it out to the universe all those years ago that a moment like that should happen." Formed in 1992 and renowned for singalong singles Mountain, All Over Me and a cover of You're So Vain, Chocolate Starfish have been rocking a new confidence since Thompson opened up about the mental health challenges he faced after his mum passed. "I love the vulnerability of being on stage now, being truly vulnerable," he says. "The audience loves being part of a wow factor show but the narrative in between the stories and links are very real and they come with years of experience. "If I look at a song like For Crying Out Loud (from Bat Out Of Hell) - it is some of the most beautiful poetry. "They're words I just adore singing because they're very from the heart and that's how I try and live my life." Thompson says opening up has strengthened the shared empathy forged across 30 years between band and fans. Crowds are already on their side when they take the stage these days. No need to win them over. "They're not standing back, looking and waiting," he says. "They can feel it because your struggles are their struggles and they can feel the moments just as powerfully." The band will take a night off from the Bat Out Of Hell tour - which visits Sydney, Thirroul, Bendigo, Brisbane, Cairns and Adelaide before ending in Perth on August 30 - for a return performance at the Mundi Mundi Bash near Broken Hill. Thompson says regional Australia and Chocolate Starfish are dear old friends. "If you think about the year we came out, that was also the birth of grunge, so it was cool to be introverted," he says. "It was cool to wear flannels and not communicate, whereas I'm a larger-than-life, theatrical guy who was showing outwards, not inwards, and the band and the songs were like that too. "The regional areas embraced us. When we revisit some of these areas now, it is like a homecoming." And who knows - maybe home to a few flamboyant teenagers jumping off couches, dreaming big as they sing along to some great Australian songwriting.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Harry and Meghan brutally skewered by Family Guy again
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been mocked by Family Guy as their marriage is compared to 'Hitler and the Crusades'. The newest series of the satirical cartoon takes a swipe at the pair in an episode where two beloved characters go back in time, reports The Sun. FOX aired the clip this week, which brutally mocks the royals by listing them with two of history's darkest moments. The dig comes during a time-travelling skit where characters Stewie and Brian meet American author Mark Twain. Brian says: 'Doesn't history pretty much suck? The Crusades, Hitler …' Stewie then chimes in: 'Prince Harry marrying Meghan Markle?' The episode then cuts to a cartoon version of the Duke of Sussex sitting on a sofa watching the show. He complains: 'Oh, again?' The character then turns to the audience and remarks: 'Oh like all your wives are so much better?' It's the latest pop culture roasting for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who've been regularly skewered by US cartoons since quitting royal life in 2020. After making the move across the pond for privacy, the couple splashed out on their Montecito mansion – which was also a point of ridicule for the pair. In 2023, Family Guy poked fun at their Netflix deal, showing the royals lounging by a pool next to their mansion. A butler handed them a cheque for 'millions … for no-one knows what'. Cartoon Harry sips from a champagne flute before muttering: 'Put it with the rest of them.' Then Meghan gets a ping on her phone and says: 'Babe, time to do our $250,000 sponsored Instagram post for Del Taco.' In an apparent reference to Harry's criticism of the royal family, he responds: 'I shouldn't have left the made-up nonsense.' Family Guy isn't the only comedy show that has taken a swipe at the couple. The royals were also torn to shreds by South Park, which aired an episode called 'The Worldwide Privacy Tour'. The cheeky episode began with a disclaimer saying all characters – even if they're based on real people – are fictional. But fans were quick to point out the Prince's red hair and his wife's floppy hat drew similarities to the Duke and Duchess. The episode mocked their constant calls for privacy while accusing them of endlessly chasing the spotlight. Fans were left in hysterics over the episode in February 2023, where the couple were seen holding huge signs begging to be left alone. The couple hang banners above their house demanding privacy – and hold loud 'privacy parties' in their front garden. Cartoon Meghan is shown in the same pink outfit she wore to Trooping the Colour. The pair also appear as guests on a talk show to talk about the Prince's book, named Waaagh, which gives a striking resemblance to Prince Harry's bombshell memoir, Spare. After the show aired it was reported that the couple were considering legal action. However their spokesperson has lashed out at the claims, and told Newsweek: 'This is baseless and boring.' Sources in California previously claimed Meghan 'was annoyed by South Park but refuses to watch it all'. After it aired, viewers joked that the representation was spot on. One said: 'South Park has seriously nailed Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.' Another added: 'They are definitely ripping on Harry and Meghan.'
Sky News AU
5 hours ago
- Sky News AU
'Do your research': Tattoo removal myths busted as stars go under the laser, plus which Aussie state tops the ink charts
With shirts off and sleeves rolled up for summer, many Australians have been forced to confront their ink head-on, and for a growing number, winter is prime time to start the removal process. As celebrities like Dune star Josh Brolin, Victoria Beckham and comedian Pete Davidson begin erasing their body art, experts say everyday Aussies are following suit, triggering a surge in laser tattoo removal across the country. According to 2023 data from McCrindle, around 30 per cent of Australians have at least one tattoo, up from 20 per cent in 2018. Tattoos have found particular popularity among Australian women, with one in three (33 per cent) inked, compared to just 26 per cent of men. "This gendered preference showcases the growing acceptance of tattoos as a means of self-expression and personal adornment among women," McCrindle said. Queensland tops the list when it comes to the most tattooed state, with 36 per cent of residents sporting ink, followed by South Australia (33 per cent), and Western Australia (30 per cent). Victoria and the Northern Territory come in next at 29 per cent each, while NSW sits at 26 per cent. The ACT and Tasmania round out the list at 22 and 21 per cent, respectively. While most Aussies get their first tattoo between the ages of 18 and 24, but as time goes on, the ink doesn't always hold the same appeal. A quarter of Australians (23 per cent) now say they regret at least one of their tattoos, up from one in five (20 per cent) in 2018. That might explain why Australian-based tattoo removal company Removery Australia has seen a 30 per cent jump in removal treatments over the past year alone. Jason Erwin, Director of Operations at Removery Australia, said a growing number of clients are referencing celebrity tattoo removal journeys as inspiration. "Celebrities are just like anyone else- they have lifestyle changes, shifts in their careers, and ultimately can rethink their body art," Erwin told "When a high-profile celebrity documents or discusses their tattoo removal journey, it increases awareness of the service and tends to support a normalisation and acceptance for the wider public." Brolin, for example, recently revealed on Instagram that he was having his back tattoo removed "because he didn't need it anymore", joking that his natural edge was "intimidating enough". Meanwhile, Victoria Beckham opened up about having the initials of husband David Beckham removed from her wrist. "I had these tattoos a long, long time ago, and, they just weren't particularly delicate," she told US morning program TODAY. "My husband has so many gorgeous tattoos, and the children do, and they're very fine… But mine were just a little bit thick, and they were bleeding a little bit and just not looking as pretty." According to Erwin, the most common reason Australians seek removal is simply that their tattoo no longer suits their current life. "Tattoos relating to old partners account for roughly 13 per cent of removals," he said. "These clients are now at a different stage of their lives and their tattoos no longer suit their lifestyle or reflect who they are." Other top reasons include poorly designed artwork (18 per cent), changing taste in tattoo style (12 per cent), and placement in a highly visible area that can't be easily hidden (nine per cent). And winter, Erwin said, is one of the best times of year to start the removal process. "Less sun exposure to a tattoo that is being removed means simpler aftercare, quicker healing time, and less time for your body to process out the ink," he explained. Thankfully, Irwin said, modern laser technology has made the process far more precise and far less painful than many expect. While full removal typically takes between eight and twelve sessions spaced at least six weeks apart, it's also possible to fade a tattoo enough to allow for new ink in the same spot. "Because the technology we use is non-invasive, the surrounding skin is unharmed and able to be tattooed as it would have been beforehand," Erwin said. "We recommend clients wait at least six weeks after their laser treatment before getting tattooed in that area, but ideally waiting three months or longer will provide the best results." Although tattoo removal is becoming increasingly common, Erwin said the most important step is doing your research. "When choosing a service provider, key things to note are what technology is being used, their tattoo removal experience, and whether they have a solid library of results and client reviews," he said. "Whether you're regretting your tattoo 24 hours after getting it, or 10 years later, the most important thing is knowing your options."
