Watch Video
Podcasts
Blogs
NEW SOUTH WALES
Profile on Deborah Mailman
Tuesday, 13 November, 2007
Deborah Mailman
Video Journalist Angela Bates interviews 'The Secret Life of Us' star, Deborah Mailman.
KARLA GRANT: The 2007 Deadly Awards honouring Indigenous achievement is on tomorrow night at the Sydney Opera House. And as the excitement builds in anticipation of the red carpet event, we profile nominee for Female Actor of the Year Deborah Mailman. Video journalist Angela Bates caught up with Deb and saw a more content side to this happy-go-lucky actor.
VO1: She came to national prominence in her role as Kelly in 'The Secret Life of Us', winning hearts right across the nation.
DEBORAH MAILMAN: I really didn't understand how popular Kelly was becoming as a character. There was a positive response to the show and I think for me that was the most important thing, you know, that people were watching the show.
VO2: But it was her role as Nona in the feature film 'Radiance' that a star was born.
DEBORAH MAILMAN: 'Radiance', I'm very proud of that, that was my first feature film. (Sings operatically) It was a hell of a lot of fun - great girls, and working with Rachel Perkins, who I absolutely adore, and, you know, fantastic film director, so it was great to be part of that.
VO3: Since leaving 'The Secret Life Of Us', Deborah has returned to her first love, the theatre.
DEBORAH MAILMAN: I'm about to start back at work with the Sydney Theatre Company. I've been committed to the Actors Company of the Sydney Theatre Company for the last... since the beginning of 2006, which has been fantastic. So, yeah, maternity leave for the last eight months and I go back to work.
VO4: Deborah has earned her right to take time out too. She's won many prestigious awards including an AFI, two Logies and more recently the 2007 Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role.
DEB MAILMAN: It was an 8-hour epic, went over two days. And I've worked with Barry before, years ago. And it was such an exciting production. I was very, very honoured to be acknowledged in that way, it was great.
V05: Over the years, Deborah has shone in many different roles but one of the most challenging was starring in a play set in the 1960s - 'The Sapphires'.
DEBORAH MAILMAN: We had a fantastic musical director and in the amount of time we had for rehearsals we were working hard, you know, trying to dance and sing at the same time, so it demanded a lot of fitness. And by the end of it we were chucking the legs up in the air, swinging that microphone cord around, but it was great.
VO6: This multitalented actress also starred in 'Going Bush', a travel show with Catherine Freeman.
DEBORAH MAILMAN: It was a great opportunity to show Aboriginal Australia to a wider audience, to show the diversity of our communities was important to be a part of, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
VO7: Deborah's immediate future will see her begin a new play with the Sydney Theatre Company. So what does the future hold for one of Australia's best loved actresses?
DEB MAILMAN: Sadly, I have to sort of bow out at the end of the year but in the last two years it's given me great focus in my work and it's been a fantastic experience.
KARLA GRANT: The 2007 Deadly Awards honouring Indigenous achievement is on tomorrow night at the Sydney Opera House. And as the excitement builds in anticipation of the red carpet event, we profile nominee for Female Actor of the Year Deborah Mailman. Video journalist Angela Bates caught up with Deb and saw a more content side to this happy-go-lucky actor.
VO1: She came to national prominence in her role as Kelly in 'The Secret Life of Us', winning hearts right across the nation.
DEBORAH MAILMAN: I really didn't understand how popular Kelly was becoming as a character. There was a positive response to the show and I think for me that was the most important thing, you know, that people were watching the show.
VO2: But it was her role as Nona in the feature film 'Radiance' that a star was born.
DEBORAH MAILMAN: 'Radiance', I'm very proud of that, that was my first feature film. (Sings operatically) It was a hell of a lot of fun - great girls, and working with Rachel Perkins, who I absolutely adore, and, you know, fantastic film director, so it was great to be part of that.
VO3: Since leaving 'The Secret Life Of Us', Deborah has returned to her first love, the theatre.
DEBORAH MAILMAN: I'm about to start back at work with the Sydney Theatre Company. I've been committed to the Actors Company of the Sydney Theatre Company for the last... since the beginning of 2006, which has been fantastic. So, yeah, maternity leave for the last eight months and I go back to work.
VO4: Deborah has earned her right to take time out too. She's won many prestigious awards including an AFI, two Logies and more recently the 2007 Helpmann Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role.
DEB MAILMAN: It was an 8-hour epic, went over two days. And I've worked with Barry before, years ago. And it was such an exciting production. I was very, very honoured to be acknowledged in that way, it was great.
V05: Over the years, Deborah has shone in many different roles but one of the most challenging was starring in a play set in the 1960s - 'The Sapphires'.
DEBORAH MAILMAN: We had a fantastic musical director and in the amount of time we had for rehearsals we were working hard, you know, trying to dance and sing at the same time, so it demanded a lot of fitness. And by the end of it we were chucking the legs up in the air, swinging that microphone cord around, but it was great.
VO6: This multitalented actress also starred in 'Going Bush', a travel show with Catherine Freeman.
DEBORAH MAILMAN: It was a great opportunity to show Aboriginal Australia to a wider audience, to show the diversity of our communities was important to be a part of, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.
VO7: Deborah's immediate future will see her begin a new play with the Sydney Theatre Company. So what does the future hold for one of Australia's best loved actresses?
DEB MAILMAN: Sadly, I have to sort of bow out at the end of the year but in the last two years it's given me great focus in my work and it's been a fantastic experience.
