Confessional: Julia Zemiro on Andrew Denton, Eurovision and Great Australian Walks
Presenter Julia Zemiro on Andrew Denton’s surprising role for her on The Money or the Gun in the 1980s.
My most excruciating moment on television was the time… on reality singing show It Takes Two when I forgot the words to the opening verse of Jailhouse Rock. I basically sang gibberish in the style of Elvis. Mortified.
My first big break was … in 1989 on Andrew Denton’s The Money or the Gun on ABC. It was my first TV gig: a comedy sketch as a heron addict – I was addicted to birds. Andrew had seen me improvise at Theatresports and gave me four episodes to work in. It was exhilarating.
I feel strongly about my latest documentary, Great Australian Walks with Julia Zemiro, because… I am genuinely terrified of what will become of these places we cherish when the next fires, floods or erosion come. So this is a chance for me to remind people that we can’t take our environment for granted.
I broke my ankle after the first shoot for Great Australian Walks … while hanging out with a friend. I tripped on a step (during a pre-dawn walk) and shoots were delayed by three months while my ankle healed. I did all the physio, and I am grateful to the crew and production team, who were super supportive.
The most surprising thing about this SBS documentary series is … that we are still so disconnected to First Nations history and experience. I was welcomed on country many times by Indigenous elders and education officers on this series. When I sat and listened to them explain what was around us, painting a picture of the abundance that was, only to be violently taken away, it’s hard to unsee. Walk after walk, I looked at the landscape differently.
I have been nominated for a 2023 Silver Logie for playing suburban probate lawyer, Roz Gruber, in the ABC sitcom Fisk. I would describe Roz as … the inner me.
Fisk is an unexpected hit in France, claiming the best comedy prize at the 2022 Series Mania awards because … the comedy is often physical. So maybe it’s not so much about the words, but the tone and the character types that Les Français can relate to.
The hardest thing about co-hosting Eurovision for SBS from 2009 to 2016 was … leaving.
The best thing about co-hosting Eurovision was … being offered the job.
The worst dish I have cooked was … tripe. It was an experiment that went very, very wrong.
While I was presenting Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery for the ABC, my 2021 tweet calling on Australians to vote out the Morrison and Perrottet governments was raised in Senate Estimates. I now feel … I have some kind of magic powers because it came true. Heart emoji.
I launched the election campaign of North Sydney Teal independent MP, Kylea Tink, because … I was interested in listening to who these new independents were. I also launched my local independent Penny Ackery’s (unsuccessful) campaign in Goulburn, and conducted online events for (Teal independent) Dr Monique Ryan and (defeated Canberra independent) Kim Rubenstein.
Not on my CV is the time I … waitressed – 15 years, casual, part time, full time. Dozens of places. Perfect training to deal with unruly crowds as a professional MC.
On my mind at 3am is … climate change.
I am bingeing … Deadloch and Colin from Accounts. Actually I am re-bingeing them.
My next gig is … touring live nationally with our RocKwiz Salutes Mushroom 50 show. We are celebrating this iconic label which Michael Gudinski founded, which has championed Australian music and artists.
Post-Covid, Australians should get their walking shoes on because … why stop one of the few good habits to come out of that awful time?
Great Australian Walks with Julia Zemiro premieres at 7.30pm on August 10 on SBS and SBS On Demand.
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