Even if you've only an occasional viewer of Aussie drama Packed to the Rafters, you'll still have seen more of Kiwi cast member Hannah Marshall's work than she has. "I don't like to watch myself. It makes me self-conscious the next time I'm on camera," she says. "I mean, I've obviously seen myself on screen, but it gives me a mini heart attack.
"Anyway," she adds pragmatically, "I don't have control over how they're going to shoot it or light it, and you can edit a performance to make it look completely different, so it's just not helpful for me to see it. If I'm in a scene and I feel connected and the director's happy, then I kinda trust it's going well."
Marshall has had every reason to assume the best. She was a hit with viewers when she joined Rafters in its third season as the quirky Retta Schembri and earned a Logie Award nomination for Most Popular New Female Talent. Since then, her character has deepened to the point that in season five, which concludes on TV One tonight, Marshall's storylines have run the gamut from the comedic to the highly dramatic, including an emotionally devastating miscarriage.
"That's the benefit of doing something for a long time," says Marshall. "You get the opportunity to add more layers, because the writers adapt to the things you're offering. I was determined to play Retta with a genuine honesty. She's vivacious but I never thought she was stupid. I have so much fun doing the comedic stuff, but to be able to explore the more dramatic side as well is amazing."
