#AlexOLoughlin ‘s Diary (# 2) – A Tale of Two Seasons

I am living my dreams and that is really a cliché, but I am so happy right now. I’m so happy with my work. I’m healthy, I’m fit, I’ve got a great job, and I’ve got friends. I go home and I am just me. I am who I am. I’m Alex. I’m a son. I’m a brother, I’m a father, I’m a lover ….. I’m whatever I am. But it is just me.

Alex O’Loughlin, FilmInk June 2010

We continue our ‘biography‘ and account of Alex’s life in this second part of ‘Alex O’Loughlin’s Diary‘. Just a reminder that it is a chronological account of his life (mostly his career), gathered from information of events he attended, interviews, articles, candid pictures and his own MySpace blog

You can find the first part here. Please remember to check in from time to time as we update the information.

2010:

• 14 January 2010 – Alex is doing some modelling again, and this time for photographer Christopher Morris. The photos to be used in the Sunday Telegraph’s, Sunday Magazine of 2 May 2010.
• 10 February 2010 – Confirmation that Alex will take up the role of Steve McGarrett on the reboot of the very popular TV Show Hawaii Five-0.
• 16 February 2010 – Alex picked up his newly painted Evo Sporty motor cycle from Cro Customs.

• 19 February 2010 – Alex and the rest of the cast take part in the first table reading for the pilot episode.
• 5 March 2010 – Filming the pilot for Hawaii Five-0 commenced, with Alex in the iconic role of Steve McGarrett.

• 12 March 2010 – The scenes for funeral of Steve’s dad, are shot at the Punchbowl with Alex all dressed up in his Navy Uniform. In the end only a short clip of it made it to the show. Some of it can be seen on the DVD deleted scenes.
  
• 27 March 2010 – Shooting the pilot of Hawaii Five-0 wrapped and Alex was already on his way back to LA to start his promotional work for his first lead role in an American movie – The Back-Up Plan with Jennifer Lopez.

• 28 March 2010 – Alex finds himself back in LA for a press junket, held for The Back-Up Plan. Alex and Jennifer do a lot of interviews, looking relaxed and having lots of fun and laughs together. (The links to most of those interviews can be found under the year 2010 on this page)
• 1 April 2010 – Alex is playing it cool in front of Carlotta Moye’s camera. The result is a line of amazing photos from this shoot for Madison magazine, June issue.

• 14 April 2010 – Alex leaves his midtown Manhattan hotel in New York City. He is in the city for appearances on The Early Show, The Today Show, The New York Morning News and the Rachael Ray show.
• 15 April 2010 – Alex did an interview on the Early show in New York. Later he took part in a panel for men on The Today show.

• 16 April 2010 – Alex appeared on the New York Morning news –  Alex is photographed as he arrives and exits the Pix11 Morning News Studios in New York City, where he gave an interview.
• 19 April 2010 – Alex appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel show.

• 19 April 2010 – Alex poses at a portrait session with photographer Gary Friedman for the Los Angeles Times, 27 April issue at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, California.

• 20 April 2010 – Alex attended The Australians In Film screening of The Back-Up Plan at the Harmony Gold Theatre in Los Angeles, California. He also answers questions from the audience afterwards.

• 21 April 2010 – Alex, together with his fellow cast members attend the LA Premiere of The Back-Up Plan, appearing on the red carpet.
• 26 April 2010 – Alex is photographed at LAX leaving for London. His personal assistant Diana is as always just a few steps behind him.
• 28 April 2010 – Alex, Jennifer Lopez and director Alan Poul attend the UK premiere of The Back-up Plan at the Vue Cinema on London’s Leicester Square. They walk the ‘Pink carpet‘ and Alex is amazed at the magnitude of the event.

• 13 May 2010 – Alex attended Australians in Film’s 2010 Breakthrough Awards ceremony, held at the Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills.  The event honoured actress Bella Heathcote, who was awarded the Heath Ledger Scholarship, and Ryan Kwanten and Chris Hemsworth,  each received a Breakthrough Award.
• 18 May 2010 – Alex joined in the celebration for the New York Upfronts hosted by Ariel Foxman, Editor of InStyle, and ICM at 34 Greene St in New York City.

• 19 May 2010 – At CBS Upfront it is confirmed that Hawaii Five-0 will be picked up for the fall season. Alex and his fellow cast members attend the function.
• 20 May 2010 – Alex and the other four main cast members of Hawaii Five-o appear on The Early show
• 20 May 2010 – Alex is  spotted at LAX again.
• 22 May 2010 – Alex and Daniel Dae Kim represent Hawaii Five-0 at the LA Screenings, where international buyers gather each year to shop for new TV shows.
• 25 May 2010 – The very last entry from Alex on his MySpace blog! In is the schedule of the broadcast times of the last episodes of Three Rivers and Alex says he feels ‘accomplished’. (Copies of most of his MySpace entries can be found here)
  

• 11 June 2010 – Alex was honoured with the Donate Life Hollywood 2010 Person of the Year Award at the opening night VIP reception for Donate Life Hollywood’s 2010 Film Festival at The Paley Centre for Media in Beverly Hills, California.
• 3 July 2010 – Eventually, the last episode of Three Rivers was broadcast.
• 15 July 2010 – Alex and the rest of the cast start shooting  the rest of Season 1 of  Hawaii Five-0, attending the  ‘Blessing Ceremony‘.
• 28 July 2010 – Alex, together with Scott Caan and Peter Lenkov, attend the  CBS Press day and took part on a panel. They also posed for some pictures together. Interview

• 16 August 2010 – Alex and his fellow Hawaii Five-o cast members pose at a portrait session for TV Guide in Honolulu, Hawaii.
• 13 September 2010 – It was a very historic day for Hawaii Five-0, when the first ‘Sunset On the Beach‘ (SOTB) event was held. It was attended by lots of fans who wanted to see the Pilot episode of Hawaii Five-0 together with the cast, at Waikiki Beach. Alex attended it with girlfriend, fellow Australian actress and Three Rivers Co-star Amber Clayton.

• 16 September 2010 – Alex spend the day at LA the Grove, doing an interview with Laura Sanchez for Extra and meeting some fans.
• 16 September 2010 – That evening Alex and Amber attended the CBS Fall Season Premiere at the Colony.
• 20 September 2010 – Alex made his first short appearance on The Ellen Show to promote the first broadcast of Hawaii Five-0 that evening.
• 20 September 2010 – Hawaii Five-0 premieres on Television, exactly 42 yrs after the old Hawaii Five-O

• 13 October 2010 – The rights to air Hawaii Five-0 has been purchased across the globe and the production opens its doors to the international press. Alex and the rest of the main cast do some interviews and photo sessions.
• November 2010 –  While filming Episode 1:13, Alex receives physical therapy for his shoulder injury.
• 18 December 2010 – Alex and Amber attend a ‘Holiday party’ for Hawaii Five-0 cast and crew at the Aloha tower.

2011:

• 3 January 2011 – Alex spotted at LAX again, saying goodbye to girlfriend Amber.
• 5 January 2011 – Alex was once again on the receiving side of a People’s Choice Award for Best New Drama, when Hawaii Five-0 walked away with the honors.

• 6 March 2011 – Alex and co-star Grace Park take part in a workshop for aspiring actors in Hawaii.
• 31 March 2011 – Hawaii State Legislature honours Hawaii Five-0 and CBS SVP at the Capitol in Honolulu, Executive Producer Peter Lenkov and cast members Alex O’Loughlin (Steve McGarrett) and Daniel Dae Kim (Chin Ho Kelly) attended.

• 2 April 2011 – Lots of candid pictures of Alex were taken in Hawaii while on hiatus. He was also photographed running without a shirt showing off the top half of a newly upgraded lower back tattoo. Up until now, no photographs of the full tattoo has been seen – for obvious reasons (He’ll have to drop his pants for that 😀 ).
• 14 April 2011 – Shooting of Season 1 of Hawaii Five-0 wrapped and Alex along with cast and crew attend the ‘Wrap Party‘

• 27 April 2011 – Alex was spotted at LAX again. Looking very relaxed.
• 5 May 2011  – Alex was photographed in Hawaii having breakfast and showing of very interesting socks and a Aloha T-shirt with a brand new shortly shaven haircut.
• 18 May 2011 – Alex attended CBS Upfront once again with fellow Hawaii Five-0 actors for the official announcement of the second season.

• 21 May 2011 – Alex  hosted the opening reception of Kent Williams’ art exhibit ‘Convergence’ at Merry Karnowsky Gallery in LA. (Here is a fan account of the event)
• 22 June 2011 – Alex shows off his skills as model again, this time doing a shoot for Cosmopolitan October issue

During the hiatus Alex poses as action man for a photo shoot by Jim Wright and an interview for the cover story of Men’s Fitness Magazine August addition. Earlier in the year he also did a photo shoot and interview for the cover story of GQ Australia, Autumn/Winter issue

What a long way he has come, since he moved to Hawaii a year ago. He bought himself his first house. He got himself a little puppy called Dusty (an American Staffordshire). The show is a success world-wide. He is a man in demand and on top of the world!

*****

• 11 July 2011 – As shooting on the second season of Hawaii Five-0 commence Alex and the cast attend the Blessing Ceremony.
• 9 September 2011 – Alex and the rest of the main cast members record interviews with the media.

• 10 September 2011 – It was Sunset On the Beach time again. This time twice as many screaming fans attended the event. Alex and the other Hawaii Five-0 cast members walked the red carpet again, signing autographs and doing lots of interviews before the screening of the first episode of Season 2. Among his guests for the evening was his long time friend and set stand in double, Sam Gould (HNN Interview on the carpet)

• September 2011 – In the week after SOTB, the scenes for the MMA fighting in Episode 2:06, are filmed. Alex takes a number of hits while doing it.
• September 2011 – Also during the filming of Episode 2:06, Insider visited the set and conducted some interviews with the cast. In his interview Alex mentions that he is not as tough as McGarrett and that he goes home at night and soaks himself in an ice bath to help recover his “battered” body. (Unfortunately that full interview is lost)
• 16 October 2011 – Alex and fellow actors attend an afternoon session with the public at the Hawaii International Film Festival, looking very relaxed and answering lots of questions.
• October 2011 – While filming the torture scene for Episode 2:10, Alex hangs from his arms for hours, aggravating his old shoulder injury.

• 7 November 2011 – Alex was photographed, doing shopping in Hawaii.
• 14 November 2011 – Alex and his fellow actors attended a Veterans Day event at the Teaching Garden of the Hickam School. The Hawaii Five-0 cast helped the children to plant vegetables for the American Heart Association Teaching Garden at Hickam Elementary. As noticed on the photographs later, Alex’s new girlfriend Malia Jones and her 2 yr old son, was also present at the event.

• November 2011 – During his trip to Sydney, Alex visited the McDonald College (a non-denominational co-educational academic and  performing arts college), to assist with the short film contest.
  
• 22 November 2011 – Alex attended a black tie event held by GQ Australia Magazine to receive Actor of the Year Award. His award was handed to him by his mentor Jack Thompson. Also at the event was Rachael Taylor, who was awarded woman of the Year. She starred as only female lead in the movie Man-Thing together with Jack and Alex in 2003. At the event Alex also proclaimed his adoration for new girlfriend, Hawaiian girl Malia, who attended the event with him.

• December 2011 – News spread that Alex’s 14-year-old son was to join him in Hawaii on a permanent basis, attending school on the Island. It was also reported that he was taking a skiing holiday in Europe with Malia, her 2 yr old son and his own son Saxon. It was never confirmed officially until Alex himself mentioned it in an interview at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Press conference in June 2012

2012:

• January 2012 – During the first two weeks of the year they filmed Hawaii Five-0 Episode 2:15. Although we have never heard any official confirmation about this incident on set, the visuals from the gag reel, shows a freak accident with the red garage door. Alex seemed to take a pretty hard knock from it and there are clear signs of injury afterwards. You can find our unconfirmed investigation into it here.
• 14 January 2012 – Alex attends the G’Day gala in LA and walked the red carpet together with his companion Malia Jones

• 2 March 2012 – It is announced that Alex entered rehab to help him recover from his misuse of prescription pain killers for the shoulder injury he got during Season 1 already. He aggravated the injury a number of times and it affected his ability to handle the pain and do his job effectively. It came as a shock but not as a surprise to most fans, who could see the signs of Alex wilting away for months now. Not known to the fans at the time, was that Alex’s partner Malia, was already a few weeks pregnant with their son Lion.
• 4 April 2012 – Six weeks after Alex left for rehab it was reported by director Larry Teng that the cast and crew gave a heartfelt applause when he returned to the set of Hawaii Five-o, to shoot the second last episode of Season 2.
• 22 April 2012 – Alex attend the ‘Wrap Party‘  for the Hawaii Five-0 cast and crew.

• 1 May 2012 – Alex was spotted doing some shopping shirtless, showing off his quirky ‘Mohawk’ hairstyle.
• 5 May 2012 – Alex and Malia attended a fundraiser for the Hoaloha Kai Montessori School at The Kahala Hotel & Resort. The sold-out event was the school’s first annual dinner auction and items available for bidding included a script of the Hawaii Five-0 pilot signed by the cast and a signed photo of Scott Caan.” (Original picture by Nicole Seu)
• 14 May 2012 – Alex and his dog Dusty were once again photographed at Cocojor spa. Alex got Dusty as a puppy (see insert on picture) during the previous years hiatus and obviously likes to spoil her a lot. She also accompanies him to work most days.  (Dusty’s birthday is 16 April)

• 6 June 2012 – Alex and Scott Caan attend the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) Press conference in LA. It was the first interviews for Alex after he spent time in rehab. Alex says that he realised he should let the stunt team with Justin as his double, do their job and he plans to take it easier to protect himself from injury.
• June 2012 – During his stay in LA, Alex together with Malia and Saxon were also seen at the play that Scott wrote and starred in. It is called ‘No way around but through‘ and ran at the Falcon Theatre.
• June 2012 – Alex received his blue belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu from Egan Inoue. At the time he had been training with Egan for a year.

This is the end of part 2 of our ‘biography’ – part 3 to follow here.

This page is dedicated to my dearest online friends (my blog partner Paula and online LaHagela), who not only inspire me to find answers, but also most of the time found them for me. The last year and a half has truly been a fun ride.