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In just one week the brand new Stan original series, Invisible Boys, based on the book by Holden Sheppard has debuted at number 1 on the streaming platform, maintaining its place ahead of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Adapted for the screen by series creator Nicholas Verso this ten part series is a groundbreaking exploration of sexuality in regional Australia that we have yet to see displayed on Australian screens.

Ahead of the shows debut the stars of the show Joe Klocek, Joseph Zada, Aydan Calafiore and Zack Blampied sat down to talk with Michael James听about making this ground breaking new show.

Invisible Boys: “We don鈥檛 shy away from anything“

Invisible Boys is set in the dusty regional town of Geraldton, Western Australia against the backdrop of the marriage equality debate.

The show follows the lives of Charlie (Joseph Zada), Matt (Joe Klocek), Zeke (Aydan Calafiore) and Hammer (Zack Blampied) as four young gay men struggling to come to terms with their sexuality in a small town.

The show is rough, raw, edgy, powerful and speaks to the real lives of young gay men growing up and exploring their sexuality and identity in a world they don’t always feel they fit into.

Since its debut the show has been praised for tackling these issues head on, including the sex scenes within the show, which definitely leave little to the imagination.

“I was honestly excited about it. One of the things that really drew me to this project was that we don鈥檛 shy away from anything. It鈥檚 rare to get an opportunity to be at the forefront of telling a story like this, especially in Australian television” says actor Joe Klocek.

“We don鈥檛 hold back, and we don鈥檛 censor the reality of these experiences. I don鈥檛 think Australian media has ever told a story quite like this, where we show and talk about everything so openly. It feels like a privilege to be part of something that isn’t afraid to be raw and real” he says听of the production.

Straight out of the gate episode one jumps into the gritty exploration of sexuality, featuring a very raw sex scene between Charlie and a stranger in a public toilet.

However not long after Charlie again finds himself in a dark encounter with an older married man he picks up online as the two are caught in the act by the mans wife.

After the threat of being outed stares Charlie in the face he boldly chooses to out himself online, setting off a chain of events that will ultimately lead the four boys paths to cross.

While Charlie drives the central narrative of Invisible Boys, all four have their own powerful and unique story to tell, each with their own complexities that extend beyond more than just their sexuality.

Zeke struggles against the expectations of his religious Italian family and deeply homophobic mother played by Pia Miranda. Whilst he struggles against his mothers control he also fights against the bullying from Hammer which slowly develops into something more that catches them both off guard.

It was daunting for Aydan to prepare for the role and do it justice.

“It was definitely not something light or easy. It鈥檚 a deep story that covers some really intense and dark topics鈥攖hings that people are sometimes scared to address in mainstream media” he reflected.

“I was definitely nervous at first, worried about whether I鈥檇 be able to get there emotionally, both as an actor and as a person. Could I do justice to this role? Could I bring the necessary depth and truth to this character?”

“But at the same time, I knew I didn鈥檛 want to embarrass myself in front of all of Australia on Stan! So I just put my head down and committed to the process. It really helped that I felt incredibly supported by the team, and that made the experience so much easier and more rewarding.”

The character is a beautiful exploration of the struggles when faith, family and sexuality intersect and how families struggle to accept those they love.

Hammer is a rising football star, staring down the barrel of a future career in the AFL, he’s loud, rough, unapologetic and one of “the boys.”

Aside from his infatuation with Zeke, Hammer finds himself struggling against the pressure of his mother to perform at his best, his family and culture, the pressure to go ‘all the way’ with his girlfriend, all the while navigating his own identity that he’s yet to understand. However Hammer was a character Zach loved to play, finding likeable elements slightly different to the book version of the character.

“Hammer is a bit different on screen compared to the book, but I really liked him as a character” he reflects.

“One thing I don鈥檛 think people talk about enough is the comedy in his character. Some scenes are purposefully written to be funny, and I had so much fun leaning into that. Hammer can be a bully, but the way he鈥檚 written, he also has this charm and humour, and I really enjoyed playing with that dynamic.”

It was a lot for the young actor take on but he worked on bringing his own life experiences to the set.

“For me, the key was just trying to connect with the human experiences in the story” he says.

“I mean, I haven鈥檛 been a perfect person. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever outright bullied anyone, but you find those little ways that you can relate to the character. I鈥檝e played footy since I was really young, so that aspect of Hammer鈥檚 character was fun to bring to life on screen.”

“Then there鈥檚 the deeper stuff鈥攄ealing with racism, feeling lonely as a young man. Those themes really hit, and you just have to bring your own experiences into the work while making sure to keep yourself in a safe headspace.”

Farmer Matt meets blue haired punk rocker Charlie in the carpark of a local beat. Dark, quiet and mysterious, Matt is his opposite and everything Charlie has been looking for, but Matt lives a life that is worlds apart from Charlies.

The two find themselves captivated with each other as they combat the opposite lives they lead. Unlike the other characters Matt exists largely in isolation on his farm and has more limited interactions with the rest of the cast, which made for a different experience for him.

“Because my character, Matt, is quite isolated, I didn鈥檛 have a lot of scenes with a huge range of people, but I really loved the time we spent filming at the farm” he said.

“I got to work closely with my on-screen dad and brother, which was great. And funnily enough, I actually spent a day working on the real farm before we filmed, just to get a feel for the lifestyle. So I had a little bit of method acting going on!”

Powerful and moving performances from a stellar cast in Invisible Boys

Whilst this leading cast of four are mostly newcomers to the screen they have been brilliantly cast and deliver outstanding performances that hold true to the original novel perfectly.

Joe Klocek is the veteran of the group, having starred in a string of film and television roles, including the leading role in the stage adaptation of Boy Swallows Universe, which has definitely served him well. Having read the book prior to filming Joe was proud of the work they completed making the show. Working with series creator Nick Verso helped to craft a slightly different story to the original novel, whilst still playing true to the character.

“I had heard of the book, and I actually started reading it before I got too far into the audition process.”

“But after having a preliminary discussion with our fearless leader, Nick [Verso], we decided it might be best for me to postpone my reading. We were taking my character in a slightly different direction for the show, and we didn鈥檛 want me to get too locked into a version of him that might not translate directly to our adaptation. But as soon as we finished filming, I went back and read the book properly. I think we really captured the heart and essence of Holden鈥檚 brilliant novel.”

Joe delivers a beautiful, moving and subtle performance as Matt.

As a quiet, softly spoken character much of Matt remains in the unspoken and Joe’s performance is perfectly nuanced and striking. His chemistry with Charlie is beautiful to watch and the two create a stunning and complex couple on screen.

His performance in episode nine serves as a standout for him in the series.

At just nineteen years old Joseph Zada is the youngest of the cast, with arguably the most complex character. Zada embraces the role with gusto, harnessing the pent up rage Charlie feels at the town and the people that are holding him back from happiness.

He studied the book before filming to ensure he managed to get his performance just right.

“I read it twice before we started shooting. I really wanted to take in as much of the book as I could, especially about my character. Sometimes, when you鈥檙e working from an adaptation, your mind can start filling in gaps or mixing things up. I wanted to stay as close as possible to Holden鈥檚 original characterisation of Charlie.”

“Books give you this incredible insight into a character鈥檚 thoughts and emotions that you don鈥檛 always get from a script, where everything is told through dialogue and action. So I pulled out the things that resonated with me the most and used them to build my own interpretation of Charlie on screen. Then, once I felt confident in that, I focused fully on our version of the story as it was written in the script.”

There is a raw energy to his performance that captures his struggles and pain and leaves the audience deeply empathising with his character and cheering him on from the sidelines every step of the way.

“For me, Charlie鈥檚 whole energy is very much 鈥業 don鈥檛 care what you think about me鈥擨鈥檓 going to do whatever I want.鈥� he says.

He鈥檚 fearless in that way, and I knew from the beginning that stepping into that character meant embracing whatever came with it. So even if there were moments that could feel intense, I just had to remind myself that it was all part of Charlie鈥檚 journey, all part of this whirlwind of energy he brings to the story” he said.

“The only thing that scared me, honestly, was hoping I was doing a good job. I was terrified I鈥檇 be dreadful! But I think it鈥檚 come out all right.”

Zack Blampied hadn’t quite finished acting school in Melbourne when he received the news that he had been cast as Hammer.

It’s the perfectly launching pad for Blampied who showcases the angry and loud Hammer as well as he does the confused, quieter and quite often funnier side of Hammer.

The complexity of Hammer navigating his sexuality against the cultural background of his Indigenous heritage is displayed with grace and subtly, balanced beautifully against the performances of his mother and aunty.

This is not his first time on screen however this is the first acting gig for Aydan Calafiore.

After appearing on The Voice Aydan rocketed his way to the final four and has found himself a legion of fans.

His shift to the acting world proves that Aydan has far more to offer than his powerful voice and smooth moves. On The Voice stage Calafiore has a swagger and attitude reminiscent of an early years Anthony Callea, on the set of Invisible Boys he transforms into a humble, fumbling and and affable young man.

Aydan finds the nuances in the slow evolution of Zeke’s character effortlessly as he slowly finds his way forward growing in confidence.

In particular the performance between Aydan and his on screen mother Pia Miranda is exceptional as the power struggle plays out between them across the series.

However it’s not just the performance of the four leading men in this series that drives the show.

Each is supported by an equally talented set of co-stars who help them deliver an exceptionally dynamic, engaging, heartwarming and brilliant show.

Sex and sexuality on screen

Let’s be on honest, no-one wants to sit down and watch themselves have sex on television in front of their family, but this is the somewhat daunting situation all four boys found themselves.

Each of the four appear naked and in confronting scenes at some point, leading to conversations they have to have with family members about what they are going to see or which family members perhaps might not be ready.

For Joe Klocek, a quick google will tell you he’s no stranger to getting his clothes off for the camera.

“I seem to have developed a bit of a pattern in my career of taking my clothes off on camera! I guess it鈥檚 becoming my thing” he laughs.

“But seriously, for this show, those scenes weren鈥檛 just about nudity鈥攖hey were about showing something honest and real. We didn鈥檛 approach them in a way that felt gratuitous or unnecessary. They were an essential part of the story we were telling.”

For Joseph Zada it was quite the opposite to his experiences.

“This was my first time ever doing a sex scene, and not only that, it was also my first time being on a set at all. So I was learning everything as I went” he said.

“But we had an incredible intimacy coordinator, and we worked through everything really carefully. Before we even got to filming, we had rehearsals to map out every movement and make sure we both felt comfortable and safe. It was choreographed like a dance, so by the time we got to set, we knew exactly where we needed to be and how everything would unfold.”

Another newcomer to working intimately on set, Aydan embraced the awkwardness of the situation with the support of the team around him.

“There鈥檚 always going to be a moment of, 鈥極h wow, okay, we鈥檙e really doing this on screen.鈥� Because, let鈥檚 be real鈥攊t鈥檚 not a normal thing for most people to experience in life” he says.

“You鈥檝e got cameras in your face, people watching, and you have to perform something that鈥檚 meant to feel incredibly personal and intimate. And then there鈥檚 the added layer of knowing that your family and friends are going to see it too!”

“But from the very start, we were given so much support. The production team made it very clear that if anything ever felt uncomfortable, we just had to say the word.

“At the end of the day, those moments really add to our characters’ stories. Once we got past the initial nerves, it became just another part of telling these characters鈥� truths.”

Now after filming these scenes, they’re out there for their family and friends to watch, but are the boys ready for everyone to see them this way?

For Zach his mum was never going to not watch it and she did watch, all of it.

“Well, my mum has seen every bit of it!” he laughed.

“Every single moment. And she was so supportive. Her reaction was basically, 鈥榃ow, okay. Well鈥� you both played it really well at least!鈥� And honestly, that鈥檚 all I can ask for. That鈥檚 the best reaction I could hope for!”

For Aydan with younger siblings it’s a bit more daunting again.

“My parents? Yeah, they鈥檙e totally fine with it. But my sisters? That鈥檚 a different story!”

“There鈥檚 that little moment of, 鈥極h god, my sisters are going to see me do what teenage boys do when they鈥檙e alone in their rooms at night鈥︹�� And that鈥檚 just not something you ever want your siblings thinking about!”

“And then there鈥檚 my grandma鈥擨 mean, is my nonna going to watch this? I have no idea! But at the end of the day, it鈥檚 acting. I always say, 鈥業f Heath Ledger could do Brokeback Mountain and completely own that role, then people can suck it up and watch me make out with a couple of people on screen!鈥� It鈥檚 all part of telling a beautiful, powerful story.”

Joseph Zada was also prepared to share the story with his mother, but again his nan, maybe not so much.

“I鈥檝e done my best to prepare my family for what they鈥檙e about to see, but they鈥檙e going to watch it no matter what I say. My mum, though鈥攕he loved it. She鈥檚 just like, 鈥楲et everyone see it, who cares?鈥�”

“But I鈥檝e had to warn my Nan鈥� I鈥檓 not sure I really want her to watch those scenes!”

For Joe Klocek it’s all about the story being told.

“It鈥檚 a beautiful story, and the messages are so important, but yeah, I totally get that. Maybe it鈥檚 one of those shows where you let your parents and grandparents know it exists, but you don鈥檛 sit down and watch it together!”

“If you ever feel along, you’re not.

Invisible Boys is a must watch piece of Australian television, from start to finish this groundbreaking work will draw you into the world of Geraldton and have you laughing, crying and cheering with the boys.

But it is shares important messages during a very important time for the LGBTQIA+ community here and abroad, the series is a beacon of hope that many will find hope and joy in seeing.

“It’s an important story” says Aydan.

“It’s an important Australian story to be told. There’s a lot going on in the world right now, outside of Australia. So I think now more than ever, it’s important to to feel seen and to feel heard and I think this story does that.”

“So I just hope that the big take away that we always keep touching on is that you’re not alone. Even if it might feel like you’re alone, like our characters are alone in their small in a small town where everyone knows everyone they, feel more alone than ever really.”

“I think that’s really important to know that there’s someone that will accept you for who you. You just have to find them.”

“Hopefully this show coming out will have such positive impact to to a young queer people” says Zach.听

“Not even just young queer people, but young people in general that are struggling regardless of whether it’s race, gender or their sexuality. So hopefully we’ve done enough to make people feel seen.”

Joe and Joseph have one final reminder for everyone watching.听

“We hope you love it. It’s for you and if you ever feel alone, you’re not.听

Invisible Boys is now streaming exclusively on .