The Many Faces Of Lincoln Younes

Moving in quick succession, Lincoln Younes’ face and body language change in front of our cameras. From one moment to the next, he is playful then pensive; aloof then entirely engaged with the audience beyond the lens. 

It’s this ability to disappear into different characters that has seen the actor convincingly embody Home and Away’s intelligent yet volatile Casey Braxton, the notorious tycoon of Sydnev’s ’90s nightclub scene John Ibrahim in Last King of the Cross and. most recently, the beautiful yet hapless soldier Albhanis Mouawad in satirical comedy series C*A*U*G*H*T. In reality, Younes is gracious and charismatic, enamouring the crew on our shoot. Yet his characters are often stark departures from his personality. 

“In short, it’s fun,” he says of his varied role choices. “The less you have in common with each character, the more fun work and research there is to be done and the more freedom there is to play. I was always fascinated with different lived experiences and different people, so to have been afforded such variety in my career thus far has been a real gift. Also, it’s so satisfying as a viewer to be watching an actor you know and not recognise them. That’s always been a goal of mine.” The aforementioned Albhanis Mouawad of C*A*U*G*H*T offers that separation. 

Written, directed and produced by friend Kick Gurry, the television series follows four Australian soldiers whose hostage video goes viral after they are captured in a war-torn country. The show unexpectedly found an early fan in Hollywood heavyweight Sean Penn, who reached out to be involved after viewing an early teaser. “Kick’s brand of irreverence is so charged by an enthusiasm for all things considered inappropriate, from ball sacks to fame, idiots and intellectuals, and finally to that creepy-crawly continuum of war,” Penn said in a statement, following the announcement of his appearance in the series.

The “ball sacks” that Penn referred to appear in an outrageous early scene in the series’ first episode, where Younes’ character is thrown into a shallow ditch with his fellow soldiers, entirely nude and with a prosthetic penis to boot. For those more familiar with Younes’ dramatic performances it was a decidedly new side – so it’s not hard to imagine the scepticism he may have first faced at the prospect of this project. However: “Self-expression as an actor, for me, is finding your own unique voice in a very loud, sometimes cacophonous, orchestra. In order to discover that and protect it, you need to identify the parts of your life that are in your control and that serve you.” 

Raised alongside one younger brother in Bendigo, Victoria, by his journalist mother, it is perhaps no wonder that Younes begins his preparation for roles in the manner of a reporter researching a story. “I research, I forage inspiration, I sit with ideas and then I interrogate which of them is the most interesting to play and watch,” he shares. “I think instincts are definitely key to a good performance, but you need the framework and the tools to let them shine through. 

“In terms of the prep for particular roles, I think you can borrow or relate parts of your own life experience and humanity to create the initial scaffolding for your imagination to then subsequently fill in the blanks,” he continues. “I don’t like transposing too much from my own life, because it can limit your exploration of someone different from you. Similarities are just as valuable as differences, and by objectively exploring both, you find your way into each character.” In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald in 2021, Younes expressed a desire to “play more roles that honour my Lebanese background”, a motivation borne from a trip to Lebanon to reconnect with extended family and learn more of his culture. That role soon manifested with local television production Last King of the Cross, with Younes cast to play John Ibrahim, the titular king of Sydney’s Kings Cross nightclub scene in its famously crime-ridden ’90s era.  

“I have always loved an underdog or an anti-hero. Any character that sits undecidedly in the greyness of life, with the potential and drive for change, is interesting to me,” says Younes. The show went on to become Paramount+’s most-watched Australian series, and as a testament to Younes’ captivating performance, he received a nomination for Most Popular Actor at the Logies. Make no mistake, though: despite his dedication to his craft, Younes is not interested in taking his characters home with him. 

Between his hours on set, he can be found in the ocean – the place where he finds calm in the chaos. “This industry and career can get so heady and insular that it’s important to drop back into your body where possible,” he says. “For me, being out in that saltwater, away from devices and excuses, and being at the mercy of something larger than yourself, recalibrates my perspective and grounds me. I will commit to the work ethic for the entirety of a project. The characters and the stories will play in my mind, but the only time I want to be in character is between the words ‘action’ and ‘cut ‘. I love my outside life, same as I love my job, and it’s important to delineate the two, otherwise, it can all get very messy.” Next up is the second season of Last King of the Gross, which Younes is in rehearsal for at the time of writing. There is also the prospect of producing his own projects. “Moving forward, I am conscious of the stories I decide to tell,” he says.

“As storytellers, we have a responsibility to add volume to narrative voices that are quietened by society and be the conduit for good change in the world, so that has become something I am quite cognisant of.

More in control of his career than ever, it’s only right for Younes to have the last word. No longer guided by a director or photographer, his chosen words are considered and introspective, as we’ve come to find the man himself. “I heard this sentiment a while back… All art is the offer you gave, in the time you had. And I think that is applicable to life, too,” he says. “As creatives and people, we can get so caught up in ideas of perfection, especially when it comes to our work… and the truth is, that’s all bull. There is no perfect art, there is no perfect life. There are just moments in time, where choices are made in the circumstances given. I find that calming whenever I start to run through the playback in my head.”