Coronavirus NSW: Jane Seymour quarantines in Sydney hotel
Hollywood actress Jane Seymour has proven she’s just like everyone else, quarantining in a Sydney hotel before filming begins on her new movie. But the two week lockdown wasn’t without issues and included a trip to hospital.
Confidential
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Nicole Kidman is not the only A-list actor getting back to work in Sydney.
Two-time Golden Globe winner and Emmy winner Jane Seymour is currently quarantining in a Sydney Harbour hotel ahead of shooting a movie, Ruby’s Choice, next week.
This comes amid news that Nicole Kidman is in quarantine ahead of shooting her $100m production, Nine Perfect Strangers, in NSW.
The British born, Los Angeles based Seymour received special dispensation to travel for the film, which is directed by Paddington local Michael Budd.
“Somebody somewhere obviously thought this film should be made. Because I don’t think there [are] many foreign nationals who are actors who are being allowed to come in and make movies,” Seymour toldThe Daily Telegraphfrom her hotel.
“Certainly in California, my agent told me I was literally the only person in the whole agency that was working. Which is interesting because usually a woman of a certain age doesn’t work at all and all of a sudden I’ve got more offers than I know what to do with. I was very grateful to be able to work in Australia.”
Despite her fame and accolades the 69-year-old, who is famous for her role in James Bond’s Live and Let Die, said she’s received no special treatment when it comes to quarantining.
“I’m getting the ‘we don’t care who you are, you’re just a number’ treatment and I’m just fine with that. I can handle it. Seeing what’s happened in California I’m so impressed by the way Australia is dealing with it. I have total respect for whatever inconvenience it may be. It’s obviously worth it.”
“It was scary at first, because they take you off the aeroplane and you honestly feel like a criminal. It’s very frightening. They put you on a bus like a prisoner and they have police and armed guards,” Seymour explained of her trip to the hotel.
“I got all excited thinking I might see something of Sydney but they put me in a back room with a wall and a bit of sky and everyone else gets to look at Darling Harbour. But not me.”
However her 14-days in lockdown hasn’t been without its own drama, including a trip to the ICU after injuring herself while trying to exercise in her hotel room.
“I, like an idiot, decided to run around my hotel room like a hamster and I was quite proud of myself and the following day I ended up in the ICU with the inability to walk on my left leg!”
“But the nurses were very nice and they are the only human beings I’ve seen since I’ve been here, so that was nice.”
The film, which also stars Jacqueline McKenzie, was originally scheduled to be shot in Brisbane but is now taking place in Sydney because of COVID restrictions. It tells the story of Ruby, played by Seymour, who has dementia.
“It’s beautifully written, it’s a beautiful movie and this is something completely different for me to play. I’ve never played a grandmother with dementia before,” said Seymour, who has worked alongside Hollywood heavyweights like Robert De Niro and Christopher Plummer.
“I could easily stay home and never work again, but, it enhances my life to feel like I’m telling a story that will make a difference. If it was just another movie, no big deal, I would have stayed home, but this is a movie that hasn’t been made and needs to be made.”
“I’m just so grateful that I’m doing something I believe in, something that matters, a story that needs to be told right now and everyone should be proud it’s Australian and you can actually shoot it right now when it’s hard to shoot everywhere else in the world.”