Let’s talk about the title. Who has secrets?
The bridesmaids both have secrets. And so does the bride. It’s a great title, in that way.
It’s about characters trying to navigate those secrets and how to deal with them and what not dealing with them means as well.
We all have very different secrets that we’re holding on to. And Olivia’s have to do with health and mortality and fear and Saskia’s (Kate McGrath) are to do with financial things. And then Melanie’s (Abbie Cornish) are more to do with family and infidelity. So, it’s great that they’re all different but they all relate to each other and are all connected.
Are you like your character?
Olivia is very heart-on-the-sleeve, an optimist and bright, but she can also be a bit reserved in putting on a front that everything is fine. It was similar to how I am and how a lot of women in my family are. It just rang very true to a lot of things in my life. So, sharing it [on screen] feels very personal.
Speaking of personal, your mum’s paintings hang in the gallery where you filmed, right?
Karen Panton, who owns the vineyard where we filmed, owns a bunch of my mum’s artworks. And so, we just happened at the last minute to film in this room where two of my mum’s oil paintings of these beautiful flowers are right there. It felt very special to have these two creative fields come together in this room.
Olivia is in remission from cancer when we meet her, right?
She is on her cancer-versary, which she and her friends celebrate every year. She’s also fearful that the cancer has come back, but she’s not sharing that with anyone. She’s very torn because this is a crucial moment where she’s committing to someone for life, and she’s not sure how much life she has left in her. It’s upsetting.
Did you enjoy getting to try on wedding dresses in the show?
It was great because I never did that for my own wedding. I found a vintage suit in a vintage market that I bought for $240. So, I skipped the whole trying on dresses with my mum and girlfriends thing. But working in costumes like that can be challenging. I had to do a lot of running in a very heavy dress! I should put [that] on my CV – can run in heels and a giant frock!
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