NRL great ‘waiting on calls’ after hilarious acting debut with Aussie icon
Steve ‘Beaver’ Menzies has achieved a lot in rugby league, including winning two premierships, a World Cup trophy and being inducted in the NRL Hall of Fame.
Thirteen years after calling time on his playing career, he can now add to his title of rugby league great and tell people he is an actor. Well, sort of.
Steve Menzies in action during the VoltX Energy commercial. VoltX Energy
The Manly Sea Eagles legend linked up with an Australian screen icon in Michael Caton, star of The Castle, to make his acting debut in a commercial for VoltX Energy.
The three commercials follow Menzies as he attempts to reduce his electricity bills, from enforcing a group of Manly pathways players to pedal exercise bikes as generators to speaking to a support group about his bill anxiety.
The third commercial shows Caton, Menzies’ friendly neighbour who is amused by his various attempts to save money, narrating the ex-forward’s movements like global environmental historian David Attenborough.
Menzies admits it was intimidating at times over the two-day shoot trying to say his lines perfectly, especially in the presence of a notable Aussie actor.
He also had to fight the urge to throw any of Caton’s famous lines from The Castle, like “tell him he’s dreamin’“, at him while on set.
“I didn’t want to wreck (his famous phrases),” Menzies told nine.com.au.
“But every time he would say certain lines. I can just picture him saying those famous lines. It’s just the way he says it ... it was a privilege working with him.
“It was cool living in someone else’s world for a little while.
“Michael tried to give me some tips and things ... I just had to say two sentences and that was hard enough to learn, then a camera’s on you and other people are around relying on you.
“Michael was saying his lines like an actor and I’m just a footy player talking. I was a little bit intimidated ... and by the end, I didn’t improve but I wasn’t as nervous because Michael would say, ‘just pretend you are saying this to your wife’.
“It was intimidating ... but it was very cool. He made me feel so comfortable.
Steve Menzies is seen speaking with Michael Caton for the VoltX Energy commercial. VoltX Energy
“We only filmed for a couple of days but after it was all over I thought, ‘I miss it’.”
Menzies recalled the first moments he met Caton on set and how quickly his nerves went away after seeing the 83-year-old wearing a maroon colour shirt.
Menzies thought the shirt was in connection to the Sea Eagles, who are sponsored by VoltX Energy, only to find once Caton turned around it was a Maroons jersey.
“He had his Queensland Origin top on, and I thought, ‘Oh, Michael’,” the NSW Blues legend laughed.
“I was disappointed that he wasn’t a Blues supporter, but I forgave him. It’s fine.
“He told me about his time in some of their Origin camps a few years back ... we had a good chat.”
While the 52-year-old could not speak highly enough of his time on set with Caton, he does not feel he will be following in his footsteps to become a television star.
Steve Menzies playing for the Blues. nna\telbra
“I’d rather tackle any rugby league player,” Menzies said.
“It was hard, so hard, but such a cool experience.”
With feature films likely out of the picture for Menzies, he has not ruled out taking on another acting gig with an Australian brand that often uses retired footballers.
“I think Lowes is the pinnacle of rugby league acting, so I suppose I still need to tick that one off,” Menzies said.
“I’ve done some Lowes photoshoots in the past but not a commercial.”
“I’m just waiting for all the calls to come in,” he added, laughing.
Until those calls come in, Menzies will be locked into the 2026 NRL finals series.
