Richard Roxburgh: There's 'no easy solution' to stop underage sexting

Of the many screen projects he’s worked on, Richard Roxburgh’s latest television show is definitely one that pushed him into new territory.

The 57-year-old Australian actor stars alongside Asher Keddie in SBS show The Hunting, the pair playing parents of a high school student embroiled in an underage nude photo scandal.

“It’s slightly terrifying because I have kids of my own who are about to go into that territory,” Richard tells Yahoo Lifestyle.

“I thought it was an important story and an important conversation to open up.”

While his youngest children Luna and Miro are two and eight respectively, his eldest, Raphael, is 12.

“He does [have a mobile phone],” Richard explains.

“Obviously that world is opening up to us. The most important thing is to keep communicating, to keep that stuff alive so that they [kids] know constantly that they have somebody that they can reach out to and talk to.

“It’s important that there are new conversations that you need to have with both boys and girls about what the internet is and about what social media is.

“We all know what exists on the net so what’s most important is to keep a conversation alive and to keep the communication happening.”

The Hunting sees two high school teachers discover that students are sharing x-rated images of their underage friends online.

What follows are serious implications for the students, teachers, peers and families.

Richard says this project reminds parents that a simple warning to their children to not share explicit images is often not enough.

“It isn’t really enough to say, ‘Don’t send nude pics of yourself to your boyfriend, that’s a stupid idea’,” he says.

“Because that isn’t working, in the same way it doesn’t work to say to kids, ‘Don’t take drugs at music festivals, it’s a stupid idea’.

“What is really important about the project is that it did open up discussions and it’s a glimpse into a world that’s really complex and that there’s no easy solution to.”

In a time when most Hollywood names are on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, Richard has shunned social media.

“I can’t stand it,” he admits. “I’ve never been on it. It doesn’t exist in my life and I feel so lucky that I’ve never had to do it.

“Younger actors now, there’s no way any of the young cast in this project could be working as actors now without it. I find that kind of sad.”

The Hunting airs tonight at 8.30pm on SBS, and on SBS On Demand.

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