Melissa George on Jonathan Ross

[Blaxland 89]

Any one see her interview? She wasn't too kind to Home and Away.

[Light of the Bay]

I did indeed! She seemed almost bitter. I think she said "they really need to put it out of its misery?"

[Dan F]

Can't stand the man but tuned in for a few mins just for the Melissa part (purely as a fan of 'Hunted') - it was Jonathan that ignorantly asked if H&A was still going, and on hearing it was said it needed putting out of it's misery, but then Melissa agreed.

As has been discussed at various times on here before, it's impossible to gauge Melissa's view on the show as she seems to sway from one side to the other in every interview - think the negatives have the majority at the moment though

[cadyctslover]

I didn't watch the episode (I've found TJRS quite difficult to sit through since it moved to iTV) but I just caught it online. I think it was meant jokily on both parts, although Jonathan's ignorance is understandable.

Although I don't think she would admit it, I'm sure Melissa is grateful for the exposure and experience she gained during her time on H&A.

[beau_t]

She often speaks fondly of H&A, though as Dan says, lately she has seemed dismissive. But she is trying to promote a new show so that's probably why she doesn't want to dwell on H&A, and if an interviewer says something like "it's time to put H&A out of its misery" it's quicker for her to just agree than to get into a discussion about it which detracts from the point of her being there.

That's not to say I agree with it. I think it's quite disrespectful of her to say that about a show in which some of her old colleagues and co-stars are still being kept in a valuable job, not to mention countless crew members. However, I don't think she really meant any harm, just a bit insensitive but nobody's perfect and I think this is just one of her flaws, she doesn't really know how to convey herself when talking about H&A.

[ter06]

I read an interview with her in the Metro when her new series was starting, the journalist said he was told he was not to mention Home and Away before he met her and then she brought it up and said British journalists are hung up on Home and Away and she wouldnt get asked about it in Hollywood!! It's the show that made her a household name here. If it wasn't for it she wouldn't be where she is. It really annoys me when she carries on like that!

Dannii Minogue, Isla Fisher and many more big international stars always speak fondly of their time on the show, Melissa just comes across as being really bitter and ungrateful. She won Inside Soap and National Television Awards in the UK for Angel, something an Australian soap star could only dream of these days!

[Dan F]

I read an interview with her in the Metro when her new series was starting, the journalist said he was told he was not to mention Home and Away before he met her and then she brought it up and said British journalists are hung up on Home and Away and she wouldnt get asked about it in Hollywood!! It's the show that made her a household name here. If it wasn't for it she wouldn't be where she is. It really annoys me when she carries on like that!

Dannii Minogue, Isla Fisher and many more big international stars always speak fondly of their time on the show, Melissa just comes across as being really bitter and ungrateful. She won Inside Soap and National Television Awards in the UK for Angel, something an Australian soap star could only dream of these days!

Interview in question:

http://www.metro.co.uk/tv/913847-melissa-g...thriller-hunted

[alexx]

Thanks for the link. Hmm. I do get why she is frustrated, even the title of the interview 'Melissa George leaves Home And Away behind for action thriller Hunted' - makes it sound like she left last week. She probably gets asked about it in every single interview - but I have noticed that she seems more relaxed about it for Australian media, whereas she seems aggravated in UK interviews...

Over here she is seen as a big Hollywood success story so the interviews are usually focused on her life over in the USA etc. and there is a sense of being 'proud' of her that she is an Aussie who's made it big over there alongside other Aussie actors. I'm presuming she is relatively unknown in the UK, other than for her fame as Angel - and that's probably where the frustration comes from?

Having said that, I think she should be proud that the UK remember her as Angel - especially since, as she said, some of her best work was around Shane's death, (or was she being sarcastic?) - so to be remembered for that character 16 years on should be something to be proud of. I've noticed on her official website, Home and Away isn't listed in her resume.

When she did that Aussie interview when she said someone had to remind her who she played in H&A (obviously she knew) - she also said 'It was the best time of my life' - so I don't think she is all negative about it. Like she said, it seems to be a British thing, maybe this new show will change the way she is perceived over there and she'll get recognised more for her role in 'Hunted' over H&A.

[idris]

^^^^^

Like she said, it seems to be a British thing, maybe this new show will change the way she is perceived over there and she'll get recognised more for her role in 'Hunted' over H&A.

Given that 'Hunted' has been well panned over here, that might elicit an "I hope so" or "I hope not" - depending on your take on Melissa's reported attitude towards H&A, and whether that's counterbalanced by memories of her role on the show.

[cadyctslover]

I suppose it must be frustrating to be constantly asked about a role you haven't been in for over 15 years.