TV Week,
March 2016
Hawaii Five-0 star opens up about commitment and life in Hawaii.
When Alex O’loughlin signed on to appear in a TV series shot in Hawaii, he never thought he’d still be there six years later. But, the laid back lifestyle has suited the Australian star.
Alex plays lieutenant Steve McGarrett in the rebooted crime series, Hawaii Five-0.
“I didn’t know I was coming to Hawaii to meet my wife and have a family”, Alex, 39, says of moving to the island.
“I didn’t know I would be accepted in the Polynesian culture. And, that I would be blessed and given a [Hawaiian] name, and that I’d give my children Hawaiian names.”
Indeed a lot has happened for him since he based himself in Hawaii. He credits a lot of positive lifestyle changes to his wife, Malia.
The two wed in 2014 and have a three-year-old son Lion together. Malia’s son from a previous relationship, and Alex’s son, Saxon, also from a previous relationship, spend time living with them.
“They’re all in the water and just running around like little forest animal,” Alex laughs.
However marriage wasn’t something Alex always thought would be on the cards for him.
“Hollywood is not exactly a hot bed of mental health, and I include myself in that,” he says.
“There’s not exactly super secure people everywhere. So having relationships, and when you have to travel so much, it’s tricky.”
But now settled in Hawaii, he described marriage as
“the best”. “It is totally different to what I thought it would be,” he says.
“I was sort of scared at first. But if you’re in it, and you don’t have a foot out the door – it is the most incredible thing and everything just gets better.”
While Hawaii has become home for Alex, he still maintains strong ties to Australia.
“The bush is something I miss, as a close second behind my family,” he says.
To stay in touch with his roots, Alex designed his house using hardwood and corrugated iron from Australia.
“I’ve got pepper trees out the front, a verandah and tin roof,” he says. “[They are] things that remind me where I come from.”
Even when Hawaii Five-0, which is airing its sixth season, comes to an inevitable end, Alex wants to maintain his base on the island.
“I don’t want to go anywhere,” Alex says. “It’s a wonderful place.”
He’s not only who has relaxed while on Hawaii. Alex feels his tough-guy character McGarrett has “become gentler” over the course of the series.
“He’s become open to a more long-term situation in his own life with a love,” Alex says.
While he doesn’t ever want McGarrett to soften too much, Alex laughingly admits a few less stunts would not hurt.
“I’m in the hospital every season because of all this sh**t he wants to do,” Alex says of his character.
The actor adds he is happy to jump out of a plane or roll a car, but he would like a chilled episode every so often.
“A vacation episode would be nice,” Alex says, “where all McGarrett does is sit on the beach and gets served mimosas and get his feet rubbed.”
Thank you to Hawaii Five-0 Australia on Facebook, for posting the scan of the article.
Alex O´Loughlin ~ An Intense Study 