True Blue - Nicky Whelan

By Matthew Felker

The term “true blue” is a term used for someone who is genuinely Australia., which is exactly what Nicky Whelan is. I was first introduced to Nicky after seeing her in the Owen Wilson comedy Hall Pass, and much like most men with a heartbeat, I had a massive crush on her.  Flash forward a few years later Nicky and I became good friends. She’s known for her killer body, and we often wonder what actors do to prepare for these movies.  Most lie to you telling you all this rigorous health and fitness routine while Nicky is the quintessential Aussie, no bullshit no frills, just the raw and sometimes unglamorous truth.  That’s why we love her. 

How did you end up in Hollywood? What brought you there ultimately?

I had always been traveling to the United States since I was 18 I obviously wanted to come here and perform. When I was 25 I got an opportunity to be in a movie in the US with contacts I had made. So I decided that would be the perfect opportunity to start my career again in the USA. If I could I would’ve come earlier but I was very lucky and had a great Career in Australia in my early 20s - 

What’s your proudest moment in your career or role and or proudest life moment in general. 

In my career it probably would’ve been a movie idea called “Hall Pass” with the Farely brothers alongside Owen Wilson. Also when I got the lead role in the TV series called “Matador” with Robert Rodriguez. Both of them were my dream jobs ... in different ways they both challenged me and put me in a different space at that time in my career. They were also the most memorable - 

In my personal life I don’t think there is any defining moment. I think now I sometimes sit back and have a look at what I’ve done -moving countries -the work I’ve done -the places I’ve traveled - the people I’ve met - And I remember there were so many times when I made the most fearless decisions having no idea what was coming next ... So I look back and I’m so proud of myself for being so fearless. 

It’s strange that the older I get the more calm I feel as a woman - but I’m not as  courageous as I used to be.  I try to keep that alive because that’s what a bought me here today.
 

You’re known for having a killer body...When preparing for a role that requires either nudity or fitness how do you prepare? (Healthy or unhealthy we want the truth. ). Lol

The sad truth about my body is - I smoked for huge part of my life and majority of the time when I was told I had a “killer body” and I did these major photo shoots - was when I was at my most unhealthy. Usually I was highly stressed- smoking a lot - when my particular body goes through that for some reason everybody says I look amazing -  I danced for the first 20 years of my life so all the old muscle memory comes through and looks like I’ve been working out. Lol  I believe so many factors come into peoples bodies -  Genetics -food -lifestyle exercise and most importantly I think environment. My weight goes up and down but my mom and dad both have smaller framed bodies and that helps to a certain degree of being able to maintain a certain body - I got my broad shoulders from my father and I got my curves from my mother ... I’m very lucky in so many ways.  I don’t have a work out that I do all the time ... Sometimes I will do workouts at the gym (rarely) or a dance class or bike riding -but a lot of the time I do absolutely nothing...  In December of last year I started training with Former World champion jujitsu fighter Rigan Machado  in preparation for a couple of movies coming up - I have been learning some absolutely incredible tricks in the gym nearly every day which has been a real game changer in my life -not even for my body -but my mind more than anything.  It’s been an absolute pleasure to actually go to the gym every day. One thing for sure that has been consistent in my life is -I’m not a lazy person.I get up very early and I run around all day long ... I have a dog who I walk twice a day and I’m always super busy. I also meditate for two hours a day. When I know I have a movie coming out that requires me to wear less or clothing - I’ve discovered that if I freak out -my body will also freak out -so I try not to do anything strange leading up to the movie. I honestly welcome the body that I have at that time. When I did hall pass I was around 126 pounds. I did a movie called inconceivable 7 years later where I was required to wear less clothing - I was weighing 106 pounds. It’s just where I was out at the time.

What are your views on social media which now has interfered and begun to coexist with tv and film?

The conversation about social media is endless and I have so many feelings toward it - positive and negative. But when it comes to certain people being chosen for roles over others based on how many followers they have it’s pretty disgusting. It’s clearly been proven that when they put someone from Instagram with millions of followers in a movie the movie sometimes does not do well or even get much exposer. I think there’s a few holes in this theory - it’s also a little insulting to people like myself that have been performing and working our asses off in our profession our whole lives and then along comes someone who has never acted in there life who has a bunch of followers and scoops up the role - maybe it’s a phase or maybe people will finally figure out that great performances are more powerful long-term than Instagram followers when it comes to movies and television . I really don’t know. I was alive and working when social media wasn’t around and being able to watch things change has been fascinating. 

If you could give advice to yourself 10 years ago what would it be?

Breathe  :) 

What is your fitness routine?

At the moment I am training with Rigan  Machado in preparation for a few movies I have coming up ... and I meet with Ayhan Tongadure nearly everyday day to work on techniques - It doesn’t feel like training it’s been and an incredible process - I feel like this is something I will continue after these movies. 

How bad is it to be an attractive woman in social media?  How many guys try to slide into your dms daily.

Well thank you !!! Hahahaha I guess I do get a few strange requests and complements in my outbox on Instagram that sometimes I look through. It’s strange that pretty much anyone in the world with social media has direct contact with each other now. It’s a little scary. But there I guess some benefits to it also. I don’t go on dating apps, I’ve never been on one in my life. People try to use Instagram for dating and I think it’s a little cheap to be honest. Again I was alive and dating before social media and there is nothing quite like organically running into someone feeling there energy and having a connection. It’s magical. And it’s delicious. Anyone can text message or send a sexy picture -but there’s nothing like the real thing... 

What are your future goals?

To maintain my consistent life that I have now to be honest. Working consistently traveling consistently enjoying my downtime with my incredible family and friends. I’m very excited about what the universe has in store next. I think we sometimes forget how delicious surprises feels  ... 

Do you use any health food suppliments or products that you swear by?

No

Who’s your favorite co star you’ve ever worked with?

This is always the hardest question ever I have worked with some of the most incredible people in the world that I watched growing up as a little girl. I mean - to name Only a few - Malcolm McDowell -Alfred Molina -Nicolas Cage - Faye Dunaway- Don Cheadle - Josh Gad - Owen Wilson - Gabriel Luna    Follow Nicky Whelan   

Twitter... @NickyWhelan  Instagram... @nickywhelan Facebook... Nicky Whelan