When Australian actress Radha Mitchell was asked to star in director Robert Connolly’s latest film, Blueback, based on Tim Winton’s 1997 novel of the same name, she didn’t realise how much the part would influence her in real life. Mitchell, who stars alongside Eric Bana and Mia Wasikowska in the movie about a girl who befriends a wild blue groper while diving, sat down with WHO from her home in the US to discuss all things under the sea and overcoming her fears.
How much time were you in the water when shooting?
Rob [Connolly] rang me and said, “Do you want to be in the film?” But I’m afraid of deep water. Some of the training was in a diving pool, then in the ocean. We had a diving trainer who introduced us to the breathing to stay under. We were either on a boat or driving a boat in a mix of different weather experiences. What was really amazing about it was that at the end of it, I was actually able to do the dive. I wasn’t afraid of the ocean!
When were you scared of the water?
I was in Fiji and we had this diving lesson. The diving instructor didn’t speak English, we put on tanks and that was the training. A 10-minute conversation. I had a panic attack. We were 40 feet [12 metres] down, it was beautiful and I was like, “Get me out of here!” Never did it again. This movie was literally an invitation to face that fear.
So this role helped to cure your fear?
Yes, certainly. With free diving you’ve got to be able to hold your breath for a period of time in order to get down. We went down for the first time for a significant amount. I remember looking up and going, “Oh my God, I’m not going to make it to the top!” But I did. I got to the top and Rob’s like, “OK, let’s do it again!” And I was like, “No! We’re not doing it again!” You go to the point of resistance and you make an effort to relax there. It felt like something you could apply to any of your fears. It was an introduction to the ocean and an opportunity to fall in love with the ocean in a way that I hadn’t before because I’d avoided getting into deep oceanic waters for most of my life.
How did the relationship with the actors that play your daughter [at different ages] develop on set?
It was great. It’s fun acting with kids. They have strong imaginative lives so they can just be in the situation. It was easy.
An important message in this film is about coral bleaching. Would you agree?
I’m not an expert in this conversation, but what this movie does is invite people to get curious about what’s threatening the ocean and to bring it into the light and to discussion.
Was research a big part of preparing for your role?
It’s amazing what you can do online if you get excited about a subject. Women activists in particular. The film is inclusive, but there’s a female aspect to it. I felt like we were creating an original woman. You don’t see a lot of this kind of woman in the cinema.
What do you hope audiences will take from the film?
The movie speaks to different people on many levels, depending on how they want to hear it. It’s very emotional for mothers and daughters in particular. There’s something very primal about it. I hope people get into the ocean and free diving itself, which is quite transformative.
What else is on the agenda?
I had a movie that came out here in the US called the Devil’s Workshop. I played the bad lady. I just finished shooting a project in Sydney called Last Days of the Space Age, a series set in the 1970s. I worked with Rob Taylor [on Grounded]. We just finished filming in Tennessee, which was fun. Found myself in Nashville singing songs.
That’s a great mixture!
Definitely. You’ve got to keep it diverse and interesting.
Blueback opens in cinemas Dec. 31
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