Ben Lawson "To My Country, From An Expat"

Ben Lawson is one of Australia’s most successful exports overseas. Starting his career in Neighbours playing Frazer Yeats from 2006 to 2008, Ben has since advanced his career onto the international stage. Graduating from NIDA, Ben has appeared in titles such as Deep End, Covert Affairs, Don’t Trust The B---- in Apartment 23, No Strings Attached, 13 Reasons Why, Designated Survivor, The Good Place and Bombshell to name a few. Brisbane boy Ben is still a true-blue Aussie at heart as he speaks with Heartland Magazine about his life and his poem which has touched so many through his emotional candid words.

Growing up in Brisbane Ben, was inspired to become an actor at an early age through watching “Family Ties” on T.V. Michael J. Fox was a childhood idol and encouraged Ben to be an actor who also had a voice. Although his acting career has taken him far from home, Ben watched on with horror and helplessness as the recent bushfires engulfed Australia leaving many without homes and personal tragedy that is unimaginable. Moved to the core that his homeland was in strife, Ben poured his emotions and thoughts into a poem which has since gone viral on the internet. His words are filled with pride for Australia and emulate the attitude of a country which has been hit by severe heartache while still hopeful in the resilience of a nation. Ben believes that as a nation we need to start listening to science and what our environment is trying to tell us and that this has to be a turning point into how we are going to prevent future disasters of this magnitude from happening again. Encouraging our leaders to take action as well as educating and supporting the younger generation can only unite a country as we are fighting for the same outcome of a safe, sustainable, beautiful Australia.

While the actor is travelling, thoughts of home often turn toward his time spent at the beach, in the sun and breathing in air which wasn’t thick with smoke. The thought of sand between his toes and the smell of the salty air transports him back to a country and a time in Australia when life was trouble free. As a working international actor, Ben often finds himself as an ambassador for his beloved Australia as he travels and lives abroad. He expresses to Heartland that he is proud to be an Australian because of how multi cultured we are and how progressive thinking we are as a nation. He hopes this progressive thinking may be put to good use when talking about the latest fire disaster and that maybe we search for answers and solutions in places which were once thought to be meaningless. Ben Lawson’s love for Australia has been beautifully put into words as he shares his sorrow for our current situation. He hopes his poem will ease some pain and provide a comfort to people in that no one is alone in this difficult time. It is a way to show others what the Australian spirit is all about and although he is currently far from home the pain and grief is not lost. The connection is often felt between Aussies overseas as we are like no other culture in the world. What Australia has needs to be protected with fierce determination through the passion of not only Ben but a nation.