Okay, do you know the Beyonce version of mine with j Balvin? You know you know what azul means When they say al are you with me? That means blue are you with me? And they're talking about blue ivy.
Oh, I guess his back. Girls, Marris, welcome to first things First, I'm brook bletting. My pronouns are.
She and Maddie meals. My pronouns are he and him. And before we get started, I'd like to acknowledge the custodians of the land on which we record, and for me it's the Gatigel people of the urinations.
And for me it's a wondering people of the cool nation. Let's let's do it.
Okay, cut the Columbia music. I've had enough of it.
Scratchy scratch, it was super fun. Maddy's back from Columbia, Guys. I don't know why I say Columbia Columbia. Yeah, I don't know why I say it. When I was like, oh, Matt's in Colombia.
Well, guess what. I hate to say it, but I've been spelling Columbia wrong my whole life. I see on the on the sheet here, on our run sheet, it's spelt with a, Yeah, that's incorrect.
It's with an. I knew that. That's why I say Columbia Columbia. See, I've had it right this whole time. I thought I was saying it wrong.
No, you're saying it again. And my partner picked picked me up on this a few months back and was like, every time you send me a message about Columbia, you're spelling it incorrectly. I'm like, I think that's because I'm thinking of the Columbian Hotel on Oxford Street, and I think it's spelt.
Like that Columbia because I see it on clothes and stuff.
M m. But it was amazing. I mean, it was a whirlwind of a trip, you know, going over there to meet the in laws, meet the family for the first time. And there are so many things that I realized about myself while I was there, but also about Australia. And one of the things that I realized is is that Australia is really conservative. We are a conservative nation, and I think that it's only when you leave the shores of Australia that made.
I mean, we were like colonized by the British. Now if you look at the British, their conservatives as fuck.
Yeah. And I'm talking with a wide brush stroke here. I'm talking, you know, when it comes to just how we act, who we are as people, how we talk to each other, how we operate in society. What I realized is that like my first time in South America, it is vibrant, it is energetic, it is loud. There is not much shame that I could see. And when I first got to Columbia, my partner's family had all met me at the airport, right, and all signs, well, well you would think so, right, you would think there
would be a couple of signs. Let me tell you it was way more than that. It was a boombox, a legit with music. They were all dancing. It was like a pit when I arrived at the airport, and at first I like died, And then you know what, I was just like absolutely not having this shame. I'm living in this moment, and because.
No one else is judging right on the other one, like no one's looking at it, like blinking twice.
All the Latinos that were waiting for their families at the airport all doing the same basically.
Matter like the Melbourne airport, just like imagine me flying back into a perth and in our country and being like you're smooth scared literally, or like take me home.
No, I'm telling you. It was like a big party. And so from that moment of first getting there and having his family welcome me like that, I knew it was going to be so much fun. It felt like there was so much love that was just like ready to be poured out. And you know, I didn't speak the language, but I was laughing the whole time.
Oh my god, like funny.
You know. Not a lot of his family can speak English, which is totally fine. You know, obviously Spanish is their first language. And the one thing that we all connected on was humor. Like, even though they were just like talking in their language, I was just laughing because I could tell that it was just funny, you know, they were just crack ups. And so, yeah, it was just a whirlwind of a trip. But we went to so many different locations. We ended up going to fourteen locations in seventeen days.
That's a lot, It's a lot.
Yeah, do you see these bags under my eyes? Neither?
Do I rude? I didn't say anything, you said, yeah, No, I did not did I. I was like no, I was literally looking me like what bags your mom? Idiot?
No, but it was Yeah, it was so much fun. Have you I know you went to Argentina for the challenge.
Yeah, but like that was the scene. Yeah that wasn't as like viron as what your your experience was, like you know, we were filming the whole time, like yeah, yeah, yeah, and most of the film crew and production were either American or Australian, so it was yeah. And then afterwards we you know, when everyone sort of like this show ended, we all stayed in Buenos Aires, but like we only went to like the little markets that they have into
the city, and like that was about it. Like we didn't really get to experience like the vibrancy of South America and Argentina like I would have loved to. But yeah, I was also a little bit scared because I feel like I was walking around and there's like people holding like massive guns.
Massive guns at the supermarket.
Yeah, like that was really quite confronting for me. Like yeah, so but I know so many beautiful plays, Like I really wanted to go to Peru whilst I was there, but yeah, pretty much and just do that like massive hike and then get the train or the bus back or whatever it is. Yeah, I would have loved to do that, but yeah, no, one day, one day, it's on my list. It's on my list.
I definitely know what you mean by you felt a little bit scared, because before I went in to that environment, I had all these preconceived ideas of how I would feel. But I went with somebody who grew up there. I went with a local, so it was a completely different experience.
But Denny is really precautionous. Precautionis he's cautious about crime and about like they have this saying which is no job papaja, which basically means don't show people that you're wealthy or that you've got things that they could take, right, So you don't wear fancy jewelry, or you don't have your iPhone out on the street because in this country it's really easy for someone to come up on a scooter,
you know, ride past, grab a phone right off. So he was like really cautious, to the point where I started to get annoyed because every time we'd get in a car, he'd lock the doors and he'd tell me to keep my phone away and I coming from Australia, I just it felt like, oh, this is so annoying. But then by the end of the trip, like obviously I understood it, Like I understood that he comes from this place, he's seen it all.
Did you see anything happen whilst you were over there?
That is I felt really safe. Yeah, so I felt really safe. But he was really cautious about like what could be possible, you know, especially in Cali where we spent a lot of time. When we went to more touristy areas like cart Hennah and his hometown of Cochrana, which was like a small town where that was the first location we went, he was more chill. But in Cally he was like, you just need to be like mindful.
You need to like not like you couldn't leave anything anywhere, Like even if you were sitting at a restaurant, you couldn't have your phone.
On the table. Yeah, that's what I realized, Yeah.
Put your phone in your pocket, take off any jewelry. Because it's such a difference. To hear, it was like, yeah, it became a bit annoying, but I really enjoyed the touristy locations like Carta hennah. Have you ever seen like images of Carto hennah or you know anything about it? No, it is such a picturesque place, Like it's this old town in the north of Columbia where it has this old wall that they built to.
Oh yeah, right, photos stunning.
Stunning and every building has like a beautiful big door that it's basically an instagramer's dream.
Yeah. I was gonna say, like that just seems so picturesque.
And picturesque aesthetic is just like everything stunning. It's got like horse and carriages instead of cars. And so we had such a great time there, and then we went off and skipped islands outside of Columbia and that that was amazing as well, like beach clubs. And what I love is that there's so many black people, like, oh, you never see white like sorry to Rach, love you, like I love you so much and I love my mother. But you never see anyone. That's fine, You never see
anyone who's white, and that's like refreshing. Everyone is black or a person gather.
White people are the minority.
Yeah, no, legit. And if you see a white person, everyone's looking at them like yeah, Like it's so refreshing. To see that, like just so many black, beautiful black people.
Around and beautiful people too stunning.
But you know what, I realized, I have the sexiest Latino man out of Columbia. It's Denny.
It doesn't surprise me. Yeah, I was like, did you expect me to be surprised?
Like, I'm like, okay, I said to him at the end of the trip, I said, Babe, you want to know something. I said, You're the sexiest man I've seen in Columbia.
He's like, you're looking at them, are you? Well?
Yeah, Like I was like, babe, where are the clones of you? Like I want to I want to check the man out. We even went to a gay club once and there's no one there, nothing.
So what's like the vibe around like queerness in Colombia.
Well, it's a very Catholic country and a lot of people are heavily influenced by the Catholic Church and Christian as well, and so there's an acceptance there for sure, Like there's this vibrancy, especially when you're in like a club or something, but around family it's quite conservative, you know, like Denny's.
Yeah, was meeting Denny's parents amazing.
I mean, his mom and I were talking via translate days out, so I was like having mad conversations with her in Spanish and like we were having the biggest yarns. And then I got there and we couldn't talk because I don't know the language. So that was like, did you still have to.
Use your little like Google Translator?
Totally? Yeah. I was using the translate on iPhone and that helped a lot. But the vibe, it was always about the vibe. And on the first night that I got to meet them all, like they all came together and we all went in different like basically a convoy to explore the city together. Wow, And they wanted to show me around school excursion. It was so cool, and
we had a different relationship while we're in Columbia. I must admit, like I feel like in Australia he's really comfortable with sexuality, and in Columbia it was a little bit different. I wasn't used to him not being affectionate while we're in Columbia. But I just thought, Okay, I'm just gonna have to like ride this wave of like us being a little bit less like we are in Australia to respect his family's values and also just like, yeah, be respectful.
I suppose yeah, especially if they you know, follow the church and everything. I can get that actually, So yeah, wow, seem at the family, the whole community, dancing, singing, eating. How was the food? Was the food fucking phenomenal?
Okay, so two minds about this. Some of it was great and some of it I will never eat again. But then his mom's food was amazing. So I loved the beans she cooked. They eat a lot of like pork belly, a lot of like salad. Yeah, really good food, really good food. Other than that, and their fruits are different. They have these wild fruits that are like so sour that when you drink it, it's like your face goes like this.
Like like LEMONI kind of like shit.
It's called something, and it's like you order it at the shops and you sit and drink it. Like they have they have traditions, you know, you go to the you go to the shopping center, and you order this drink and you sit there and eat this food. Like there's a little traditions that I realized that you're really cool to be a part of.
That's so cool. I'm actually so jealous, like I would love to be immersed in like another country, but like we're the local, like their nose or this stuff Latino and okay with you know money, let me know.
The women are beautiful, so maybe it's about you know, maybe it's your time to shine with a woman.
So what was your I guess what was your lemon? Your sour? And then what was your orange? Is sweet? Okay?
My sweet? Was that I've never had this experience where you don't know what's going on because you don't speak the language and you just have to go with the flow. For me, that was amazing. Everyone would be talking about things, everyone else would know where we're going, what we're doing, and I just get in the car, and there's.
Something about it. I can imagine, just like little Maddie being like I'm just getting told what to do. Yeah, I just go with I just I just go with the flow.
And then I would be like, babe, what are we doing? Where are we going? And he'd be like, oh, we going to this place. Like I would have no idea that they had like his whole plan and everyone you were doing except me. But there's something about that that relieved the stress of what you were doing the sower of the trip. There wasn't many things that went wrong, Like, we had a really good time. I learned a lot about Denny, I must say, you know, I learned a lot about him.
You feel like your relationship is stronger.
Yeah, I feel like I know more about him. I feel like we had really good conversations while we were away as well about like future stuff. Okay, and I think that, like I'm in a better position to really understand who my partner is, and I like that.
Did you guys talk more about baby stuff?
Yeah, we did, And even on the way home, we spoke about like possibly moving to Metagin for a year.
To have the baby for the surrogant.
For therogacy be there as part of the pregnancy, you know, the whole thing, so that we can support the person. Yea, And that definitely seems like something that is doable. While was away, what did you get up to, Like what happened in your life?
Uh? My brother was in prison. Oh fuck, he got out. He got out after a few very very expensive calls to lawyers. So that's all sorted. That's fucked. But whatever moving on?
Is he going to get help?
Yeah? I actually asked about counseling, but he won't hear until he does his hearing first. It's got to go to a hearing. I got my head shots.
But actually, yeah, I loved those, thank you. There was something there that were really like actor headshots, like they were are they meant to be?
Oh okay.
When I looked at them, I was like, yeah, you can, Like it looks like you're a character, you know.
Oh see, that's what I want my essence. Yeah, yeah, yourself.
But in your eyes you were like there was one in there where I was like, she's a fucking detective. Yeah, like I could see her on NCIS, you know what I mean.
Thank you? So, And I've finished my third scene study in Showcase, so that went really well. On Friday, I felt like the nerves of that first performance have actually like settled now where I didn't. I felt nervous, but I felt like excited too because I was doing a comedy drama. I think that's kind of like my realm, Like is like working into that comedy drama where I was playing this character. Collect I'm acting as an actor in a trailer with another girl and we're both fighting
for the lead position. I'm like the more established actor, and I'm finding that they're changing the script and giving it to Brenda, So I'm fucking pissed off. And she's like this young actor and like she's got this weird
chanting thing happening. Anyways, it was like this comedy drama that was hilarious because I'm playing like a really bitchy character, which I didn't realize that I am good at okay, but I think obviously because it's the opposite of what I am in a way that I feel like I am acting but I can still drop into it, if that makes sense. So that's kind of like one of the characters that I've established within myself is that I
feel like I can do really well. I think because it releases me because I'm not really an asshole throughout my day unless I have to be. It kind of releases me and gives me that opportunity to be like that and be like, well, it's the character, you know,
like obviously justifying it as a character. But yeah, So I finished my third scene study showcase, but I did have this really sad moment and it's like so nice to hear your experiences, like with meeting your you know partner's family and you know, feeling so connected and feeling like a community, and I feel like that's kind of thing that I'm lacking at the moment. And not to turn this into a downy, but I had this really beautiful moment where I was I smashed the whole day
right that Friday. I I'm stage manager as well, so I like went to I did my master class in the morning, I got all my props and stuff ready. I'd gone to office works and printed off all these set photos, so making sure everyone was sordid and organized, plus also then making sure that I'm warming up and
rehearsing beforehand. Yeah, and you know, I smashed the showcase, had really good feed back, and I had this really sad moment when everyone after it was hugging their friends and family and I was the only one that didn't have anyone there, and so I was just talking to everyone's family and friends and it was like I hit me then, and then I was like, I'll just play it off like I've got shit to do, So I
was like, just keep yourself busy. And then I you know, got home and then went to the spa afterwards with my friends and We had like a really chill like we did the sauna and the steam room, et cetera, had a cup of tea at home, played piano and sung and I was really really lovely and I loved
that so much with you know, people from class. And then I went to bed and I was having this moment like I'm really proud of myself, like for the first time, I felt like, oh my god, I smashed today, and I felt proud, like I felt like, oh my god, I can do this. And then I just started crying and I was like, why am I crying? And I was so sad but happy. It was such a weird feeling,
and I think that was like grief. You know, like a few episodes ago, we spoke about grief and how it can just sort of just hit you out of nowhere. And I think that in that moment was like this moment of like, you know, the fact that I'm having those feelings means that I'm still connected to my mum and my family and my community, but I'm craving that community because I just have to be proud of myself
in these moments. But there's some moments where I'm just like I just want to hear it from someone else, Like I just want to hear it, you know, And I know that I use the fact that all I ever want in my life is to hear my mom say like she's proud of me. But I use that as source work, like I use that in moments where I need to get to where I need to go, you know, emotionally, and that in that moment, I was like, fuck,
I really felt that. But it's fucked as an actor because you like you're realizing and you're feeling these emotions and then you're like, oh, got to bottle that up, cut that that, and you like put it away because you're like, oh yea, yeah, I want God need that. Like it's so fucked. It's so fun. But at the same time, I realized that I'm really homesick at the moment. I'm really craving community and family. But it's a sacrifice that I am just continuing to make. That's kind of
all that's happened. Nothing's happened with my love life, still obsessed my ex.
Huh did you invite anyone?
Yeah? I invited a few people and the shouldn't make it. Yeah, Like none of them showed up. So, yeah, my friends have been really fucking shitty, if I'm being honest, Like that's what's really happened, Like more recently, my friends have been really fucking shitty.
Yeah, maybe next time. I was thinking, maybe you should get Pete to come he's in Perth. Yeah, but like he could come over for it, you know aligned the moment.
Oh no, I know, it would have been so lovely.
He would have to see that.
Oh he would have and I I know. And I actually spoke to him afterwards and he was like I wish I was there and blah blah blah, And I was like, yeah, but the last time he came over, like you know, it cost me like two grand to bring it over, Like it was a lot of money and stuff.
But yeah, because you know when these moments, when do you graduate?
December? So it's actually, this is a thing that's happening with my life is like time is just becoming really small now, Like sut like I would go film.
Your days are just done, right, Yeah, how are you going to do?
And Saturdays I'm going away for I'm filming October November, December and my graduations on the sixth, and the six is actually the last day with film. So I'm hoping my schedule that day I can fly back and actually graduate from Howard because and that graduation day is when we showcase all of our work. But I won't be
able to perform because I have nothing to perform. The only thing that I can do is work on my Shakespeare monolog But I made it the right decision then, and I think I'm making the right decision now doing the film.
But that's amazing. Yeah, when when do you start filming October?
Yeah?
Which is that you miss out on some of the lessons.
Yeah, I miss out pretty much on three months all stuff. And it's all working with the pros. So like Sarah Hallam is actually a casting director, she went she was went on Wentworth, another lady called Stevie, she's another casting Scott Major's who's a director for Neighbors. So I'm working with all these pros. But I miss out on that opportunity, which kind of sucks. But I don't know if this is a sign though, Like I start filming on the fourteenth of October, and we all know what happened on
the fourteenth of October was the referendum day. Oh, so I don't know if this is like a sign. It's like, no, you need to do this, like you need to be here. The feelings that I had from the referendum were like distraught, like and feeling like oh, like I don't have a place here in this fucking country. And then next the next year, I'm filming a film. It's a First Nations film that's like showcasing our stories, you know, like what I mean, Like it's like I'm meant to be doing
these things. I think. I don't know. I'm a bit like witchy woo woo with that sort of stuff.
No, I love that. I think that Like that's a good way to look at it too, Like it's a year on and look at using your voice.
Yeah exactly.
And what's happening in the love life. Let's give them what they want.
Nothing. I have like a few crushes. I'm still obsessed with my ex. But that's fart it.
We've been talking, Yeah, yeah.
We've it's he's actually this is a thing like if I didn't have him, I actually don't even know who. I'll have to be fair with you.
Oh shut up, you got everyone.
In Melbourne, your dog in Melbourne.
Oh my god, you loved, you loved your friends. I know they're being chitty right now, but they're just having a moment. You're loved, okay, Oh.
I am loved, but I'm forgotten. Also, No, they're like, I don't know that. It's so weird because honestly, if I didn't have Sam, I don't know, like I hate.
No, sorry, no you feel like that.
No, I can rely on him when I'm feeling fucking cut and distraught to like come over and make dinner and like relieve me of my stress.
How how is hev you?
I'm not bad, you talk, You're fay blessed now, blessed.
I don't know why do I not like him?
I don't know. You haven't spent time with him, but it's so fair for you not to like him. But no, you know he's gone to Africa soon and I don't know what's going to happen after that. He's finding himself, he's on that journey. But I do. I do like this fellow, and I think it's kind of helped me not get so attached. But this is this fella that plays basketball. He's six six, he's fucking massive, ye, and I think he's funny. He makes me laugh.
Yeah, and you're talking to him right now.
We're talking, but nothing else has happened.
Who does he play for? I don't let it out or not?
Yeah, Melbourne United and he like he looks it's a bit of a romantic Like I don't know, I don't know if happened to me. Well, I went to this like Opening Night, but like, isn't he just like he's just so sexy look at him. I've got lots of crushes, but nothing's happening, I think because like I'm also like realized I'm emotionally unavailable, Like.
I'm just going on, yeah, like.
I'm just emotionally unavailable. That's why I'm having such a hard time. Like I've had therapy this morning, and that's my advice from my psych well not advice, but was like, do you just feel like you're attracting people that aren't emotional emotionally available because you're that so yep, that's kind of where I'm at. But that's fine. I mean I'm going to be like happily single.
Well, look, you're you're going into a film. There's always an opportunity for a showmance, and that's always fun. So let's see. A showmance is where you meet someone on set who just takes your eyes and it's like, oh my god, you know a showmance.
Showmans. Yeah, that's all we have time today. They got that was like jam packed with so much stuff. Were on a journey. We went to Colombia, we went to Neon Moon, we went to eating shitty food, we went to Tall six six basketballers.
That's a journey's yeah, so much more to come next.
I know, I'm so excited for you to be back because I've missed you and I've had withdrawals.
And love you. You to be in Sydney, that's going to be fun because yeah, we can properly catch up and hang out and recording studio and do that.
Walk. Oh my god. We also need to talk about Maiden Bondai. We need to talk about it. We need to talk about it.
Should I watch it?
Watch the first episode and let me know what your thinkers, and we'll go and debrief next episode.
So we have a proper chat off offline about that as well.
Please please, please, please, all right, thank you so much for listening to First things First, If you love what you hear, leave us a rating and a review, and if you want us.
To cover anything on the pod, reach out via our socials. Brooks handle is at brook dot blurt minds that at It's Mattie Mills and Nova Podcast Action has all your Nova podcasts over on their channel at Nova podcast Official.
Bye Bye Bye Bye Bye the Bye Bye Bye Bye Colombie Columbi