A New Look for Daniel MacPherson
Daniel MacPherson, the Australian actor known for his role as Joel Samuels in Neighbours, has undergone a dramatic transformation. Over two decades ago, he gained fame as the pretty-boy character, but since leaving the beloved soap in 2002, he has built an international profile through roles in shows like The Bill. Now, at 46, he has made a striking new appearance that is a far cry from his days as a fresh-faced performer.
In Russell Crowe’s new fight film, Beast, Daniel MacPherson is nearly unrecognizable. For the film, he hid his famously handsome face behind a light beard and cropped his hair. Scenes in the trailer show the ripped actor stripped to the waist, revealing a muscular torso, huge pecs, and bulky arms. 
In the violent action movie, Daniel plays a mixed martial arts fighter and one-time champion who comes out of retirement to help his family. Russell Crowe plays his coach, while Luke Hemsworth and Amy Shark, in her big-screen debut, also feature in the cast. Former South Sydney Rabbitohs champion George Burgess also plays an important role.
To prepare for the role, Daniel packed on 10kg of muscle, according to Esquire. He ‘lived’ like a fighter, which included hours of MMA training. ‘There’s this enormous physical challenge in making everybody in the world believe that you’re an MMA fighter,’ he told the magazine. ‘I was doing my own training. I was doing my own washing. I was doing my own cooking. Everything was a grind, but that’s what it needed.’
His ‘training’ took on an unusual twist, with the Aussie actor traveling to Thailand for ‘fight’ camps with semi-pro MMA competitors. 
It comes after Daniel recently shared a behind-the-scenes story about how he suffered a painful injury at the hands of footy great Burgess. The one-time soapie favorite said they were filming in front of 10,000 people when he took the injury. Burgess plays Daniel’s best friend in the film, but while shooting the final fight scene, the actor revealed he suffered a torn adductor muscle and a broken hip.
‘George Burgess picked me up in The Octagon in Thailand, which was shot in front of 10,000 people and tore my adductor and fractured my pelvis,’ MacPherson told Nick, Lutsy and Susie O’Neil on Nova’s Breakfast. ‘I already had a broken nose and already had a few other bits and pieces. Around 12 months later, I’m slowly putting my body back together.’
Daniel, who hosted Dancing with the Stars for several years, was full of praise for the English former rugby league star, who is the brother of fellow Souths stars, Sam, Tom and Luke. ‘Mate, he’s brilliant. He’s an actor!’ He said. ‘He plays my best mate in the film. He’s a fantastic actor! He’s a natural actor. It’s in him. He’s lovely. He’s going to come up great in the film.’
Beast drops on Stan on June 4.
