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LIFESTYLE Esther’s winning streak After a year pursuing a career in Hollywood, Geelong-born actress Esther Anderson is home for the spring races. She opens up to MIRANDA LUBY about her career, love life and how she deals with fame Esther wears Elk Diagonal blue silk dress, $190 and Elk Prague sandals, $159 both from Three Oh Two Willows, Newtown. Make-up: By Renee Jade. Hair: By Casey Day. Photos: HAMISH BLAIR 6 GEELONG ADVERTISER MAIN Esther Anderson relaxes into the exclusive GT magazine photo shoot at The Pier. ‘People began wanting to know about my private life which was pretty hard to deal with because it’s something you really want to keep to yourself.’ TARING into the mirror at her turn of being bullied and I certainly some regrets about being so focused distance relationship with Selwood, I love and I’m meeting lots of latest photo shoot, Australian wasn’t excluded from that,’’ she says. on her acting. who she met only weeks before incredible people. STV star Esther Anderson seems ‘‘It’s strange but that’s probably ‘‘I sometimes think I have made moving overseas. ‘‘It’s really motivating to think a little nervous. why I went for school captain. I was things really difficult for myself. ‘‘It was just a crazy time trying to I made this huge change and it’s ‘‘Do I look hippy at all?’’ she challenging myself by going for Because of my career it’s so hard to balance everything in my life,’’ she paying off. Sometimes you need to asks, smoothing down her dress with something I didn’t think I could do.’’ settle down,’’ she says. says, reflecting on her first few take a leap of faith.’’ her hands, nose wrinkling as she It was years before this ‘‘fake-it- ‘‘I do want a family and kids. months away. But soon after, Esther But for now, having left squints at her reflection. ‘‘How is my till-you-make-it’’ attitude trickled ‘‘But then I also think that to be a began making close friends in LA Hollywood behind for a month, hair?’’ down to her passion for acting. successful half of a whole you need and landed a role in a pilot for a one- Esther has turned her focus to At first it’s hard to take the former Esther admits she didn’t star in one to be fulfilled in yourself and acting hour legal drama. spending time with family and old Home and Away star seriously. high school play because of her fear does that for me. Though she is staying tight-lipped school friends — and what to wear to It seems impossible that the of singing. ‘‘I am more conscious of finding about the details of the pilot she has the races, of course. beautiful, size-eight, Geelong-born The stunning teen shone in Rock the balance now, but I also have to be filmed, she says she’s been blessed ‘‘I still have no idea what to go for, actor could look anything but Eisteddfods though, as well as true to myself and make myself with another amazing group of but I love fashion and dressing up so perfect. modelling for local fashion brands. happy. I’ll play the rest by ear.’’ actors to work with and is relishing I can’t wait to be a part of it all,’’ says But as she steps in front of the But her insecurities about her on- In the same way she learned how her new American life. Esther, who has fond memories of camera, Esther takes a deep breath screen talent led her to study to deal with rejection in the ‘‘It’s wonderful over there now,’’ attending the Geelong Cup when she and smiles shyly and it’s suddenly psychology and marketing at modelling and acting industries, she says. ‘‘I’ve taken up dance classes was a teenager. ‘‘It’s going to be a clear that for the breathtaking university and model for 10 years Esther learned how to block out with friends, I’m working on a show fantastic day.’’ beauty, self-confidence doesn’t come before giving acting a go. negative comments from the public. naturally. ‘‘I really wanted to be an actor but ‘‘There’s a high level of scrutiny This year’s ambassador for the I honestly just didn’t think it was and criticism that goes along with Lamby’s Birdcage at the Geelong possible,’’ Esther says, admitting she being a famous woman,’’ she says. Cup, the 33-year-old model-turned- hid the fact she was taking acting ‘‘No matter what you look like or actor has just landed in her home classes from her friends. do, someone won’t like you. ESTHER’S town, from Hollywood where she’s ‘‘I was actually really terrified ‘‘You have to have a pretty thick living and working. I would never find my passion, which skin and my family protects me from RACE DAY But despite being part of an is a scary thing when you’re young.’’ a lot of it. industry famously ruled by egos, the Then, after one of her first ‘‘It’s just another challenge that TIPS: woman who turns up to the GT auditions, Esther landed the role of comes with the career.’’ • Rather than take fl ats and magazine photo shoot is surprisingly policewoman Charlie Buckton on Last year, Esther gave herself the have to haul around a huge relaxed and down to earth. the long-running Channel 7 soap biggest challenge of all. At age 32 she bag, try taking Bandaids in One of the first things the casually Home and Away and it wasn’t long packed up her life and moved to LA a small clutch to fi x your dressed beauty does is raid her bag before the petite 20-something was to pursue a career in Hollywood. sore feet instead. for a mint. nominated for a gold Logie and The career-driven star admits the ‘‘I’m so self-conscious of my coffee became a household name. move was scary at first. • Don’t do your tan on the breath,’’ she laughs loudly. ‘‘How Esther’s burning passion for her ‘‘When I landed in LA I hardly day. I did this a few years embarrassing.’’ job is obvious. Her eyes light up knew anyone and I realised pretty ago and it rained. You can In fact, the more time spent when she talks about being in front quickly it was totally different to imagine the disaster. talking to Esther, the more she of the camera. Australia,’’ Esther says, admitting • Stick to simple and sleek. seems, well, just like any of us. ‘‘For me, being on set is like falling Hollywood lives up to its superficial It’s important not to go She goes through tough breakups, in love,’’ says Esther, who fantasises and fast-paced image. overboard with too many most recently from Geelong Cats about acting alongside Julianne ‘‘People come up to you on the accessories or an over-the- captain Joel Selwood, worries about Moore or Charlize Theron. street to talk about the industry, top fascinator. her career path and admits she’s ‘‘It always feels new and exciting nobody reveals their age and you scared about not finding the time to and challenging. It’s what I was born often only have one night to learn • A touch of leg is okay but be a mum. to do.’’ a script. nothing too short. Avoid ‘‘Oh, I’m completely normal,’’ she But with her chosen career comes ‘‘I was definitely the little fish in looking tacky at all costs. says, opening up over a post-shoot fame and, though Esther admits a big, big pond.’’ • Don’t forget the horses. lunch of fried calamari. feeling flattered when people A lacklustre pilot season in LA last Have some fun and put a ‘‘It’s actually hard because from recognise her, there are some huge year meant auditions were scarce bet on. That’s what you’re the outside it seems like such a negatives to being well known. and Esther went back to acting all there for, after all. blessed life but I still have tough ‘‘People began wanting to know classes in order to keep herself busy. times like everyone else.’’ about my private life, which was ‘‘I had to stop myself from For Lamby’s Birdcage tickets Those tough times include her pretty hard to deal with because it’s thinking ‘what the hell am I doing’ visit oztix.com.au and for school days at Belmont High where, something you really want to keep to and focus on class and improving more information visit despite being school captain, Esther yourself,’’ she says. myself so that when an opportunity lambysgeelongcup.com.au admits she often felt lonely, insecure Interest in her recent breakup did come up, I’d be ready,’’ she says. and unpopular. with Joel is just one example. As well going through the tough ‘‘I never felt like anyone liked me While she is reluctant to talk auditioning process in LA, Esther at school. I guess everyone had their about it, she does confess to having had just embarked on a long- MAIN GEELONG TODAY 7.

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