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Hermione Norris took a leap of faith for the new thriller Between Two Worlds, writes Holly Byrnes
WHEN Hermione Norris marked her milestone, halfcentury birthday, she did so “with gratitude and grief” for her new stage of a life well lived.
The refreshingly candid and philosophical UK star of Luther, Spooks and Cold Feet, used her latest “coming of age” as the inspiration to shake up her career and leap at the chance to film Seven’s new thriller Between Two Worlds.
Packing up her family, including her two sons aged 12 and 16, for five months of work on the Bevan Lee production made the 51-year-old reticent at first.
But so welcomed and happy was her experience, Norris says, it’s one of the best decisions – and best friends – she’s every made. “I thought, ‘Just step into it ... shake things up a bit ... step into the unknown’,” she says.
“Of course, I was really nervous about coming over so far to an environment I’d never worked in before. It was just a leap of faith, if you like, and I’m so glad I did.”
Playing Cate Walford, the miserable, self-medicating wife of a Machiavellian millionaire businessman [Philip Quast] was a rich and complex character for
Norris to explore; coupled with the adventure of flying to work in Australia for the first time.
“I fell in love with Australia, I really did. I met some of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life, who I hope will be lifelong friends ... I loved it,” she gushes. “Sydney is ridiculously amazing ... you’ve got that beautiful coastline, the food and lovely people. I thought it was amazing. It’s a very special place.”
Her UK agent, who also happens to represent Quast, encouraged her to read the script “and we both really enjoyed it”.
“I thought it was quite an epic tale and then I spoke to [creator] Bevan [Lee], I fell in love with him. I just really loved his enthusiasm, his passion, and it’s obviously been his life’s ambition to make this particular piece of drama. Just that wealth of experience, having committed that much of his life to this industry and to TV drama, in particular, I just thought, ‘Good on you, mate’ and, ‘Yeah, I’d love to be a part of it’.”
With her manicured hair and bodycon suiting, Cate Walford looks the part of any upper-class spouse who fills her days with salon sessions and day-drinking.
She’s a woman instantly recognisable to Norris, “who needs to anaesthetise themselves from their awful marriages.”
Despite all the luxury and creature comforts her husband’s income can afford, it’s apparent from the seething animosity between the couple that happiness isn’t one of them. “She’s just very conflicted, a prisoner of her secrets and a prisoner of Philip,” Norris says.
“A prisoner of her own story and the choices she has made in her life. I love that ... complex, conflicted. A complicated woman is always better to play.”
BETWEEN TWO WORLDS 8.30PM, SUNDAY, SEVEN