When Michael Theo applied to feature in the documentary series Love On The Spectrum, he hoped to find a girlfriend. Little did he know that his brief dalliance with a camera crew in 2020 would result in him becoming beloved worldwide, launching a podcast and kicking off an acting career with a series written just for him four years later.
“I was excited to go on that show,” Michael tells PEDESTRIAN.TV. “I saw it as an opportunity to help me find a girlfriend. But surprisingly, it didn’t quite help me reach that goal. Instead, it helped me reach something else I never really quested for — which was fame.”
For those who’ve seen Love On The Spectrum, it’s no surprise Michael has found himself in the spotlight again. With a natural charisma, lovable energy and biting wit, he stood out, quickly becoming a fan favourite. After appearing in two seasons of the Emmy-award-winning series, he captured the attention of director Darren Ashton.
“Michael is incredibly charismatic and he really stood out on Love On The Spectrum,” Darren explained.
“I just thought there was something special about his screen presence.”
With Michael in mind, Darren wrote a series called Austin about a best-selling but recently cancelled children’s book author named Julian Hartswood (Ben Miller) who goes into a tailspin when he’s confronted by a 20-something neurodivergent son named Austin (Michael Theo) that he never knew he had.
“We did a chemistry test with Michael and Ben Miller almost four years ago — time flies — and they got on really well,” Darren said.
“There was one point where they were improvising a scene and Ben thought Michael had finished improvising. And he said, ‘Hang on, are you still acting? Or talking as Michael?’ because he was just so good and such a natural.”
Unsurprisingly, Michael — who had dreamed of acting since he was young — took to the role like a duck to water. But it was important to both Michael and Darren that his character represented neurodivergence in an authentic and genuine way.
“I made it very clear to the crew from the very beginning that Austin should be a true representation of people on the spectrum or neurodiverse people, as we should say,” Michael said.
“There’s a saying which is: ‘If you’ve met one neurodiverse person, you’ve just met one neurodiverse person’,” Darren chimes in.
“And it was interesting how much of Michael’s lived experiences ended up in the show.”
In Austin, you’ll see a bunch of unique Michael quirks and preferences. For example, in the show, Austin has a penchant for flat lemonade so he’ll stir it until there are no bubbles left in sight — just like Michael does.
“It was actually a lot of fun working with Darren,” Michael confirms. “I managed to toss around some ideas for the scripting and character as well.”
For Michael, working on Austin has been a dream come true. Not only because of his love for acting, but the way he’s been able to influence the depiction of neurodiverse people on national television.
“I’m very proud of the show itself,” he says.
“It’s the most important work that I’ve ever done in my life.”
Creating the series has been equally impactful for Darren too.
“Working with Michael has changed my outlook on life a lot,” Darren exclaims.
“His influence on the show has been so positive and life affirming. He’s just a person that looks at life in a positive way.”
One of the biggest questions Michael is asked since appearing on Love On The Spectrum, is whether he’s managed to find love. In some good news for the ladies out there, Michael is still searching for his dream girl.
“I’ve dated several women, but some of them friendzoned me and some of them I had to — which is not an easy task,” Michael explains.
“The other reasons why I haven’t found a partner is because I consider myself a one woman man. I’m not willing to bounce from one woman to the next. I’d rather reserve myself for the right person and not settle for anything less.”
I’ll tell you what, he’s wise beyond his years, this Michael Theo.
You can watch Austin on ABC TV (Sundays at 8pm) or stream all episodes on ABC iview.
