FIVE's interview with Lynne.

[Frankie]

There is quite a lengthy interview with Lynne McGranger on the FIVE website.

Here is the link. http://www.five.tv/programmes/homeandaway/features/20070129/

God...the woman can certainly talk ...

[alexx]

Thanks for the link!

Hey I can't watch (dont have broadband) - what does she say in general? And about changing H&A?

[emmasi]

Part One:

She said that she enjoys playing the badguy (as in pantomimes) but she doesn't think that Irene will go back to her old ways because people who go through *forgets the words...* a major life changing experience... don't often go back... She did enjoy being poisoned by Corey. And didn't we all ?

Some (approximate) quotes that I liked:

"I'd like for Irene to go out in a straight jacket, dribbling, after just having downed a bottle of absynth."

Re: suggesting storylines to the writers: "They may tell you you're clinically insane and to please leave, but sometimes they listen..." She went on to say that it was her idea for Irene to surrogate for Finn (?).

This is just her trying to remember what movie that someone she worked with was in: "The Keanu Reeves thing with Samuel Jackson... The name elludes me... The one where they do all the strange things... with the side ways moves....... Can I get some help please?"

"The Matrix."

"The Matrix!"

^That just reminded me SO much of Lois on Family Guy trying think of Point Break, especially because of Keanu Reeves . Just put that in for my own amusement

And finally, Lynn's answer to the question of whether any of Irene's relatives will turn up to cause trouble: "I think every H&A character should have a relative, hell bent on revenge that manipulates them. That's what makes a great soap!"

Hehe...

[emmasi]

Part Two

Irene’s love life: “On this show, you fall in love, you get married, the next minute you’re divorced or you’re dead or you’re dying of some tropical disease that no one’s ever heard of… I kind of like that Irene’s unlucky in love.”

Lynn says she’d “deal with it” if she had to get with Colin Firth. She jokes that Irene and Tony should get together, but if she has too many “toy boys” it could get disgusting. “You’ll have every 13 year old heaving into a toilet. I know at home, I start kissing my partner and my daughter’s like ‘Get a room, Mum!’ So there are certain things that older people can do on TV that maybe they shouldn’t do.”

“Why has Irene never married Alf?” She cites their strong personalities, which are too similar, and says that it can only end in tears. “You never know, some day when the show is winding up, you might see Irene and Alf walking down the isle with zimmer frames. Out of the church and off the get buried. Together.”

She says that if an actor has a vision for the character, the writers will often go with it. The more “eccentric” characters tend to go this way, such as Irene, Alf, Colleen, and.. *sniff*… Robbie.

She reiterates that the poisoning storyline was her proudest Irene moment, because she really had to push herself. “I had to shoot something like 32 scenes in two days.”

Lol… most embarrassing moment on set… “Can I do this…? I’m gonna do it, it’s the net… I FARTED on set! I farted so loud that I thought that Kate and Ada were going to have coronaries from laughing so hard! And then I said, ‘I’m sorry,’ and everyone laughed even more because they didn’t know it was me! Except for the extras who’s faces I’d farted in… It’s great dinner conversation. If someone asks ‘What’s your most embarrassing moment, I can say, “Peh, that’s easy. I farted on set!”

She says they laugh a lot on set

“Irene does cry a lot… Lynn cries a lot… I cry in Lux commercials…. It’s a soap ad…”

She says that Irene’s very in touch with her emotions, and she cried when Tash went missing, because Tash was “one of her little chickies.” Aw

[emmasi]

Part 3

Favourite foster kids: Will and Chloe, but she loves them all.

“If there was a huge natural disaster, and that doesn’t happen often in Summer Bay, does it…? If the town was split in two and I could only save three characters… I guess I’d have to save a good sort, for the girls, so… Ric. And someone who’s been there for a long time, Sally. Then they could reproduce and create a whole new generation of Summer Bayites. They’d be butt-ugly though, I mean, look at their parents… And then I’d save Colleen, ‘cause I’d need someone to hit around the head.”

She loves playing Irene and wouldn’t want to play any other character on the show. She’s been on the show for 14 years, and could be there for another 14, “depending on the offers from Hollywood.” . Her first love is theatre, but being on H&A gives her the opportunity to do that as well as play a character that can go on a life journey, which you can’t get in a play.

She says she’s blessed in what she does in her life, so she feels that she’s meant to give some extra stuff through charity. She mentioned Child Fund and Anglicare.

Lol, “Could Irene take Susan Kennedy in a fight?… I don’t watch Neighbours, so I don’t know what she’s like. If she’s a piece of work, then yeah, Irene would have her in a fight. If she’s a nice woman, she’d make her a cup of tea. In fact, I seem to remember that Dr Karl did the dirty on her! Go out and get yourself a young piece of fluff. Go on dahl, do that! You show him!”

Re: Corrie: “I watched a bit of it the other night and saw some woman bashing a guy over the head with what looked like a Logie! I got all sucked in and was thinking ‘His hand’s still moving! I bet he’s still alive!!’… But I didn’t get to see what happened, so I’m over my addiction…”

She hates reality TV and would never do it – “Why would you want to watch a bunch of nobodies doing nothing!?” – but she likes talent shows, and if someone asked her to sing or dance, it might be a different story. She’s very happy with the exposure that Mark’s getting through Soapstar Superstar and is hopeful that a wider range of people will see how talented he is. She also mentioned Mark and Chris sitting around singing and strumming their guitars… *sigh*… oh to be there for that.

She likes the cricket, Australian Idol, 24, anything by the BBC, and Desperate Houswives. “Maybe Irene could be a guest star. Gee, wouldn’t she give Nicollet Sheraton’s character a bit of curry?”

Interesting idea

[emmasi]

Part Four

She would like to see more interracial interaction. She’s aware of the risk of offending people and taking leaps and assumptions with peoples’ culture, but Australia, like England, is very mixed culturally, and she’d like to see that reflected on the show.

She feels connected to certain cast members, like Kate Ritchie, Christie Wright, etc… and the woman who played the Goth’s mum. (Missed the name, but I thought you’d appreciate that, Alexx )

She doesn’t get My Space – she’d rather actually see people or talk to them. (She’s also been hassling people about their screen names, telling them to go and buy proper ones, hehe).

She has a wide taste in music (freakishly similar to mine, actually…) Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Robbie Williams, Eminem, etc. Doesn’t like “doof doof” music, heh.

Like’s “Love Actually” – particularly the breakdown scene where… girl… finds the locket and realises that it’s not meant for her. “And of course, Colin Firth is in it.”

New Year’s resolution: to take singing lessons, inspired by Mark.

“I’m a dog person, but I have a cat… I hate spiders… Australia’s not the best place to live for an arachnophobe.” (More freakish similarities, fyi.)

lol, Aussie advice to Englanders: “Do not believe everything you read. Your tabloids SUCK!” English advice to Australians, get a bit more class. Just a bit.

Ah, and now her favourite joke. About ducks. I’ll condense it for your convenience:

Three women die in a car accident. They’re sent up to Heaven, where St Peter tells them, “Don’t step on the ducks.” He opens the pearly gates, and there are ducks everywhere.

The first woman steps on one, and St Peter comes over with the ugliest man she’s ever seen and chains the man to her for all eternity.

The second woman steps on a duck, and St Peter comes over with an even uglier man, and chains the man to her for all eternity.

The third woman is very careful and doesn’t step on any ducks. St Peter comes to her with the most gorgeous man she’s ever laid eyes on. “He’s like Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsy and Ronan Keeting all rolled into one! And he’s STRAIGHT!” St Peter chains this man to the woman for all eternity. The woman is overwhelmed and says to the man, “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this.” To which he replies, “I don’t know about you, but I stepped on a duck.”

She’s had fun in England and is happy that H&A is doing so well. She encourages people to keep watching because the show’s just getting better and better.

Also, she’s happy that Australia won the Ashes. “What more could an Aussie girl ask for?”

[Frankie]

Gee Jem....are you her long lost love child then? .... ....I like some of the music she mentioned too...and always thought Emma Thompson's crying scene in Love Actually was pretty amazing...heartbreaking it was....reaches for tissues... sob....snifff...

Thanks for doing the summary....

I liked the interviews...it was good that she took the time to answer so many questions...as usually actors want to do about 30 mins and they are out of there...Lynne must have been recording that all morning....its nice to see someone being themselves...rather than their character...and she seems kinda nice. Wicked sense of humour she has there...and I have to agree with her about BB...except BttB BB of course...which is entirely different.

[alexx]

Wow – thanks a lot emmasi!!! That’s great of you…

Sounds like a realllllly good interview. I love her idea about being taken out in a straight jacket, dribbling, - And I'm sure its gotta happen sooner or later.

Hahahahahahahahaha... that farting, I wanna see the blooper!

She feels connected to certain cast members, like Kate Ritchie, Christie Wright, etc… and the woman who played the Goth’s mum. (Missed the name, but I thought you’d appreciate that, Alexx )

What do you mean by that? Ah Judith Akroid - totally forgot her real name... I know she does Aussie sign language.

Thanks!!

[emmasi]

She feels connected to certain cast members, like Kate Ritchie, Christie Wright, etc… and the woman who played the Goth’s mum. (Missed the name, but I thought you’d appreciate that, Alexx )

What do you mean by that?

I thought I read that you liked the goth guy. Edward or something...? Perhaps I'm wrong. I don't know, I'd be impressed if someone I liked got a mention

[alexx]

Ah see what you mean, yeah he was a fantastic character...thought you were referring to Judith,. I'm always happy when any past cast are mentioned. Makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside ...

I really like how it was Lynne McGranger's idea to be surrogate to Finn...I'd like to know what input other cast have had into there characters storylines and directions. I reckon Lynne should start playing Irene like more of a ditz like she used to be...I know she’s grown and the Summer Bay folk have shaped her into who she is today and all that. If the wardrobe department started buying her less-dressy clothes I'd be happier, she should still wear those mini-jean skirts and green eye shadow imo...they started fazing all that out in the late-90's though, when she took on Will and Co...