Olivia Battles Nerves
By Pat Bowring
ONLY two weeks ago, Olivia Newton-John was clambering around in the heat and humidity of the jungles in central America. Now she is seeking shelter from the wind, rain and fog of the Victorian goldfields. Olivia has taken a break from the Nine Network’s new environment show, Human Nature, to star in the Network’s yet-to-be-seen series, Banjo Paterson’s The Man From Snowy River.
In it she plays an American looking for her father, Her co-stars are Andrew Clarke, Wendy Hughes, Victoria Tennant, David Gulpilil and Guy Pearce. It is Olivia’s first attempt at episodic television and she admits to initially feeling a little uneasy. “The first day I walked onto the set, I looked around and saw that everyone knew each other, and I didn’t know any of them,” Olivia says. “And I hadn’t acted in years. But I feel relaxed about it now. When you have had a few major things to overcome, as I have in the past few years, then little challenges like starting a new job don’t really matter much,” she adds, referring to her battle with cancer.
Judging by her glowing expression and stamina, this battle is being won, despite the extremes under which she has been working. Olivia’s days begin around 6am and finish well after dark in both parts of the world. But at least her off-camera conditions in Victoria are comfortable. Olivia is staying in a quaint cottage in a nearby town. Occasionally she visits the health spas, now as common as mine shafts were in the era in which the series is set.
The role had attractions, other than sheer challenge. “I wanted another excuse to be in Australia,” Olivia says. “And for once it seemed I was getting to play an adult character. That was another appeal.” Olivia’s previous roles were in Grease, Xanadu and a 1990 telemovie, A Mum for Christmas. “I’ve played so many little-girl roles,” she says, “This was woman stuff.”
After she finishes Banjo Paterson’s The Man From Snowy River, she will launch her first adult-orientated album in some years, which she financed. “The album is very personal and hopefully can inspire people. It’s about my journey of the last couple of years. Pieces of my life,” she says.
More details from The Man From Snowy River TV appearance.