‘I WAS TERRIFIED'

Bella Heathcote’s Loris experiences a sexual awakening she didn’t have the first time she was young.

- Stephen Downie

The country town with magically rejuvenated citizens returns in the second season of Bloom (on Stan from Thu., Apr. 9), and this time Loris (Anne Charleston) receives a new lease of life in the form of Bella Heathcote. The 32-year-old actress talks about playing a different version of an established character, and her internationally successful career.

You spend a lot of time overseas these days. What was it like filming Bloom back home?

It was heavenly! I love working back home. I’ve spoken to my agent about my desire to work at home more. I like the feeling on set here – the people, the banter … and the catering is 100 times better.

You play the younger version of Loris. She is quite conflicted, isn’t she?

Conflicted is a pretty good way to describe her. I really feel for Loris. She’s spent her entire life and marriage suppressing her own needs and desires, and hiding behind this self-righteous religiosity, and now she finds herself in a young woman’s body with these uncontrollable urges. Oof – recipe for disaster!

Why does she act on those urges and why is she so appalled by her own behaviour?