Alex O'Loughlin: 10 things you didn't know

You may know that Alex O'Loughlin, the star of CBS' organ-transplant medical drama "Three Rivers" (and the former star of CBS' "Moonlight") is from Australia, but here are a few more things you may not know about this tall, dark leading man.

1. He plays guitar.

"It's a hobby for me, but I'm never alone if there's a guitar there."

2. He can fish (and more).

"I'm a fisherman. I've always loved fishing. I grew up fishing for trout. I'm not the best fly fisherman, but I can fly-fish, because I crack a whip. I learned to crack a whip as a boy, out on the properties. I have skills, mad skills. Also I've been ocean fishing and river fishing."

3. He could try to fix your toilet.

"I worked for a plumber for three months or something, when I was in the tortured teenage years, as a part-time job. It was s***, pardon the pun. It was the worst job ever, so disgusting."

4. He can now tie surgical knots.

"I can actually do the knots. Gonzo (Dr. Gonzalo 'Gonzo' Gonzalez-Stawinski, the surgeon who inspired O'Loughlin's 'Three Rivers' character, Dr. Andy Jablosnki) showed me. I'm quite proficient with that, because I'm used to working with fishing line."

5. He can save you from a raging inferno.

"I put a bush fire out. I had to fight a bush fire when I was the property. It was one of the most incredible things, terrifying. We get them a lot in Australia."

6. He plays sports.

"Carol (series creator Carol Barbee) called me and said, 'What sport does Andy play?' I said, 'Rugby.' Rugby union is a more sophisticated game and a more civilized game. They call union the 'Lords' Game.' League is rougher. I never played in union. I also play a game called Aussie Rules (Football). It's a great game.

"You don't have to punch each other in the face anymore. It's all changed. It was part of the game. As boys, it's important to get punched and hit. Now you get severe penalties, and they bench you for six weeks. We called it 'getting to know each other.'"

7. He had troubles as a child.

"I had a bit of OCD as a kid, quite a bit, actually. I wouldn't step on a crack. It would take me an hour to get my shoes tied, because I had this weird OCD thing."

8. You want him to make you his special meatballs.

"Lots of fresh garlic, but  -- it makes a difference -- the way you cut the garlic and the onion, the kind of onion you use. If it's just for me, I use lean beef. If it's for other people, I'll use Wagyu or Kobe."

9. He had interesting taste in TV as a kid.

"'A-Team,' hell, yeah, man - Murdock, Hannibal. Those were my favorite shows, 'The A-Team' and 'Monkey Magic,' which I bet none of you knows about. It was about these mythical characters: one was a monkey; one was a pig; one was a fish; one was a Buddha. They would travel over the countryside. They're all kung-fu masters. It's the great show."

10. And, yes, he can sing the "Monkey Magic" theme, and there's a dance to go with it. But he's not sure what he'd think of the show as an adult.

"It's probably s***. I haven't watched it in years. Now I'd watch it and go, 'It's terrible.' But I thought it was the greatest thing."

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