A CHAT WITH... KAREN O’LEARY

Karen O’Leary has played plenty of comic roles in her career since she launched onto the screen as Officer O’Leary in the What We Do In The Shadows movie and spin-off show, Wellington Paranormal. Stand-up comedy, though, that’s a new bag for the former early childhood educator.

But O’Leary is prone to saying yes to opportunities when they come knocking, and being asked to perform at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival’s Wellington Comedy Club Rainbow Showcase was no different.

O’Leary, who also hosts Stuff podcast Full Disclosure, where Kiwis share their coming out stories, tells Bess Manson why she’s starting to believe in her own abilities, and about the importance of showing support, not just for the rainbow community but for diversity in general. And what better way to do that than with a laugh? Tell us a bit about your act at the Wellington Comedy Rainbow Showcase. I’ve never done stand-up. Vanessa Stacey, who runs the Fringe Festival, had been banging on at me to do a show so my partner Eilish Wilson and I did a variety performance at that festival in February. Like with most things you get scared about, once you’ve done them you think ‘that was so great. What was I worried about?’

So I’ll be doing the showcase with Eilish, who is a saxophonist, and we will be pulling an element out of that Fringe show as a single standalone piece. It’s beautiful, it’s funny, it’s poignant, it’s musical and I think people will be able to relate to it. What’s it like working with your partner? I still see myself as new to the creative industry – I was an early childhood teacher for a long time – so I feel like Eilish gives me a lot of support and encouragement with things I would normally be a little bit unsure of. She’s my safety blanket.

We have quite different working styles, though. I am very last-minute. Eilish is much more organised than me so there is a bit of, not tension, but I’d say… tension.

She is very fun and very hilarious but she’s an i-dotter and t-crosser, whereas I would probably forget to put an ‘i’ anywhere. But we complement each other. Your career has soared since that first appearance as Officer O’Leary? What’s it like to be you right now? It’s absolutely bonkers, but in a really good way. I feel really lucky to have had lots of opportunities to do amazing things. Initially, when I was on Wellington Paranormal, I thought I was just really lucky. But as time has gone by I feel I don’t want to belittle what I do by saying it’s all just luck because it’s not. I am good at certain things and that’s what’s opened other doors for me. I’m trying to come to terms with that whole notion of being confident in my own abilities and backing myself. Are there any crossovers between acting and early childhood teaching? I was an early childhood teacher for Have you always wanted to make people laugh? Growing up my mum and dad were incredibly funny and very positive. There was always a lot of laughing and tricking in our house. I grew up in an environment that supported having a good time, making jokes, and being curious. There was a sense of wonderment, of being curious about the world and seeing anything as potentially interesting or funny. I think that’s so empowering, especially as a young person. If that’s what you’re immersed in, you take that on. Your career began after being shouldertapped for the part of Officer O’Leary in What We Do In The Shadows. Was it a part you coveted? My first response was no, I’m not an actor, I’m a teacher. But it all snuck up on me. I got the part and suddenly I was in a movie. I do firmly believe in saying yes to things, though. You’ll always learn something if you do. If it’s a disaster, well, then you know. If you say yes and you get a spinoff TV show you think, lucky I said yes to that! Who made you laugh when you were growing up? First and foremost, the Topp Twins. They used to crack me up. It was the first time I worked out what a lesbian was. My neighbour, who was a staunch Christian, said ‘Don’t watch them, you know they’re lesbians?’

There was something with them that I related to and I thought, well, I like them even more now. Might you go back to teaching? I was thinking about maybe becoming a reliever at my old high school… I could secretly be teaching them all about sexuality education and consent behind the government’s back.

“I’m trying to come to terms with that whole notion of being confident in my own abilities and backing myself.“