WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.580 Welcome to the Deep Dive. This is where we take 00:00:02.580 --> 00:00:05.120 a really fascinating career, dig into the sources, 00:00:05.179 --> 00:00:06.980 and try to figure out how someone pulled off 00:00:06.980 --> 00:00:10.359 a major transformation. And today, we're looking 00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:13.210 at Mary Rose Byrne. You know, the Australian 00:00:13.210 --> 00:00:16.589 actress whose path is just, well, it's a masterclass 00:00:16.589 --> 00:00:18.870 in defying expectations, really. It really is. 00:00:18.929 --> 00:00:20.969 And it's funny because if you mostly know Rose 00:00:20.969 --> 00:00:23.269 Byrne from, say, the last 10, 15 years. Yeah. 00:00:23.289 --> 00:00:25.850 You know, the comedies, Bridesmaids, Spy. Oh, 00:00:25.850 --> 00:00:27.870 yeah. She's hilarious in those. Totally. But 00:00:27.870 --> 00:00:29.510 you'd be missing this whole other foundation. 00:00:29.750 --> 00:00:32.789 Our sources show an actor who didn't just, like, 00:00:32.810 --> 00:00:35.990 drift into comedy. She actively went for it. 00:00:35.990 --> 00:00:37.929 Right. Strategically. Exactly. That's our mission 00:00:37.929 --> 00:00:40.960 for this deep dive. Yeah. How did she go from 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:43.100 winning prestigious international awards for 00:00:43.100 --> 00:00:45.340 heavy drama right at the start? Like the Volpe 00:00:45.340 --> 00:00:49.359 Cup. To anchoring this intense legal thriller, 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:53.780 Damages, for years and then make this conscious 00:00:53.780 --> 00:00:56.859 pivot, almost a hard right turn, into being a 00:00:56.859 --> 00:00:59.789 go -to comedic star? And crucially, how did she 00:00:59.789 --> 00:01:02.070 keep doing high quality, serious work alongside 00:01:02.070 --> 00:01:05.609 all that? It's a fantastic story of constant 00:01:05.609 --> 00:01:08.790 reinvention and just sheer longevity when you 00:01:08.790 --> 00:01:10.650 think about it. We've got sources covering her 00:01:10.650 --> 00:01:13.709 life, career from 94 onwards, the awards, Volpe 00:01:13.709 --> 00:01:17.290 Cup, Silver Bear in Berlin, more recently, AACTAs, 00:01:17.290 --> 00:01:20.250 those Emmy and Globe nods for damages. It's all 00:01:20.250 --> 00:01:22.969 there. So for you listening, the hook is really 00:01:22.969 --> 00:01:25.629 understanding the thinking behind that genre 00:01:25.629 --> 00:01:28.280 hopping. How do you get Emmy nominations for 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:30.780 playing a super serious lawyer? Get locked into 00:01:30.780 --> 00:01:33.400 that image. and then turn up stealing scenes 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:35.719 in something like Bridesmaids. It took guts, 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:37.840 didn't it? Real ambition. Definitely. And self 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:40.159 -awareness, too, I think. Yeah, yeah. Let's kick 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:42.000 things off back in Australia. Sydney, right? 00:01:42.219 --> 00:01:43.939 Hashtag, hashtag, hashtag one. The Australian 00:01:43.939 --> 00:01:47.120 roots and dramatic beginnings, 1994 -2006. Okay, 00:01:47.159 --> 00:01:49.819 so she was born Mary Rose Byrne, July 24th, 1979, 00:01:50.120 --> 00:01:53.280 in Balmain, Sydney. Youngest of four, Irish and 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:55.260 Scottish background. Sounded like a pretty stable, 00:01:55.400 --> 00:01:57.719 you know, close -knit family setup. Mm -hmm. 00:01:57.799 --> 00:02:00.280 But what's interesting is the philosophical vibe. 00:02:00.439 --> 00:02:02.739 Her mom was an atheist. apparently and rose and 00:02:02.739 --> 00:02:05.260 her dad identified as agnostic right that's kind 00:02:05.260 --> 00:02:07.540 of unusual for the time maybe it suggests a suit 00:02:07.540 --> 00:02:09.620 and independence of thought from early on yeah 00:02:09.620 --> 00:02:11.520 i think that's key maybe set her up to forge 00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:14.479 her own path later you know not just follow the 00:02:14.479 --> 00:02:16.219 expected routes like when she decided she wasn't 00:02:16.219 --> 00:02:18.840 going to be boxed in good point and her acting 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:23.330 start seems very well organic Her sister encouraged 00:02:23.330 --> 00:02:25.550 her. She started young, age eight, at the Australian 00:02:25.550 --> 00:02:28.009 Theatre for Young People. Went through the usual 00:02:28.009 --> 00:02:30.270 public schools in Sydney. Building that foundation. 00:02:30.590 --> 00:02:32.550 Yeah. But here's the kicker, the bit that really 00:02:32.550 --> 00:02:34.770 surprised me, considering her later success. 00:02:35.370 --> 00:02:38.050 Ah, the drama school auditions. Yeah, she auditioned 00:02:38.050 --> 00:02:40.750 for the big ones in Australia, Beepian, WAPA, 00:02:40.909 --> 00:02:44.909 and the really prestigious one in NIDA. NIDA's 00:02:44.909 --> 00:02:48.469 like the Rodier or Juilliard of Australia, basically. 00:02:48.889 --> 00:02:51.449 Huge deal. And she didn't get into any of them. 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:53.979 rejected across the board. You think that might 00:02:53.979 --> 00:02:56.240 be, well, a career ender for someone wanting 00:02:56.240 --> 00:02:58.360 to be a serious actor in Australia. Absolutely. 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:00.199 That could knock your confidence completely. 00:03:00.500 --> 00:03:03.460 But she didn't stop. Nope. She pivots. Studies 00:03:03.460 --> 00:03:06.060 an arts degree at Sydney Uni instead. And then, 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:08.199 this is smart, she looks internationally. Goes 00:03:08.199 --> 00:03:10.219 to study in New York in 99 at the Atlantic Theatre 00:03:10.219 --> 00:03:12.479 Company. Which has serious pedigree, right? David 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:15.099 Mamet, William H. Macy. That's proper acting 00:03:15.099 --> 00:03:18.300 training. She found another way in, bypassing 00:03:18.300 --> 00:03:20.500 the traditional Aussie gatekeepers who'd shut 00:03:20.500 --> 00:03:22.849 her out. While all this is happening, her screen 00:03:22.849 --> 00:03:25.830 career is already, you know, ticking along. She 00:03:25.830 --> 00:03:28.969 debuted really young, 15, in a film called Dallas 00:03:28.969 --> 00:03:32.689 Doll back in 94. Right. And then did the rounds 00:03:32.689 --> 00:03:36.120 on Australian TV Echo Point Wild Side. Got a 00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:38.219 decent role opposite Heath Ledger, actually, 00:03:38.419 --> 00:03:41.259 in Two Hands in 1999. So she was working building 00:03:41.259 --> 00:03:44.099 credits. But then 2000 hits. And this is the 00:03:44.099 --> 00:03:46.979 moment that I think changes everything. Her first 00:03:46.979 --> 00:03:49.979 lead role in an arthouse film called The Goddess 00:03:49.979 --> 00:03:53.340 of 1967. And bang, she wins the Volpe Cup for 00:03:53.340 --> 00:03:56.000 Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival. Let's 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:57.639 just sit with that for a second. The Volpe Cup. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:04:00.039 That's not some minor festival award. It's huge. 00:04:00.430 --> 00:04:02.830 puts you on the global map as a serious dramatic 00:04:02.830 --> 00:04:06.110 talent at age 21. Monumental. It gave her this 00:04:06.110 --> 00:04:09.030 undeniable artistic credibility way before Hollywood 00:04:09.030 --> 00:04:10.949 really knew what to do with her. A foundation 00:04:10.949 --> 00:04:13.270 of pure dramatic weight. So you'd expect maybe 00:04:13.270 --> 00:04:15.590 a surge of confidence, right? Winning this massive 00:04:15.590 --> 00:04:18.589 award. You would think. But the sources show 00:04:18.589 --> 00:04:20.550 something totally different. She apparently found 00:04:20.550 --> 00:04:22.970 watching the film really confronting. Yeah, and 00:04:22.970 --> 00:04:25.730 she actually said, I'm convinced I can't act 00:04:25.730 --> 00:04:27.769 and I want to get out. That's how insecure I 00:04:27.769 --> 00:04:30.389 am. Isn't that incredible? At the absolute peak 00:04:30.389 --> 00:04:33.209 moment of validation, she's riddled with self 00:04:33.209 --> 00:04:35.670 -doubt. It really explains a lot about her drive 00:04:35.670 --> 00:04:37.970 later, doesn't it? It suggests she wasn't resting 00:04:37.970 --> 00:04:41.069 on her laurels ever. Maybe that insecurity was 00:04:41.069 --> 00:04:43.410 the fuel pushing her to keep proving herself, 00:04:43.750 --> 00:04:46.449 try new things. Could be. Always needing the 00:04:46.449 --> 00:04:48.350 next challenge because you never quite feel like 00:04:48.350 --> 00:04:50.730 you've made it. Paradoxical, but maybe that's 00:04:50.730 --> 00:04:53.519 the engine. So that ambition... Definitely helped 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:55.399 her start getting supporting roles in Hollywood 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:58.459 in the early 2000s. She was still doing serious 00:04:58.459 --> 00:05:00.720 stage work, too, like Chekhov and Sidney. And 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:02.920 then came the small but, you know, noticeable 00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:06.660 part in Star Wars, episode two in 2002, as Dorme, 00:05:06.740 --> 00:05:09.139 Padme's handmaiden. A foot in the door of the 00:05:09.139 --> 00:05:11.920 blockbuster world. Exactly. And then bigger stuff 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:14.379 followed. I captured the castle in 2003, and 00:05:14.379 --> 00:05:17.500 then the massive epic Troy in 2004 with Brad 00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:20.660 Pitt. She played Briseis. Variety wasn't totally 00:05:20.660 --> 00:05:23.019 convinced by the role itself. Called it a convenient 00:05:23.019 --> 00:05:25.360 invention, I think. Yeah, the writing maybe wasn't 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:27.459 the focus, but being in a huge production like 00:05:27.459 --> 00:05:29.680 that, it's invaluable experience, and people 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:31.899 were noticing her talent, even in supporting 00:05:31.899 --> 00:05:34.420 parts. Definitely. The director of Wicker Park, 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:37.139 Paul McGuigan, supposedly said she was the best 00:05:37.139 --> 00:05:39.100 actress he'd worked with. And Peter O'Toole, 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:42.040 her co -star in Troy, he called her beautiful, 00:05:42.259 --> 00:05:46.040 uncomplicated, simple, pure actress, high praise 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:49.620 from a legend. So by about 2006, she's got this 00:05:49.620 --> 00:05:52.589 dual validation. The high art world via Venice 00:05:52.589 --> 00:05:55.610 and respect from major industry players in Hollywood. 00:05:55.750 --> 00:05:57.910 The stage was definitely set. Yeah, for the big 00:05:57.910 --> 00:06:01.050 international breakthrough. And 2007 really feels 00:06:01.050 --> 00:06:03.110 like the year things shifted up a gear. She went 00:06:03.110 --> 00:06:05.430 from being that respected supporting player to 00:06:05.430 --> 00:06:08.589 a really significant presence, especially in 00:06:08.589 --> 00:06:10.769 genre films. Right. She landed major roles in 00:06:10.769 --> 00:06:14.889 two big sci -fi slash thriller type movies that 00:06:14.889 --> 00:06:18.360 year. First up was Danny Boyle's Sunshine. Psychological 00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:20.939 sci -fi, pretty intense. She played the pilot 00:06:20.939 --> 00:06:23.839 alongside Cillian Murphy and Chris Evans. Required 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:26.459 real dramatic precision, I'd imagine. And straight 00:06:26.459 --> 00:06:29.800 after that, 28 weeks later, the sequel to 28 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:32.079 Days Later, she's the army medical officer. And 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:35.379 that one was a proper hit. Made over $64 million 00:06:35.379 --> 00:06:38.720 worldwide. So these roles really cemented her 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:41.300 as someone who could handle that intense, high 00:06:41.300 --> 00:06:44.660 -stakes genre material, carry a big film. But 00:06:44.660 --> 00:06:47.420 the role that truly defined her image for, what, 00:06:47.480 --> 00:06:50.459 five solid years? And probably set up the need 00:06:50.459 --> 00:06:52.420 for that pivot we talked about. Has to be Damage's 00:06:52.420 --> 00:06:55.300 Ellen Parsons. Absolutely. FX legal thriller, 00:06:55.420 --> 00:06:58.319 ran from 2007 to 2012. And talk about prestige 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:01.399 TV. It was the show. Her opposite Glenn Close 00:07:01.399 --> 00:07:04.269 playing Patty Hughes, that dynamic, wow. So intense. 00:07:04.389 --> 00:07:07.829 It was all about that really complex, often toxic 00:07:07.829 --> 00:07:10.430 mentor -mentee relationship. Ellen Parsons went 00:07:10.430 --> 00:07:12.389 through the ringer for five seasons. Paranoia, 00:07:12.389 --> 00:07:14.350 manipulation, backstabbing, the work. It was 00:07:14.350 --> 00:07:16.250 a massive commitment. She was in every single 00:07:16.250 --> 00:07:18.629 episode, all 59 of them. And the industry definitely 00:07:18.629 --> 00:07:21.089 noticed. Oh, yeah. Emmy nominations, two years 00:07:21.089 --> 00:07:23.470 running, 2009 and 2010. Outstanding supporting 00:07:23.470 --> 00:07:26.149 actress, plus two Golden Globe nominations. So 00:07:26.149 --> 00:07:30.329 this period, 2007 to 2012, really locks her in. 00:07:30.779 --> 00:07:34.480 She is Ellen Parsons. She is a serious, top -tier, 00:07:34.500 --> 00:07:37.660 dramatic actress in Hollywood's eyes. This is 00:07:37.660 --> 00:07:39.660 the crucial turning point in the deep dive, right? 00:07:39.699 --> 00:07:42.180 She's got the nominations, the respect, this 00:07:42.180 --> 00:07:45.500 very clear, very bankable, dramatic box. And 00:07:45.500 --> 00:07:47.779 what does she do? The actor who felt she couldn't 00:07:47.779 --> 00:07:50.040 act, who got rejected by Oneida? She pulls the 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:52.459 emergency brake. Professionally speaking, after 00:07:52.459 --> 00:07:54.420 damages hits big, she goes to her agents and 00:07:54.420 --> 00:07:56.680 says, basically, only send me comedies. It sounds 00:07:56.680 --> 00:07:58.560 crazy, doesn't it? But she explained later she 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:01.480 just... She needed a break from the heavy stuff. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:04.259 Said being boxed in felt insufferable. It wasn't 00:08:04.259 --> 00:08:05.920 just about wanting an easier time, it seems. 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:08.220 It was like a creative imperative to disrupt 00:08:08.220 --> 00:08:10.560 things, using the leverage from her dramatic 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:13.040 success to force open a different door. Which 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:14.920 was a massive risk. People might have thought, 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:17.040 what is she doing, throwing away her Emmy buzz? 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:19.860 Totally. But she stuck to her guns. And it paid 00:08:19.860 --> 00:08:22.740 off. Her big comedy splash was playing that wild 00:08:22.740 --> 00:08:25.319 pop star Jackie Q in Get Him to the Greek in 00:08:25.319 --> 00:08:27.920 2010. And the story from that audition is gold. 00:08:28.379 --> 00:08:30.759 The director, Nicholas Stoller, was apparently 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:33.279 surprised she even showed up. Isn't she too serious 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:35.700 for this? Yeah. But then she just destroyed the 00:08:35.700 --> 00:08:37.580 audition. He compared her to someone from Saturday 00:08:37.580 --> 00:08:41.200 Night Live. Fearless, manic energy. She didn't 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.620 just try comedy. She went all in. Oh, and the 00:08:43.620 --> 00:08:45.659 film did well. Made decent money. Proved she 00:08:45.659 --> 00:08:49.539 could work in that space. But 2011, that was 00:08:49.539 --> 00:08:52.159 the year everything changed. The year she became 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:55.659 this genre -bending force. Oh, 2011 was insane 00:08:55.659 --> 00:08:57.559 for her. Just looking at the range. Totally. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:00.600 Three massive, completely different films landed. 00:09:00.779 --> 00:09:04.049 First, horror. Insidious. Directed by James Wan. 00:09:04.210 --> 00:09:06.549 She's the lead. Rani Lambert. And the budget 00:09:06.549 --> 00:09:09.230 was tiny, right? Like $1 .5 million? Yeah, micro 00:09:09.230 --> 00:09:12.190 budget. But it grossed almost $100 million worldwide. 00:09:12.549 --> 00:09:15.129 Huge hit. Launched a whole franchise she's still 00:09:15.129 --> 00:09:17.230 part of, popping up in sequels as recently as 00:09:17.230 --> 00:09:20.409 2023. Proved she could anchor profitable horror. 00:09:20.669 --> 00:09:23.009 Okay, so that's Horrorbox ticked. Then the big 00:09:23.009 --> 00:09:25.899 win for comedy. The Game Changer. Bridesmaids. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:29.360 Bridesmaids. Playing Helen Harris III. The perfect, 00:09:29.460 --> 00:09:32.799 wealthy, slightly terrifying rival to Kristen 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:35.179 Wiig. And that movie wasn't just a hit. It was 00:09:35.179 --> 00:09:38.179 a phenomenon. Made almost $300 million. But it 00:09:38.179 --> 00:09:41.039 was her performance, her type of comedy in it 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:42.779 that people really talked about. Exactly. That 00:09:42.779 --> 00:09:44.960 high status character who thinks they're above 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:47.559 it all and watching them unravel is just gold. 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:50.340 She got an MTV Movie Award for it, shared with 00:09:50.340 --> 00:09:53.480 the cast. Best gut -wrenching performance, which 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:55.870 is... Perfect for bridesmaids. So horror franchise 00:09:55.870 --> 00:09:59.929 launched, comedy persona redefined. What else? 00:09:59.990 --> 00:10:01.789 Oh yeah, just casually stepping into a massive 00:10:01.789 --> 00:10:05.210 superhero blockbuster. Right, X -Men. First class. 00:10:05.389 --> 00:10:08.090 Playing CIA agent Moira McTaggart. She called 00:10:08.090 --> 00:10:10.750 her feisty and ambitious. And another huge box 00:10:10.750 --> 00:10:13.830 office success. Over $350 million worldwide. 00:10:14.309 --> 00:10:16.909 So just pause and think about that year. 2011. 00:10:17.570 --> 00:10:20.049 She's starring in a smash hit horror film helping 00:10:20.049 --> 00:10:22.830 redefine R -rated comedy for women and grabbing 00:10:22.830 --> 00:10:25.710 a key role in a global superhero franchise. All 00:10:25.710 --> 00:10:28.169 while she's still playing the serious Emmy -nominated 00:10:28.169 --> 00:10:30.710 lawyer on damages. The pivot was complete. She'd 00:10:30.710 --> 00:10:33.250 done it. Used that dramatic seriousness, that 00:10:33.250 --> 00:10:35.570 perfect deadpan delivery, and turned it into 00:10:35.570 --> 00:10:38.389 comedic genius. Incredible timing. Hashtag tag 00:10:38.389 --> 00:10:40.990 tag three. Comedy, franchises, and producing 00:10:40.990 --> 00:10:44.429 roles. 2013 present. Yeah, so by 2013, the perception 00:10:44.429 --> 00:10:46.970 had totally shifted. She wasn't really seen as 00:10:46.970 --> 00:10:49.169 a dramatic actress trying comedy anymore. She 00:10:49.169 --> 00:10:51.269 was a comedian. She did that British rom -com, 00:10:51.350 --> 00:10:53.330 I give it a year. Right. And the reviews were 00:10:53.330 --> 00:10:55.970 interesting then. Like, the Hollywood Reporter 00:10:55.970 --> 00:10:58.169 maybe wasn't sure about her chemistry with the 00:10:58.169 --> 00:11:00.529 co -star. But Variety was all about her, calling 00:11:00.529 --> 00:11:03.690 her an ace comedian suited to screwhaul. The 00:11:03.690 --> 00:11:05.909 focus was purely on her comedic skill by then. 00:11:06.090 --> 00:11:08.830 And then came the role that really cemented that 00:11:08.830 --> 00:11:11.159 status, I think. The Neighbors films. Oh, yeah. 00:11:11.220 --> 00:11:13.720 Neighbors was Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, 2014, 00:11:14.019 --> 00:11:17.320 then the sequel in 2016. She played Kelly Radner, 00:11:17.500 --> 00:11:20.159 the wife and mom. But crucially, not just the 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:23.139 boring, stereotypical mom role, right? Right. 00:11:23.480 --> 00:11:25.840 Critics really pointed out how she elevated it. 00:11:25.899 --> 00:11:28.759 Exactly. She wasn't just the fun police. The 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:30.700 Atlantic said she walks away with the film because 00:11:30.700 --> 00:11:33.019 her character was just as invested in the crazy 00:11:33.019 --> 00:11:35.799 rivalry, just as flawed and funny as the guys. 00:11:36.259 --> 00:11:38.539 Complex. That's a hallmark of her comedy, isn't 00:11:38.539 --> 00:11:41.350 it? She finds the nuance, the intelligence in 00:11:41.350 --> 00:11:43.669 it, and Neighbors was massive. First one made, 00:11:43.789 --> 00:11:47.129 what, $270 million? Huge hit. Then she followed 00:11:47.129 --> 00:11:50.210 it up with, for my money, maybe her peak comedy 00:11:50.210 --> 00:11:53.909 performance, Raina Boyanoff in Spy. Oh, Spy was 00:11:53.909 --> 00:11:56.250 brilliant. Reunited with Melissa McCarthy from 00:11:56.250 --> 00:12:00.460 Bridesmaids. Yeah. And Burn as Raina. The villain, 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:03.919 merciless, hilarious, unbelievably high status. 00:12:04.059 --> 00:12:06.259 She just steals every scene she's in. Decider 00:12:06.259 --> 00:12:08.799 even ran an article basically asking, how did 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:11.220 Rose Byrne get so good at comedy? They singled 00:12:11.220 --> 00:12:13.320 out her scenes with McCarthy, that icy delivery. 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:17.500 It was perfect. So she's dominating comedy. But 00:12:17.500 --> 00:12:19.360 she didn't just, like, abandon everything else. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:21.960 Not at all. She kept the portfolio diverse, did 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:24.379 Neighbors 2, came back for X -Men, Apocalypse 00:12:24.379 --> 00:12:27.139 in 2016, kept popping up in the insidious movies. 00:12:27.340 --> 00:12:29.299 And jumped into family films, too. Peter Rabbit. 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:31.419 Right. Voice of Jemima Puddle Duck played Bea 00:12:31.419 --> 00:12:33.519 in the live action parts, both in the first one 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:36.360 in 2018 and the sequel in 2021. And the first 00:12:36.360 --> 00:12:38.659 Peter Rabbit made a ton of money, like $350 million 00:12:38.659 --> 00:12:40.899 worldwide. That's smart career building. Yeah. 00:12:40.940 --> 00:12:44.429 Covering all bases. Drama, comedy, horror, superheroes, 00:12:44.830 --> 00:12:47.710 family, longevity. And she absolutely kept the 00:12:47.710 --> 00:12:50.610 serious drama muscle flexed. In 2020, she slips 00:12:50.610 --> 00:12:52.669 right back into it, playing Gloria Steinem in 00:12:52.669 --> 00:12:55.110 Mrs. America. Which required a completely different 00:12:55.110 --> 00:12:57.909 energy, didn't it? Nuanced, historical, serious, 00:12:58.009 --> 00:13:00.990 and she nailed it. Shows she could switch back 00:13:00.990 --> 00:13:02.950 from playing a cartoonish villain like Reina 00:13:02.950 --> 00:13:06.529 to an icon like Steinem instantly. Totally. But... 00:13:06.779 --> 00:13:09.779 The most recent phase, say from 2021 onwards, 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:13.279 seems defined by something else again. Taking 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:15.779 control. Moving into producing. Yeah. Leading 00:13:15.779 --> 00:13:18.559 and executive producing her own shows. Like Physical 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:22.120 on Apple TV plus that dark comedy about aerobics. 00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:24.950 I ran for three seasons, yeah. And now Platonic, 00:13:24.990 --> 00:13:27.590 also on Apple TV, plus Rana, which reunites her 00:13:27.590 --> 00:13:30.529 with Seth Rogen. She's an EP on that, too. This 00:13:30.529 --> 00:13:32.409 feels like the natural conclusion to that whole 00:13:32.409 --> 00:13:34.509 don't box me in philosophy, doesn't it? Yeah. 00:13:34.549 --> 00:13:36.350 If you want creative control, if you want to 00:13:36.350 --> 00:13:38.950 shape the narrative, well, you become the boss. 00:13:39.230 --> 00:13:42.090 Exactly. She's listed as EP on an upcoming film, 00:13:42.169 --> 00:13:44.570 If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, and a producer on 00:13:44.570 --> 00:13:46.889 another called Toe. She's not just waiting for 00:13:46.889 --> 00:13:49.419 roles anymore. She's creating the work. Shaping 00:13:49.419 --> 00:13:51.720 her own future. It's really impressive. And she's 00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:54.059 still doing other stuff like voice work. Popped 00:13:54.059 --> 00:13:56.799 up in Bluey. Huh. Yeah. Voice Brandy Cattle in 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:59.419 a couple of episodes. And Leatherhead in the 00:13:59.419 --> 00:14:01.980 recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. She's 00:14:01.980 --> 00:14:05.039 just everywhere across all kinds of media. Hashtag 00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:07.919 tag tag tag for critical recognition and professional 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:10.600 drive. So if we kind of zoom out now and look 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:13.379 at the whole arc. particularly the major awards. 00:14:13.899 --> 00:14:16.139 It's pretty stunning. There are these two huge, 00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:18.799 dramatic acting awards bookending her career 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:21.200 25 years apart. Right. We talked about the early 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:24.019 one, the Volti Cup from Venice in 2000 for The 00:14:24.019 --> 00:14:27.220 Goddess of 1967. Massive validation from the 00:14:27.220 --> 00:14:29.419 international art house scene. She's a serious 00:14:29.419 --> 00:14:31.720 actor with a capital A. Okay, now fast forward 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:33.820 a quarter of a century. Just recently, in 2025, 00:14:34.059 --> 00:14:36.360 she wins the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:38.639 at the Berlin Film Festival. For that upcoming 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:41.259 film. If I had legs, I'd kick you playing a troubled 00:14:41.259 --> 00:14:42.960 mother. Think about that. Venice and Berlin. 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:45.100 Those are peer awards right up there, usually 00:14:45.100 --> 00:14:47.019 for really challenging, serious performances. 00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:51.600 To win both, 25 years apart. While in the middle, 00:14:51.700 --> 00:14:54.299 she completely reinvented herself as a major 00:14:54.299 --> 00:14:57.440 Hollywood comedy star, got Emmy and Golden Globe 00:14:57.440 --> 00:15:00.679 nominations for damages. It's incredible range 00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:03.519 and consistency. Plus, she won an AECPA back 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:06.759 in 2014 for The Turning. She never let go of 00:15:06.759 --> 00:15:09.350 the serious drama. No, the commercial success 00:15:09.350 --> 00:15:12.509 never seemed to dilute that artistic drive. And 00:15:12.509 --> 00:15:14.370 a lot of that seems down to sheer professional 00:15:14.370 --> 00:15:17.529 determination. Remember how she proactively told 00:15:17.529 --> 00:15:20.250 her agents to find her comedies? Yeah, that wasn't 00:15:20.250 --> 00:15:22.210 passive. That was an aggressive career move. 00:15:22.490 --> 00:15:24.990 Taking control because she hated feeling restricted, 00:15:25.269 --> 00:15:27.470 feeling like she might stagnate in that successful 00:15:27.470 --> 00:15:29.909 drama box she'd built. And she seems to have 00:15:29.909 --> 00:15:31.509 learned from the best. She mentioned watching 00:15:31.509 --> 00:15:34.169 Glenn Close on the set of Damages, calling her 00:15:34.169 --> 00:15:36.110 the hardest worker and realizing the importance 00:15:36.110 --> 00:15:38.460 of being proactive. pushing for what you want. 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:40.220 You don't get to that level without that kind 00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:43.200 of drive. And that proactivity directly led to 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:45.399 the shift in how she was seen. Before the pivot, 00:15:45.539 --> 00:15:48.799 respected, dramatic actor. After. The Hollywood 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:51.679 Reporter literally called her the most in -demand 00:15:51.679 --> 00:15:54.720 supporting actress for comedies. She even leveraged 00:15:54.720 --> 00:15:57.340 her image doing those campaigns for Max Factor 00:15:57.340 --> 00:16:00.399 and Orton. Maintained that sort of chic, high 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:02.820 -status vibe, which actually played perfectly 00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:05.580 into her deadpan comedy. That drive shows up 00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:07.360 in her personal collaborations, too, doesn't 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:09.960 it? With her partner, Bobby Canovelli. They've 00:16:09.960 --> 00:16:12.460 been together since 2012, have two kids. Born 00:16:12.460 --> 00:16:15.940 in 2016 and 2017. And their creative partnership 00:16:15.940 --> 00:16:18.919 often leans into challenging stuff. Like in 2020, 00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:21.240 they did Madea together on stage in Brooklyn. 00:16:21.500 --> 00:16:24.360 Madea. I mean, that's about as intense and tragic 00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:27.399 as drama gets. Doing that while juggling blockbusters 00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:30.600 and family life, it shows a real hunger for complex 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:32.919 work. It keeps coming back to that, doesn't it? 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:34.960 Maybe linked to that insecurity she talked about 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:37.539 way back after Venice. She admitted even in 2013, 00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:39.960 there's always an element of uncertainty being 00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:42.200 a freelancer. So maybe that uncertainty is the 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:44.139 engine. It keeps her hungry, stops her from ever 00:16:44.139 --> 00:16:46.840 getting complacent, pushes her towards the next 00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:48.960 reinvention, whether it's a new genre or stepping 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:51.519 behind the camera. Could well be. Never quite 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:53.419 feeling secure means you never stop striving. 00:16:54.190 --> 00:16:56.409 And she seems committed to helping others navigate 00:16:56.409 --> 00:16:59.350 that, too, supporting UNICEF Australia, being 00:16:59.350 --> 00:17:01.490 an ambassador for Nisa's Young Actors Studio. 00:17:01.690 --> 00:17:04.250 The same Deedee that rejected her all those years 00:17:04.250 --> 00:17:07.309 ago. That's a nice full circle moment. using 00:17:07.309 --> 00:17:09.769 her success to mentor the next generation there. 00:17:09.849 --> 00:17:12.150 It really is. It's such a consistent story when 00:17:12.150 --> 00:17:15.089 you lay it all out. Rejected by the system, proves 00:17:15.089 --> 00:17:17.609 herself on the world stage, uses that clout to 00:17:17.609 --> 00:17:20.130 conquer a totally different field, then leverages 00:17:20.130 --> 00:17:23.089 that success to become a creator herself. Hashtag, 00:17:23.089 --> 00:17:25.829 hashtag, outro. What a journey. It really has 00:17:25.829 --> 00:17:29.170 been a deep dive into professional agency, hasn't 00:17:29.170 --> 00:17:31.430 it? We've traced her path from that young actor 00:17:31.430 --> 00:17:33.950 initially shut out by the Australian drama schools, 00:17:34.029 --> 00:17:36.289 but... winning the Volpe Cup anyway, through 00:17:36.289 --> 00:17:39.390 anchoring damages, becoming this major dramatic 00:17:39.390 --> 00:17:43.250 TV star, and then that very conscious, very deliberate 00:17:43.250 --> 00:17:45.930 pushback against being boxed in. Yeah, that pivot 00:17:45.930 --> 00:17:48.349 to comedy was the key public shift. Proving she 00:17:48.349 --> 00:17:50.750 could kill it and get him to the Greek and especially 00:17:50.750 --> 00:17:52.869 bridesmaids, that really changed everything for 00:17:52.869 --> 00:17:55.490 her image. But critically, like you said, those 00:17:55.490 --> 00:17:58.839 bookends. The Volpe Cup in 2000, the Silver Bear 00:17:58.839 --> 00:18:02.420 in 2025 proved she never stopped being a powerhouse 00:18:02.420 --> 00:18:04.940 dramatic actor underneath it all. She maintained 00:18:04.940 --> 00:18:08.180 that core skill across 25 years. She absolutely 00:18:08.180 --> 00:18:10.460 didn't just stumble into comedy. She strategically 00:18:10.460 --> 00:18:12.420 fought for that space, maybe because she knew 00:18:12.420 --> 00:18:15.440 instinctively that variety was key to staying 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:17.920 engaged, avoiding that stagnation she filled. 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:20.740 She just refused to be defined by one thing. 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:23.359 It's the sheer range that's staggering when you 00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:26.259 look back. tiny aussie art films global horror 00:18:26.259 --> 00:18:29.700 hits massive superhero movies prestige tv blockbuster 00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:32.839 comedies family films serious stage work she 00:18:32.839 --> 00:18:34.799 mastered them all it really shows that if you 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:36.759 have the talent the work ethic and that strategic 00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:39.259 vision to push against expectations you can carve 00:18:39.259 --> 00:18:41.839 out an incredibly unique and lasting career it 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:44.180 certainly does we've seen how she dominated genres 00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:46.900 by actively choosing roles that challenged her 00:18:46.900 --> 00:18:49.480 and really challenged audience expectations too 00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:53.339 so As you finish listening, maybe think about 00:18:53.339 --> 00:18:55.519 this. What does it mean in your own life or work 00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:58.440 to push back when you feel boxed in by expectations 00:18:58.440 --> 00:19:01.440 or past successes? Who out there right now might 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:03.059 be in the middle of their own strategic pivot, 00:19:03.140 --> 00:19:05.180 redefining their trajectory just like Rose Byrne 00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:06.640 did? Something to chew on.