Top of the Lake: China girl — new series of hit TV show focuses on Sydney’s prostitution business

TOP of the Lake’s compelling new series China Girl is still addictive and still filled with the sexual and psychological frankness of the hit first season, but with a twist.

STILL addictive and still filled with sexual and psychological frankness of the first season.

But by his own admission, Danish actor David Dencik is quick to admit that his character in Jane Campion’s second season of Top of the Lake: China Girl ... is an ass.

The first fantastic season of Top of the Lake focused on women’s trauma and the ways in which people dismiss rape culture.

In the second instalment from Campion, Sydney’s prostitution business is under the microscope — specifically that part of it that involves Asian women snuck into the country and put to work.

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Nicole Kidman, Alice Englert, director Ariel Kleiman, Elisabeth Moss, director Jane Campion, Gwendoline Christie and David Dencik attend the Top Of The Lake: China Girl" photocall during the 70th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals in May Picture:WireImage

Dencik’s grizzly looking character Puss is a central part of the Foxtel-produced global hit TV series, which is set in Sydney and kicks off with a grisly murder.

In casting the evil of Sydney’s prostitution business, Dencik has been superbly cast as the low-life Puss.

American actress Elisabeth Moss is back in her Golden Globe-winning role as detective Robin Griffin, who crosses paths with the now-teenage daughter she gave up after birth, Mary.

“Puss is dating Mary, a very young girl,” Dencik explains.

David Dencik. Picture: Getty

As well as being 24 years her senior, he describes the polarising Puss as “a suicide bomber in

social settings”.

“He’s uncomfortable to be around. He always pulls the carpet out from under any social

events. He destroys things.

“He’s a real dick. He says things that are provocative or disturbing to people around him.”

But why the name Puss?

Dencik admits he wasn’t completely aware of the double entendre surrounding his onscreen persona’s nickname.

“I am a stranger to the English language in some ways,” he laughed.

“His real name is Alexander but Puss is what he’s called. And it’s because he is the owner of

five cats.”

Show creator and director Jane Campion thought the subtle hint of naughtiness was funny,

Dencik explained, but his penchant for felines is the honest inspiration for the moniker.

“Sometimes the reasons for these things are as shallow as that.”

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Elisabeth Moss and Alice Englert in a scene from season two of Top Of The Lake.

When he was sent the scripts during the audition process, he read in them that Puss was described as having “the face of an arrogant man who has just been insulted”.

It’s a starting point he took with him through the moody drama.

So too was Dencik’s own personal experience of dating a younger woman in the past. He

was 31 and she was 19, he explained.

“I was way too old for her,” he said.

“I did get to meet her parents. Suddenly I found myself dealing with the parents in a much

better way. With them I could speak much better.

“It was very hard to communicate. I was limited in that way. So I used that experience for

this job.”

Elisabeth Moss and David Wenham in the first series of Top of the Lake.

Mary’s mother, played by homegrown Hollywood megastar Nicole Kidman, is convinced

that Puss is dangerous.

But exactly how he fits into the tangled web of intrigue scattered throughout the story

remains to be seen.

“He is the owner of a building that is rented to a brothel,” Dencik teases.

Top Of The Lake: China Girl begins Sunday, 8.30pm on BBC FIRST on Foxtel.