Marriage ties in life and work ‘T

here were four of us living in the house,’’ actor Craig Hall says of the six seasons he and his actor wife Sara Wiseman co-starred on A Place To Call Home.

While the couple had worked together in the past, the period drama – in which he plays troubled war veteran Dr Jack Duncan and Sara is his liberal, modern-thinking wife, Carolyn Bligh – allowed them the luxury to settle in one place and live together.

Up until then, the couple had lived a nomadic life, often ending up in different cities – or countries – as they went where the work was.

‘‘I think at that time in our lives we were really ready to spend more time together, whether that be working on the same project or at least being in the same city, so it was such a gift,’’ Hall says, adding it was no surprise they shared their house with Jack and Carolyn.

‘‘We would come home and we were always talking about work. It’s what we do – what we love to do.

‘‘We’d sometimes have some interesting conversations at home justifying the character’s point of view but we, personally, never came to loggerheads over that stuff. I think you can see it for what it is.

‘‘We both got very, very, very involved with those characters’ stories. We would read scripts and something would happen to a character and you’d be sitting there reading it in absolute tears, but I guess that’s a testament to just how strong the storytelling was.’’

Given the show’s long run – the sixth and final season begins screening here this week – it is surprising to learn that many viewers are unaware Hall and Wiseman are a real-life couple.

‘‘Apparently, in the beginning, even a lot of the crew thought we were method [actors] because between scenes we’d be hugging or very demonstrative with each other,’’ Hall says.

However, while Hall and Wiseman are still happily together – albeit not always living with each other – it appears that Jack and Carolyn have a rough ride ahead of them.

‘‘You certainly will, as an audience, feel satisfied with what the characters go through and what Jack has to go through and the decisions he reaches, but it’s not tied up all nice and neatly,’’ Hall warns.

The season begins a few months after season five ended, with Sarah (Marta Dusseldorp) and George (Brett Climo) back from a visit to Israel with their son David (Elliot Domoney), and Anna (Abby Earl) still reeling from Henry’s (Tim Draxl) refusal to marry her because she can’t have children. Elizabeth (Noni Hazelhurst) is no longer the mistress of Ash Park and Jack and Carolyn are dealing with the public way Sir Richard (Mark Lee) revealed Jack’s war-time torture at the hands of the Japanese.

‘‘It’s definitely not plain sailing and although there’s a lot of hope there’s no sort of big old happy ending,’’ Hall says.

With A Place To Call Home screening around the world, there is little chance Jack and Carolyn will be forgotten any time soon.

‘‘We’ve been in some really strange far-flung places away from the madding crowds, for example a little boutique-type motel in the middle of the bush where we met a couple of Americans who go, ‘We know who you are’,’’ Hall says. ‘‘It’s not just an Australian story, or a New Zealand story or a British story. It’s an American story as well.

‘‘We had such amazing feedback from people about the show, people that really connected with it, so that makes it feel very special. It will always be one that I’ll hold up in high regard as being a big part of my life.’’ – Kerry Harvey, TV Guide

A Place To Call Home, TVNZ 1, Friday, 8.30pm.