'The Slap's Jonathan LaPaglia: 'I don't believe in marriage'

Jonathan LaPaglia has revealed that he doesn't believe in marriage.

The 42-year-old Australian actor, who is best known for his role in ABC1 television drama The Slap, said that the idea of planning a wedding ceremony for all his friends and family "scares" both him and his actress partner Ursula Brooks.

LaPaglia told Woman's Day magazine: "It is the ceremony of marriage that scares us, not the institution. It's having a wedding and inviting everyone. It seems so stressful."

However, he did say that he has been totally devoted to Brooks since they met in 1998 and they are very happy raising their 7-year-old daughter Tilly together.

LaPaglia revealed that meeting Brooks at an Australian-themed gala event in the US was "meant to be".

He said: "I turned up to this party where there was a grand stairway. As I walked in, Ursula walked down the stairs - and had a huge woolly coat on that looked like a shaggy dog and her hair teased up in this mane!

"It was one of those weird moments where we stopped and saw each other. So Hollywood."

LaPaglia, who recently revealed that he used to be a doctor, has previously said that he felt "ashamed" when he was told he would need dialect coaching before filming The Slap to help him get back his pure Australian accent after years in the US.

The Slap airs on Thursdays at 8.30pm on ABC1 in Australia and on Thursdays at 10pm on BBC Four in the UK.

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