His film credits include the Mick Molloy feature BoyTown as well as short films Charmed Robbery and The Mystic Halls of Time.
Josh’s stage credits include Chicks Will Dig You, God, the Devil and the True history of Mankind and The 5th at Randwick.
Tell me in your own words about your character, Chefo, in Sea Patrol?
Toby “Chefo” Jones is the chef on the patrol boat. If you’ve ever had the opportunity of meeting a chef in a regular restaurant then you’ll know what a colourful bunch these people are. Chefo is a prankster, a larrikin, and your best mate. If he’s in a bad mood, it tends to put the entire boat in a bad mood. In that way, he’s pretty much responsible for the morale on board. So when he crumbs a sponge and serves it up with the schnitzels, it’s not only for his own amusement, but for the amusement of the crew as well. If the Hammersley ever had a karaoke night, you’d have a hard time getting Chefo away from the microphone.
How is your character similar or different to yourself?
Chefo and I are different in as much as we have different names. I won’t lie – the similarities far outweigh the differences. Similarities – charming, funny, exceedingly handsome, and popular. Differences – Chefo can cook. Don’t get me wrong, I do my best in the kitchen, but I’m the only guy I know who takes 15 minutes to cook two minute noodles.
What was the most memorable aspect of filming?
If you asked the rest of the cast this question, I’m sure they would have all answered, “working with Josh Lawson.” But for me it was working with all of them. I don’t think I’ve ever clicked with a cast quite as quickly and easily than I have with this one. We pretty much lived together for four months – we worked together, ate together, partied together – we did everything but sleep together (Lisa McCune wouldn’t have a bar of it, believe me.) By the time we finished filming, I think we all got a sense of the brotherhood that exists in the Navy.
What was your view of the Navy prior to the show compared to now?
I have a couple of friends in the Navy and they are never short of amazing stories to tell, and after a couple of months at sea don’t mind shouting a few rounds, so my view of the Navy was pretty positive. Of course, all the stories – or “waries” as they call them – don’t prepare you for what it’s like out there. Its hard work and those sailors would do anything for each other. Plus, it’s true what they say - women really do love a guy in uniform.
Any anecdotes that make the show memorable or different from other shows you have worked on?
We shot a scene one day where we were jumping off the boat into the ocean up off the coast of Mission Beach. It was as close to paradise as you could imagine – beautiful weather, the water and the sky seem to be trying to “out-blue” each other. And after a few takes of us jumping into the water, and climbing back into the boat for another take, we were told to stop jumping in because someone had spotted a sea snake in the water. That’s one of the things that set this job apart from the rest. I’ve looked in the OH&S handbook – there’s nothing in there about sea snakes.
There was one other story that I’ll never forget. A few of us were being transported from one boat to the next when our driver spotted a pod of dolphins not too far away. We took a slight detour, killed the engine and drifted silently amongst the pod. Here we were, another day at the office, and a couple of dozen dolphins just poking their heads out of the water to see who we were. It was truly amazing. We signed some autographs for them and they were on their way.
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