LEEANNA WALSMAN - HUMAN ERROR - CHANNEL NINE

It's in the news today, but it was actually on TV Reload the podcast Last Weep their line. Hey guys, welcome back to TV Reload. I want to thank you for clicking and downloading on today's episode with actress Leanna Wolseman, who is about to drop the crime thriller of the year,

The justice system.

I have to tell you from me this is a five star production and I am so thrilled to be talking about this with Leanna. Leanno is, of course an Australian actress. She's best known for her role in Star Wars Episode two, for her role.

In the two thousand film Looking for Ala Brandy.

Which I still watch on repeat, and the television series Wentworth, which she was in the very first season of. And you might remember her as the governor who had that very illicit of with Frankie in the very first season anyway, she was brilliant. We will unpack some of her decisions in playing a female law enforcer and how she made some very specific choices to make sure that her character felt real.

There is a great opportunity to talk about John.

Edwards and Dan Edwards, the legends of TV content creation. You'd know their work from shows like Love My Way and Secret Life of Us. We will also talk about the possibility of a series two for Human Error. You will also get some answers about why this show was delayed. I don't know if anyone knew that, but it was supposed to come out last year. This is actually a really fun chat and we get some very exciting revelations

Hi. Hello, Hello, are you?

I'm very well.

I think it's always I don't know it's on brand for me to open my podcast with telling an embarrassing story.

But I am such a big.

Fan of your work and two different low Gie Awards, I came up to you and was like, I think you are so amazing. What are you working on next? One of them was went worse and we hadn't sell and the other one was this one. And I think you were like, I don't know, you're a bit like me. If anyone comes up to me and recognizes me, I feel a bit like get away.

Yeah, No, I'm not get away.

I just think I get a little I get I'm going to have to turn that round.

I think you don't know why people are approaching. You don't know if they're being genuine. And so when people sometimes come up and say something that's you know, you're like, oh, you know, that's a really nice thing to say, but are you being serious? And that sort of look of that always comes across really strangely.

Yeah.

And also I don't know, I guess like most No, I don't know if most creators are like this at all, but some I kind of be oddly insecure for something that's so public and open, you know.

So I think a little bit of that, you know, and that attention.

Sometimes you feel like that attentions undeserves because you're just doing your job. You're doing your acting, which isn't just a job, it's an art form. But yeah, I think there's a little bit of a get a little embarrassed, but that's silly because the reality is that when people come up to you to talk about something, it means it's moved them, and that's kind of that's the point.

So if you should embrace that.

You should. I think that it is uncomfortable.

Yeah, I'm not used to it, Like I'm not used to doing publicity or doing interviews.

I always seem to kind of get a bit tongue twisted as well, So I guess that's all a learning learning curve.

I'm like middle aged, so you know.

Well, thank you for coming on the podcast and talking about Human Error. I've watched the first five episodes and I am positively obsessed.

Oh really, that's great.

It's a really good crime thriller, something that I feel like we haven't seen in a while.

And do you know what's interesting.

They're promoting it as though, you know, a connection to Underbelly, and there is that feeling of that very first season of Underbelly that we saw, which was completely addictive like this one.

But I kind of feel like Human Error is better than Underbelly. So I feel like.

Underbelly certainly went to a place that was not likely original by.

The end of it, I mean, didn't it just turn into like a.

Shot for like breast, every kind of breast fishy, and someone would to have a shot, so it was kind of evolved into something very different.

I feel like, I mean, this is a procedural drama and it's on Channel.

Nine, but I feel like when I've watched it again recently, and it's got all the makings of a procedural drama, but I think it's a different sort of pace and performance. Personally, I feel in retrospect when I watch it is a little more reminiscent of your kind of UK.

Dramas and that, do you know what I mean?

Like, I don't feel like I definitely don't feel like I've seen it on Channel nine, So I'm excited.

I'm excited to see how people embrace it or how they feel.

How did you go about creating this character, because did you borrow from some my kind of characters in the past, or did you spend much time with real investigators? Because you really carry this whole series, and you carry this whole series with an unbelievable task of making all of this high drama very believable, and you do it so effortlessly.

I was wondering how you created that.

Well, thank you.

First of all, it was a lot of work, a lot more work than I've ever really done on a show before. I did speak to spend some time with a former Victoria Police homicide detective who helped.

You know, I'm sure things were accurate or with modern procedures.

But also I think because I knew that I had such a huge workload or responsibility, and because I was the leader, I kind of went with this attitude of making.

It as authentic as possible, and I guess, in turn not just being me, because obviously you're following the narrative of your character.

But I don't feel like I changed who I was too much.

Like I think I just kind of embodied her through me, which is what acting is anyway. But I didn't create a funny walk but decide there was certainly certainly mannerisms as.

In holding the gun and all that stuff or procedure that I really was probably what I was most nervous about.

But the other stuff I just tried to, like I said, make it as authentic as possible, listen as much as possible.

And try and find out ways to, like you said, like make it less like what.

I see on other cop shows or procedural dramas overseas, which I suddenly feel like I'm just being kind of narrated information, which you know, you can fall into that track because there's so much to tell the audience.

So I feel like I just tried to pull that back and make her as real as possible and hopefully that works. Hopefully because I also there's sort.

Of stereotype of Okay, I'm going to play like the lead detective and she's a woman in a man a's well, she's got to like act tough.

And all and whatever those things mean. And I guess my take is a.

Woman man like you're successful at your career, you know what's going on, and you know you have to be as clear as possible to everyone, and I think there has to be a sort of sense of compassion and empathy, which that's how I led her with, and that she's always got an open and open mind listen. So it's really important that I was always actively listening, which is

That's a lot of what Holly's performance is.

I think it's interesting that you say that about the listening, because if I look at John Edwards Dan and John Edwards work in particular, and you look at their collection of shows that they've made, I think a lot of those really amazing female actors in those roles do a lot of listening. Like you look at Claudia Carvin in Secret Life of Us and Love My Way and Asha Ketty Love My Way and even in Offspring and things

It's the list Yeah.

They're really engaged.

I mean you've just named two of Australia's best female actors too, so they're.

Not your kind of run of the mill.

I mean they've become, you know, a high profile that now and they can carry shows and get shows made. But in their own right, they're just exceptional actresses.

So they're engaging, so they know how to respond, and that's part of the performance.

You know, we don't just wait for our lines to come and I think that's really important.

And Dan and I mean mentioning Dan and John.

It's you know, they're producing this show with you, and they do such a fantastic job of making scripted dramas feel very real.

I don't know how they do it.

Because you can pick up with watching their work without anyone even telling you that you're watching and Edward's production.

What was your relationship with their previous work?

Oh well, all.

The shows you've mentioned have all been iconic shows. I remember when Secret Life of Us first came on. I was actually in a show called Love Is a.

Four Letter Word, and it was more like a really indie street cheaper version of.

Secret Life of Us. And I remember they came on. I was like, oh, that goes that goes that. Then like, that's just an amazing show.

And then that just they just had the most the most incredible people on it, like continually who to this day have become some of the best actors we've got too.

So all both of those shows.

I think, yeah, I mean definitely those female leads were very iconic and memorable in our television history.

For sure.

This show does make me feel as though that's you. Now you're in this world that bubble that you can actually I think people will have a lot of faith in what it.

Is that you can do.

Do you think that this opens the door to make more series of human error? Or do you want to go and do other more scripted dramas, Like what has this done to you as an actress?

I mean yes to all of the above. I'd love to do another one.

I mean, the reality is, I'm forty four and this is the first time I've been offered a lead in a show like this, especially for Free to.

I've been part of ensembles, but I've never.

Been the kind of catalyst of a piece and that workload and.

That dedication and what you have to do and the way that you actually have to conduct yourself to as a bit of a leader, and like because it paved the way, Like whatever energy that you that you give to set is really indicative of the shoot.

As well as everybody else's as well as everybody else.

Of course, because it's a collaboration.

But I'd never been on a shoot where I was there every single day being able to usually as an actor, to shoot your bit. And then you come in and it's a bit fragmented, You're part of it. But you come in with this sort of different energy because you've had all these days off and you realize how much people work. But until you're there every day, you don't really realize how much the crew work.

And there's it's just a whole.

It was a really different feeling and it was super interesting and I learned a lot from Also with a show like this, you have a lot of kind of guest parts and people who are very like really small amounts to say, but man, the I was so grateful when someone came on, no matter how small their role, and they were good.

Because the better they are, the better I am.

And there was this new appreciation for there are no small roles, which you kind of forget as you go along, but there really aren't. And that was a huge like a you know, not a learning because I knew that, but just to remind myself of that that was really good and just yeah, like I said, being there every day with the crew and really understanding pretty much that they're ninety percent of the show and just seeing how

I'm sure that's honest.

I really do think so, Ring your agent, I'm sure that they get after people watch this. I swear this is like it's just one of those iconic roles. I think that happens to people, like a real U turn to something else, Like I really just watched this and was just thought, I just thought you were so compelling.

Thank I mean, I hope people watch. I don't really know. I don't really know about ratings or like. Obviously, we were supposed to show last year and.

It was and it got postponed just because there were lots of different shows on and competing, you know, Seven had soccer, and there was just so many different things happening.

So they postponed it so.

They could have not because if they didn't, they weren't supporting it just because they wanted the best for it.

So it's on now.

But I definitely that's something that I don't really understand ratings and viewers and all that sort of stuff. But I guess it depends really on who's watching and who watches nine and who's going to tune in.

Do you know whether or not they did you do any research or did they spend time tightening it up? Like because we had that extra year where we were waiting for it, do you know if they were still taking the time to tinker away at this very well put yea, So the end product is just first class, Like you could see this show up against anything on HBO or anything internationally, and so I just feel like a lot of work has gone into this and.

I'm so flattered. It's really nice to say that because obviously no one else has seen it.

No, I think it was pretty much. I remember watching the cuts last Unit's the same show we did do.

We did do pickups because they were really.

Invested, but that was, you know, a week or two post finishing shooting, and that's pretty normal.

But no, I think what the finished product was the finished product.

And apparently it's it's screened and sweetened, but I don't really know if that's true or not.

I just had somebody write.

That on my Instagram and then I am dB said yes, So who knows good?

Never trust I am dB. I have to let you go, but I literally could talk to you all day. I do finish the podcast every time with a question of what is something from behind the scenes. You know, what is something that we as an audience won't get a chance to see, kind of from your experience of making this show. Maybe a funny anecdote or something that something crazy that happened.

I'm so bad at anecdotes. I just know, I'm like the worst. I know that.

I looked around quite a few times, and you know, everybody sees it productions and goes, oh wow, they must have such a big budget, and there must be so many people on it, and there are lots of people involved, there really are.

But I remember looking around some days and they just be like it felt like they were just thirty people there, and it was just and it kind of always blew my mind that we were making something that was going to look immense compared to the amount of people that were actually on set working their guts out to make it happen. So and it's always, you know, it's always

Yeah, I don't know. I'm not very good at stories.

No, no, that's I think that's great.

I mean, at the end of the day, I hope people who are listening to us talking about it come at this show with fresh eyes. It's a very lux production. It looks amazing. It showcases Melbourne really well. Oh doesn't it support it so good? Like it's just honestly, there's so much that I could talk about with how this show lands, and I can't wait for people to get invested in it, in it.

Well, that's really really sweet of you, And hopefully next time I see you at the LOGI so I'm not embarrassed.

I try a second time to be to approach you lighter. Like the first time you turned up just behind my table and I was like, oh, it's like it's in Oh, it's you, Like I love you, and it was just so funny. The look on your face was like, you know, like an explosion gone off near you and you were like,

I think that's why.

No, I think you're being genuine.

I'm just completely I just have sometimes I'm ever socially great or sometimes I'm just so.

Awkward, And I think in those that situation that is there is a certain sort of excitement and terror that comes with doing any of those carpets or especially the logis.

I've never been so overwhelmed on the carpet, And like I said, sometimes with the interviews, I'm sitting.

Here at home now and I'm more relaxed. But I mean the.

Last one I did, I think I went for Safe Harbor this other show, and I just remember being with one of the cast mates saying, can you please speak? Every time we get asked this question because I have no idea.

I don't even know what your name is right now.

I'm upset that's on me, not on you. But just enjoy you know.

It's so funny because like being at home these days and what COVID's done to us with how we can be at our.

Homes where we get twins. He I mean, it's a bit of an.

Invasion, but at the same time you can relax into it. And I genuinely think the media is going to be so excited to talk to you about this role, so I think you're.

Just enjoyed it.

Thank you, Oh, thank you very much.

Take the question.

Is a very nice way to start the day.

Okay, I'll call you every day. I'm your hype girl. I'll let you go enjoy chatting to the media, all right, I see you later.