When The Axe Falls
by Marianne Bell

Television soapies can be a stepping stone to stardom. Just ask Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue. But when the bubble burst, it's sometimes a case of: "Kylie who?" While Australian soapies are the flavour-of-the-month over-seas, back home there's no guarantee viewers will take any new serial to their hearts. The axing of Network Seven's upmarket soapie The Power, The Passion is the most recent example. Despite its star-studded cast and multi-million dollar budget, the show folded after just six months. TV veterans George Mallaby and Jill Forster say when a show is axed it's simply a matter of holding your chin up until something else comes along. But for newcomer Julian McMahon - who left his family and friends in Sydney to join the cast - the blow is more disappointing. The 21 year old son of the former Prime Minister, the late Sir William McMahon, and Lady Sonia McMahon, was just getting a taste for the entertainment industry. Nevertheless, Julian believes the experience of starring opposite some of Australia's best actors can only enhance his career. "The gut reaction was disappointment. There was no excuse given - except for ratings. One thinks, 'If only they'd given it more time'," says Julian. Rather than putting him off showbusiness, Julian says The Power, The Passion has increased his will to act. The model-cum-actor is already busy following up further opportunities. While conceding there is some "stigma" attatched to having starred in a flopped soapie, Julian remains optimistic. "To me it was a fantastic opportunity," he says. "I will always look back on it fondly. I learned a lot. It has been a stepping stone." Julian reveals even before the show was axed he was "already getting itchy feet". With tongue-in-cheek, he says: "I'd love to do a lead role in a film starring alongside Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep." If another soapie offer came up, Julian says he'd jump at the chance.