STACK #123 Jan 2015

EXTRAS

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him, and we both went through a [drama] program when we were at school... he happens to be marrying a very good friend of mine in a couple of weeks, and so there’s a connection in a number of different facets of our lives. Interestingly enough, he called me when he got the script, quite a while before I got it for the first test, and just said, “I’ve got this AUSLAN script I need to learn, I know you know it, can you come and help?” So, I went over to his place and we worked through it. But I was teaching him his side of the script, and then when I got the script a couple of weeks later, I looked it and went, “I know this.” 04/ You’re a very accomplished theatre and musical actor; what prompted you to tackle a film at this point in your career? It was the script itself. It was the content of it, it was the emotion of it from the outset. When I read it with TJ I just thought, this is hilarious and beautiful and poignant all at once, and that was it really. And, after meeting Josh, then it was Josh. 05/ Did Josh ease the transition for you? Yeah, absolutely. He was phenomenal. He was so supportive. I know that’s partly because he’s a wonderful man but also he’s an actor, so he knows what that feels like, too. I understood the concept, it was just the terminology that – you know, there’s a whole

ERIN JAMES

There is one scene in new Aussie dramedy The Little Death which is capturing the attention of critics all over: a young deaf man uses the National Relay Service’s Skype facility to request an interpreter connect him with a sex line. It’s one of the most hilariously sweet things we’ve ever seen, and the actress who plays the interpreter, Erin James – who is most well known for her performances in theatre – has just been nominated for an AACTA award. Brilliant, especially considering this was her first time in front of a camera.

01/ Did you ever think your love of AUSLAN and acting would come together in this way? ERIN JAMES: No, absolutely not! I actually, funnily enough, had a conversation with a friend just this morning and he said to me, “Who would have thought, all of these years later, that those two things would come together.” 02/ Did director Josh Lawson liaise with you in any way about your scene as it was being written, or did he research it all himself?

He did it all on his own. The story he tells is, he came up with the idea and thought it would be a great for a story, and then he visited the National Relay Service in Brisbane and asked them about it. And, from what I understand, it’s actually not an uncommon event. I mean, I don’t think it necessarily happens in the same way, but there are conversations you can get yourself into that are kind of awkward to interpret. 03/ You’ve known your co-star,TJ Power, for many years? TJ actually knew my brother before I knew

language that exists in the theatre that’s completely different to the film and TV world. So, he was divine about it.

The Little Death is out January 23

Own it on Blu-Ray & DVD 23 January

022 “A big hearted comedy full of huge roars of laughter.” – GILES HARDIE

JB Hi-Fi www.jbhifi.com.au