Kiwi actor tells us about very memorable role in new Breast Cancer Awareness ad

If you've been anywhere near social media lately, chances are you've seen Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s latest awareness video.

A man standing in a shower, asking you to keep your “eyes down here” and “check yourself”... That man is Xavier Garneau-Roughan.

The cheeky campaign has been getting plenty of attention online since launching for Breast Cancer Awareness Month - and according to Xavier, that's exactly what he was hoping for.

“I mean, if the reception's positive and does Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand justice, then that's really all I can hope for,” Xavier told More FM Drive’s Sarah and Adam.

“It's cool to see everyone engaging with it as highly as they are, which I think was quite expected with how risque we pushed it.”

The shower was built in a studio and, according to the actor, it was very much a functioning shower.

And he spent HOURS in it.

“It's pushing a couple of hours,” Xavier said when asked how long he was in the shower.

The entire shoot took around 12 hours, with a decent chunk of that time spent getting very, very familiar with the water.

He reckons he was “pruned up” for about a week afterwards.

The ad was directed by legendary Kiwi filmmaker Taika Waititi, which Xavier described as a pretty special experience.

“He was absolutely lovely,” he said.

Xavier said Waititi was incredibly welcoming on set and managed to keep things light-hearted while still making sure the intention behind the campaign remained “earnest and sincere”.

While the ad is designed to grab attention, the reason behind it is much more important.

Breast Cancer Foundation NZ says finding breast cancer early gives you the greatest chance of successful treatment and survival.

“Breast cancer doesn't always cause pain or an obvious change, particularly in its early stages,” the website reads. “ Mammograms can find some breast cancers before they can be seen or felt, which is why regular screening is important if you're eligible. However, mammograms don't find every breast cancer.”

That's why the foundation encourages people to get familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel, so they're more likely to notice something new or unusual.

As an ambassador for the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ, More FM's Sarah Gandy has also fronted a self-check guide to help make remembering what to do a little easier.

Think TLC,” she says. “Touch. Look. Check.

Know what's normal for you, pay attention to changes, and if something doesn't feel or look right, get it checked.

As for Xavier, he's just hoping his very memorable shower appearance does exactly what it was intended to do.

Get people talking, and, more importantly, get people checking!