WEBVTT - DORIS YOUNANE TALKS 5 BEDROOMS AND HER ACTING 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:02.360 Hey guys, my name's Benjamin Norris and this is my 0:00:02.520 --> 0:00:05.800 second pop up episode of TV Reload. I'm delighted to 0:00:05.840 --> 0:00:08.720 announce this spinoff podcast which will feature some of your 0:00:08.720 --> 0:00:12.520 favorite reality TV stars, presenters and actors from all the 0:00:12.560 --> 0:00:15.640 major networks and streaming services. I'm just going to start 0:00:15.640 --> 0:00:18.759 featuring the occasional guests who are making the biggest waves 0:00:18.760 --> 0:00:21.959 on your TV screens. So expect to hear inside stories 0:00:22.000 --> 0:00:24.760 from the most loved, the most controversial, and the most 0:00:24.800 --> 0:00:27.560 exciting names. We would all love to hear just that 0:00:27.640 --> 0:00:29.680 little bit more from. If you want to keep up 0:00:29.680 --> 0:00:32.680 to date with the latest goss and you enjoy today's episode, 0:00:32.720 --> 0:00:36.360 please press subscribe on Spotify, iTunes and iHeartRadio and I'll 0:00:36.440 --> 0:00:39.240 keep you in the loop with contestants, actors and presenters 0:00:39.360 --> 0:00:42.920 currently on Australian television. Today, I have actress Doris Una, 0:00:43.200 --> 0:00:46.120 whose career spans across thirty five years, with an extensive 0:00:46.159 --> 0:00:49.120 body of work in film, theater and television. I've seen 0:00:49.159 --> 0:00:51.640 Doris in all of those formats and I've loved her 0:00:51.680 --> 0:00:54.120 from such an early age. And you might remember her 0:00:54.160 --> 0:00:56.680 from some of her career highlights, such as the film 0:00:56.720 --> 0:00:59.240 The Heartbreak Kid, which subsequently went on to have its 0:00:59.240 --> 0:01:03.560 own tvc which she also start. Doris's extensive television credits 0:01:03.600 --> 0:01:07.240 include Blackjack, Sea Change, Party Tricks, The Wrong Girl and 0:01:07.280 --> 0:01:09.560 if you haven't seen Freid then check that one out 0:01:09.560 --> 0:01:12.120 on ABC I View. Doris is, of course brilliant and 0:01:12.160 --> 0:01:14.640 that as well. Today we'll be talking about her role 0:01:14.640 --> 0:01:17.399 as Heather in the TV series Five Bedrooms, which is 0:01:17.400 --> 0:01:20.720 now only available on Paramount Plus, the later streaming service 0:01:20.760 --> 0:01:24.000 available here in Australia. Heather is a complicated and warm 0:01:24.000 --> 0:01:27.280 woman and in Doris's own words, we haven't really seen 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:29.920 a character like her before, and I hope if you're 0:01:29.959 --> 0:01:32.400 listening to this interview you will check out that series, 0:01:32.440 --> 0:01:35.200 which is Australian drama at its best. However, let's get 0:01:35.200 --> 0:01:37.920 started with today's guest. I'd like to welcome to the podcast. 0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:38.959 It's Doris You nay. 0:01:40.160 --> 0:01:43.920 I think people identify with me purely because I am 0:01:44.000 --> 0:01:47.960 a Lebanese here Ada, Doris your name. Congratulations on your nominations. 0:01:47.520 --> 0:01:48.120 En As. 0:01:48.120 --> 0:01:50.000 One of the problem with actors is they're trying to 0:01:50.040 --> 0:01:54.080 be someone else. Christina Malano film more I Am who 0:01:54.120 --> 0:01:56.640 I Am. My comedy lies in a certain place. You 0:01:56.720 --> 0:01:59.279 can't make a move out. It's all right, I've already 0:01:59.280 --> 0:02:02.160 got to replace. It was like a death in the family. 0:02:02.280 --> 0:02:06.800 I'm sorry. Who are you Raine? So Rabi go a 0:02:06.800 --> 0:02:08.799 big personality and I think I do relate to a 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:10.839 lot of bit because I am very grounded and down 0:02:10.880 --> 0:02:11.280 to worth. 0:02:12.520 --> 0:02:13.400 Hey mate, how are you? 0:02:15.240 --> 0:02:17.600 That was great? Yeah, very natural, you know, I'm good. 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:18.119 Thank you. 0:02:19.320 --> 0:02:21.400 It's always very strange when you're sort of talking to 0:02:21.400 --> 0:02:24.320 people from all around the world or around Australia from 0:02:24.760 --> 0:02:29.799 from your home. So congratulations on the success of Five Bedrooms. 0:02:29.800 --> 0:02:31.840 It's such a great show. It's amazing. 0:02:32.120 --> 0:02:33.600 Oh, thank you. So where are you up to? 0:02:34.040 --> 0:02:35.960 I've seen theories one and two. 0:02:36.040 --> 0:02:38.720 Good boy and Serious three is on its way. 0:02:38.919 --> 0:02:41.840 Well, yes, you're filming series three at the moment. Can 0:02:41.880 --> 0:02:43.959 you Can you give us any spoilers? 0:02:44.400 --> 0:02:47.600 No, I can't. The script's are gorgeous. I can't say 0:02:47.600 --> 0:02:49.280 too much because I don't want to. I don't want 0:02:49.280 --> 0:02:52.359 to ruin the surprise. There are some real cliffhangers in 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:54.520 this one. So no, it's really exciting. 0:02:54.760 --> 0:02:57.639 What was your first reaction to reading the script back 0:02:57.639 --> 0:02:58.679 when it was first offered to you? 0:02:59.000 --> 0:03:01.320 You know, it's like reading it a great play from 0:03:01.360 --> 0:03:04.360 start to finish. It was just it was brilliant. And 0:03:04.440 --> 0:03:07.840 even just reading this the audition scenes, and I remember thinking, 0:03:07.880 --> 0:03:10.440 I want this and I'm so right for it, and 0:03:10.480 --> 0:03:13.960 I needed everybody to believe I was as well, you know, 0:03:14.080 --> 0:03:17.080 and as an actor's job, it's like you do your 0:03:17.120 --> 0:03:19.200 best and you go, well, it's out of my hands 0:03:19.200 --> 0:03:21.919 once your audition, it's really up to them. But I 0:03:22.040 --> 0:03:25.200 just knew that this was something special from that moment, 0:03:25.280 --> 0:03:28.360 and I thought, God, someone's writing stuff for women that 0:03:28.520 --> 0:03:30.639 is like really on the edge and you know, a 0:03:30.680 --> 0:03:34.000 little bit sharp and a bit dangerous. And I thought, oh, yeah, 0:03:34.200 --> 0:03:38.320 I like this character. Heather shows over mate, for once 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:40.480 in your life, you're going to do something vaguely honorable. 0:03:40.880 --> 0:03:42.640 You're going to get out of her life. You're going 0:03:42.680 --> 0:03:45.000 to go back to your bullshit marriage, and you're going 0:03:45.080 --> 0:03:48.360 to wait for further instructions. I suppose I just I 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:51.160 instick connected with her, you know. I mean I would 0:03:51.160 --> 0:03:54.680 have paid for this opportunity. So you don't often read 0:03:54.680 --> 0:03:57.760 scripts that have that resonate like that. They're usually a 0:03:57.800 --> 0:03:59.960 little bit clunky. We go, yeah, no, I can I 0:04:00.240 --> 0:04:02.720 make this work. These trips were just off the bat 0:04:02.760 --> 0:04:03.960 that were just brilliant. 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:08.120 Can you remember how your agent described this role of 0:04:08.160 --> 0:04:10.080 Heather to you when you first heard about it. 0:04:10.280 --> 0:04:13.520 Well, look, I think my agent Souvenet, and she's amazing. 0:04:13.600 --> 0:04:16.440 She pretty much, you know, said this is a great fit, 0:04:16.760 --> 0:04:18.960 this is you, which you know obviously puts you on 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:21.200 the pressure to get it. But she was right. I 0:04:21.200 --> 0:04:23.720 think she knows me well enough to go, yeah, you're 0:04:23.720 --> 0:04:25.320 going to get something. This is the one you're going 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:25.600 to get. 0:04:25.839 --> 0:04:26.039 Yeah. 0:04:26.320 --> 0:04:28.280 Not that it was easy to play Heather, it was 0:04:28.360 --> 0:04:31.000 just that I wanted to explore her. I just thought, 0:04:31.400 --> 0:04:33.400 my god, we haven't seen this kind a woman on 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:35.240 Australian TV. Let's do this. 0:04:36.160 --> 0:04:40.360 I know things haven't always been easy between us. I've 0:04:40.360 --> 0:04:42.360 never lied to you and I'm only going to ask 0:04:42.400 --> 0:04:44.200 you this once. Are you leaving me. 0:04:44.200 --> 0:04:47.200 For that blow? Quite sec it's just as he's jumping 0:04:47.200 --> 0:04:50.360 fences for you, You're an idiot. And then I had 0:04:50.360 --> 0:04:53.800 a chemistry test with Steven Peacock and that was easy. 0:04:54.839 --> 0:04:55.520 That's not hard. 0:04:55.680 --> 0:04:58.840 Yeah, that was really hard. Yeah, but he's also such 0:04:58.839 --> 0:05:01.719 a good actor, you know, and I think for him 0:05:01.920 --> 0:05:05.000 it's thrown him into a different ballpark as well. And 0:05:05.120 --> 0:05:07.159 we just love what, we love working with each other, 0:05:07.360 --> 0:05:09.560 and I think it shows. I think it shows on screen. 0:05:09.720 --> 0:05:12.440 Well, I think that all the five central characters could 0:05:12.480 --> 0:05:15.240 hold a series of their own. You know, did you 0:05:15.279 --> 0:05:15.920 feel like that? 0:05:16.160 --> 0:05:17.680 Well, that's why I think. You know, they sort of 0:05:17.680 --> 0:05:20.479 focus on one person having a storyline with each block, 0:05:20.800 --> 0:05:23.680 which we each episode. It's quite a lovely way to 0:05:23.880 --> 0:05:26.360 journey it through, I suppose. I mean with Offspring, it 0:05:26.360 --> 0:05:28.960 would have been exhausting for Asha to just run through 0:05:28.960 --> 0:05:31.359 a whole series, whereas this is sort of nice. You 0:05:31.360 --> 0:05:33.719 get a bit of a breather, but also it's a 0:05:33.760 --> 0:05:36.880 really lovely concept. But yeah, I absolutely agree. I think 0:05:36.880 --> 0:05:39.880 the strength of every actor holds her own. We don't. 0:05:40.200 --> 0:05:43.400 There's not a weak link in this series, and often 0:05:43.440 --> 0:05:46.920 you can find them. This was not what I'd imagined 0:05:46.960 --> 0:05:47.799 for my life. 0:05:48.040 --> 0:05:50.600 I mean, buying a family home, yes, but I'd imagine 0:05:50.640 --> 0:05:54.120 buying it with a family. I hadn't imagined my gay 0:05:54.160 --> 0:05:57.680 best friend, a pregnant woman, to middle aged nurse, or 0:05:57.720 --> 0:05:58.359 a tradee. 0:05:59.000 --> 0:06:02.680 But I just think, again, the casting is sensational and 0:06:03.279 --> 0:06:06.600 we're so different. Every character in this show is in 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:10.000 like their own lane vocally, the way they deliver their 0:06:10.040 --> 0:06:15.200 dialogue physically even tonally. We're so different and I love 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:17.919 that we stay in our lanes. And they've written the 0:06:18.000 --> 0:06:20.800 voices of these characters in such a way that it's 0:06:20.800 --> 0:06:23.880 easy to stay there, and you know, again credit to them. 0:06:24.160 --> 0:06:26.520 Do you get to suggest things with Heather? Like do 0:06:26.560 --> 0:06:28.640 you get to suggest where you would like to take 0:06:28.680 --> 0:06:29.160 the character? 0:06:29.320 --> 0:06:32.920 Absolutely? And that again, that's the wonderful thing about these writers. 0:06:33.000 --> 0:06:35.600 Christine mart that heavily writes for. She writes a lot 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:38.320 of Heather's voice, and I will ring her And I 0:06:38.360 --> 0:06:40.400 could never ever do this in thirty five years of 0:06:40.400 --> 0:06:42.279 my career. I've never run the rite at home on 0:06:42.320 --> 0:06:45.280 the weekend said hey, what do you reckon? If you know? 0:06:45.400 --> 0:06:48.200 And she's like, that sounds great, maybe we can put that. 0:06:48.520 --> 0:06:51.160 You know. It's this sort of collaboration I've never had before. 0:06:51.400 --> 0:06:53.479 I didn't know it was possible. But because I'm so 0:06:53.560 --> 0:06:57.520 passionate about Heather on where she goes, there's nothing stopping me, Like, 0:06:57.600 --> 0:06:59.880 I just go. I don't care. I just want to 0:06:59.880 --> 0:07:02.600 get give you everything I can and feed this character 0:07:02.600 --> 0:07:05.120 as much as I can. You know, Christine's pretty much 0:07:05.120 --> 0:07:08.159 on the same page as me. She's got these great 0:07:08.240 --> 0:07:11.080 journeys for this character that I can't even create. And 0:07:11.120 --> 0:07:13.960 sometimes they do, but they will not sometimes tend to 0:07:14.000 --> 0:07:16.960 stay in our safe area what I can do, whereas 0:07:16.960 --> 0:07:19.600 they push us into areas we would never have thought about. 0:07:19.840 --> 0:07:23.480 And that's exciting. So you're always being stretched as an actor. 0:07:23.680 --> 0:07:25.720 I mean, some of the situations that put Heather in, 0:07:26.040 --> 0:07:28.920 I've never been in those situations, and so it's sort 0:07:28.920 --> 0:07:32.480 of pretty exciting to grab every script and go, Okay, Jesus, 0:07:32.640 --> 0:07:34.720 what has she done with me? This site? It was 0:07:34.720 --> 0:07:36.560 always going to be a car crash, but I mean, 0:07:36.600 --> 0:07:40.000 you managed to get out before impact. I'm still in 0:07:40.040 --> 0:07:43.240 the car. No you're not. You took a hit, but 0:07:43.280 --> 0:07:45.360 you got out. You did this to move forward with 0:07:45.400 --> 0:07:49.080 your life. But she never lets me down. And I 0:07:49.120 --> 0:07:51.160 love that I can ring them, and same with Michael. 0:07:51.200 --> 0:07:53.440 People just get on the phone or send them an 0:07:53.440 --> 0:07:56.280 email or you know, I mean, how lucky are we? 0:07:56.480 --> 0:07:57.360 It's ridiculous. 0:07:57.720 --> 0:08:01.240 I grub watching you on television and and for me, 0:08:01.400 --> 0:08:04.240 you kind of encapsulate the face of reason. You know, 0:08:04.320 --> 0:08:07.160 someone we all want in our lives, someone who can 0:08:07.200 --> 0:08:10.080 tell us the truth. But for some reason, in all 0:08:10.080 --> 0:08:13.160 of your characters, you seem to have this warmth, which 0:08:13.320 --> 0:08:16.239 I think. I think everyone who watches you, I remember 0:08:16.280 --> 0:08:19.680 I remember watching Heartbreak, the Heartbreak Kid, the film, Yeah, 0:08:19.720 --> 0:08:22.800 and I remember feeling that from you. I mean, is 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:24.400 that what you're like in real life? 0:08:25.040 --> 0:08:25.160 Oh? 0:08:25.200 --> 0:08:28.120 Look, I'm a very. I'm obviously not a head, but 0:08:28.200 --> 0:08:31.800 I'm a very I suppose I. Look, I'm a bit 0:08:31.840 --> 0:08:34.360 of a carer. People worry me. I don't like people 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:37.560 to fall down. I sort of prop people up a lot, 0:08:38.040 --> 0:08:41.080 and that's just part of my DNA. Maybe it's because 0:08:41.080 --> 0:08:44.080 I come from a really big Lebanese family and my 0:08:44.240 --> 0:08:47.040 parents who had very much instill that in us. They 0:08:47.080 --> 0:08:49.560 were bringing a lot of people out from Lebanon, they 0:08:49.559 --> 0:08:51.959 were staying in a house. My father was very much 0:08:51.960 --> 0:08:56.160 about looking out for people. I suppose I just have that. Also, 0:08:56.400 --> 0:09:00.440 I think I survive on my sense of humor, you know. 0:09:00.840 --> 0:09:03.720 I think it's sort of and I think for people 0:09:03.720 --> 0:09:06.920 it's quite refreshing. And also it's a relief when you 0:09:06.920 --> 0:09:10.120 can turn a situation that can be quite dire and 0:09:10.200 --> 0:09:13.319 find a comic swing. And I tend to do that 0:09:13.400 --> 0:09:16.480 when things are bad. I try to find the funny 0:09:16.559 --> 0:09:20.120 version of it, or funny side to uplift and maybe 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:22.160 that I think that just resonates in my work. It 0:09:22.280 --> 0:09:24.920 just shows in my work. I think with Christine, she's 0:09:24.960 --> 0:09:28.800 allowed all of that to come through all together. With Heather, 0:09:29.320 --> 0:09:33.240 you know, also her vulnerability, which you know I've loved exploring, 0:09:33.679 --> 0:09:36.280 but also how Heather protects herself, and I think she 0:09:36.400 --> 0:09:40.520 uses humor a lot and sarcasm, you know, to protect 0:09:40.840 --> 0:09:43.319 how her she is. I think I probably do a 0:09:43.360 --> 0:09:45.240 little bit of that in my own life, and now 0:09:45.240 --> 0:09:48.960 I'm starting to I think it's I'm starting to see 0:09:49.000 --> 0:09:50.760 a lot of me and her in the sense that 0:09:50.840 --> 0:09:56.040 I'm finding that I operate the same way because it's 0:09:56.200 --> 0:09:58.000 I don't know, it's a safe place. I don't know, 0:09:58.000 --> 0:10:00.600 it's a weird thing. It's a weird thing. How well 0:10:00.679 --> 0:10:03.600 characters sort of make you stop and think about who 0:10:03.679 --> 0:10:06.200 you are and how you behave and how you respond. 0:10:06.280 --> 0:10:09.840 And it's interesting. I think Christine Butler and I very 0:10:09.880 --> 0:10:14.040 closely aligned as well. We tend to a difficult situation 0:10:14.160 --> 0:10:16.080 we find that they're humor in it, and I think 0:10:16.720 --> 0:10:19.240 Christine does that, and thank god she does, because it's 0:10:19.280 --> 0:10:20.360 right down my alley. 0:10:20.800 --> 0:10:23.880 I always find with your roles, though there's some nuances 0:10:23.880 --> 0:10:26.560 that you managed to put into your characters. And it's 0:10:26.600 --> 0:10:29.600 almost like and it's funny that I looked at this 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:32.680 on IMDb yesterday and saw that you've even been in 0:10:32.720 --> 0:10:34.520 a film with Meryl Streep, you know, when she did 0:10:34.600 --> 0:10:36.960 Evil Angels back in Australia. Is that right? Did you work? 0:10:37.000 --> 0:10:37.199 Were you? 0:10:37.320 --> 0:10:39.199 Wead? Yeah? Yeah, But I wouldn't say, I mean, I 0:10:39.200 --> 0:10:40.920 think I was in the same film. I wouldn't say 0:10:41.200 --> 0:10:44.480 worked with her. I wish I had. No, I was 0:10:44.520 --> 0:10:45.559 just in it. 0:10:45.960 --> 0:10:47.440 Did you get to see her work though? 0:10:47.640 --> 0:10:53.280 No, definitely not. You don't get to see those people work. No, 0:10:53.400 --> 0:10:56.240 I didn't. I wish I had. I've certainly got to 0:10:56.240 --> 0:10:59.120 see other people work, like I mean, Sam Neil. I 0:10:59.120 --> 0:11:01.080 love working with Jeff we rush Off work with on 0:11:01.120 --> 0:11:04.360 the stage. So I've I've watched great actors work and 0:11:04.440 --> 0:11:07.360 been a part of it, and that's been amazing. But 0:11:07.800 --> 0:11:10.920 it's funny, you know, I don't ever think they don't 0:11:10.920 --> 0:11:13.440 influence me as an actor. You know, I'm not trying 0:11:13.480 --> 0:11:16.200 to be anyone else. I all I know is I 0:11:16.200 --> 0:11:18.280 can bring what I can bring and what's in me. 0:11:18.360 --> 0:11:20.400 And I think that's part of the problem with actors. Is, 0:11:20.400 --> 0:11:23.800 they're trying to be someone else. I am who I am. 0:11:23.880 --> 0:11:27.520 My comedy lies in a certain place, my drama does, 0:11:27.800 --> 0:11:29.680 and I don't want to change it because what I 0:11:29.760 --> 0:11:32.240 bring is something in a different I bring it differently, 0:11:32.400 --> 0:11:34.120 and I think for me, it's like when you watch 0:11:34.160 --> 0:11:37.200 al Pacino, he does al Pacino, he is, He doesn't 0:11:37.280 --> 0:11:39.720 veer that far away from the core of him. And 0:11:39.800 --> 0:11:41.640 I think when you start doing that, then you become 0:11:41.679 --> 0:11:43.800 sort of a sort of whitebread or just sort of 0:11:43.840 --> 0:11:44.640 a bit plain. 0:11:44.840 --> 0:11:46.920 When I read the book of Looking for Alla Brandy, 0:11:47.040 --> 0:11:50.120 which was written by Marlina Machette before it was made 0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:53.040 into a film, I read that book in nineteen ninety two, 0:11:53.120 --> 0:11:56.400 as you, Yeah, and I know, Paam Miranda went on 0:11:56.440 --> 0:11:58.520 and made that film that made that character our own. 0:11:58.600 --> 0:12:00.960 But I shouldn't say that I should have been in that. 0:12:01.400 --> 0:12:03.959 Yeah, I read that book in I think I was 0:12:04.000 --> 0:12:06.720 in year seven when I read it. But I absolutely 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:10.120 just envisioned you in that role for someone kid, I 0:12:10.200 --> 0:12:14.119 love you, and I pictured you sitting in the cafes, 0:12:14.320 --> 0:12:17.199 you know, drinking the cappuccinos and having a cigarette, and 0:12:17.760 --> 0:12:22.080 even the character's relationship with her estranged father. Everything with 0:12:22.200 --> 0:12:24.320 that I read that whole book as you. It was 0:12:24.360 --> 0:12:26.680 so strange. So it's such an honor to be talking 0:12:26.679 --> 0:12:27.240 to you today. 0:12:27.320 --> 0:12:29.480 Oh no, don't be silly. That's that's it's an honor 0:12:29.480 --> 0:12:31.320 for me to hear that, because the thing is that 0:12:31.559 --> 0:12:33.559 you know, as an actor, your auditioned for so many 0:12:33.600 --> 0:12:36.319 things that I just go, that's me, that's mine. So 0:12:36.480 --> 0:12:38.480 it's a really hard industry. You know, you get so 0:12:38.480 --> 0:12:41.120 many knockbacks. And I've got to say, you know, when 0:12:41.320 --> 0:12:44.080 you know, when Heather came along, part of me was going, Oh, 0:12:44.080 --> 0:12:46.199 they're not going to cast me. They just won't because 0:12:46.200 --> 0:12:48.640 I'm not that person. I'm not lucky enough, you know 0:12:48.640 --> 0:12:51.240 what I mean. So it wasn't that I doubted myself 0:12:51.240 --> 0:12:53.920 as an actor. I knew I had a but I 0:12:54.000 --> 0:12:56.880 just thought, something's not This one's going to hurt if 0:12:56.920 --> 0:12:58.760 I don't get it, and I knew it would it 0:12:58.760 --> 0:13:01.280 would stay with me, and thank god I did, because 0:13:01.280 --> 0:13:03.720 I don't know if I would have. Yeah, I don't know. 0:13:04.280 --> 0:13:05.760 And I know a lot of people that are auditions 0:13:05.800 --> 0:13:09.120 for Heather sent me messages and text saying you're NAILEDA 0:13:09.360 --> 0:13:12.240 And I thought, what a beautiful industry we're in. If 0:13:12.320 --> 0:13:14.600 actress who wanted that role as badly as I did 0:13:15.120 --> 0:13:19.000 can send me messages saying, just watched it, you deserved it, 0:13:19.200 --> 0:13:21.440 you blew it away, And I just thought, thank you 0:13:21.480 --> 0:13:23.720 so much because it's you know, because I've been in 0:13:23.760 --> 0:13:26.480 that situation where I've lost jobs and sent texas to 0:13:26.520 --> 0:13:29.320 people saying you're brilliant because you have to acknowledge when 0:13:29.360 --> 0:13:33.480 someone does land a role and they make it work. 0:13:34.040 --> 0:13:36.040 And I like that we have, you know, we kind 0:13:36.040 --> 0:13:38.760 of have each other's backs. I suppose, yeah, But I've 0:13:38.760 --> 0:13:42.160 missed out on many jobs, many many jobs, and I'm 0:13:42.160 --> 0:13:44.880 always the second fiddle. I'm always the support lead or 0:13:45.400 --> 0:13:47.680 you know what I mean, or a guest role. And 0:13:47.960 --> 0:13:50.120 for me for someone to believe in me, and these 0:13:50.160 --> 0:13:52.960 writers did, and Pete Templeman and Channel ten and Hoodlum 0:13:53.280 --> 0:13:56.680 and Nathan Mayfield to be able to say she's it 0:13:56.720 --> 0:13:59.440 for the first time in my career as a big 0:13:59.480 --> 0:14:01.280 that's that's really changed me. 0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:04.679 But even in your supporting roles, it's really quite fascinating 0:14:04.760 --> 0:14:08.400 because like with party Tricks or you know, everything, And 0:14:08.440 --> 0:14:10.480 I was reading online some of the comments on party 0:14:10.520 --> 0:14:13.600 Tricks yesterday when I was researching this interview, and so 0:14:13.720 --> 0:14:16.040 many people just were obsessed with you in that role. 0:14:16.320 --> 0:14:19.600 So whilst you have been in the background being a 0:14:19.600 --> 0:14:24.320 supportive actor, you've really been able to stand out in 0:14:24.480 --> 0:14:27.520 me serious, which I think is just amazing. How much 0:14:27.560 --> 0:14:31.120 do you want to tell stories of culture, obviously being 0:14:31.360 --> 0:14:34.720 a Lebanese lady yourself and wanting to you know, wanting 0:14:34.720 --> 0:14:36.520 to tell stories of culture, but then also wanting to 0:14:36.560 --> 0:14:38.840 play characters where that isn't the focus of the role. 0:14:39.200 --> 0:14:41.800 Well, the thing is, I mean, obviously I was born 0:14:41.840 --> 0:14:45.720 in Australia. My background is my background. I don't think 0:14:45.760 --> 0:14:48.800 we have to make a point of it. I think 0:14:48.840 --> 0:14:53.920 people identify with me purely because I am a Lebanese heritage, 0:14:53.960 --> 0:14:56.920 you know. I mean, I've certainly dabbled in I've played 0:14:57.320 --> 0:15:01.360 Arabic mums where I've spoken Arabic in film. I was 0:15:01.400 --> 0:15:04.640 in Combination m for m I mean, I've explored that 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:06.920 part of me. But I am pretty much an Australian 0:15:07.440 --> 0:15:10.280 actor and I sort of want to be seen that way. 0:15:10.720 --> 0:15:13.480 I don't need to change my name. And again I 0:15:13.520 --> 0:15:17.680 think they've been really respectful with Heather, not not having 0:15:17.720 --> 0:15:20.800 to indicate or say, oh, you know all there's tub 0:15:20.800 --> 0:15:23.520 Bully on the table now because she's Lebanese or should 0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:24.640 should she have a kebab? 0:15:24.800 --> 0:15:25.680 Or do you know what I mean? 0:15:25.680 --> 0:15:28.200 All that sort of crap. I am who I am. 0:15:28.640 --> 0:15:30.800 I'm a trained actor and I have I've trained for 0:15:30.800 --> 0:15:34.000 five years. I've come up through the ranks. I don't 0:15:34.040 --> 0:15:36.320 think we need to draw attention to it. It's there. 0:15:36.880 --> 0:15:39.320 And again I love that, and that's part of the 0:15:39.360 --> 0:15:44.680 problem with with the whole multicultural thing. I am. I 0:15:44.720 --> 0:15:48.400 am a not a different background, but I do have 0:15:48.440 --> 0:15:51.280 a a Lebanese background, But you don't have to draw 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:54.160 attention to it. There. It is there. I mean, my 0:15:54.240 --> 0:15:56.960 nose pretty much says it doesn't it Well. 0:15:57.240 --> 0:15:58.920 I think it was because I went to school at 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:02.840 Doncaster High and Victoria like in Melbourne, and to be honest, 0:16:03.120 --> 0:16:05.800 you know, you looked more like everyone that I went 0:16:05.840 --> 0:16:08.840 to school with, you know, yeah, yeah, you know that 0:16:08.960 --> 0:16:11.880 was just the area of Doncaster and Templestow. So I mean, 0:16:11.920 --> 0:16:14.080 I just think of you as an Australian, you know. 0:16:14.080 --> 0:16:16.160 I don't see you as as anything else. 0:16:16.360 --> 0:16:18.520 No, and that's that's and that's how I've always wanted 0:16:18.560 --> 0:16:20.840 to be perceived. I basically want people say she's a 0:16:20.840 --> 0:16:23.400 good actor. I didn't want to say she's a good 0:16:23.440 --> 0:16:25.720 Elevenese actor because I'm a Levet Ease. I mean, I 0:16:25.800 --> 0:16:27.640 was born here, so do you know what I mean? 0:16:27.640 --> 0:16:29.800 It's the fact that, you know, I didn't want to 0:16:29.880 --> 0:16:32.760 draw attention to that. I'm very proud of my heritage. 0:16:33.240 --> 0:16:35.920 It's not that, it's just, you know, it's a hard 0:16:35.960 --> 0:16:38.280 industry to survive in. And now when you look at 0:16:38.320 --> 0:16:42.680 what's happening with the industry, we are culturally very diverse. 0:16:42.720 --> 0:16:45.960 It's starting to change, you know, the landscape is starting 0:16:46.000 --> 0:16:49.640 to change, which I love. It's taken a long time. 0:16:50.040 --> 0:16:52.280 I mean you think of the days back at Heartbreak High, 0:16:52.320 --> 0:16:56.440 for example, how culturally dynamic was that show and then 0:16:56.480 --> 0:17:00.000 it went away. I mean, Michael Jenkins, ben Gannon, they create, 0:17:00.360 --> 0:17:05.000 we had Spanish, Italian, lebaniese Asian, we had every procession 0:17:05.920 --> 0:17:08.240 and then it just vanished. You know. It was almost 0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:10.600 like it was too much. I don't know, but yet 0:17:10.760 --> 0:17:13.440 overseas people were raving about it. 0:17:13.680 --> 0:17:16.960 But it did reflect my time at school, like it 0:17:17.000 --> 0:17:19.400 was so weird that show when it turned up. There 0:17:19.400 --> 0:17:21.879 were so many characters on that show that we'd never 0:17:21.920 --> 0:17:25.440 seen before because we'd been missing out on that ethnicity. 0:17:25.720 --> 0:17:27.600 You know, it was so so bizarre. I mean they're 0:17:27.600 --> 0:17:29.800 bringing heartbreak high back. What sort of things would you 0:17:29.840 --> 0:17:31.960 like to see that show tackle? You know, in twenty 0:17:32.000 --> 0:17:32.520 twenty one. 0:17:32.640 --> 0:17:35.119 Look, I think they're going to tackle issues. I mean, 0:17:35.160 --> 0:17:37.359 I think there's so much more now that kids have 0:17:37.400 --> 0:17:40.600 got to deal with, especially and do you think of Instagram? 0:17:40.680 --> 0:17:44.560 You think of oh Jesus, even youth suicide, which freaks 0:17:44.600 --> 0:17:46.760 me out that it's as high as it is, but 0:17:46.960 --> 0:17:49.320 just that sort of bullying impact that we can now 0:17:49.760 --> 0:17:52.000 you know so many more people. I mean in our time, 0:17:52.080 --> 0:17:53.639 well not in your time, but in my time it 0:17:53.680 --> 0:17:56.639 was bullying in the playground. This is on social media. 0:17:56.800 --> 0:17:59.320 This is big and scary, and I think they've got 0:17:59.320 --> 0:18:01.520 a lot to deal with. And there's also their whole 0:18:01.640 --> 0:18:04.359 drug scene. There's you know, where do you go? I mean, 0:18:04.400 --> 0:18:07.080 do you do? I mean UNI is not even considered 0:18:07.119 --> 0:18:09.439 an option. Everyone's just going I want to be an influencer. 0:18:10.080 --> 0:18:12.119 You know, there's a lot more stuff that they've got 0:18:12.160 --> 0:18:15.159 to deal with. And also image, you know, it's up 0:18:15.200 --> 0:18:18.280 there now everywhere. You've got to look like this to succeed. 0:18:18.440 --> 0:18:22.399 It's like, thank God, I wasn't part of that. You know, 0:18:22.440 --> 0:18:25.000 I think I would have crumbled. I mean, Jesus, I 0:18:25.000 --> 0:18:27.200 would have had a nice job at the age of eighteen. 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:30.160 I think, will you have a role in the reboot 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:30.920 of No No? 0:18:31.000 --> 0:18:34.200 Look, I think it's it's taken a completely different turn. 0:18:34.480 --> 0:18:36.719 I look at them, and you know, I sort of 0:18:36.880 --> 0:18:40.360 don't need to. I've been there, done that with Heartbreak High. 0:18:40.440 --> 0:18:42.960