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Ashton started acting at the young age of seven performing with Louise Blackett’s Theatre Workshop. It was simply a natural inclination at the time, and he had no idea of the huge role acting would play in his life in the future.

He hails from a creative lot – though his parents are both in medicine (one orthodox, one alternative – a lively combination he assures me) his three siblings are all artists too. One of his sisters, Alexa Ashton, is also a successful actor. She starred in ‘Home and Away’ and like Paul has worked for the prestigious Bell Shakespeare Company .

In asking him about his family’s thoughts on his career choice, Ashton was quick to state: “My family is extremely supportive. I think my Dad would’ve preferred it if I’d finished my law degree before heading to drama school, but never once have my parents tried to stop me from doing what I love to do. They’ve been there supporting and providing 100% and are proud of the paths we’ve all chosen.”

After his family moved to Canberra when he was 12 years old, Ashton saw a school production of ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead’ by Tom Stoppard. It galvanized his love for performing on stage, and shortly after he saw the first ever Bell Shakespeare Company production – it was ‘Hamlet’ – and he knew this was what he was destined to do.

EARLY INFLUENCES

In speaking of early influences, Paul notes Rob Sitch, the Australian actor/director who was part of “The Late Show” and who with his colleagues, went on to produce some of Australia’s best-loved films, most notably “The Castle.”

Other early influences included Baz Lurhmann, Kenneth Branagh, Anthony Hopkins, John Cleese, Mike Myers, Jim Carrey, Michael Winterbottom, Ben Kingsley and Kate Winslet. He trained at VCA Drama School in Melbourne, where teachers such as Lindy Davies, Tanya Gerstle and Leisa Shelton, and directors Peter Evans and Brian Lipson also had a big impact on him during those formative years.

But he sites John Bell – who created the renowned Bell Shakespeare Company – as making a particularly large impression on him. Paul recalls: “Watching their productions every year in Canberra, and meeting him and some of the other actors as a teenager was really inspiring for me. I was a drama nerd in its purest form – I used to get their autographs. It was a dream of mine to work for them.”

In a true career defining moment, John Bell came and watched Ashton play Orlando in As You Like It in his final year of drama school (Paul had written a letter inviting him to come along, and was shocked when he received a call from Bell’s assistant confirming the dates). He worked for Bell’s company a year later – a dream come true.

Earlier that same year, Paul had been cast as the role of Ben on the award winning Australian show “The Secret Life of Us.”

It would be four years of living and working in Sydney before Hollywood called. During this time, Ashton also was the frontman for popular local indie rock act, Minder.

He reflects back to that time, “I made the move to Los Angeles, like so many other of my compatriots because it is the centre of the global entertainment industry and provides the most diverse range of opportunities possible. That diversity appeals to me, and I think is a better fit for me as an actor.”

In a sit-down interview at The Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, Ashton shared his thoughts with me about his new life in the mecca of the entertainment business.

SIT DOWN:

Bobbi -Q: Paul, what is one of the main differences between being an actor in Los Angeles versus Australia?

Paul -A: Undoubtedly the first thing you discover when you arrive is the scale of it. The sheer size of the city itself is a good indicator, there are just so many people and it’s so competitive. It can be hard to know where to start. You go from knowing most people in the industry and most people knowing you, to knowing no one and in a way, starting again.

But there’s a real sense of possibility and that anyone’s got a shot. There’s a ‘yes’ attitude that underpins much of the American psyche, and I really respond to that.

Bobbi- Q: How did you get the role in “Serial Buddies?”

Paul- A: I got the role by auditioning. Casting Director Jen Cooper had seen some of my work last year and she called me in to read for the role. At first they didn’t think I was right for Gregory, but fortunately I won them over.

Bobbi -Q: Was the character easy to play for you?

Paul -A: There were certain parts of Gregory I had to work very hard on – he has a very dark past and was damaged from years of abuse and neglect.

But his flamboyance and physicality were a huge amount of fun to take on, and in that sense, came more easily. But he was demanding at all times and I had to stretch as an actor to get there.

Bobbi-Q: What acting technique do you use? Are there elements that are essential to success?

Paul-A: I don’t work with any specific technique. Certainly my training had a big influence on how I approach my work, and over the years I have adapted the principles I learned into more of my own thing.

Elements that I think are essential? Nothing new – research and script analysis, using the imagination and understanding the point of view of your character. And then, most importantly playing the moment.

Bobbi-Q: What was it like working with the cast of “Serial Buddies?”

Paul-A: I felt extremely privileged to work with a long list of well established and very talented actors.

We had core group of guys that were a joy to spend time with on set. The other 3 guys all have comedy and improv backgrounds, so there were always plenty of laughs, with lots of innovation and creativity when the cameras were rolling.

To work with an iconic actor like Christopher Lloyd. Playing my dad! It was wild, and a career highlight for sure. He was a gentleman and a joy to work with. And Chris McDonald too? No way. Comic genius right there. We had a lot of fun doing our scene together.

And to top it off – to have Hal Rudnick as Gary, to my Gregory-perfect.

Bobbi-Q: What characters or roles do you want to see yourself playing?

Paul-A: I love both comedy and drama, and never want to restrict myself to just one genre or form.

Bobbi-Q: What are you currently doing?

Paul-A: I’m currently in post-production with a short film I made before I shot “Serial Buddies.” It’s called “Champion” and I’m planning on entering it into Tropfest in Australia early next year. It was a script I wrote, directed and produced.

Other than that, auditioning and entertaining lots of friends from Australia!

Bobbi-Q: What is your goal for this upcoming year?

Paul-A: To continue to challenge myself to be better. Of course, I’d love to see ” Serial Buddies” make the submission deadline for Sundance and then of course get in – though that’s now out of my hands. That would make it a good year straight up. And I want to start working on my next self-devised project. I’m just not sure what it’s going to be yet.

Bobbi-Q: How do you have fun and relax?

Paul-A: Spending time with friends, going to the movies, exercising, playing music, yoga, and when I can- skiing.

Bobbi -Q: Are you married, single, or dating?

Paul-A: Single, but open to meeting someone.

Bobbi -Q: What city did you live in before here?

Paul-A: I lived in Sydney before I moved here, but my family is based in Canberra, so that’s home really. Mum and Dad have a beautiful house there, big garden out the back, and the place is full of amazing organic and biodynamic food and life-affirming healthy things. My mum is an alternative medicine practitioner, and Dad’s a doctor, so it’s always interesting.

Bobbi -Q: Tell us about your music.

Paul-A: I played music since I was 5. I started on the piano, and then later also played the Viola and guitar. I played in my school orchestras and sang in my school choirs, Music’s just always been there as something I did. But it wasn’t till I taught myself the guitar at the age of 18 that I started writing and playing on my own a bit. Before moving to LA I actually was part of an indie rock band in Sydney. I’d written a bunch of songs over a few years and a mate suggested we start a band together so we did.

I’m actually playing my first gig in LA in a month’s time. Just some low key acoustic originals. Should be fun.

Bobbi -Q: What ‘original music’ are you providing for the film “Serial Buddies?”

Paul-A: There’s a song in the film that Gregory sings to his father. I was trying to come up with a tune for it – so I knew what I was doing when we shot it. It developed into a little more than what was on the page. I liked the sound of it, so recorded and sent it to Keven. He loved it and so we arranged and recorded it with genius musician, Giulio Carmassi. It should appear in the film now, which is great.

Bobbi-Q: Tell me about these YouTube video blogs you posted while filming “Serial Buddies”. That was original, why did you do it?

Paul-A: They were just a way to document/blog about the time on set so that there was a fun record of it, and so that anyone , including my friends and family, could have a peak behind the scenes. And to try and get the name of the film out there a bit. With indie films, every little bit helps.

There are three important reasons why alternative depression medications are considered a good choice to treat depression and other related mental disorders.

1. The herbs found in these natural medications are very effective. They can treat both the symptoms and the cause of clinical depression. If taken regularly, these natural remedies can give good results in a surprisingly short period of time.

2. They are very safe. A number of clinical studies have confirmed that they do not cause any side effects. Most importantly, unlike antidepressants, they are not addictive. So, you can stop taking these medications whenever you want without worrying about withdrawal effects.

3. They can not only treat depression, but can also prevent it. Taking a regular dose of alternative medicine for depression every day can improve your physical and mental health and prevent all sorts of mental disorders.

To get optimum results, you should choose a good natural medication and take it regularly. Some of the herbs you should look for in these medications include Passion Flower, St. John’s Wort, Alumina, and Kali Phos. These herbs are highly potent and can treat all types of mental disorders. They have a calming effect. They can strengthen your nervous system and improve your brain activity. They can improve your metabolism and increase your energy level as well.

One of the interesting things about alternative medicine for depression is that it is not very costly. A month’s supply of these herbal medications will cost you less than $50. In other words, they cost you less than $2 a day. Considering how effective these herbs are, it is quite a bargain to say the least.

One of the most important things you should be aware of is that you cannot treat depression with alternative depression medications alone. Depression treatment is a combination of effective remedies, good diet, physical exercise, and plenty of lifestyle changes.

Migraine headaches can be caused by food and environmental allergens. Avoid nitrates, MSG, artificial sweeteners, and foods high in tyramines including red wine, cheeses, and chocolate. Stay away from carbonated beverages, soy, peanuts, pickled foods, non-organic coffee, chocolate, food dyes, food additives, or refined foods. It is very important include protein in your breakfast each day. Avoid all genetically modified foods and eat local or organic fruits and vegetables. Include fresh salmon, avocado, walnuts, almonds, and omega 3 and 6 essential acids in your diet.

Identify allergens in your diet and avoid them with dietary changes including the G.A.R.D. Diet or the Elimination Diet. The Rotation Diet follows a different theory that allows exposure to each food once each four days. The immune system calms down when there is not frequent exposure to the allergen. Gluten may be a trigger for many people with migraines. Try to keep a food diary for at least one month to identify the foods that may be your triggers.

Many people with migraines may experience problems with pollution and environmental triggers. These may be avoided or eliminated with hard work. Otherwise, this can be dealt with by reducing stress and improving overall diet and health. Stress may be improved by changing jobs, a divorce from an abusive one, a new job, a new hobby that you enjoy, volunteer work, and watching comedy on TV or at the movies. Stress can be reduced with Yoga, tai chi, and Qi Gong. There are several alternative therapies that can help migraines such as neurobiofeedback, hypnosis, homeopathy, and Bach Flower Remedies.

Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) is great at improving migraines with patent herb formulas and liquid herbal extracts which can be used along with auricular laser therapy, auricular acupuncture, scalp acupuncture, and traditional body acupuncture. These therapies usually require two weeks to see improvement. The acupuncturist may recommend several months of treatments depending on how long you have experienced the migraines.