Bryan Brown Hated English as a Kid — One Book Changed Everything
Literature meant little to future actor Bryan Brown when he was growing up in Sydney. A long plane flight, however, awakened his inner storyteller and shifted his view of reading forever.
In person, Brown is just as you might imagine — ruggedly handsome, charismatic, and utterly unfiltered in his speech. At 78, he remains instantly recognizable from his long career across film and television classics.
From Reluctant Student to Actor and Author
Brown’s acting legacy includes memorable roles in the television phenomenon The Thorn Birds, films like Breaker Morant, and notable appearances alongside Hollywood icons Tom Cruise in Cocktail and Sigourney Weaver in Gorillas in the Mist.
Today, Brown is also a bestselling crime writer. His first work, Sweet Jimmy, a collection of short stories, came out in 2021, followed by his debut novel The Drowning in 2023. His latest release, The Hidden, continues his success as an author who found storytelling later in life.
A Rocky Start with Reading
“I hated English at school,” he says. “Because we got things like Great Expectations to read.”
Brown now admits Charles Dickens’ novel is a masterpiece, but at the time, he had little patience for it. “Not when you’re 12 or 14 or 16 and want to play sport,” he recalls.
Life Beyond Acting
Though based in Sydney with his wife, actress and director Rachel Ward, Brown was in Melbourne recently for a podcast appearance — despite openly admitting,
“I’ve never listened to a podcast, ever.”
His candid humor and self-awareness reveal a man who never pretends to be anyone but himself.
Author’s Summary
Bryan Brown’s journey from a boy who despised English lessons to a celebrated actor and novelist shows how unexpected moments can unlock lifelong creativity and purpose.