I climbed Opera House: Seth Green

November 11, 2008

With ginger hair, pale skin and standing just 1.63m tall, Seth Green does not look like a daredevil.

The child Hollywood star turned 34-year-old actor, director, screenwriter and producer was wandering around the Syndey Opera House late one night during an Australian visit last year when he could not resist doing something illegal and potentially fatal.

"I've been a climber all my life," Philadelphia-bron Green proudly revealed during an interview in Beverley Hills

Each year, millions of tourists marvel at the design of the Sydney Opera House, but Green found the structure created by Danish architect Jorn Utzon attractive not just for aesthetic reasons.

"It has a perfect rock climber's crevice," Green said.

"Then, when I got really close to it, what I thought was reflective metal pieces was actually very small and porous tiles so I thought: 'Cool, I'll be up this in ten seconds'.

"I gave my camera to a buddy who was with me and said: "I'm only going to be able to be up there for two seconds so you will only have one chance to take a photo of me'."

Green ran at Australia's iconic building, jumped into the crevice and kept moving until he was 11 metres above ground.

"I got to the high point and turned around, my friend took the photo, but it was only then I realised just how steep the incline was and on the way down I didn't have a lot of stopping ability," he said.

"But, the moment I was ready to slide down and burn the soles off my shoes, a security guard walked around the corner.

"I had to press as tight as I could to the crevice and somehow stay up there."

The friendly security guard, clueless a Hollywood movie star was hanging above him, began talking to Green's friend and a publicist that was with them.

"The guard thought they were American tourists fascinated about the building's structure so launched into a detailed description of the landmark's history.

"I was directly above the guy's head and about to fall," Green said.

"The publicist was so slick and ended up saying: "I'm interested in this part of the building right over here' and took him around the corner.

"As soon as he turned the corner I slid all the way down and when I hit the ground I went straight into a cool walk as if nothing had happened."

The story has become a great yarn for Green, who happily discusses it on America's late night TV talkshows. Audiences don't believe him until he pulls out the photograph of himself perched in the crevice 11 metres up.