Injured ... Sullivan Stapleton of the action series Strike Back. Credit:David Cook A statement issued by Stapleton's publicist said the actor was "resting comfortably and on his way to a full recovery". "We appreciate all of the well-wishes and support," the statement said. A spokesman for Cinemax said the series would continue to film around him in Thailand but its second block of filming, in Hungary, would be delayed. "We plan on resuming production in the [northern autumn]," the statement said.

"HBO/Cinemax, Sky and Left Bank Pictures all join in wishing Sullivan a full and speedy recovery." The fourth and final 10-episode season of Strike Back was being filmed in Bangkok for the US channel Cinemax. Stapleton is also starring in the film 300: Rise Of An Empire, due for release next week. Stapleton will play the Athenian general and politician Themistocles. The film also stars Rodrigo Santoro and two fellow Australians, David Wenham and Callan Mulvey.

Stapelton's Q&A on Strike Back with Fairfax Media: In the American drama Strike Back, Australian actor Sullivan Stapleton plays a member of a covert intelligence team fighting terrorism. How did you land the role? I auditioned in Los Angeles and when I turned up I saw all these massive guys built like hard-core marines. I didn't think I had a chance. But they were interested. I flew back to Melbourne and a few hours later they rang and said they'd changed their minds. Then they called again to say they wanted me to go to London to test for more scenes. It was all pretty intense. You have to have a thick skin in this business. Strike Back is an action thriller. What sort of training did you do to prepare for the role?

A lot! We wanted it to feel as real as possible. It was punishing but at the end of the day we're running around playing soldiers and getting paid for it. We did a lot of weapons and fight training. We also asked that the writers and the directors do some of the training, too, just to help them get an idea about what we go through. We were all in full kit doing forced marches, running up and down hills in the blazing sun, cutting our way through dense bushland, going on recon missions in the middle of the night. But it was great and that's where we really developed the rapport that you see onscreen. It looks like you've been to some great locations? We shot a lot of stuff in South Africa and Hungary, so it feels like it's got a big budget behind it. Durban stands in for Delhi but the sets are amazingly detailed. In the opening scenes of episode one, we almost felt sorry for the set builders because they put all this work into it and Philip Winchester [who plays Stonebridge] just came in and blew the shit out of it! You disrobe in the first episode and fend off an attacker with a wet towel. How did you feel about those scenes? It was very peculiar - definitely one of the weirdest days of my career, but that's part of the job and it's part of who Damien Scott is. I'd done a lot of training by that stage and I almost had a six-pack, which I never have, so I figured I might as well show it off.

He certainly likes the ladies ... Let's just say Scott tends to use these brief encounters with women to release a bit of tension. Maybe it's a coping mechanism because his life is constantly under threat. More of Scott's past gets revealed as the show goes on - and it's all pretty interesting. He's got quite a dark past. A lot of the storylines seem to reflect current events. I love that. It makes it easier to immerse yourself into the role. I mean, we do go over the top sometimes but that's where the fun comes into it. Hopefully people will just enjoy it for what it is. Was your part in Animal Kingdom a game changer for you?

Hands down. I promised the director David Michod that if the film was a success I'd get a tattoo. I still haven't done it. I've always been told by any make-up department not to do it. I'll do it one day. Part of me is worried I won't stop at one. Would you say you've got an addictive personality? You might say that. Do you ever lose yourself to a role? Yep. I didn't realise until later that while I was doing Animal Kingdom, I turned into a real arsehole. I never thought I was that kind of an actor.

What's it like to live in LA? I love the weather, I love the opportunities. I don't hang out with actors, really. I love the tacos and the absolute nutters that you meet on the street. It's a crazy town. I've got some really good friends there and we just hang out and have fun and don't get caught up with all the bullshit. - with Frances Atkinson