PAULA & BREE'S SPECIAL BOND

The director admits her leading lady does a bett er job of being her than she does!

- Catherine Milford

Bree Peters is fearless. So says award-winning documentary maker and director Paula Whetu Jones. She has cast the Shortland Street and Sweet Tooth actor as Tessa Rivers in Spinal Destination, a six-part dark comedy series based on show creator, writer and director Paula’s own true story. She lost the use of her legs in a matter of hours one day, after her immune system attacked her spine, leaving her in a wheelchair.

“I’m not fearless – I’m such a worrier!” laughs Bree, who has also starred in The Brokenwood Mysteries and Home And Away. “I’m like a labrador – I love people and I want to be loved. I always worry what people think.

“I really enjoy dark comedy, but when I first read the script, I wondered if watching me play Tessa would be difficult for Paula. But she wrote it that way, so I had to be brave and properly live in that headspace so I could tell the story she wanted me to.”

One of the first things Paula asked Bree to do at the audition was to get in a wheelchair.

“I wasn’t scared – I had a great time in it, actually. I almost flipped it!” laughs Bree. “She didn’t ask me to get in the chair – she told me! She also said she didn’t want to see any fear and whatever she wanted was okay with me.”