Exclusive: Former South Sydney Rabbitohs forward George Burgess has ditched the sports field for the big screen to star alongside Russell Crowe in a new movie.
George, 34, has enjoyed a close bond with Crowe for years after playing for the Bunnies from 2012-2018 – the Sydney team the Hollywood megastar, 62, co-owns.
In a moving full-circle moment, George is now celebrating the release of his new film, Beast, alongside the man who guided him there.
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Sitting down with nine.com.au, the former NRL star opened up about his bond with Crowe, revealing the Gladiator icon has been far more than just a mentor – acting as a vital father figure to him and his brothers for most of their lives.
The Burgess brothers – George, his twin Tom, Luke and Sam – lost their footballer father Mark Burgess in 2007 to motor neurone disease at the age of 45.
The English siblings are all well-known in the NRL field, all making their mark in the sport over the years.
George was a teenager at the time of his beloved father’s death, telling nine.com.au how Crowe kept a close, fatherly eye on the brothers throughout their lives.
He also revealed the beautiful tribute Crowe has for their father in the backyard of his estate.
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“I lost my dad when I was 15. It was hard and I met [Crowe] not long after that… he was always that older figure for me and my brothers, especially me and Sam,” George said.
“He was always telling us off if we need to be pulled in line, and he still does, right now.”
He revealed that Crowe honours their late father and his legacy with a headstone memorial for him at his sprawling property in Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour in New South Wales.
“You need that older figure in your life, and he’s always had a spiritual connection with my dad,” George added.
“He has a headstone for my dad at his property in Coffs Harbour. He’s always been very close with us in that way.”
He and Crowe are now celebrating the release of their new film, Beast, which also stars Aussie actors including Daniel MacPherson, singer Amy Shark, Luke Hemsworth and Swedish-Australian Victoria’s Secret model, Kelly Gale.
In the film, George portrays Neal, the close friend and former colleague of MacPherson’s fighter character, Patton James, who supports him with his MMA fighting ambitions.
Crowe stars as Sammy, a tough and veteran mentor and gym owner who trained up Patton in his heyday.
George reflected on their working relationship, transitioning from football to the big screen, and said it was always a dream of his to work with Crowe on a film.
“The progression of it was crazy, because I thought about it a lot. I met him when I was 18. And he signed me to his football team when I was 18,” George added.
“I always had this in my head that I would do a movie with him someday. [I didn’t] tell him about it until later.
“Then this script came around and he saw that I was going for this role. So I think he took it as a good opportunity to help me with it and mould the character around some qualities that I have personally and I think he did a great job.”
George had a long career in the NRL, with his final stint being in 2022 for the St George Illawarra Dragons. He retired that year following hip resurfacing surgery.
Despite having huge success on the footy field, George always wanted to act.
He first fell in love with acting in a school play.
“I was always just eager to go into this world from a young, young age. And it was like, I was in the closet with it for a long time and I was doing secret acting classes during my playing career, in the evening,” he said.
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“So for me to be able to bring it to light now is really exciting, and something that I was probably more passionate about than playing sport.”
He’s even been busy of late auditioning for different acting projects.
More recently, he auditioned for Kevin Costner’s Honeymoon with Harry, which is being filmed in Australia right now.
Beast, directed by Tyler Atkins, with Crowe helping write the script, centres on a legendary and retired Aussie MMA fighter who gets back in the ring fighting for his brother.
Putting a sports story on screen, and an Aussie one at that, was important for George.
“There’s so many great fighters to have come out of Australia now. And it hasn’t really been an Australian story about another fighter,” he explained.
He also commented on co-star Amy Shark, who is celebrating her debut acting role with the film.
“She did great,” he said. “I’m a big fan of her music and she came in and she had a lot of work to do with the fight stuff, but she just jumped into it. I was trying to help her along as well, but she just smashed it.
“She’s a natural on camera.”
So what does George hope viewers get from the film after watching the sports drama film?
“Redemption. Not giving up when you’re down on your luck. Being able to get around your family and friends and fight back, there’s some powerful messages in the story.”
The film Beast it out in Australian cinemas now.
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