Rose Byrne: ‘I used to do the Cindy Crawford workout’
Rose Byrne felt the burn making new series Physical
Prepare to get hooked on Rose Byrne’s new dark comedy Physical on Apple TV, which will send you into a leotard-buying frenzy! Set in the beach paradise of sunny ’80s San Diego, the series follows Sheila Rubin, a quietly tortured, seemingly dutiful housewife supporting her smart, but controversial husband’s bid for state assembly. But she’s battling a complex set of personal demons relating to her self-image until she finds release through the unlikeliest source – the world of aerobics.
At first hooked on the exercise itself, Sheila’s real road to empowerment comes when she discovers a way to merge this newfound passion with the burgeoning technology of videotape to start a revolutionary business. The series tracks her epic journey as Sheila transforms into someone we take for granted today, but was entirely radical at the time – the female lifestyle guru.
For Rose, 41, the draw of a show celebrating a woman rising up was obvious after making the acclaimed Mrs America about the feminist movement in the ’70s. The Bridesmaids actress is currently in her homeland of Australia with her partner of nine years, Bobby Cannavale, and their children Rocco, five, and Rafa, three.
Why did you want to make this show?
When I read the first script, I was so moved. It felt like a story I hadn’t seen before, and it’s incredibly human and relatable. For me, as an artist, it was very challenging and daunting, which is good. I especially loved how doing all the physical routines take you out of being so selfconscious as a performer.
Is it true something Susan Sarandon once told you about Thelma & Louise helped you prepare for this role?
Yes, she said she was so focused on all the driving she had to do for the film that she didn’t have time to do so much acting. It became a lesson in how, with the focus required for a task like driving – or, in my case, aerobics – it’s impossible to be as self-conscious in our performance. Even in my extremely tight leotard.
And they really are tight!
Now, every kind of Instagram influencer wears those outfits. The late ’80s to early ’90s is extremely current right now. And putting on those outfits felt like that. The evolution of style and how it all recycles is so interesting. We had a fantastic costume designer who was just so detailed, it’s incredible. You’d think it’s quite straightforward with a leotard, but believe me, it’s not. They’re within a centimetre, a millimetre, of their life – that fabric just stretched tight around everyone’s bodies.
We learn about Sheila’s eating disorder through her critical “inner voice” – did you relate to that at all? Women can be incredibly selfdestructive in what we do to ourselves and to our bodies, and I don’t think that’s represented enough in the stories I see. Sheila doesn’t know how to articulate it, but she wants a seat at the table. She is trying to harness this ambition while harbouring secret, terrible shame, and a destructive illness.
Are you a fan of aerobics?
Before filming, I began working