The important lesson Bianca Spender taught Geraldine Hakewill

Australian actor Geraldine Hakewill talks about playing complex female characters, why she’d make a pretty good detective - and reveals Bianca Spender’s sage advice about the power of fashion.

You’ve played a range of complex characters in Wanted (with Rebecca Gibney), Wakefield and Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries. Does this speak to how roles for women are becoming more nuanced?

I like to play people who are grappling with something. I suppose you don’t always get a lot of choice as an actor, so I feel lucky that I’ve been able to play this variety of women.

I think it speaks to how storytelling is changing and that there is more of a focus on a female-driven drama and strong stories. That just means that women get an opportunity to play more complex characters and I think eventually that will just be the norm.

“Women miss outwhen we let vanity hold us back.” (Picture: Johnny Diaz)

You play a detective in Ms Fisher. How do you think you’d fare in real life?

I’m a pretty curious person and I’m quite intuitive. I think I’m good at reading people, but I don’t think I’d be as brave as [character] Peregrine. I might not put myself willingly in some of the positions she does.

I’m scared of heights, so I probably wouldn’t get myself into half of the physical situations she finds herself in!

I would, however, drive those really fast cars, and if I had the time I would dress in those really amazing outfits, and do my hair and make-up every single day.

“Peregrine pushes the envelope a bit – she’s perhaps a bit more fashion forward than most.” (Picture: Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries)

Yes, the show really does feature some fabulous fashion pieces.

Peregrine pushes the envelope a bit – she’s perhaps a bit more fashion forward than most Australians were in 1964, but it’s a heightened drama not a documentary. What I try to do with her is to never let her be self-conscious in her clothes. Her outfits never stop her from being physically capable. I never want her to be held back by her vanity or worrying about how people see her.

I feel that as women we have become more self-conscious. I really want her to be a role model for women to feel their power is not just from their outer beauty but from how kind and clever they are. I think we can miss out on being our full selves by worrying about what we look like in certain situations.

“It’s really important for us to show women supporting one another.” (Picture: Wanted)

What’s your own approach to fashion?

Look, I try not to leave the house in tracky dacks [laughs]. Doing the show has been really good; it does make me want to get my act together towards dressing up because it does make you feel great.

One of my best friends is [designer] Bianca Spender and the best thing I’ve learnt from her is not to leave something for a special occasion. She embraces that completely. She will pick her children up from school in an amazing suit or wear a dress to the beach, and it never feels like she is overdressed.

Ms Fisher is set in the 1960s and one of the storylines this season is about career vs. marriage for women.

Can you imagine having to choose between your passion for your job and someone you love?

I feel so lucky that I don’t have to make that decision. I think about my grandmother, who was a really amazing person. She was a fashion designer at David Jones. I don’t know who she would have been if she had the opportunity to pursue a career while being a mother. I think we are lucky we have so much freedom but we can still box ourselves in.

What’s really great about the show is this real theme of comradeship between women. It’s really important for us to show women supporting one another, not just to be the best version of themselves, but also being complex and flawed, and not defining themselves by who they are with or what they look like. The focus is much more on what they can contribute.

Geraldine Hakewill features in this Sunday’s Stellar.

You’re doing a lot at the moment. What else are you up to and is there some downtime coming up?

Well, hopefully there is season three of Ms Fisher and season two of Wakefield.

I’m producing a feature film with my partner [Australian actor Mark Leonard Winter]. It’s a drama and it’s set in regional Victoria. It explores grief and men’s mental health.

So it’s not a super-sexy topic but I think it’s a really important one. I want to do some more music – I’d love to star in a musical one day. There might also be a play in the works. But I’m pretty happy to have a little rest right now, too.

Ms Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries premieres on Acorn TV on June 7.