Kung fu mothering:

The star of a new Australian drama about mothers recalls her real-life experiences after giving birth. Cass Marrett reports.

Actress tells of ‘extreme introduction’ to motherhood.

Tess Haubrich (right) had an extreme introduction into motherhood.

“My life was like at home breast-feeding and then I’d go to work and fight Jackie Chan on top of the Opera House,” she says. Come again? While filming the 2017 Jackie Chan movie Bleeding Steel, model-turned-actress Haubrich was training in martial arts five days a week, six hours a day, for five months – while her daughter, Juniper, was less than a year old.

Before that Haubrich was cast in the 2017 prequel to the Sigourney Weaver film Alien only a few months after giving birth.

“My priority is my daughter but, if anything, it changed my attitude with work and that I absolutely adore being an actor,” Haubrich says. “I just never take anything for granted.” It’s the kind of superwoman mentality shared by her character in the new Australian drama Bad Mothers where she plays Sarah Pooley, a successful doctor and mother of two.

“Sarah, to the outside world, seemingly has everything together,” says Haubrich.

“They call her Mrs Perfect and all that kind of stuff, but her personal life is kind of falling apart. As mothers I think we can all relate.”

The series centres around a group of four women who call themselves The Bad Mothers Club, an ode to the faux pas of parenting and a celebration of mothers who realise they aren’t perfect.

Haubrich herself admits she’s not very domesticated.

“I’m a terrible cook,” she says, then takes a moment to consider. “Yeah, I’m not good.”

As a last-minute injection into the cast, Haubrich replaced Jessica Marais (Packed To The Rafters, Love Child), who was originally slated to play Sarah but bowed out to focus on her health.

“I didn’t audition for Sarah at all,” says Haubrich. “I found out on a Friday night and I was down there Monday (filming).”

For Haubrich, being given the role of Sarah was “a gift”.

“As an actor, getting to play quite dramatic circumstances was really fantastic. She goes through a lot, both good and bad,” Haubrich says.

Enter Anton (Daniel MacPherson), her cheating husband who later finds himself in serious trouble with the police.

“Just an average day,” laughs Haubrich, who says she knows people who have been affected significantly by infidelity.

“I think that most people have been touched by infidelity so you don’t have to yourself go through it to relate.”

Joining her in The Bad Mothers Club are Shalom Brune-Franklin (Doctor Doctor), Mandy McElhinney (Love Child) and Jessica Tovey (Wolf Creek, Underbelly) who have all become good friends.

Haubrich says as a mother, the support of her own friends has meant the world.

“A few of them have kids, and quite a few of them don’t, but everyone has been wonderful.”

She adds it is common for mums to feel inadequate and she wants them to know one thing – you’re not.

“I really do believe that a lot of mothers feel that and it’s kind of mothers’ guilt – like if you’re away working and you’re just not living up to the perfection of what being a mother should be.

“You could be the breadwinner, you’re the wife, you’re the friend.

“I think we just need to practise more compassion with ourselves.”

To take care of herself, Haubrich does yoga and makes sure she gets plenty of exercise.

“I think it is really important to get that time out. You definitely have more energy for your children when you’re with them.”

“I think that most people have been touched by infidelity.”

– Tess Haubrich