Natalie Bassingthwaighte on Neighbours

Quick chat with Natalie Bassingthwaighte

The Sydney singer and actress, 42, talks to WHO about stirring up the crazy again on soap opera Neighbours and raising talented kids. - by Cynthia Wang

WHO: You're back on Neighbours more than 10 years after your last appearance.

NATALIE BASSINGTHWAIGHTE: It felt right to come back to Izzy now. In Brock, you are playing someone who is actually alive, so it's a completely different process to playing someone like Gillian on The Wrong Girl, who is very measured and practical, and then playing Izzy, who is just out of control. Hopefully the next character I play will be completely different again.

WHO: Was it like meeting an old friend in a way?

NATALIE BASSINGTHWAIGHTE: At first I was really nervous and thought, “I wonder if I’m even going to remember who she is?” Like, is she going to come into my body? And I got on-set the first day, said a line and thought, “Oh! There she is!” It kind of freaked me out. I had this moment and Jackie [Woodburne] and Alan [Fletcher] looked at me and we just laughed.

WHO: Has this re-ignited your passion for acting?

NATALIE BASSINGTHWAIGHTE: For sure. My husband says he has never seen me happier, and that’s quite a big thing because I do lots of different things in my life. But he thinks me being on-set, even just being able to work with directors or other actors, and bringing a character to life, he sees that I just love it so much.

Getty; WHO

WHO: Do your kids, Harper, 7, and Hendrix, 4, get to come on-set with you?

NATALIE BASSINGTHWAIGHTE: No, I think they are a bit young. Although in saying that, my daughter came in here the other day just because my husband was busy, watched me get my makeup and hair done, and then let, but I think it's a little bit too old for her at this point.

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