From Blackburn South to the big screen: Local actress breaking into showbiz

You may have seen actress Emily Mutimer on the LGBT coming-of-age series Flunk or on the pilot Australian series Bongrats, which premiered recently at Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn.

Hailing from Blackburn South, the actress spoke to the Eastern Melburnian about her experiences in Hollywood, what’s on the horizon and how she’s staying connected to her Australian roots.

Emily said while there were a lot of things which shocked her about showbiz, the most surprising thing was the work which went into creating a character’s backstory.

“I initially thought you’re given a scene to memorise, you step in front of the camera and when the director says action, you turn it on,” Emily told the Eastern Melburnian.

“When I started taking classes, I realised there’s so much more to it.

“You learn about their fears, desires and core moments that define why the character is the way they are.”

Emily also received the Best Actress and Best Overall Concept awards at the 2023 American Arts Film and Television Academy Film Festival for her work in the short film On the Seventh Day I Was Late to Spin Class, which she also co-wrote.

However, beyond her achievements, she said she was proud of her own self-growth and the strength she has been able to discover in staying true to herself via her work.

“The thing I’m most proud of achieving is obtaining a level of resilience and confidence within myself,” Emily said.

“It’s no fun when you don’t back yourself or are constantly criticising everything you do.

“I’ve found it helpful to not let myself spiral when things don’t go the way I hoped and just move on to the next audition or thing I’m doing.”

Emily is also a singer/songwriter, with her experience in expressing herself through writing going all the way back to as young as seven years of age.

She said she is excited to see how she can express herself through both music and acting moving forward.

“Being able to tell stories that I thought of in my head was what got me interested in acting because it’s all about letting your imagination roam free,” Emily said.

“I remember writing a song with some darker themes when I was seven years old and my mum found it concerning.

“I told her it was a song I was making up and she was like. “Oh okay no worries, carry on then!””

Emily is starring in the US pilot It’s Not How It Sounds, which also stars US comedian Joe Bartnick.

She said she is thrilled to see where her career will take her next, with two feature films also part of her work this year.

However, Emily said while she is playing more American characters, she never wants to lose touch of her Australian origins.

“I think Aussies have a real drive to get into the US entertainment industry because it provides a lot of growth and challenges that may not be as accessible back home,” Emily said.

“It’s awesome when I hear another Australian accent in LA!

“I always feel a sense of home and that I don’t have to explain my jokes that have Aussie slang in it.”