The Beautiful Lie is a contemporary Australian re-imagining of one of the greatest ever relationship dramas, Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. It premieres at 8.30pm this coming Sunday night 18 October 2015 on the ABC, telling “a grand, complex love story of love, lust and betrayal across three families and generations”.
Our own Samantha Bond caught up with series star Sarah Snook to find out more about this major Australain drama:
Sam: Sarah, your face is probably familiar to many but for those who are yet to encounter you and your work, can you please tell us about yourself?
Sarah: I graduated from NIDA in 2008 and I’ve been lucky enough to work both here in Australia and overseas. Some of my television credits include The Secret River, The Moody’s, Redfern Now and Sisters of War for ABC TV, as well as Packed to the Rafters, All Saints and Spirited series 1 and 2. I’ve had roles in the movies Oddball, which is currently out in cinemas, Predestination, Not Suitable for Children, The Final Hours and Sleeping Beauty, and also The Dressmaker and Steve Jobs which will be released in Australia later this month. So a great mix of projects.
Sam: You’re starring in upcoming ABC drama, The Beautiful Lie. What’s this story about?
Sarah: It’s a modern retelling of the Russian novel Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. It’s about all the types of love; romantic, erotic, familial and how we deal with the consequences when we pursue these with only ourselves in mind.
Sam: You play character Anna Ivin. What is she like and what does she bring to the story?
Sarah: She is an ex-tennis player, a very famous public figure, and probably something of the golden girl of Australia. When her affair with music producer Skeet goes public, she has to endure her life unravelling around her.
Sam: What sort of viewer do you think will enjoy this show?
Sarah: I think any audience member who has ever fallen in love.
Sam: Has there been a point over the last few years amongst the ongoing roles and awards where you’ve felt like you’ve ‘made it’, or is that an ongoing struggle for working actors?
Sarah: I think that it’s a dangerous concept to feel like one’s “made it” as somehow that suggests you can now relax. As an actor, or at least the type of actor I would like to be, I think you should never totally take your foot off the pedal.
Sam: What’s been your most memorable acting gig to date?
Sarah: I worked as a fairy for children’s parties in my teens and that is the most honest audience an actor will ever find. I loved it, though it wasn’t without its challenges…!
Sam: You’re a born and bred Adelaide girl. Do you think it’s harder for actors from places like Adelaide to become successful? Is there a need to move to the eastern states or even overseas to develop and maintain a successful acting career?
Sarah: I think that wherever you are from it is worth moving elsewhere in the initial stages. You’ll never know what you can achieve unless you force yourself out of your comfort zone.
Sam: What do you think of the arts scene in Adelaide and South Australia?
Sarah: There certainly have been a number of very talented creatives and artists to come out of Adelaide: Theresa Palmer, Justin Kurzel, Matt Saville, Anthony LaPaglia for example. I think the way to foster new talent is to invest time and energy looking for it, and when it’s discovered, support it. So that means: going to the theatre, seeing Australian films, watching Australian content on TV and, most importantly, having an informed opinion on it.
Sam: What’s next for Sarah Snook?
Sarah: I am doing a play on the West End called The Master Builder by Henrik Ibsen. It will be directed by the new Artistic Director, Matthew Warchus, and Ralph Fiennes will be playing the lead.
Sam: Excellent stuff. Thanks so much, Sarah!
Interviewed by Samantha Bond
Twitter: @SamStaceyBond
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