Actors say landing a job on Wentworth is the ‘role of a lifetime’

There’s one thing pretty much every star of gritty prison drama Wentworth agree on — jobs like this don’t come up too often. The show was originally a reimagining of Prisoner but it has forged its own path and become a global success.

There’s one thing pretty much every star of gritty prison drama Wentworth agree on — jobs like this don’t come up too often.

“It is the role of a lifetime,” said actor Tammy MacIntosh, who plays Kaz Proctor in the hit Foxtel series.

“This is absolutely the most amazing gift as an actor and as a woman, getting to play on set with the most amazing group of talented and incredibly generous people. Normally you get a great job and there are some grey areas but everything about this job has been sublime.”

Wentworth’s seventh season will premiere on Foxtel’s Fox Showcase channel at 8.30pm on Tuesday night and will see all the familiar characters return to life at the fictional Wentworth Prison.

Celia Ireland, Tammy McIntosh and Leah Purcell are grateful for landing their roles on the globally successful series Wentworth. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Originally a reimagining of hit ’80s TV series Prisoner, Wentworth has forged its own path and become a massive success here and overseas.

Celia Ireland has played Liz Birdsworth since the first episode.

“We are so grateful to have had and to continue to have a platform where you can do things as an actor,” Ireland said, attending a fan screening of the first episode in Sydney on Monday night.

“I think it has profoundly affected each of us in that our skill set has expanded, our experience, the musculature of what you do as an actor has just become really strong in all of us. It is an absolute gift of a job on so many levels.”

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Susie Porter and Leah Purcell joined the cast last season as Marie Winter and Rita Connors.

“I have been waiting 27 years for a role like this,” Purcell said.

“I love the physicality and the emotional journey you can have with the characters. There’s that mystery and thriller aspect to it and working with the other actors just makes it a dream. There’s a soft side, being vulnerable, and I get to play a tough b..ch and kick some arse. It is great — and none of us are 21-year-olds.”

Season 7 of the smash hit airs on Tuesday night. Picture: Narelle Portanier/Foxtel

It is the perfect week to launch the new season with Wentworth scoring six nominations ahead of this year’s Logie Awards. Purcell is up for Most Outstanding Actress and Ireland is nominated for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress.

“The fanbase is so huge, strong and incredibly loyal,” said Ireland, who took home the award in 2016. “We have to be thankful for that … if it wasn’t for them, we’d have no show and we certainly wouldn’t be about to premiere season seven.”

Ireland was careful not to reveal too much of the series 7 storyline.

“It is Game Of Thrones in a prison,” Ireland said. “If you look at the epic storylines and the nature of lust, love, torture, violence, betrayal, they are huge epic scenes but they are delivered in really realistic natural performances.”

Originally published as Actors say landing a job on Wentworth is the ‘role of a lifetime’