Teressa Liane
Teressa Liane is an Australian actress born in Melbourne, Victoria. Best known for her portrayal of ruthless heretic Mary Louise on the hit show "The Vampire Diaries" (Warner Bros./The CW) & Angelica on "Into the Badlands" (AMC). Teressa's first big break was on Australian television show, "Neighbours" (Fremantle Media) where she played the lovable, larger-than-life character, Rhiannon Bates. Teressa continues to work on Australian and international projects, across a range of genres, from her portrayal of Agrippina the Younger in historical drama "Roman Empire" (Netflix), to her work in recently-released spy comedy "The Spy Who Never Dies" (Rhythmic Films) and action/survival thriller "The Reef: Stalked" (Universal Pictures).
1. What steps did you take to keep creative during the pandemic and how did it affect you, your work and your process this year?
I focused on a couple of writing projects. Nothing too serious, and no deadline. I just treated it as a fun, creative project. It was nice to have a vibrant world to jump into while things were kind of the opposite during Melbourne lockdowns.
With everything stopping during the pandemic, it gave me the permission I probably wouldn’t have given myself to step off the audition/work wheel that I had gotten so used to being on. I learned to slow down, and to be more mindful of the simple things that make me happy. Living with that in mind, I was able to see the benefits in sometimes taking a break in between projects or while working on a character study or scene prep. Now, I’ll go and do something completely unrelated and then return to the work with fresh eyes, and a new perspective, I’ve found it makes room for exciting and unexpected inspiration.
2. Your first role was a Guestie on Neighbours, and you were brought back for a recurring role a few years later. Can you tell us about that experience?
Yes! I had been lucky enough to meet Thea McLeod (Neighbours Casting Director) at a couple of classes at TAFTA, she had called me in for a few auditions over about a year or so. I had always loved working with Thea! She was always so supportive and her genuine enthusiasm for finding new talent made everything feel possible! As an actor just starting out, that was everything! When I found out that I had booked that first Guest Star role, it was one of those surprises that barely feels real. But still, I showed up and hoped that it was.
I remember being so excited and smiling the whole drive to the studio, taking note of every detail of the day, from checking in with the parking attendant and processing that feeling of “going in to work”, to meeting real-life TV legends, it was amazing! I loved every second. Everyone was so kind and professional, and it blew my mind to see all of these different departments come together, while also making you feel truly valued and just as much a part of the process. I left that day, elated, knowing that I couldn’t wait to experience that again.
Teressa as Rhiannon Bates in Neighbours
About a year later, I auditioned for the role of Rhiannon Bates. My initial interpretation of her was not at all what she ended up being. And, thank God because we all would have missed out on so much fun! My first take was very much me, as myself, saying the lines. Thea asked if I could make her a little rougher and “other side of the tracks”, I asked how far she wanted me to go with it and if she was sure, because “I can do that”, and she essentially told me to just “Go for it”. I took that as my ticket to really play. I will always be so grateful to Thea for making that audition feel like such a collaboration. She gave me complete freedom and her genuine encouragement is what made that moment possible. A few weeks later, I received the call, letting me know that I had the part!
Rhiannon was the character of a lifetime. She was every character I’d grown up loving, she was loud and brash, flamboyant, unapologetically opinionated, ridiculously funny, but also so kind-hearted, with a deep desire to love and be loved. I saw a lot of myself in her, but also got to live vicariously though her in the ways we were so different.
A lot went into creating “Rhiannon”. The writing was absolute gold! I loved receiving the new scripts every week, and our rehearsals were great for getting (most of) our giggles out of the way. Finding Rhiannon’s ‘look’ with the hair, makeup and wardrobe department and revealing it to the show’s producers and cast members, had us all buzzing with excitement.
I’ll never forget my first moments on set with director, Jovita O’Shaugnessy, who directed Rhiannon’s very first episode. It almost felt conspiratorial, there was this understanding that Rhiannon was going to tear through Erinsborough, in the best way! She really gave me that super-charged support to trust my instincts. After the first take of Rhiannon bolting down Ramsay St, nearly knocking her love interest, Mason (Taylor Glockner) off his feet, Jovita called “Cut”, and we all burst out laughing. This was pretty much how most of my days on Neighbours were spent. Surrounded by supportive, amazing, talented people who loved their job and were excited to come to work every day.
“I’ll never forget my first moments on set with director, Jovita O’Shaugnessy, who directed Rhiannon’s very first episode. … She really gave me that super-charged support to trust my instincts. After the first take of Rhiannon bolting down Ramsay St, nearly knocking her love interest, Mason (Taylor Glockner) off his feet, Jovita called “Cut”, and we all burst out laughing. This was pretty much how most of my days on Neighbours were spent. Surrounded by supportive, amazing, talented people who loved their job and were excited to come to work every day.”
As Rhiannon’s first episodes began to air, the audience response was so much more than I think any of us could have envisioned. Not long after, I received another call, for Rhiannon to return, and it was a dream come true. I went back and it was as though I’d never left. So many great memories and friendships made & I’ll always be so grateful for all of it.
3. You have worked on a lot of genre, sci-fi and fantasy projects - do you have a particular interest in this genre? Any tips for actors looking to work in that genre?
Yes! That, and comedy - I know, they seem like very different worlds! But not always!
Teressa as Aggrippina the Younger in “Roman Empire”
From a very young age, I have always loved reading and telling stories, and I always connected so deeply with these characters who felt a little ‘different’, or out of place. I’m sure a lot of actors can relate, at least for me, that was a big part of what drew me to acting, everything was possible when living through a character. My favourite films and shows are those that are set in a unique world or set of circumstances, I love letting my imagination take over and getting lost in it all, as well as the challenge of finding the “human” qualities that I connect with and making sense of it all.
As for tips, I would say: Pay attention to ‘tone’. Sometimes, the idea of a genre can be deceiving, and while you may not always be given all that much information before an audition, you can always do your homework. Look into the creators, watch their recent work, take note of how they in particular tell their stories and think of how you might fit in to that. Maybe there is an accent or a skill that you could be working on, so that when that opportunity comes along, you’re already there and ready to go.
Teressa as Mary Louise with the rest of the lead cast of “The Vampire Diaries”
4. The Reef: Stalked looked like a very demanding shoot. What was the experience like and were there any physical or emotional challenges that arose from that role and that shoot?
It was. I really love physically demanding roles, I see them as a challenge and I’m always so excited to throw myself into it. With The Reef: Stalked, I don’t think any of us could have anticipated the additional challenges that came with a location shoot, shot almost entirely out on (and in) the ocean. Once you add water, quick-changing tides, air canons, metal poles and fans in the water you’re meant to be jumping into, there’s just a lot you have to be conscious of, which can be tricky when you’re wanting to maintain focus in the scene. So much can go wrong when you’re at a heightened emotional level and you’re not really thinking about that kind of thing, so it was definitely a learning experience.
Physically, I was prepared. I had over a month to get to a level of physical endurance, so that I could confidently go into this shoot and be able to do whatever was required. I also took on extra swimming lessons, and we all had kayak training during our first week on location. Emotionally, I had done a lot of preparation in connecting with the character and the underlying themes of emotional and domestic abuse, as well as grief, loss and guilt, and I had done that knowing that it would be a very fast-paced shoot. I knew that I would need to call on that emotion in a matter of seconds, and that I would need to maintain that connection, no matter the external distractions. Shooting on location also had an impact on what we could and couldn’t shoot, and so we mostly had to be ready for one or two takes, maximum, to get everything we needed.
It took a little longer to step out of this character after we completed filming. I was so lucky to be surrounded by an incredible support network. My fellow cast members, as well as our hair, makeup and wardrobe department, we were all each other’s safe haven throughout this shoot and to this day, we all continue to check in with each other.
Teressa in her most recent role: Nic in the new feature film “The Reef: Stalked”
5. What was the best piece of advice you have ever received?
Act as if you’re only getting one take, because you never know which shots are going to to end up in the final cut :)
