Firass Dirani wins Cleo Bachelor of the Year and a role alongside Robert De Niro.
The star of Underbelly will next be working alongside none other than Robert De Niro.
Since starring in Underbelly: The Golden Mile, Firass Dirani has been on a constant high. It culminated in a week of celebrations earlier this month capped off with a win as Cleo Bachelor of the Year.
"I had my birthday, I had Cleo, I had Logies, so it was a big week."
Now he's about to go one better, with a role in a new action thriller feature film. "It's called The Killer Elite. It's a big budget American film, which is going to be shot in Melbourne, Wales, Oman and England.
"There are two units going at the same time, but I'm shooting in Melbourne in four weeks."
Dirani will be in some very impressive company: Clive Owen, Jason Statham and Robert De Niro.
"I was reading the script last night and I didn't think I would get to do any scenes with De Niro but I was hoping that I would. He is legendary. He is someone I've grown up with and imitated all my life," he said.
"There's a scene between De Niro and myself, and I read it and started jumping up and down and yelling.
"I got a bloody scene with Robert De Niro. I'm pinching myself!"
Dirani will play an Oxford University graduate in the film, which he likens to a Jordanian prince who is about to inherit a lot of power and wealth.
Under a first time director, the film is based on a 1993 book.
"But it's out of stock. I went to a bookshop to get it but it's out of publication!" he said.
Dirani's rising star puts an end to earlier career jitters in which he wondered whether he would ever make it in the biz.
"You always doubt yourself as an actor and then you have treasures like this that come your way. You're humbled by the whole experience. I never knew I was going to be a part of this amazing ensemble until a couple of weeks ago.
"It's all fine and dandy to get a part, but the second part is you need to stay in the film, so that you don't end up on the cutting room floor."
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