As I recently came clean on in another blog post, Miss. Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is one of my latest obsessions. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Thank goodness for Netflix. The Australian mystery series, has amazingly quippy writing, delightful costumes, fun and likable characters appearing in well-crafted and interesting stories.

In this week’s installment of Pardon While I Fangirl, I wanted to take a bit to spotlight the work of series co-star and romantic lead Nathan Page, who has quickly scaled to the top of my (admittedly lengthy) list of schoolgirl infatuations.

Nathan Page is a relative newcomer to television screens, having moved into acting as a second career. The talented actor has an interesting back story, having first jumped into popular consciousness as a professional cyclist. A number of sources report that he left the sport at 19 because “he was one of only a few cyclists on the European tour determined to stay clean.” (Sydney Morning Herald 9.6.2013). The Herald goes on to quote Page, “It was an era that was plagued by drugs and it was very hard to see your way through to a long career.” (SMH 9.6.2013).

It was reportedly the “wilderness” of having stepped away from his sporting career that first propelled Nathan Page into an acting career. IMDB cites his first role as a film Strange Fits of Passion in 1999. In the 17 years which have followed, Page has been acting steadily, primarily on Australian television.

The most accessible roles  for those not living in Australia are Miss. Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, as well as a recurring guest role through eight episodes of Underbelly (a long running procedural, which is available to stream on various websites). However, most of us sit with bated breath, waiting for some announcement on the presumed upcoming fourth season of Miss. Fisher’s Murder Mysteries to see where the characters go after THAT season finale (spoilers, sweetie!).

The crime fighting duo with no sense of personal space…

It is Page’s incredible chemistry with Miss. Fisher star Essie Davis which contributes to Miss. Fisher’s success as a series. The relationship between the two characters is quippy and fun, while at the same time boiling at some level under the surface, at which both are unable or unwilling to act on the feelings.

Page has spoken in interviews about injecting an amount of wounded post-war masculinity into the character of Jack.  There has been a tremendous amount written on the sense of wounded masculinity following WWII (a scholarly passion of mine), but WWI has largely been forgotten about in the grand scheme of things. As the series has developed, we’ve gotten tantalyzing insight’s into Jack’s past. We knew he fought in the War and married young. By the time we enter the series, he’s already had a lengthy career in the police force, and has been moving himself up the ranks. The character has seen alot, and he’s not immune to the trauma. He’s not a communicator. He keeps alot about him hidden just below the surface, including his feelings for Miss. Fisher.

So, to wrap up a piece which is quickly growing in length, I find myself continually blown away with every performance of Page’s which I have been able to see. Thanks to the joys of streaming, it’s slowly getting easier to find his Australian work here in the States.  However, I would encourage fangirls the world over to check out the work of this talented actor. Producers and screenwriters… hint… hint. He needs to be on my television screen much more.