Hey guys, my name's Benjamin Norris and this is my second pop up episode of TV Reload. I'm delighted to announce this spinoff podcast which will feature some of your favorite reality TV stars, presenters and actors from all the major networks and streaming services. I'm just going to start featuring the occasional guests who are making the biggest waves on your TV screens. So expect to hear inside stories from the most loved, the most controversial, and the most
exciting names. We would all love to hear just that little bit more from. If you want to keep up to date with the latest goss and you enjoy today's episode, please press subscribe on Spotify, iTunes and iHeartRadio and I'll keep you in the loop with contestants, actors and presenters currently on Australian television. Today, I have actress Doris Una, whose career spans across thirty five years, with an extensive
body of work in film, theater and television. I've seen Doris in all of those formats and I've loved her from such an early age. And you might remember her from some of her career highlights, such as the film The Heartbreak Kid, which subsequently went on to have its own tvc which she also start. Doris's extensive television credits include Blackjack, Sea Change, Party Tricks, The Wrong Girl and if you haven't seen Freid then check that one out on ABC I View. Doris is, of course brilliant and
that as well. Today we'll be talking about her role as Heather in the TV series Five Bedrooms, which is now only available on Paramount Plus, the later streaming service available here in Australia. Heather is a complicated and warm woman and in Doris's own words, we haven't really seen a character like her before, and I hope if you're listening to this interview you will check out that series, which is Australian drama at its best. However, let's get
started with today's guest. I'd like to welcome to the podcast. It's Doris You nay.
I think people identify with me purely because I am a Lebanese here Ada, Doris your name. Congratulations on your nominations.
En As.
One of the problem with actors is they're trying to be someone else. Christina Malano film more I Am who I Am. My comedy lies in a certain place. You can't make a move out. It's all right, I've already got to replace. It was like a death in the family. I'm sorry. Who are you Raine? So Rabi go a big personality and I think I do relate to a lot of bit because I am very grounded and down to worth.
Hey mate, how are you?
That was great? Yeah, very natural, you know, I'm good. Thank you.
It's always very strange when you're sort of talking to people from all around the world or around Australia from from your home. So congratulations on the success of Five Bedrooms. It's such a great show. It's amazing.
Oh, thank you. So where are you up to?
I've seen theories one and two.
Good boy and Serious three is on its way.
Well, yes, you're filming series three at the moment. Can you Can you give us any spoilers?
No, I can't. The script's are gorgeous. I can't say too much because I don't want to. I don't want to ruin the surprise. There are some real cliffhangers in this one. So no, it's really exciting.
What was your first reaction to reading the script back when it was first offered to you?
You know, it's like reading it a great play from start to finish. It was just it was brilliant. And even just reading this the audition scenes, and I remember thinking, I want this and I'm so right for it, and I needed everybody to believe I was as well, you know, and as an actor's job, it's like you do your best and you go, well, it's out of my hands
once your audition, it's really up to them. But I just knew that this was something special from that moment, and I thought, God, someone's writing stuff for women that is like really on the edge and you know, a little bit sharp and a bit dangerous. And I thought, oh, yeah, I like this character. Heather shows over mate, for once in your life, you're going to do something vaguely honorable. You're going to get out of her life. You're going to go back to your bullshit marriage, and you're going
to wait for further instructions. I suppose I just I instick connected with her, you know. I mean I would have paid for this opportunity. So you don't often read scripts that have that resonate like that. They're usually a little bit clunky. We go, yeah, no, I can I make this work. These trips were just off the bat that were just brilliant.
Can you remember how your agent described this role of Heather to you when you first heard about it.
Well, look, I think my agent Souvenet, and she's amazing. She pretty much, you know, said this is a great fit, this is you, which you know obviously puts you on the pressure to get it. But she was right. I think she knows me well enough to go, yeah, you're going to get something. This is the one you're going to get.
Yeah.
Not that it was easy to play Heather, it was just that I wanted to explore her. I just thought, my god, we haven't seen this kind a woman on Australian TV. Let's do this.
I know things haven't always been easy between us. I've never lied to you and I'm only going to ask you this once. Are you leaving me.
For that blow? Quite sec it's just as he's jumping fences for you, You're an idiot. And then I had a chemistry test with Steven Peacock and that was easy.
That's not hard.
Yeah, that was really hard. Yeah, but he's also such a good actor, you know, and I think for him it's thrown him into a different ballpark as well. And we just love what, we love working with each other, and I think it shows. I think it shows on screen.
Well, I think that all the five central characters could hold a series of their own. You know, did you feel like that?
Well, that's why I think. You know, they sort of focus on one person having a storyline with each block, which we each episode. It's quite a lovely way to journey it through, I suppose. I mean with Offspring, it would have been exhausting for Asha to just run through a whole series, whereas this is sort of nice. You get a bit of a breather, but also it's a really lovely concept. But yeah, I absolutely agree. I think the strength of every actor holds her own. We don't.
There's not a weak link in this series, and often you can find them. This was not what I'd imagined for my life.
I mean, buying a family home, yes, but I'd imagine buying it with a family. I hadn't imagined my gay best friend, a pregnant woman, to middle aged nurse, or a tradee.
But I just think, again, the casting is sensational and we're so different. Every character in this show is in like their own lane vocally, the way they deliver their dialogue physically even tonally. We're so different and I love that we stay in our lanes. And they've written the voices of these characters in such a way that it's easy to stay there, and you know, again credit to them.
Do you get to suggest things with Heather? Like do you get to suggest where you would like to take the character?
Absolutely? And that again, that's the wonderful thing about these writers. Christine mart that heavily writes for. She writes a lot of Heather's voice, and I will ring her And I could never ever do this in thirty five years of my career. I've never run the rite at home on the weekend said hey, what do you reckon? If you know? And she's like, that sounds great, maybe we can put that. You know. It's this sort of collaboration I've never had before.
I didn't know it was possible. But because I'm so passionate about Heather on where she goes, there's nothing stopping me, Like, I just go. I don't care. I just want to get give you everything I can and feed this character as much as I can. You know, Christine's pretty much on the same page as me. She's got these great
journeys for this character that I can't even create. And sometimes they do, but they will not sometimes tend to stay in our safe area what I can do, whereas they push us into areas we would never have thought about. And that's exciting. So you're always being stretched as an actor. I mean, some of the situations that put Heather in, I've never been in those situations, and so it's sort of pretty exciting to grab every script and go, Okay, Jesus,
what has she done with me? This site? It was always going to be a car crash, but I mean, you managed to get out before impact. I'm still in the car. No you're not. You took a hit, but you got out. You did this to move forward with your life. But she never lets me down. And I love that I can ring them, and same with Michael. People just get on the phone or send them an email or you know, I mean, how lucky are we? It's ridiculous.
I grub watching you on television and and for me, you kind of encapsulate the face of reason. You know, someone we all want in our lives, someone who can tell us the truth. But for some reason, in all of your characters, you seem to have this warmth, which I think. I think everyone who watches you, I remember I remember watching Heartbreak, the Heartbreak Kid, the film, Yeah, and I remember feeling that from you. I mean, is that what you're like in real life?
Oh?
Look, I'm a very. I'm obviously not a head, but I'm a very I suppose I. Look, I'm a bit of a carer. People worry me. I don't like people to fall down. I sort of prop people up a lot, and that's just part of my DNA. Maybe it's because I come from a really big Lebanese family and my parents who had very much instill that in us. They were bringing a lot of people out from Lebanon, they were staying in a house. My father was very much
about looking out for people. I suppose I just have that. Also, I think I survive on my sense of humor, you know. I think it's sort of and I think for people it's quite refreshing. And also it's a relief when you can turn a situation that can be quite dire and find a comic swing. And I tend to do that when things are bad. I try to find the funny version of it, or funny side to uplift and maybe that I think that just resonates in my work. It just shows in my work. I think with Christine, she's
allowed all of that to come through all together. With Heather, you know, also her vulnerability, which you know I've loved exploring, but also how Heather protects herself, and I think she uses humor a lot and sarcasm, you know, to protect how her she is. I think I probably do a little bit of that in my own life, and now I'm starting to I think it's I'm starting to see a lot of me and her in the sense that I'm finding that I operate the same way because it's
I don't know, it's a safe place. I don't know, it's a weird thing. It's a weird thing. How well characters sort of make you stop and think about who you are and how you behave and how you respond. And it's interesting. I think Christine Butler and I very closely aligned as well. We tend to a difficult situation we find that they're humor in it, and I think Christine does that, and thank god she does, because it's right down my alley.
I always find with your roles, though there's some nuances that you managed to put into your characters. And it's almost like and it's funny that I looked at this on IMDb yesterday and saw that you've even been in a film with Meryl Streep, you know, when she did Evil Angels back in Australia. Is that right? Did you work? Were you?
Wead? Yeah? Yeah, But I wouldn't say, I mean, I think I was in the same film. I wouldn't say worked with her. I wish I had. No, I was just in it.
Did you get to see her work though?
No, definitely not. You don't get to see those people work. No, I didn't. I wish I had. I've certainly got to see other people work, like I mean, Sam Neil. I love working with Jeff we rush Off work with on the stage. So I've I've watched great actors work and been a part of it, and that's been amazing. But it's funny, you know, I don't ever think they don't influence me as an actor. You know, I'm not trying to be anyone else. I all I know is I can bring what I can bring and what's in me.
And I think that's part of the problem with actors. Is, they're trying to be someone else. I am who I am. My comedy lies in a certain place, my drama does, and I don't want to change it because what I bring is something in a different I bring it differently, and I think for me, it's like when you watch al Pacino, he does al Pacino, he is, He doesn't
veer that far away from the core of him. And I think when you start doing that, then you become sort of a sort of whitebread or just sort of a bit plain.
When I read the book of Looking for Alla Brandy, which was written by Marlina Machette before it was made into a film, I read that book in nineteen ninety two, as you, Yeah, and I know, Paam Miranda went on and made that film that made that character our own.
But I shouldn't say that I should have been in that.
Yeah, I read that book in I think I was in year seven when I read it. But I absolutely just envisioned you in that role for someone kid, I love you, and I pictured you sitting in the cafes, you know, drinking the cappuccinos and having a cigarette, and even the character's relationship with her estranged father. Everything with that I read that whole book as you. It was so strange. So it's such an honor to be talking to you today.
Oh no, don't be silly. That's that's it's an honor for me to hear that, because the thing is that you know, as an actor, your auditioned for so many things that I just go, that's me, that's mine. So it's a really hard industry. You know, you get so many knockbacks. And I've got to say, you know, when you know, when Heather came along, part of me was going, Oh, they're not going to cast me. They just won't because I'm not that person. I'm not lucky enough, you know
what I mean. So it wasn't that I doubted myself as an actor. I knew I had a but I just thought, something's not This one's going to hurt if I don't get it, and I knew it would it would stay with me, and thank god I did, because I don't know if I would have. Yeah, I don't know. And I know a lot of people that are auditions for Heather sent me messages and text saying you're NAILEDA
And I thought, what a beautiful industry we're in. If actress who wanted that role as badly as I did can send me messages saying, just watched it, you deserved it, you blew it away, And I just thought, thank you so much because it's you know, because I've been in that situation where I've lost jobs and sent texas to people saying you're brilliant because you have to acknowledge when someone does land a role and they make it work. And I like that we have, you know, we kind
of have each other's backs. I suppose, yeah, But I've missed out on many jobs, many many jobs, and I'm always the second fiddle. I'm always the support lead or you know what I mean, or a guest role. And for me for someone to believe in me, and these writers did, and Pete Templeman and Channel ten and Hoodlum and Nathan Mayfield to be able to say she's it for the first time in my career as a big that's that's really changed me.
But even in your supporting roles, it's really quite fascinating because like with party Tricks or you know, everything, And I was reading online some of the comments on party Tricks yesterday when I was researching this interview, and so many people just were obsessed with you in that role. So whilst you have been in the background being a supportive actor, you've really been able to stand out in
me serious, which I think is just amazing. How much do you want to tell stories of culture, obviously being a Lebanese lady yourself and wanting to you know, wanting to tell stories of culture, but then also wanting to play characters where that isn't the focus of the role.
Well, the thing is, I mean, obviously I was born in Australia. My background is my background. I don't think we have to make a point of it. I think people identify with me purely because I am a Lebanese heritage, you know. I mean, I've certainly dabbled in I've played Arabic mums where I've spoken Arabic in film. I was in Combination m for m I mean, I've explored that part of me. But I am pretty much an Australian actor and I sort of want to be seen that way.
I don't need to change my name. And again I think they've been really respectful with Heather, not not having to indicate or say, oh, you know all there's tub Bully on the table now because she's Lebanese or should should she have a kebab?
Or do you know what I mean?
All that sort of crap. I am who I am. I'm a trained actor and I have I've trained for five years. I've come up through the ranks. I don't think we need to draw attention to it. It's there. And again I love that, and that's part of the problem with with the whole multicultural thing. I am. I am a not a different background, but I do have a a Lebanese background, But you don't have to draw attention to it. There. It is there. I mean, my nose pretty much says it doesn't it Well.
I think it was because I went to school at Doncaster High and Victoria like in Melbourne, and to be honest, you know, you looked more like everyone that I went to school with, you know, yeah, yeah, you know that was just the area of Doncaster and Templestow. So I mean, I just think of you as an Australian, you know. I don't see you as as anything else.
No, and that's that's and that's how I've always wanted to be perceived. I basically want people say she's a good actor. I didn't want to say she's a good Elevenese actor because I'm a Levet Ease. I mean, I was born here, so do you know what I mean? It's the fact that, you know, I didn't want to draw attention to that. I'm very proud of my heritage. It's not that, it's just, you know, it's a hard
industry to survive in. And now when you look at what's happening with the industry, we are culturally very diverse. It's starting to change, you know, the landscape is starting to change, which I love. It's taken a long time. I mean you think of the days back at Heartbreak High, for example, how culturally dynamic was that show and then it went away. I mean, Michael Jenkins, ben Gannon, they create, we had Spanish, Italian, lebaniese Asian, we had every procession
and then it just vanished. You know. It was almost like it was too much. I don't know, but yet overseas people were raving about it.
But it did reflect my time at school, like it was so weird that show when it turned up. There were so many characters on that show that we'd never seen before because we'd been missing out on that ethnicity. You know, it was so so bizarre. I mean they're bringing heartbreak high back. What sort of things would you like to see that show tackle? You know, in twenty twenty one.
Look, I think they're going to tackle issues. I mean, I think there's so much more now that kids have got to deal with, especially and do you think of Instagram? You think of oh Jesus, even youth suicide, which freaks me out that it's as high as it is, but just that sort of bullying impact that we can now you know so many more people. I mean in our time, well not in your time, but in my time it was bullying in the playground. This is on social media.
This is big and scary, and I think they've got a lot to deal with. And there's also their whole drug scene. There's you know, where do you go? I mean, do you do? I mean UNI is not even considered an option. Everyone's just going I want to be an influencer. You know, there's a lot more stuff that they've got to deal with. And also image, you know, it's up there now everywhere. You've got to look like this to succeed. It's like, thank God, I wasn't part of that. You know,
I think I would have crumbled. I mean, Jesus, I would have had a nice job at the age of eighteen.
I think, will you have a role in the reboot of No No?
Look, I think it's it's taken a completely different turn. I look at them, and you know, I sort of don't need to. I've been there, done that with Heartbreak High. You know, it's a great series, and have I really and I know it'll be great. I think it'll and I've read bits of scripts and I thought, yeah, they're on the ball. It's going to be good. But it's not something I need to revisit. I'm in a part of my life now where I'm exploring. I've got Fred running,
which is great. I've got five Bedrooms running, which I do. I'm in a pretty good play, and I like this material. I really couldn't be happier as an actor at the moment. And you think about second thirty five years for me to get to this point. So I feel kind of lucky, and it also makes me, you know, sad for those that don't ever get this opportunity. And then I waited this long and I didn't fall off the right You know, fall off the rails and just go look I'm going
to and I almost did. I saw I can't correct this, And all I wanted was good scripts. All I wanted. It wasn't about I don't want fame, I don't want I don't want to be an influencer. All I wanted was to read scripts and go, yes, we're on. This is it, this is what I've been waiting for.
It was interesting, though, like I was reading about the fact that, you know, when COVID hit, you moved into the house that they were filming the series, and it must have been so surreal to live on a set, you know, to live on the TV set that you'll be working on. You wouldn't know this. I did a reality show where I lived in a house and it was a set, and it was just such a surreal experience to have that being filmed there all the time.
But the weird question I have for you about it was I was doing the research and I saw you on the project and I saw you talking, and you have so much to say, and I think, as an audience member, I have always wanted to know more from you. And then I was like, I wondered if you'd ever do anything like a reality show where we'd get to know you a little bit more, you know, and I know you're an actor, You're probably like, I couldn't think of anything worse.
Yeah, I'd never say never. Depends on the quality of it and who was doing it. I mean, yeah, I would. I mean, you know, I think I'm a big personality and I think I think I do relate to a lot of people because I am very grounded and down to earth, like this industry hasn't changed me at all. But I would definitely explore that part of me. And it might be the next phase, Like who knows, maybe I'll get tired of acting and learning lines and you know,
I'm already struggling because they're giving me so much. But maybe that's the next thing. I mean I'd love to do. I mean, I think I have a natural sense of humor, like I have, and it's very much my own. I'd love to do something explore just the you know, the the reality version of that kind of thing where I'm just me. I don't have a problem with that as long as it's done well. So if you come up with something and you want me to do, just let me know.
Well, my last question for you is the one question I ask all my guests on the show before they go, and that's what's an amazing story from behind the scenes. Have worked on five bedrooms that we as an audience might have missed out on something we didn't know, something from behind the scene.
Oh okay. I mean when we hit COVID in series two, Ben and I were doing a scene which is quite an intimate scene and quite an emotionally explosive scene, and I remember Andy Walker, who was then running the show, came out on set halfway through the scene, called everybody outside and said we were stopping shooting. And it was like a death in the family. It was such a heavy moment, and I remember thinking, I have to finish
shooting this scene. It was just one scene, and then we were going to call ramp on it, and I remember going outside of crying and I don't even know why I was crying. It was an emotional scene anyway, but then that on top of it, went outside and just started crying. And then Wolf, who is our camera operator, you know, dop, said listen, just get yourself together. You're not in any state that I can shoot your part.
Of it. I'm going to turn around and shoot Stephen, and Steve said, yep, not a problem, shoot me because I just needed to collect myself and I just thought, what a beautiful thing. Rather than just say, okay, we're back on, we need to shoot her running behind, We've got to get this shot done. There was such a sensitivity about it that, you know what, that's what I'm
saying to you. It was it's not just a show that we're also invested in this and this is crue and cast, but we and we all felt such a just a heaviness in that day that you know, and I always remember it. It was it was seriously like somebody had died and it was like, for a minute, the show and I just thought, when are we going to come back to this?
And what's interesting about that is that these days there's so many modern families, like versions of families and things that we can community that we can feel connected to. And I think that one thing from doing this podcast and talking about behind the scenes of television is how in Australia these sets are so close and I think it has to be yeah, but that community is there, and then that's scene on screen, it's used in a way we get to enjoy it as well.
Every interview I've ever had people have always said, there's something about this cast. You all look like you're best friends. And the thing is we are, and that's what's weird. And as I said, it never happens. I've had many opportunities where I wanted to create them have that it hasn't. This is the first time in my career that five people that are in a show together all of each other the same, that we have each other's backs, we would kill for each other, well protect each other, and
we work together so beautifully. And every time we walk away from the show, we miss it. And then every time we come back it's like Christmas. It's just silly. It's silly.
I feel like we're going to be in the audience of these characters for a while and it just keeps going on and we get to see the long forms.
Thank you a lot, talking to you, are in a whine a bit special and now I can see your face. Yeah, stay safe, h