In the words of actor Zahra Newman, seeing a good romantic comedy means “really feeling like you have an affinity with those characters, and getting to see some interesting interactions between them.” This perfectly describes her new film, the Australian romantic comedy Long Story Short, written and directed by Josh Lawson. Newman plays Leanne, a woman whose husband Teddy (Rafe Spall) wakes up the morning of their wedding to find a year of their lives is passing by every few minutes, and he’s experiencing their relationship in fast forward.
“I think what’s really wonderful about Long Story Short is that it’s got a really great message, coming out of the year that we’ve had in 2020. It’s fun. It’s energising. It’s invigorating,” says Newman. “But it’s also got a really heart-warming message all about seizing the day and remembering the small things in life.”
This is Newman’s first feature film, with an illustrious history on the stage, and roles in television shows like Neighbours and Wentworth. But making a movie is another story.
“The whole process of making it is so different. You end up spending a lot of time waiting for all the technical elements to get together, and then when you’re on, you’ve really got to be on.”
Despite feeling anxious going into it, Newman cites her co-star, Rafe Spall, as one of the reasons why the experience of making the movie was so great.
“Rafe was really wonderful at allaying those fears, and being very accessible and easy to work with. He was really available to rehearse and for us to talk about stuff and run scenes and play around. Having somebody who is willing to work with you like that can make you feel like you’re more on balance.”
This explains the comfortable, authentic chemistry we see on screen between Teddy and Leanne, especially having the opportunity to rehearse as much as they did, an opportunity Newman says is rare in the industry.
“A lot of the time in TV and in film you don’t get any rehearsal. You don’t get any time to meet the person or have conversations with them beforehand, so having any time at all is gold.”
Writer/director Josh Lawson was also integral in making Newman feel at ease with the experience. An actor himself, Newman describes him as a director who clearly cared about bringing out the best in his cast.
“Being able to work with a director who has lived experience of what it’s like to be on the other side of the camera is really great. I think he’s got a good instinct for when to insert himself into something, and when to give you space. He’s aware of any sort of anxieties, or whatever is going on for an actor that might be surrounding a particular moment. Having somebody like that leading means that you feel looked after.”
Newman portrays the character of Leanne over the course of ten years in the film, and she explains how much she trusted Lawson to let her know that what she was doing was working. She also credits the technical elements for helping her get into the headspace of a woman in different phases of her life, particularly the costume and make-up department.
“Those little things help you when you don’t have time to show people the journey.”
And Newman wears some incredible outfits as Leanne; she immediately cites a jumpsuit from the end of the film as a favourite, saying she didn’t know how incredible it was until she saw it on the screen.
“I did want to poach some of the items but unfortunately I was not allowed to. It’s much easier when you’ve got somebody else dressing you, and you can be like, ‘Oh, I do look good in a jumpsuit. I’ll remember that!’”
While great romantic comedies always have wonderful costumes and production design, Newman says audiences should ultimately “want to see the couple get together and you want to have some laughs along the way.”
She says her own favourite rom-coms are Crazy, Stupid, Love and Love, Actually, though acknowledges they’re both “a bit sad.”
That element of melancholy is also present in Long Story Short, as Leanne and Teddy navigate the difficulties of making a long-term relationship work, and how often we can let the important things fall away. But at its heart, the film has an uplifting message.
“I hope that people walk away feeling motivated and inspired to really live life to the full, and to do what they want to do today, and not put that thing off. If you need to take a vacation, take it. If you need to go see that person, go see them. If you need to call somebody, call them. I really hope it invigorates people in that way.”
When asked what she would do if she had more time, Newman says she’d “probably go back to university.”
“I’ve been very interested in world politics and international relations since I was a teenager, but obviously I followed my passion into performing. So, that’s the thing I’m always putting off.”
Long Story Short is the latest in an array of Australian films to hit the big screen this season, and Newman is excited to see more.
“It’s an exciting time right now because there’s more stuff filming so hopefully that just grows. And hopefully the government and the powers that be see that we don’t need to outsource to make quality content, because we’ve got it here.”
Interview by Sarah Westgarth
Long Story Short opens on Thursday
Click here to read our review
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