Latest news with #PeterFarrelly
News.com.au
01-08-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Zac Efron's Ricky Stanicky movie house in Surrey Hills hits market
It's lights, camera, auction at a Surrey Hills home that hosted Zac Efron, John Cena and William H Macy as it was used as the backdrop to comedy flick Ricky Stanicky. If 14 Norfolk Rd looks a little familiar, it's because it features in about 20 minutes of the 2024 film directed by Peter Farrelly. The owners have revealed they owe the surprise film appearance to the cancellation of Neighbours, who asked to use it for filming before being axed. When the production crew that made the silver-screen arrangements for the gorgeous, five-bedroom house went looking for work, they connected with the team working for Farrelly — and soon after had a note in their mailbox. 'I thought it was all a hoax at first, when I got the card I just left it on the bench until they gave me a follow up call,' the owner said. 'But we were there when they were shooting in our kitchen with Zac Efron doing a scene with John Cena and Jeff Ross and Andrew Santino. 'At one stage they were having an issue with the airconditioning and they got me to come in and help them to fix it, and as I was doing that I was watching Zac and William H Macy walking around our house and I was thinking: this is surreal.' Meeting Cena, the owner said while his handshake had been a 'big mit', the former pro-wrestler turned Hollywood star had been very friendly and thanked them so much for 'letting us use your crib'. And with the production crew repairing a wall damaged when Cena accidentally knocked a mirror off of it, as well as a rear glass window that cracked under the heat of some of the filming lights, the family said they would absolutely do it again. 'It was a huge production. But they took a photo of everything in the house, including the pantry, and if your tomato sauce was on the third shelf on the left, that's where you found it at the end.' Aside from furnishings, the only major change the about $80m-budget film made to the home was to cover over the pool so they could make it a garden space. But it might be the next owners who get that chance. 'The film company now have us on their books,' they said. 'And they usually use a house a few times for different films, so it's probable they could come back for this home.' Eagle-eyed buyers might notice a photo collage on one of the walls showing scenes of the home in the movie as well as pictures taken during filming. But there's a lot to see around the 2016-built house, with an impressive flowing floorplan that has close to 650sq m of space under its roofline. Features include three ground-floor living areas, a study and a main bedroom. Upstairs there are four more bedrooms, two bathrooms and a home theatre. Outside the pool is neighboured by a gym space, with a basketball court at the rear of the hedge-lined block. For the next owners, the scope to entertain will be a major drawcard — especially in warmer weather when the bi-fold doors in the living room can be opened up to connect the inside with the outside. As the family prepares to sell, Kay & Burton's Scott Patterson is taking inquiries for the $5.5m-$5.9m listing and said beyond its phenomenal entertainment spaces and expansive family accommodation, it clearly came with 'star power'. 'There's very few homes of this size and quality that have been offered to the market in the past few years,' Mr Patterson said. 'It's been a few years since I've walked into a similar home. It's an upper end of Surrey Hills and a bit of a rare offering. 'And the movie people have identified it as a really picturesque home.' The agent added that with September starting barely a week after the home's auction date, the sale could set the tone for what was to come in spring — and the prospect of a rate cut before then could mean good news for sellers. No. 14 Norfolk Rd, Surrey Hills, will go to auction at 2pm on August 23.
Daily Mail
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Shallow Hal actor dies aged 70 after being hospitalised for two months as his family pay tribute
Shallow Hal star Rene Kirby has died, aged 70. The actor died on July 11 after being hospitalised for two months with infections as well as problems with his esophagus, kidneys and bladder, his brother Jon Kirby has said. He died at the University of Vermont Medical Center, as reported by Vermont publication Seven Days. He had previously battled throat cancer with his treatment including removal of his larynx meaning he had lost his ability to talk in recent years. Rene had a memorable role in the 2001 movie Shallow Hal, playing Walt, who like Rene had no use of his legs due to spina bifida. Rene's acting career also included a role in the 2003 film Stuck on You as well as one episode of the TV show Carnivàle. Rene was born with more than a foot of his lower spine missing whilst his spine was detached from his pelvis and his legs never developed. He found himself sharing the screen with Jack Black and Gwyneth Paltrow when he bumped into Hollywood director Peter Farrelly in 1999. Farrelly was in Rene's hometown of Burlington, Vermont shooting Me, Myself & Irene starring Jim Carrey. The director bought Rene a beer and after a night of talking, he had decided to cast Rene in hius next film, recalling in a 2001 interview: 'He's got a zest for life that is contagious and he's extremely funny.' Farrelly wrote a part for Rene in Shallow Hal, which he and his brother, Bobby, co-wrote and co-directed. The film was about looking beyond outward appearances so Farrelly deemed it a perfect fit for the acting newcomer as Rene 'epitomizes inner beauty.' Rene's acting career also included a role in the 2003 film Stuck on You as well as one episode of the TV show Carnivàle Rene was the second son of Don and Janet Kirby and had six siblings. His parents pushed back on doctor's recommendations to use a brace to stretch their baby son's legs, instead encouraging him to reach for his bottle. By the age of one Rene was walking on his hands. As a teenager he won state titles in gymnastics before working for IBM for 20 years.
