How long have you and Dan been based in Los Angeles?
How long have you and Dan been based in Los Angeles? We’re back and forth, obviously, because there’s always work here and elsewhere but we’ve been there for about six years. We’ve grown to really love it. Where we live out in Santa Monica we are by the beach because we’ve found, as Australians, that we kind of just gravitated towards the water.
Is Dan still over in LA?
No, he’s home at the moment. He’s not far off starting the next season of his job, so he’s taking a bit of a break and starting to prepare for that [American-British military-spy thriller Strike Back, in which MacPherson plays US Sergeant Samuel Wyatt]. It’s been nice for both of us to be home and spend time with the family for a little while. The life of any actor is very transient and you have to really be ready to be wherever you need to be for the work. Obviously, coordinating with a husband and wife who are both actors means we’re just always moving around a lot.
Is life as an actor in LA very different to that back home?
It’s not that different, to be honest. California has a pretty similar lifestyle to Australia – I think that’s why Australians are quite happy to live over there. It’s sunny and it’s beachy. But the thing over there is that, even if you’re not working, you’re quite busy because there’s always auditions and meetings and classes. But whether you’re on set here or there, I find that all sets are pretty universal.
As new emergency doctor Alex in Home and Away, this will be the first time in your career playing a doctor. Have you been busy practising the medical terminology?
Obviously, things come up in the script and the first thing you do is look them up so you know what you’re talking about. It’s good because I get to learn a lot along the way. A couple of weeks ago, before I started filming, I spent a day in the [NSW] Nepean Hospital’s emergency department and just had a look and got to shadow an emergency doctor for a couple of hours. It was really helpful for me to get the vibe of what an emergency department feels like.
To read the rest of the article, go to this week's WHO magazine.
