Grant Bowls over sci-fi fans Grant Bowler stars in US sci-fi series, Defiance. THE last time we saw Grant Bowler on TV he had his passport in hand and all the power as host on Channel 7's Australian version of The Amazing Race. Now the talented Aussie is going global in his first lead role in US sci-fi series, Defiance. There was also his headline-grabbing turn as Richard Burton opposite Lindsay Lohan in the biopic, Liz & Dick. Q: Defiance is based on a hugely-popular computer game. Was that pioneering element part of the appeal? A: It's a fascinating entity in that the two can coexist in the same world. They have all the same design features, the same terrain, the same vegetation, the same technology, the same mythology and that I find really cool. Every week when it airs I jump on Twitter and I pay particular attention to people who are playing the game and watching the show and their feedback. They are always so delighted at all of the commonality between the two. Q: As rabid fans go, the gamers and the sci-fi nerds would be top of the tree. How honest do they keep you? A: They are both keeping their eye on you as practitioners. Continuity of tech and science. They really want something they can think about and that's one thing that drew me to Defiance. It is actually true sci-fi. There's been a lot of science fiction lately that's not really science fiction. Q: Were you a sci-fi fan boy? A: I've always had a soft spot for good science fiction. Blade Runner is top of the list for me, I like Tron. They were really good adventure stories. Q: The project before this one, the biopic Liz & Dick, got co-star Lindsay Lohan a lot of headlines. What was that like? A: I bounced on to Liz & Dick, and it's not whether it succeeds or fails, you take that chance, you roll the dice every time you do a project. But what I got out of that was it was a difficult and tricky process, and it didn't feel right. It was just tough going. Liz & Dick was a big lesson. I got to be present (for) a whole lot of stuff that does not work ... and ultimately is just difficult and frustrating and sad. Q: Do you keep the door open for other Aussie projects? A: Absolutely. Last year was the first year I haven't come home and done a job. And I was disappointed. Everything else was taking up my time, but I am really attached to the idea of getting home at least once a year and knocking over a job. It's important to me.