STACK #245 March 2025

FEATURE TV

his family’s real estate agency while his mother is in the hospital. His best friend, Emma, shows up uninvited after a failed honeymoon, and together they navigate the quirky dynamics of small-town life. “We like the small-town thing,”

• Rosehaven: Series 5 and Series 1-5 are out Mar 12

says Celia, “because it’s where small problems can be big issues.” “The name was a placeholder from

Celia Pacquola and Luke McGregor walk down memory lane with STACK to discuss small-town shenanigans, comedic chemistry, and why Rosehaven is worth the wait. Words Glenn Cochrane F our years after its final episode aired, the quirky Aussie comedy series is finally Celia Pacquola and Luke McGregor RETURN TO ROSEHAVEN

memory,” explains Luke. “We were trying to find a town name that didn’t exist in Australia, and we just called it Rosehaven until we thought of a better name.” “Yeah, we were thinking, ‘Something like Rose Haven,’” adds Celia. “And then it just stuck.” “The original title was going to be something like Selling Houses Australia ,” admits Luke with amusement. “But Rosehaven just became the default because we never got back to it.” Recalling one of season one’s standout moments, where Luke’s character is struck in the face by a huntsman spider, they share the real-life inspiration behind the scene. “It was Mum,” says Luke, much to Celia’s amusement. “There was a huntsman in our backyard, and Mum threw it over the neighbour’s fence, which led to them throwing the spider back a few days later. I think it landed on one of us, so there was a spider war.” “And there was a real spider on set,” adds Celia. “But the spider that hit Luke in the face was a fake one, and they CGI’d its legs so it looked like it was moving a bit. And there was a spider lady who turned up, and everyone was like, ‘Ahh, the spider lady’s here!’” Luke interjects: “They had a dead spider too, which they taped to my face. And it smelled disgusting.” The magic of Rosehaven lies in its relatable simplicity. Emma and Daniel (and by extension, Celia and Luke) are incredibly likeable, and tuning in each week felt like catching up with good mates. So what now? It’s been four years since Rosehaven ended. Is there more story to tell? Celia teases a possible return. “We do occasionally discuss the idea of a Christmas movie. Who knows? I mean, they’re not dead! I have an idea, but I can’t tell you. Although I reckon Daniel might have had a kid by now. And Emma would not be allowed to hold the baby.” Chatting with Celia and Luke feels like getting an exclusive look into their creative process. Their friendship and ability to riff off each other are as entertaining off-screen as they are on. “This has been really nice to talk about,” says Celia. “We don’t talk about it very often, so it was lovely to think about it again.” Luke McGregor would also like you to know he’s hitting the road this month for a new stand-up comedy tour, Okay, Wow! , running nationwide until August. He’s too modest to say it, but we’re more than happy to spruik it for him.

getting the physical media release it deserves. Fans can now own the long overdue fifth season or the much-anticipated complete collection. “We strike while the

Photo courtesy of ‘The Old Bank of Geeveston’ restaurant

iron's hot,” laughs co-creator Celia Pacquola, reflecting on the long gap between releases. Despite their busy schedules, Celia and Luke McGregor made time to chat with STACK about the show that’s meant so much to them. Luke joined the conversation via speakerphone while navigating traffic from Sydney to Newcastle, while Celia parked outside her home to avoid toddler distractions. “It’s all me. I’m the genius behind the show,” says Luke jokingly when asked about the origins of Rosehaven . “We met doing comedy and stand-up, but then we spent a lot of time together on the set of Utopia ,” explains Celia, referring to the award-winning ABC series created by the Working Dog team ( The Castle, Have You Been Paying Attention? ). “The show was a combination of Luke’s family having worked in real estate, and I’m from a small town. We wanted a vehicle for the two of us to talk sh-t and play to our strengths, which is just the two of us hanging out and being silly.” The premise sees Luke’s character, Daniel, move from Melbourne to the sleepy Tasmanian town of Rosehaven to manage

The mud on Celia and Luke is actually chocolate cake mix. FUN FACT

17