EXTRAS WITH A DIFFERENCE

Some of the finest ex-military heroes are forging new careers as movie extras, and turning their expertise into first-rate entertainment

- Cath Johnsen

When Australian Army veteran Adrian Humphries found himself working as an extra on the set of the long-running Australian soap opera, Home and Away, it was a far cry from the treacherous battlegrounds and arid deserts of Afghanistan, where he had recently completed four tours working within Special Operations.

“There were about 12 of us veterans on television playing police officers, including people I’d known since I was a teenager in the army,” Adrian explains. “It was like this weird scenario where we were having a reunion, but it was on the set of Home and Away, as opposed to a Returned Services League club.”

It was another veteran, Shaun Barry, who cast Adrian and other retired military personnel for the show through his casting agency— Ex-TRA Specialists Group. The niche agency finds the film and television industry highly skilled extras who are trained in how to use weapons safely, as well as other specialised military or medical procedures.

With almost 1000 extras on his books, representing not only the military but also veterans from fire, police and ambulance services, Shaun, 41, has secured a plethora of work in blockbusters such as Godzilla vs Kong, Thor, Aquaman, and Dora and the Lost City of Gold.

For many of the veterans, like Adrian, the work has been completely life-changing.