Aussie star Teresa Palmer talks pregnancy and her hit show A Discovery of Witches

Aussie star Teresa Palmer tells all about pregnancy number three — it’s a girl — and going supernatural for her hit television show, A Discovery of Witches.

No one is more surprised to be starring in A Discovery Of Witches than Teresa Palmer. The 32-year-old Aussie actor has never been a fan of anything supernatural.

But viewers certainly are and the British witch-meets-vampire series, based on the All Souls book trilogy by Deborah Harkness has been a huge success in the UK.

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Teresa Palmer in A Discovery of Witches. Picture: Supplied

Palmer plays science historian Dr Diana Bishop, a witch who has suppressed her magic after the death of her parents.

When Diana visits Oxford she enters the orbit of geneticist and vampire Matthew de Clarimont (Matthew Goode).

In Harkness’ fictional world, vampires, witches and demons are hiding and living in fear of persecution by humans.

Teresa Palmer and Andrew Garfield in a scene from Hacksaw Ridge.

Palmer’s Aussie movie credits include Hacksaw Ridge, December Boys and Wish You Were Here. Hollywood films include Jumper, I Am Number Four, Warm Bodies, and Knight of Cups.

A Discovery Of Witches is Palmer’s first major international television project.

“I’m the sort of person that never saw Star Trek or Star Wars of Harry Potter or Lord Of the Rings and I didn’t see Twilight for the longest time,” Palmer says.

“My agents knew that. They went ‘read it (script) and see how you go — no pressure’. I read it very quickly which is not like me.

Teresa Palmer and Matthew Goode in A Discovery of Witches, which airs on FOX8 from November 15

“I was totally hooked from the first episode. I realised I needed to do this show and anything in my power to play the character. I think they (agents) were pretty surprised.

“I loved how sophisticated and romantic the stories are and I really gravitated to Diana because she is so complex.

“She is incredibly brilliant but she also has an immense amount of vulnerability and self-doubt. She has all these beautiful human qualities that made me feel women could look up to her and relate to her.”

The action takes off when Diana stumbles upon an ancient manuscript which unlocks the secrets of the underworld.

Matthew Goode as Henry Talbot in Downton Abbey.

Despite a mistrust between witches and vampires Diana and Matthew join forces to protect the book and solve the mysteries it contains.

Goode is best known for playing Henry Talbot in Downton Abbey, Finn Polmar in The Good Wife and Antony Armstrong-Jones in The Crown.

“The chemistry between Matthew and I was organically there,” Palmer says. “You can’t help but get cheeky with him because he’s got the funniest sense of humour.

“He’s always laughing. He’s always telling jokes. I have no idea how they cut (edited) some scenes together we were laughing so much between ‘action’ and ‘cut’.”

Actor Teresa Palmer and her husband Mark Webber. Picture: Ian Currie

Making the eight-episode first series was a juggling act for Palmer who is married to actor and filmmaker Mark Webber.

The pair has two sons, Bodhi and Forest. Palmer is also stepmother to Webber’s son from his previous relationship with actor Frankie Shaw.

The filming of season one of A Discovery of Witches took place across Wales and Italy as well as England.

“It was really challenging,” Palmer says. “Wales was really hard for me because my husband took a job at the same time.

Teresa Palmer and her son Bodhi. Picture: AAP Image/Morgan Sette

“I had a babysitter and my mum while I was at work and then the moment I finished filming it would be me with the little boys with dinner and bath and books and bedtime.

“I would have choose between getting eight hours of sleep or learning my lines for the next day. Often I would try to get enough sleep and then learn my lines in the car on the way to work.

“The main thing I had to focus on was getting into Diana’s physicality and working out how I play this person who has so much knowledge and is incredibly studious. I haven’t read a book in five years unless it is to my kids.

“Matthew (a father of three) totally got me and my experience. We bonded over that — how special it is to have this rich family life and then come and be vampires and witches at work the next morning.”

Teresa Palmer announces she is pregnant with her third child. Picture: Instagram/@teresapalmer

Things will get even more complicated for Palmer. A Discovery Of Witches has just been greenlit for seasons two and three. Palmer reveals that she is pregnant with a baby daughter due in April.

“I made my husband promise that for season two that we cannot work at the same time especially since we are going to have another child,” Palmer says.

“We can’t work at the same time when we’re going to have a newborn and our two little boys and then my stepson will probably come to visit too.

“We’ll have to wrangle it in a different way next time. Luckily I have a mum that all she wants to do is visit her grandchildren. She says ‘it has given me a new lease on life’. I’m very fortunate.

Palmer and her husband: he’s “very chuffed” it’s a girl. Picture: Ian Currie

“My husband is very chuffed that it is a girl. He’s very excited. I’m excited that all my Aussies are going to see A Discovery Of Witches.

“It felt magical when we were on set. We felt like we were part of a show that was going to touch a lot of people.

The response (from viewers) so far has exceeded our expectations. The feedback we have been getting from the fans has been mind-blowing — really humbling and encouraging.”

A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES, FOX8, THURSDAY, 8.30PM