Paul Hogan: He shows up at the “Crocodile Dundee” premiere

Almost 40 years after his breakthrough with the legendary first “Crocodile Dundee” film (1986), Paul Hogan (85) rarely appears in public. The Australian actor was there at the premiere of “Crocodile Dundee: The Encore Cut”, a digital restoration of the film in 4K, in Sydney.

Dressed in black jeans, a black shirt and a brown vintage leather jacket, the 85-year-old was cheered by numerous fans on the red carpet in front of the backdrop of the famous Sydney Opera House. Hogan signed posters and DVDs to waiting fans before entering the OpenAir Cinema at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

The iconic actor said it was “great” to see the film in the spotlight again, joking that most of the premiere attendees “weren’t born when I made this movie.”

Paul Hogan, who played hunter Mick “Crocodile” Dundee in the film and several sequels, also commented on headlines that have emerged in recent days surrounding the film’s restoration. Some had condemned the film’s remake as “too woke” after several famous scenes were cut to adapt the film to modern audiences.

The 85-year-old said he “absolutely” agreed with the changes. “I heard about it years ago, and it wasn’t about being woke,” he said. “They pointed it out to me and said, ‘This guy is a folk hero around the world, and he shouldn’t be groping anyone.’ And I thought, ‘Yeah, that’s right, he shouldn’t be doing that.'”

Apparently it’s mainly about a scene in which a trans character’s crotch is grabbed. This two-and-a-half minute long scene had already been cut from a version shown on television in Great Britain last year.