The Aussie actor is taking on a dark role in the Paramount+ series Last King of the Cross.
Lincoln Younes, a former star of Home and Away, will make a surprise return to Australian television tonight in the Paramount+ drama Last King of the Cross, playing the legendary John Ibrahim. The Ibrahim brothers, who infamously “controlled” Sydney’s Kings Cross strip, are the focus of the episode.
The Australian actor tells us that although though the fictionalized drama is grim, dark, and intense, there were still some humorous moments on filming. In a frank interview with Yahoo Lifestyle about the program, he discusses his excitement for it, a curious detail involving prosthetics, and an embarrassing nude meeting.
Lincoln was forced to get completely naked in one scenario that occurs fairly early in the series in order to burn evidence of a crime. He finds naked moments a little “uncomfortable,” but he understands that it’s all part of the business.
As the star undressed in the garden, the broadcast team turned away, but he couldn’t escape one stare. Uncomfortably, a neighbor saw the action through his fence and was horrified to see Lincoln’s bare body.
“I’m facing the camera and the fire; the camera is hidden by a fence. And this neighbor came out in the middle of the take and just stood there staring at me as I was burning my clothing,” he chuckles. “And I returned his gaze. That continued far too long.
The Grand Hotel star continues, “It was a surreal moment to share with the cast and crew, who were almost strangers at the time, as this specific nude scene came near the beginning of filming.”
“That was pretty funny…
The cast and crew rapidly and thoroughly got to know me, he jokes.
Interesting detail behind prosthetic scar
Lincoln is quick to emphasise while the show is a fictionalised retelling of John Ibrahim’s story, certain elements have been lifted from his autobiography. One key identifying feature that producers decided to keep was John’s violent stabbing at age 16, resulting in a massive scar across his torso.
Coincidentally, the scar is in a shape of a giant cross, and makeup artists recreated the horrific wound on Lincoln’s stomach.
“He was gutted on the street when he was in his teens,” Lincoln says. “So for adult John, which I play, the scar has obviously healed…and it was really fun because it was my first time experiencing prosthetics.”
Adding the scar before filming began wasn’t simple; each morning, roughly two hours were needed to finish the intricate prosthetics. Despite the fact that the actor thoroughly loved his first encounter with prosthetics, he highlights a factor that viewers might not be aware of.
He says, “It looks unbelievable, and it was a lot of fun at first. However, I’m limited in my movement when wearing it. I can’t sit down since doing so would damage my prosthetic limb.
After the makeup artists finished, the actor from Victoria had to maintain a rigid body because sitting was quite difficult. He claims that it was “worth it,” nevertheless, because the scar looked fantastic on television.
‘Incredibly important’ story to be told
The Lebanese-Australian actor jumped at the chance to join the cast of this ‘iconic’ story, and says it’s ‘incredibly important’ to have such a multicultural story on Australian screens. The show has multiple languages and cultures portrayed, with English subtitles onscreen for non-native speakers.
“What we’re representing, which is this iconic strip in Sydney, it had all walks of life — and it accepted all and judged none,” Lincoln says.
Because of the numerous clichés about Lebanese culture that frequently appear on television, it is crucial in my opinion that this type of Lebanese story be conveyed there.
The drama spans three decades, from 1970 to 1990, and doesn’t shy away from gritty plotlines including gangs, drugs, murder, and other forms of violence. The show’s core appears to be John’s relationship with his older brother Sam, who is portrayed by Claude Jabbour.
Lincoln hints, “It’s about these two brothers and their broken but also connected friendship amid all the madness of history.”