In this interview we chat to Georgina Haig about her role in Secret Bridesmaids’ Business, discussing what her character means to her and what’s next in her career.
You might recognise Australian actress Georgina Haig from her role as Elsa in Once Upon A Time. Haig has been involved in so many terrific projects throughout her career so far. Today, we discuss her role in Secret Bridesmaids’ Business.
In Secret Bridesmaids’ Business, Haig plays Olivia, one of the lead characters who grapples with turmoil due to a long-term illness. Based on a screenplay of the same name by Elizabeth Coleman, the story follows the three friends through the lead up to a wedding. Complications like extramarital affairs, a malevolent stranger, and dark kept secrets unravel as the story progresses. The friendship finds itself being tested while growing stronger with each step into the unknown. Check out the trailer:
Read on for our interview with Georgina Haig!
what drew you to the project as something you wanted to pursue?
The thing that stood out the most about the show were the awesome female characters. They were just really real, funny and all had great flaws. It was so exciting, the thought of being able to bring those characters to life, also being able to work with such great people. I was really excited to work with Tori Garrett who was the director of the first block. Katie McGrath (Saskia) obviously super pumped to work with her and Abbie (Melanie). It was all a very exciting prospect.
What is it about this friendship that makes it so special? It’s the difference between each character that makes it serve as such an unlikely friendship being what draws me in. The way each character has such difference lives and drives and yet they are all fiercely loyal to one another, that I think is their strength.
Yeah, I think that gave the writers a lot to play with. You saw this enduring friendship that has been weathered so much and has so much history but those difference are really what causes a lot of the conflict that these characters face going into the series. it’s nice we have this differentiation, I think the audience really like seeing these people who are so different have these bonds and seeing why it’s positive yet challenging sometimes, too.
There is something really nice about having such triangular relationship as opposed to a two or four. Three always provides good conflict, always one who feels slightly left out when you’ve got a tripod. It’s good to have it that way.
Speaking of characters, you all have very different storylines, Olivia having battled Cancer. Your character focuses on the fragility of life after her treatment. What did you do to prepare for showing this on screen?
I read a really beautiful book, it was a collection of short accounts from people who had different cancers, who had survived and how they felt going forward. It was nice because everyone’s experiences were so different. A lot of people didn’t like feeling victimised or didn’t like using the language of “battling” cancer. It was just interesting hearing how people dealt with the disease but then also how people dealt with the cultural landscape around the disease as well. It was brilliant to read that.
I think that she has so much fear about it and one thing I took from reading about survivors is that, even if you’re given the all clear, it’s always a fear that it could come back. So that and then also from my own experience of family members who have had cancer. That’s always a there too. I just tried to find a place where I could connect to that fear, where it sits and go from there. When to engage with it and let it surface and when to bury it. It’s almost like sometimes you are allowing it because you need to feel things to cope with them, especially if you’re repressing it for so long there is only so long till you have to face it.
The show carries other heavy elements such as the heartbreaks and stalking. What was the most interesting story for you to get into?
It’s pretty full on [laughs]. I mean I loved the story with my fiancé and having to kind off figure out how to forgive him. I like the idea of the difference between wanting to do something emotionally and actually being able to do it. she can intellectualise what has happened, she wants to forgive him, but can she? I think forgiveness is not always a choicer. People want to forgive but they can’t always, I found that really interesting.
I like the moral greyness of it all. It’s boring when it’s so black and white so it’s always nice to play in the morally grey. Even Jakob isn’t a black and white villain; he’s set up as charming and easy to get along with.
The Jakob of it all is quite narcissistic, what’s something about those personalities that captures people?
I think sometimes those personalities can be attractive, because in order to be narcissistic you have to have this self-confidence and a love for yourself that’s so attractive cause a lot of people don’t have that. I think he is so charming and narcissism often means they are really intelligent, funny and easy to talk to. It’s got a lot going for it (jokingly) bad boy. I think there are more and more characters being written this way as we grow to understand it more.
Have you heard of dark triads? There are all these different personality types and how to talk about them now, it’s interesting having all these different ways to see them. So yeah, it’s a super attractive thing that I think a lot of people think they are in control over. They are in control of there attachment and that’s what it was like for Mel. Then there’s obviously that really physical danger they can be exposed to as well.
The show explores a lot of sexual relationships too, queer identity and monogamy and lack thereof. Do you think sex should be talked about more openly like the girls do? And what would that mean?
Yeah of course! In general in society? Definitely it should be. I think there is still a lot of stuff that’s still taboo and we think we are being open-minded and in a lot of ways we are very conservative still. America even more so than Australia at the moment. Even things like breast feeding. I think there is a state that just bought in a blanket ban and it’s just so ridiculous. Yeah it should all be talked about more openly I think. If anything it’s interesting. I think Australians like talking about sex.
Speaking of queer identity. Your character Olivia has a bit of a ‘will they, won’t they’ with Katie McGrath’s character Saskia. Can you speak a bit about that?
I think the line gets blurred with those two. I think she does love Saskia and is attracted to her and maybe that’s a side of her character she didn’t get to explore cause she’s been in a monogamous straight relationship for so long.
Olivia’s fiancé in the show ends up with quite the list of secrets. His cheating and lying about his mum. Would you be able to forgive?
Personally? I would like to think I could but I don’t know… it would be dependant on so many things. I mean its one thing to forgive someone those indiscretions normally but when your trying to recover from cancer treatment! I think a better question would be if someone was to be open about it and say it’s what they need, would you be able to have that discussion. That would be challenging but it would be better than them going behind your back and doing it that way.
Mid-season each character starts to really be seen to the full. What are your character’s best and worse traits?
Her best traits are her loyalty to her friends and loved ones and her worse traits are her sort of moral stances that she’s unable to move out of. The constraints she has for herself which keep her from things.
Jakob finally gets outed as the man the audience and girls know he is when he erupts in violence at work. What is it about that moment that’s so satisfying as an audience member?
I guess it’s that shared knowledge, where everyone gets to finally peek behind the curtain of someone who usually does things very secretly and in a calculating manner and he lets his guard down. I think it’s very satisfying to catch him in the act and kind of see that darker element to his character. The shared trauma then really bring the girls together.
The genres the show explores are drama and thriller but it also centres around so much hope. What is it about the show that’s so juicy to watch?
I am so delighted that you love this show so much! I think you have to love the people to get involved in any mystery to care enough about what’s going to happen to them. This series does a really good job at hooking you in so quickly and caring about them as people and you wanna know what’s going to happen. It’s just got those nice complicated relationships to play with. Then we really want to know what’s going to happen next!
The episodes all end on a cliffhanger. Did you have any input at all?
It was all the writers. I think we did get to workshop one scene about a spider, that we did get to play around with but its all the writers. Actors should never take to much credit for any of that writing cause we come in at the last moment after the writers have usually spent years researching and creating.
The wedding, the last episode. How was that to film?
It was such a a fun full on episode. The wedding dress was specially made and people were dying and getting threatened. It was quite a technical episode. We had to craft a lot of scenes which was time consuming but I really enjoyed it, It’s fun to do. We where filming a lot at a couple wineries from where m originally from which was brilliant and at that stage we had all been working together for a few months.
Talking to Georgina about the show was captivating and truly enamouring. She speaks so highly of her time on this set. Next up, we get to know her better.
What does a nice evening out look like for Georgina?
I love eating out, I love nice food and wineries. I love dancing as well. I will go to any terrible nightclub playing any kind of terrible music and dance. My go-to song would be “Hey Ya!” by OutKast. Showing my age but that’s was my first year out of high school when I was travelling around Asia and we would all get up on the tables and dance.
Tell us about your upcoming short film, Ashes!
Its finished. It’s been doing the rounds at festivals and it got nominated for an AACTA Award for best short film which was so exciting. It’s a black comedy. It hasn’t had a general release yet so hopefully later on. I’d just love everyone to check it out and it’s based on a true story. I forgot to pick up my dads ashes when he passed so yeah, very close to my heart.
Behold our quick fire questions!
Favourite wine?
Chardonnay
Out of all your characters — who are you most like?
Probably Olivia; that’s what’s so strange. Her personality is similar. I feel like I have to shoot a fricking gun in every job I do. So I’m going to go to a range and actually learn to shoot.
Favourite brunch spot?
Pier Street Kitchen in my home town Dromana has lovely food. In Perth there is a great place is Mary Street Bakery.
Favourite outfit/costume you’ve worn?
I did find it fun wearing the Elsa stuff but it did get a little annoying in the forest. It was so comfortable in a weird way, I just loved it.
Do you have any advice for those who want to start acting?
Well, it’s different for everyone in terms of what you need. I wanted drama school because I wanted to learn processes and Shakespeare. I think it’s invaluable to have that training but a lot of people want to just get started right away. You learn a lot on the job, but my advice would be just any classes you could do. Figure out how you feel about the actual work of acting. Don’t waste money but go for it!
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
We thank Georgina for her time. check out Secret Bridesmaids’ Business if you haven’t already and be sure to keep an eye out for Ashes.
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Wow, love it!