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Exclusive: How John Jarratt mastered the Wolf Creek laugh

With Stan’s original Wolf Creek series coming back for its highly anticipated second season, actor John Jarratt and director Greg McLean talk to Be on how the “loveable killer” Mick Taylor came to be so iconic.

As it turns out John Jarratt came into casting already knowing how the character of Mick Taylor should be; “He’s got to have a laugh and it’s got to sound like this,” John had said to Greg while doing a rendition of the laugh.

John explains the final laugh took about six months to master, saying: “I just did all sorts of different laughs…wanting it to start off as a chuckle and end up like jaws music and that’s what happened".

John Jarratt returns as Mick Taylor for highly anticipated second season of Wolf Creek. Source: Stan
John Jarratt returns as Mick Taylor for highly anticipated second season of Wolf Creek. Source: Stan

In fact, Greg claims that when casting for the new Stan series, “If John said no there would be no show, it’s as simple as that,” explaining that the success of the show is credited to respecting the character of Mick Taylor.

“If you keep respecting the character and keep going back to what made the character great in the first place your original fans will keep coming back,” Greg says to Be.

Yahoo7 Be talks to Wolf Creek actor John Jarratt and director Greg McLean on how the character of Mick Taylor became so iconic. Source: Yahoo7 Be
Yahoo7 Be talks to Wolf Creek actor John Jarratt and director Greg McLean on how the character of Mick Taylor became so iconic. Source: Yahoo7 Be

Since the original film back in 2005, audiences have developed a love/hate relationship with Mick Taylor.

“You’re intrigued by him and you just can’t take your eyes off him but yet you should be repelled and should run out of the room, it’s a strange dichotomy,” John tells Be.

Season 2 of Wolf Creek sees a coach-load of tourists fighting for survival in an epic thriller series. Source: Stan
Season 2 of Wolf Creek sees a coach-load of tourists fighting for survival in an epic thriller series. Source: Stan

The suspense is said to reach new heights this season as Mick targets a coach-load of tourists.

“Mick is very much the puppet master… it’s basically him playing with human nature” Greg says, “I literally drive them mad” John adds.


Appearing alongside John Jarratt is an exciting cast including Tess Haubrich, Matt Day, Ben Oxenbould, Charlie Clausen and Stephan Hunter, with all six episodes of Wolf Creek season 2 available to binge watch on Stan on December 15.

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