Somebody That I Used To Know

Love, Loss and Jack Thompson

Author: Bunkie King

Paperback | 1 April 2015

‘We formed a unique family; our unconventional relationship helped us ride the waves of fame . . . I tried many times to leave Jack but found it impossible to break free, drawn, as I was, to the strange sort of security our unique relationship offered me.’

In 1969, when Bunkie King was a wide-eyed Sydney schoolgirl, she met aspiring actor Jack Thompson. Jack was smart, sexy and worldly and soon became Australia’s biggest screen star. He was also romantically involved with Bunkie’s older sister, Leona. So began one of the most whispered about relationships in Australian entertainment history, a lopsided arrangement whose intimate details have never been revealed before.

Theirs was no kinky ménage à trois; over time it became a difficult, complicated struggle as a young woman strived to find her own way in the world. It took Bunkie 15 years, but it really took another lifetime – a failed marriage, motherhood, her own breakdowns and breakthroughs – for her to find her voice.

Bittersweet, laced with all-too-real experiences and insights into life behind the silver screen – and beyond – Bunkie’s story is an inspiration for anyone who has had to overcome not just their own demons, but society’s misconceptions.