MIRANDA TAPSELL

Miranda Tapsell is one of our country's most endearing multi-hyphenates. She's a veteran performer and accomplished writer who has traversed the big and small screens as well as the theatre stage. To say she wears her share of hats is putting it lightly, but what's equally impressive is the purpose for which she utilises them. A proud Larrakia woman, Tapsell has been an outstanding contributor to Indigenous storytelling. The bulk of her oeuvre involves supporting or spearheading First Nations-focused projects. The musical true story 'The Sapphires', the Northern Territory-set charmer 'Top End Wedding', and its small-screen sequel series 'Top End Bub' are but a few examples.

Tapsell has been doing publicity for ‘Bub’ recently. It's now available on ABC TV and ABC iView, following its initial launch on Amazon Prime last year. With that, I had the opportunity to discuss with her the decision to expand the journey of Lauren and Ned, in addition to several other of her celebrated roles. This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

A female Aboriginal music group travels to Vietnam to perform for the troops. Tapsell portrays one member of the quartet, Cynthia.

"Can you believe I was 24 years old? I wanted so badly to be a Sapphire because I'd seen the stage show with Deb [Mailman] where she played Cynthia, and I was just like, "These women remind me of the women in my family. They have guts, they have dreams, they have aspirations, they're human." I'd never seen a stage show with Aboriginal characters like that. A casting call for the film was shared on social media. I sent it to my agent at the time and said, 'I really need this.' I had been told that I didn't have the comedic chops at drama school. They said, 'You're very charismatic, but you're not funny,' but I went to that audition, and I was making them laugh. I think when I realised that you play a lot of comedy for drama, I was like, 'Oh, this is less of a stretch. If I just play for truth, then I can't go wrong.' I didn't go out to prove anyone, but it was certainly satisfying to learn that I could actually do it, and people thought I could as well."

Click here to read our full theatrical review of 'The Sapphires'.

In the popular free-to-air drama, Tapsell plays one of the unwed women navigating her pregnancy in 1970s Kings Cross.

"That brought me into the TV world, which can be very hard to break into. Before that, I had done lots of theatre, so to be granted a role on a commercial television show was huge. I won the Logie for Most Popular New Talent as a result, and it really solidified me in the Australian industry as a mainstream artist. That gives you weight as a performer. People go, 'She knows what she's doing.' It also meant I could ask for things from a position of fame. I no longer had to wonder what could have been. I could ask questions and die happy because I received answers. I'm so thankful in that respect."

Tapsell co-wrote and leads this comedy of a couple travelling to the Tiwi Islands to get married.

"I was teaching at NIDA, as was [my co-writer] Josh [Tyler], and we were referring a great deal of films to our students. We noticed that most of them were rom-coms because they're character-driven. It makes them perfect for acting exercises. One day, Josh came to me and said, 'When we finish the program, why don't we set one in the NT?' And I was like, 'This is insane. I would love to.' It was exciting, but it also made me realise I didn't have a plan B for my career. I was riding the 'Love Child' wave at the time, but I knew I needed to start thinking about longevity and what would keep me in the industry. 'Top End' felt like the perfect next step and a chance to show my backyard on film."

Click here to read our full theatrical review of 'Top End Wedding'.

As Nicolas Cage loses his mind on a Perth beach, a photographer witnessing his growing madness is Tapsell.

"Nicolas Cage is every bit the guy you think he would be: a little bit hard to follow, really kind, the ultimate professional, and an incredible man to watch. Working with him is something I'm going to remember for the rest of my life. He was quite in the zone when we did our scenes. However, he came up to me when they were moving all the cameras. I said, 'Hey, can someone tell me what we're doing next?' And he ribbed me and was like, 'So, basically I'm going to take this sign over there that says locals only, I'm going to beat that guy over the head with it, and then I'm going to kick some ass.' And I just thought, 'No way! I'm in a blockbuster with Nic Cage!' I did have to roll with the punches, though, because he didn't want to rehearse. He would say, 'I just want to shoot the shit out of it.'"

Tapsell's Lauren faces a new challenge when tasked with the guardianship of her niece.

"[My husband] Josh [Colley] and I were both in Victoria when it was locked down in 2020. Josh was like, 'I need a bit of routine. I need a reason to get out of bed.' And I thought, 'You know what? This is the perfect time to start thinking about what we want to do with these characters because they're not done yet.' We wanted to explore what happens after the happily ever after, and because it ended on the note of Ned being married to the family as well as Lauren. We thought television would be the best way to do it. In that form, we could show more of Lauren, Ned, the Ford family, and the territory. Plus, I'm one of those people who, after I put the kids to bed, will go, 'Gosh, a 90-minute feature film, that's ambitious,' but then I'll slam four episodes of 'Bridgerton' (laughs)."

And to close with an overall reflection...

"When I was 13, Aaron Pedersen came to my school and chatted to my class. That made me realise this work was more tangible than I thought. This wasn't just for Americans in Hollywood. I actually could do this if I wanted to. That gave me the dream of going to drama school, and eventually I got in. After my studies, I spent time with incredible people like Tony Briggs, Shari Sebbens, and Deb Mailman, and I realised I had stories I wanted to tell. They'd been sitting inside me, and that's why I'd been wanting to do this for so long, and now, I'm actually getting to do them. It's like breathing for me. I can't imagine doing anything else. I feel like I'm exactly where I need to be in my life."

'Top End Bub' is now available on ABC TV and ABC iView.