War Machine’s Blake Richardson is punching above his weight

AT A TIME WHEN heavy use of CGI seems like a prerequisite for a blockbuster, War Machine is a refreshing throwback to old-school action classics like Predator and Rambo. The Alan Ritchson-led film drops you into the wilderness with a group of soldiers undergoing their final test in the process of selection for the US Army Rangers, but when an otherworldly enemy shows up, the group must fight for their survival.

The big-budget film is one of Netflix’s most highly anticipated (and costly) original releases of the year. For Australian actor Blake Richardson, a role in a project of that scale represented the kind of opportunity he’d been waiting years for.

“I’ll never forget arriving on set with Jack Patton and Daniel Webber for that first day,” Richardson says. “The scale of it all, we couldn’t believe it.” Despite the size of the production, nerves weren’t front of mind. “I’ve been so hungry for an opportunity like this for years,” he says. “I’ve felt like I’ve been sitting on the sidelines waiting for an opportunity to show what I can do. So with War Machine, I was ready to just go gung ho.”

Richardson plays a soldier known simply as ‘15’, a member of the team who brings humour to the group dynamic. “15, on the surface, he’s sort of the joker of the group,” Richardson explains. “He’s the guy that everyone loves, and he’s a conspiracy theorist. But while he is the comic relief a lot of the time, he’s also someone who really cares about the team and everyone around him.”

This is Richardson’s first major studio film. His path to the screen hasn’t been entirely conventional. Alongside acting work he is also a comedian, which explains why he’s so disarmingly funny. But despite his natural talent for comedy, acting always came first. “Acting was always my first love,” he says. “Ever since I was a little boy, whenever I would watch a film or TV, I would just imagine myself in those films, acting out those scenes.”

Like many aspiring performers, he also spent plenty of time dreaming about what success might look like. “I’ve also, I’m not ashamed to admit, practiced many award speeches in the mirror over the years,” he laughs. “I’ve always been a bit of a dreamer and acting really was the perfect medium for that because what you can be and what you can imagine for yourself is limitless.”

Richardson grew up in Perth, which he describes as a beautiful place, though not necessarily the easiest launchpad for an acting career. “You don’t have the WA premier on the line, do you?” is what he says when asked if there are many opportunities out West. “Look, Perth is a beautiful place to grow up and it’s a beautiful place to retire, but for our industry, there isn’t as much opportunity. There’s just not as much going on in the most isolated city in the world. Can you believe it?”

That’s why a production like War Machine, which was filmed primarily in Australia, was a big deal for local actors. The film’s physical demands also suited Richardson, who has a background in mixed martial arts. “I started MMA a little bit later in life, amongst COVID and all that when I just needed to take back some control,” he says. “I started to train at an MMA gym and I just loved the community, the atmosphere, the camaraderie. It’s a meritocracy-based sport. If you punch them in the face more than they punch you in the face, you usually win.” Although, after stepping into the cage for a fight, he had an epiphany. “After I had my first fight I thought, ‘You know what? I’m going to stick to acting.’”

In addition to his MMA background Richardson trains hard all year round. “I do a lot of MMA, a lot of CrossFit, a lot of just functional fitness,” he says. But although Richardson possesses a chiselled set of abs and biceps that can test the limits of shirt sleeves, Alan Ritchson set an impossibly high standard while filming War Machine. “Standing next to Alan Ritchson is terrible for your body image,” Richardson jokes. “Alan’s six foot five, so I never actually met him face to face. I would just hear his voice come down through the clouds every now and then, like the word of the Lord.”

Despite Ritchson’s imposing physical presence, Richardson says the actor was generous and welcoming. “Alan’s a great dude – and he’s even bigger in person.” Working with Ritchson did inspire Richardson to bulk up. “After War Machine, I started training to pack on more size,” he says. “I like to use my body as a tool for storytelling. If the role requires me to be more muscular, whatever, I’ll do that. If they want to slim down, whatever it is, I’ll do that too.”

With his first high-profile film role under his belt, Richardson is excited for what could come next. He’s already filming his next project, though he remains coy about revealing too much. “I’m not too sure if I can mention the project,” he says. “But it’s the longest running serial drama in Australian history, so that should narrow it down for you.”

For Richardson, though, the real goal is simple: to keep working. “In 10 to 15 years’ time, I just want to still be acting and supporting myself in this industry,” he says, because as he’s gaining more experience, he’s becoming increasingly sure that he’s exactly where he wants to be. “I’m learning that it doesn’t matter what the project is, whether it’s a film with a $100 million budget like War Machine or a serial drama, being on set is my happy place,” he says. “The hardest day of shooting is still better than a day that I’ve got nothing on.”

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