Rose Byrne is a monster...well, she’s playing one

Martha The Monster is a set in an alternate world where monsters and humans coexist, but with the hairy creatures subject to a fierce type of racial hatred.

Rose Byrne is the voice behind Martha in short film Martha The Monster.

Rose Byrne is a monster. Well she’s the voice behind one, anyway.

The US-based Aussie actor, next on the big screen in the upcoming Beatrix Potter classic Peter Rabbit, took time out from a jam-packed Hollywood schedule to lend her voice to a short film from Australian director Christopher Weekes.

Martha The Monster, which is screening in competition at the FlickerFest festival at
Bondi Beach, is a set in an alternate world where monsters and humans coexist, but with the hairy creatures subject to a fierce type of racial hatred.

Martha, a 20-something aspiring stand-up comic, struggles to find purpose in her life as she suffers under a constant barrage of horrible bullying and abuse at the hands of both humans and her fellow monsters.

Byrne’s husband Bobby Cannavale also features in the film.

While the short was filmed a number of years ago, there is a theme that runs through it that draws disturbing parallels to the systemic abuse of women by male Hollywood heavyweights and a growing racial divide in many parts of the world.

“It’s interesting as we shot this over two years ago (but) it couldn’t be more timely as it is now,” Byrne tells Insider.

It takes some time to adjust to the costume design in the movie — Martha looks like she’s walked straight from the set of a children’s television show (which is probably a good thing given that’s actually her paying job in the film), and some of the other monsters look like they could be on loan from the wardrobe department of The Muppets.

But the voice of Byrne breathes life into Martha and she is transformed into a character you want to root for.

The movies tackles some very relevant themes.

Weekes’ ability to weave such sensitive themes into a palatable narrative is what drew the former Sydneysider to the film.

“I loved the script immediately and the imaginative world it lived in,” Byrne says. “It speaks really clearly with its message through metaphor but was never heavy handed — always humorous and moving.”

The movie also stars Byrne’s partner and fellow actor Bobby Cannavale as Kevin, a monster she meets in a bar and immediately falls for before that dream is also shattered in a fashion too many women who watch this movie will be all too familiar with.

“The hidden truths
of the piece and the prejudice and fear she has to live with — it slowly sneaks up on you as a viewer,” Byrne says.

Flickerfest, Bondi Beach; until January 21, flickerfest.com.au