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EXCLUSIVE: Why it felt “quite surreal” for Phoebe Tonkin to return to Australia

After nearly two years, things were very different back home.
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Phoebe Tonkin, 33, has come a long way since her days of playing Cleooooor in H20: Just Add Water

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WATCH: Transfusion – Official Trailer. Article continues after video.

While the highly-popular mermaid show was filmed in the Gold Coast, Phoebe’s career has swum far past Mako Island (we promise we’re done with the H20 puns now).

Most recently, Phoebe’s acting prowess has taken her to the United States for a part in the critically-acclaimed film Babylon, alongside her good friend Margot Robbie.

But according to the 33-year-old, there isn’t too much of a difference when it comes to filming in Australia and filming in the United States.

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Phoebe speaks to WHO about her latest project. (Credit: Stan)

“I’ve been really lucky,” Phoebe tells WHO exclusively about her on-set experiences. “I’ve always just had a really good crew and I just feel so lucky that I get to work with them.

“I will say a literal difference in America is you get craft services, which is like junk food all day, every day. You don’t get that here; you get some cordial and maybe a banana, and that is meant to tide you over until lunch.”

Phoebe has just finished filming the Stan original film Transfusion alongside Avatar’s Sam Worthington (whom we also spoke with – you can read that right here).

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Phoebe got her start as Cleo in H20: Just Add Water. (Credit: Getty)

The project began with a few hurdles thanks to the COVID pandemic, meaning Phoebe and the rest of the cast and crew were filming during lockdown.

“I’m now quite used to filming with COVID protocols; it’s just sort of second nature now that everyone’s extra careful and wears masks and all those things,” Phoebe says.

“But I will say, I’d only done one other job before then, so it kind of felt quite surreal to be in Australia after nearly two years and to be on a film set. The city was pretty quiet.”

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“It’s a beautiful portrait of a father and a son,” Phoebe said about Transfusion. (Credit: Stan)

In Transfusion, Phoebe plays the deceased wife of a veteran (Sam Worthington) grappling with PTSD after retiring from the SAS. 

“It’s a nice portrait of emotions, and men being vulnerable and letting their emotions come out,” the actress explains.

“It’s a beautiful portrait of a father and a son. They’re bonded by trauma.”

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