Kadek Mahardika, the actor who portrayed the handsome Balinese waiter Ketut in the AAMI Insurance commercials, reveals to Woman’s Day that he is ready to make a major return to the spotlight and has his eyes on one of the biggest shows in the nation, Home And Away! Just over 10 years have passed since one of Australia’s most well-known commercials first aired on TV!
The 39-year-old claims, “I would jump at the opportunity 100%.”
“I believe that Ketut will be welcomed in Summer Bay by Australia.” His wife Laura Jack shares his enthusiasm.
“Australia, let’s get him up there! She chuckles, “I want to meet Alf Stewart.
Following the announcement of Mandy McElhinney’s role in the soap opera and Ketut’s bid, Kadek already has some ideas for stories.
“Can you picture Ketut and Rhonda reuniting on the beach? I could offer her a beer, right? Or perhaps we already have children who are taking surfing lessons,” he exults.
Kadek, who claims he hasn’t given up on his long-held passion of acting, acknowledges that finding steady work has been difficult, but he isn’t opposed to trying his hand at reality TV in the interim.
“Well, I was requested to participate in Big Brother, but Covid caused that to be cancelled. However, I could picture myself participating in a situation similar to the jungle [on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!]. I believe it would be hilarious to witness Ketut consuming insects and skydiving, chuckles Kadek.
“Or it could be something to do with cooking!”
Laura explains, “Kadek is really well known in Bali for his cooking,” adding that he’s been busy preparing Balinese spices and sauces for his pals, who adore his distinctive flavour combinations.
Australian Legend
The desire for Kadek to be on our televisions hasn’t diminished either, as evidenced by the continued popularity of his commercials.
Kadek claims that a question regarding the advertisement appeared lately while he was watching The Chase, and that radio broadcasters started discussing it while he was driving with the kids.
Even now, people can recognise him on the street.
According to Laura, “He was dropping [daughter] Mila off at basketball practise and all the dads were like, ‘Oh my god, It’s Ketut, It’s Ketut.'”
They were both so anxious to speak with him.
While the modest Kadek mainly laughs these meetings off, he does acknowledge that it has been wonderful for his children, Mila, 10, and Lenny, 7, to get a taste of the glamorous life that the advertisements allowed him to lead ten years ago.
“Mila was a baby when the ads first came out, so they’re a little taken aback when they see me on TV now,” he explains.
“Lenny still struggles with confusion, but for a spell there, Mila would go to school and announce that her father was well-known. He laughs, “You should Google him.
Laura also remembers the recent incident when their little nephew called them in a rage after seeing the YouTube advertisements and thinking he was actually going out with Rhonda.
‘Where’s Uncle Kadek?’ he asked. She chuckles, “I need to talk to him because he’s in serious trouble because he has another girlfriend.
exemplary family
Even though Kadek is anxious to go back in the spotlight, he and Laura make sure that they are committed to supporting their children in pursuing their goals, so Kadek could not be the only star in the family in the near future.
Laura chuckles, “Mila wants to work at Woolworths and be an NBA superstar—so still very down-to-earth.
“And Lenny, I think he’s at that age where he’s trying to keep up with Mila, so right now he’s big LeBron James fan,” she continues.
“We call him Little Lenny Curry since he constantly observes basketball player Stephen Curry’s movements on YouTube.
He has been attempting three-point shots while performing sidesteps. They have therefore kept us busy, she observes.
Additionally, the children are supporting their father online as he works to establish his online persona as Ketut.
Kadek explains, “Mila’s incredibly skilled at editing videos so she’s been helping me make. I can’t use TikTok or Twitter or anything like that.
“We’re going to start off with some videos on Instagram and see how we go,” Laura continues. Ketut is coming back, sweetheart, so keep an eye on this spot.
