SUSIE PORTER MEET TV’S NEWEST VILLAIN

WENTWORTH IS IN FOR A SHAKE-UP WITH CRIME MATRIARCH MARIE WINTER

In an industry renowned for egos as big as limousines, there is something refreshingly unpretentious about Susie Porter. As the 47-year-old walks around her Kings Cross neighbourhood in a pair of trainers and a cap, her little 14-year-old terrier Grace in tow, Susie greets other dogs and neighbours by name.

Since she first appeared on our screens in 1995, Susie’s name has been synonymous with quality Australian drama: Love My Way, Two Hands, My Place, Puberty Blues and Hounds Of Love to name just a few.

Now she has joined the cast of Wentworth, the critically acclaimed Foxtel show that has an international cult following.

Over a coffee, Susie tells New Idea how much she adored watching the original Prisoner as a young teenager growing up in Lambton, Newcastle.

‘I’d watch it religiously with my little sister Lou. We loved Bea Smith, The Freak, Vera Bennett and Lizzie Birdsworth,’ recalls Susie, reeling off a list of characters that now populate Wentworth in a modern context.

‘Considering Prisoner first appeared in 1979, it was so forward thinking. It was an incredible opportunity for Australian female actors.’

Coincidentally, Maggie Kirkpatrick, who starred in Prisoner as the iconic character The Freak, played Susie’s mum in one of her first starring roles in Welcome To Whoop Whoop.

‘I was so excited to work with her when I’d grown up watching her,’ says Porter.

In Wentworth, Susie plays Marie Winter – a character, who was one of The Freak’s fiercest foes. Now it’s Marie’s backstory that is causing ructions inside the prison.

‘Marie started her life of crime as a prostitute and is now a crime matriarch, who runs a successful prostitution ring in Melbourne,’ reveals Susie.

‘She is very well off and has a circle of criminal associates who are watching her back.’

While she is tight-lipped about upcoming storylines, Susie hints at Marie’s violent streak.

‘It may sound a bit macabre, but it’s so much fun performing the fight scenes, stunts and all the physical stuff.’

She also has a lot of sympathy for her character.

‘Your upbringing can influence your life in a good way, or in a bad way,’ she muses.

‘Many people who end up in prison grew up in care or are from broken homes, [some] have drug-addicted or alcoholic families. Many commit crimes when they’re young, and it can be tough to break the cycle. Inside prison, people do whatever they can to survive. It’s an incredibly tough way of life. To be able to play someone like Marie, who is fearless, is great. If I went to prison as Susie Porter, I’d last 10 minutes!’

One of the highlights for Susie was joining an esteemed cast of talented women.

‘It is always nerve-wracking coming into a show where the cast and crew are so established. You feel like you are the new kid at school, so you keep your head down. However, everybody has been nothing but welcoming. Some of the featured extras have actually been in prison. I’ve learned a lot from them.’

As Wentworth sometimes follows Prisoner’s storylines, will we be seeing Marie Winter climbing the food chain to become Top Dog?

‘I honestly don’t know,’ says Susie, before swiftly diverting the question away and leaning down to gently pat the little terrier by her feet.

‘The hardest thing filming in Melbourne is missing Grace as it takes four months to shoot a season. However, I come home to Sydney every other weekend, so Grace doesn’t think I’m in prison for life!’

‘IT MIGHT SOUND MACABRE, BUT IT’S SO MUCH FUN PERFORMING ALL THE FIGHT SCENES AND STUNTS’