Stephen Curry is best known for his acting chops. From his breakout role in 1997’s The Castle to 2007’s The King (a series about TV icon Graham Kennedy) to playing Nikolai in 2022’s Fisk, there’s not much he hasn’t covered in his three decade career. Now, Curry is embarking on a brand-new challenge that’s straight out of his “comfort zone”, hosting a brand-new series alongside comedian Becky Lucas, Seven’s Blow Up.
If you’re not familiar with the premise, the family-friendly show transforms the humble balloon into jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring artistic creations, with 10 talented Australian balloon artists showcasing their creativity across several weeks of challenges, charged with turning ordinary balloons into works of art. And for the 46-year-old it’s a far-cry from his “real job”.
“For me, there was an escapism in being able to do something, which to be honest with you, isn’t in my comfort zone,” Curry told Mediaweek in a interview before the Monday, May 15 premiere. “It’s kind of a good challenge to breakout of the character thing and to be able to look at the camera? That’s pretty liberating.”
Curry’s humour and “big kid” like energy draws you in from the very first second and it’s a refreshing glance behind his true personality. While Lucas is billed as the comedian, Curry too is absolutely in the same category.
“The more rubbish I talk, and Becky talks, the more they encouraged us to talk that rubbish,” he said gleefully. “Whereas in my real job, if I talk rubbish, they tell me to shut up. In terms of the liberation I felt, I’ve almost been treated like a grown up whilst acting like a complete child.”
Stephen Curry and comedian Becky Lucas.
Fans of his previous work could be forgiven for thinking this role is a little left-field; however, it was actually a “no-brainer”. And since there’s no better critic then kids — especially when it comes to a series about one of the most popular toys in the world — Curry’s two sons, Arlo, 10 and Beau, 8, were the ones that convinced him to take the project on.
“I was sitting with my two sons and they both turned to me and said, ‘Why wouldn’t you do this show, dad?’ And I was like, ‘You’re right!’ It’s so much fun, it’s just so bonkers. It’s just like this celebration of creativity and it was a no brainer for me. I’m really proud of it.”
Stephen Curry reflects on the talent showcased in Blow Up
When the Mr. Black star first heard about Blow Up, his initial reaction was thinking we’d see a bunch of “balloon dogs and pirate swords”; however, one of the most awe-inspiring aspects of this “Lego Masters but make it balloon-art” show, is the level of talent.
“It’s unbelievable, right? You think about the materials they’re working with. It’s quite unbelievable how they can create emotion that can create personality in their artwork,” he said. “They’re telling this story and they’re judged by the great Chris Adamo who is CBA [Certified Balloon Artist] certified. He’s looking for creativity, he’s looking for colour, he’s looking for cohesion. These artists are blowing him away with their ability to convey that emotion and to create heart stopping pieces.”
The talented cast of Seven’s Blow Up.
While Curry admits that there’s a “school of thought” that the extraordinary balloon creators could have “spent more time on other things in their lives”, he is completely thankful to them for sticking with the unconventional art form.
“Thank god for that,” he said. “Because now we’ve got this show with that level of talent and it’s something that literally the whole family is going to be blown away by.”
Blow Up premieres 7:30 pm Monday, 15 May on Channel Seven and 7plus.