Photo: Louis Wyeth
Grace O’Sullivan is one of Australia’s most promising young screen talents, building a career that has taken her from one of the country’s most iconic television series to international film. She first gained attention as Olivia Lane on the long-running soap series Neighbours, and since then, her career has taken her to the international stage. Most recently, she starred alongside Liam Neeson in the action thriller Ice Road: Vengeance, which follows a journey through Nepal that turns into a fight for survival against mercenaries.
Next, she will star in the feature drama Sweet Milk Lake, written, directed by and co-starring Harvey Zielinski, which is set to premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival in August. She will also soon be seen in an untitled Amazon MGM Studios war biopic directed by Patrick Hughes, joining a cast that includes Alan Ritchson, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Kyle Allen and Joe Cole.
We caught up with Grace O’Sullivan to talk about her rise from Ramsay Street to the international stage, working alongside Hollywood heavyweights, and the exciting next chapter of her rapidly growing career.
Neighbours has a pretty remarkable track record of producing international stars, from Kylie Minogue to Margot Robbie. Having started your career on Neighbours and then being asked to lead a parallel series, Erinsborough High, does it feel inspiring, surreal, or slightly terrifying to be following in those footsteps?
Grace: Well when you put it like that – terrifying!!! No truly, I think it’s a combination of all three. Neighbours was such a rite of passage for generations of Australian actors so to be among that cohort is such an honour. To have had the opportunity to work on the show before it ended is something I’ll always feel grateful for. It was such a well oiled machine; the pace was phenomenal and each crew member was an expert in their own right.
Grace: Being asked to continue Olivia’s story in Erinsborough High was special because it allowed us to explore a very different side of the Neighbours universe. It was both thrilling and daunting to step into a leading role within a franchise that means so much to so many people. And funny you should mention Kylie! I’m about to brag, but I recently had the chance to meet her and we got onto the topic of Erinsborough High. She loved hearing about the spin off and the fictional high school her character once attended. It was one of those full circle moments where you realise just how much history exists within that world.
Erinsborough High explores a much darker and more dramatic world than Neighbours. What did you find most challenging about portraying Olivia Lane within that heightened emotional landscape, while still maintaining the integrity of a character audiences already knew?
Grace: What I think I loved most about Erinsborough High was that it gave us permission to explore subjects that felt more contemporary and complex than traditional soap storytelling. At the time, shows like Euphoria were very much part of the cultural conversation, and there was a sense that we were creating an Australian series that wasn’t afraid to tackle difficult issues affecting young people.
Grace: Olivia’s storyline involved navigating her sexuality while dealing with a homophobic mother. Our director, Jonathan Dutton, was instrumental in creating an environment where we could really explore those emotional layers. His wife, Eve Morey, also worked with us as a very skilled intimacy coach. The two of them encouraged us to really question the script, the characters, and I guess ultimately ourselves.
Photo: Louis Wyeth
Let’s talk about working with Liam Neeson. You play one of the lead roles in Ice Road: Vengeance, which recently hit number one on Amazon. Not only was I impressed by your performance, but also by the physicality you brought to the role – the stunt work was incredibly impressive. What was the most valuable lesson you took away from working alongside Liam?
Grace: Every day on set was a masterclass of some sort. Liam was always happy to share the little gems of wisdom he’s picked up across his career. One in particular that stayed with me was his advice on close ups. He explained that when possible, he’d request a mark very close to the camera lens and perform toward it. This allows the audience to see more of your eyes and creates a stronger connection through the screen.
Grace: He noted how he’d always tell his scene partner beforehand. It’s not about taking focus, but about understanding what the camera needs and serving the shot. Coming from a theatre background, Liam spoke at length about the importance of understanding your medium. What works on stage isn’t necessarily what works on screen, and vice versa. Watching someone with his level of experience approach the technical side of acting with such precision was fascinating. Overall, he taught me that screen acting isn’t just about the performance; it’s about understanding your relationship with the camera.
Photo: Louis Wyeth
You’ve now worked on two globally recognised franchises – NCIS: Sydney and Ice Road: Vengeance. What is it about franchise storytelling that continues to resonate with audiences around the world?
Grace: Gosh, I had the absolute time of my life on the NCIS Sydney set. I got to play a vampire, which, for every pale girl who grew up watching Twilight, is the dream role. I also held onto my custom fangs, which have become a rather fun party trick. What really struck me though was the reach of the franchise. I happened to be living in Paris when the show premiered, and I saw NCIS Sydney advertisements at bus stops throughout the city. It was a rather giddy moment for me to witness the reach of certain stories, particularly stories from a franchise I’ve played a part in.
Sweet Milk Lake is your next film to come out. It’s premiering at the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) in August, so there must be something particularly special about celebrating a film on home soil. What does this premiere mean to you personally?
Grace: As a born and bred Melbourne girl, I’ve spent years attending MIFF screenings as an audience member. To now have a film premiering there feels like such a surreal treat. I think it’ll be most exciting to experience the film alongside my friends and family. This industry can feel quite removed from the day to day and I don’t think my mates understand what it is I’m doing half the time, so it’ll be special to show them what I’ve been up to.
Grace: Sweet Milk Lake was also my first experience working with a director who was simultaneously acting in the film. Harvey Zelinski directed and starred in the project, and what a captivating process that was to watch. We’d complete a scene and then he’d immediately step outside of it, review playback, and begin directing. To be both inside the scene and outside of it at the same time requires a very specific skill set. Watching Harvey navigate those dual responsibilities was truly impressive. There’s also something very meaningful about premiering a film in the city that first made me fall in love with cinema. It feels kinda like a homecoming.
You’ve recently wrapped production on the Gold Coast for a Vietnam war biopic with director Patrick Hughes and actor Alan Ritchson. While you’ve become no stranger to large scale action productions, this project is inspired by a true story. Did that change the way you approached the role?
Grace: For sure. I’ve found myself on a string of action sets recently and each time fall deeper in love with those worlds. There’s an incredible energy on those productions and every project leaves me with even greater admiration for stunt performers in particular. What they do is extraordinary – they are by far the coolest people on set. What made this role different was that it was inspired by a real person. My character draws from Catherine Leroy, the legendary French photojournalist who travelled to Vietnam at twenty one years old to document the war.
Grace: The research process was absolutely my favourite part of prepping for the role. I spent time reading her diary entries, letters home to her parents, and honestly any other material I could get my hands on. It was rather intimate to discover this woman largely through her own thoughts and musings. Having spent a significant amount of time living in Paris myself, Catherine didn’t feel that far away from me. It was less like playing a historical figure and more like playing someone I might have known.
Grace: Patrick Hughes also created a wonderfully collaborative environment. He loves improvisation, and encouraged me to incorporate bits of French dialogue into scenes. It felt like I was able to bring a little piece of my own life and experiences into the role. And of course, working alongside the duo that is Patrick and Alan was fantastic. They have such a fun creative rapport and synergy which filtered throughout the entire production. It’s ambitious filmmaking, but god it’s good fun!
_
Follow Grace O’Sullivan: Instagram
Keep up-to-date with us on all of our channels and social media accounts:
YouTube: http://youtube.com/Popternative
Instagram http://instagram.com/popternative
Facebook: https://facebook.com/popternative/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@popternative
Spotify: https://goo.gl/nWtNHP
Apple Podcasts: https://goo.gl/y6tbA