Charlotte Best ‘unemployed’ as Netflix drama Tidelands premieres

She may be unemployed now but opportunities will stream in for Aussie actor Charlotte Best, who just wrapped a whirlwind few weeks promoting her latest project, the locally-produced Netflix supernatural drama Tidelands.

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Just a week ago, Australian actor Charlotte Best’s image was being beamed from a giant billboard into one of the most heavily trafficked tourist zones in the world — Times Square in New York.

This week, she will head into the Christmas break without a job.

Charlotte Best stars in the Australian Netflix original drama, Tidelands. Picture: Tim Hunter

But the former Home And Away and Puberty Blues star — who’s just wrapped a whirlwind few weeks promoting her latest project, the locally-produced supernatural drama Tidelands — isn’t too worried.

Although Tidelands has copped a bit of a hiding in early reviews, the fact it is available in 190 countries on Netflix means the opportunities are sure to flow for the 24-year-old from Sydney.

Even if her situation has left some family members a little perplexed.

“My dad’s like ‘Why are you unemployed, you’re in Times Square?’,” she says with a laugh.

“It’s so exciting I don’t think I can guess what will be around the corner but I really just hope that I’m working and doing Australia proud.”

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Her current employment status might not be one of her own choosing, but it does have some benefits.

“I was trying so hard to get a film that I would be really passionate about, that fit into the time before season two and it’s just so hard at this time of the year, so I’m unemployed,” Best says.

“I might go to LA in January to have some meetings. I just want to spend some time with my family for Christmas. It’s been a while since I’ve been here for Christmas.”

Charlotte Best with her Tidelands co-star Elsa Pataky at the Sydney premiere. Picture: Matrix Media Group

Tidelands is historic for Australian TV as the first locally commissioned production for Netflix.

The milestone adds another layer of pressure for Best and her castmates as they grapple with the fact the show will be streamed into so many countries.

“My friends and family are banned from using the 190 countries stuff — nobody can say it around me,” she says, laughing again.

“When I get overwhelmed I just try to remember how incredibly lucky I am to have this opportunity.

“You’re lucky to just be a working actor but to be able to be a part of something like this, to be at the helm of it and your face plastered on it, it’s overwhelming but it’s such an honour.”

McTeer soon finds things aren’t exactly as they seem in Orphelian Bay.

Portraying a feisty character who is struggling to find her place in a new world wasn’t too much of a stretch for Best, with the actor drawing on recent life experiences in preparing for the role.

“The past couple of years I felt like a young woman travelling around the world by myself pretty alone and trying to find my place in the world,” she said.

“I feel like I could relate to that and being without your family and not knowing what’s going to happen.”

Charlotte Best has been promoting her new Netflix show Tidelands. Picture: Tim Hunter

Tidelands also stars Elsa Pataky, Alex Dimitriades and Peter O’Brien.

While some reviews have been scathing of the show’s writing, Best says the feedback she received from viewers at a number of world premiere screenings in Brisbane and Sydney left her feeling “incredible”.

“I was overwhelmed by people saying the most beautiful things,” she says.

“It’s so different, and I think with the look and feel of the trailer, people were expecting one thing and there are so many more layers and elements to it and people don’t realise so to have everyone love it was just an incredible feeling for us.”

While Netflix hasn’t officially announced a second season of Tidelands, Best is confident it will be back for more next year. It’s also one of the reasons she’s not too concerned about her current employment status.

She said the story is there ready to go and believes it will be hard for the streaming giant to ignore the “epic” storyline.

“I have an inkling there is but I don’t know anything — I’m keen and everybody else is excited,” she said.

“We got handed a story bible in season one and the writers to their credit — I’m talking Game of Thrones epic level — it just goes in the most amazing directions and I’m sure they won’t waste all that amazing writing.”