Simon star of GC magazine

LEADING MAN: Geelong's Simon Gleeson as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, left, and with fellow theatre star and wife Natalie O'Donnell at the Canberra launch of Mamma Mia! (Ian Bird)

He’s starred in Les Miserables on London’s West End and recently finished a three-month season with Melbourne Theatre Company.

But the favourite role of Simon Gleeson is real-life husband to Geelong’s Mamma Mia! leading lady, Natalie O’Donnell.

Simon tells the latest edition of Geelong Coast magazine (GC) how he and the love of his life met as students at Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts.

“For anyone who meets here, it’s unmistakable how warm hearted and generous she is. All my good friends put up with me just to be around Nat,” he laughs.

Simon and a host of other inspiring locals feature in the spring edition of GC, available for sale at all good local newsagents.