Photos: Babiche Martens
When the Weekly catches up with mum of three Anna Jullienne, the actor – who has starred in everything from Shortland Street to 800 Words and hit Netflix show Sweet Tooth – is in excellent spirits.
She has just got all three kids off to school: eldest child Ted, 10, having just started intermediate, Jude, eight, happily returned to primary school, and three-and-a-half-year-old daughter Nina, new to kindy.
“It’s a big change and with them all at different schools, there are lots of picnics and drinks,” says Anna. “I think I have six different apps and so many WhatsApp groups.
“As well as my husband James and our mums, it’s the other mothers who make my world go round. Luckily, there are two other women whose boys have just started at the same school as Teddy. If it wasn’t for them, I’d have missed about 80 percent of the things I needed to do!”
Beyond the many family obligations – merely filling the lunchboxes each day can be arduous – Anna’s also been busy filming Three’s new comedy Vince. Created and written by Jono Pryor of Jono and Ben fame, Anna plays Vince’s icy ex-wife Lou. On the show, she must navigate the complexities of co-parenting with her narcissist ex.
“It was such a fun part and I got to wear really elegant corporate clothes. That’s quite a contrast to my real life, where I hardly ever dress up,” tells Anna.
Working with such a talented cast was another highlight for the star.
“Laura Daniel, who plays Bethanaé, is hilarious. Jono is also one of the top five nicest men in the world!” she enthuses. “I also loved sitting in the green room having a good yarn with Chelsie Preston Crayford as she’s inspiring.”
It’s easy, too, to picture the actors having a ball while filming. It’s one of those shows where you laugh out loud one minute and then cringe the next.
“Filming the scenes where Jono was pretty much nude was very entertaining,” she laughs. “I think he had something minimal covering his front parts, but from the back, he was completely nude. There are lots of shots of Jono’s bottom. Men’s bottoms are funny.”
Since filming Vince, Anna, 42, has also been exploring new avenues.
“Now that Nina’s at kindy, I’ve been thinking about what else I might do besides acting, which I still love,” she says. “I’ve even started training to become an accent coach, which I can do from home.”
Anna explains that it’s not aimed at actors, but is more about teaching professional people how to communicate more effectively.
She’s also looking forward to starring in Three Little Words in May at Auckland’s Pumphouse Theatre.
Aside from being the centre of her family’s universe, Anna also enjoys snatching moments of peace for herself.
“I love walking our dog Peggy and having that half hour just for me, listening to a jam to put a pep in my step,” says Anna, who admits when she was younger, she exercised for different reasons.
“Exercise used to be more about vanity or fitness, but since the kids, there’s been a shift in my focus. Now I exercise to make my brain feel good rather than to look a certain way.”
Anna also says she’s more forgiving of her body than she was in the past.
“I used to give myself a hard time and while things are arguably not in the same places they used to be – as our bodies go through a lot to have children – I’m much happier in my skin today.”
Even though Vince is inappropriate for younger viewers, the Weekly asks if Anna’s kids are impressed that they have a famous actor for a mum.
“The boys know what I do for a job, but they don’t care,” she admits. “If I come home with make-up on, they’ll ask why I’ve got stuff on my face. Although they did get excited when I auditioned for the Minecraft movie and for a couple of days I was as cool as their dad!”
As to whether audiences will see more of Vince, Anna is hopeful a second series will be on the horizon.
“At the screening, Jono did mention he’d started writing another. That sort of thing is way above my pay grade, though!” she laughs. “My world is busy with the kids, getting through what everyone needs on a day-to-day basis and acting is a happy bonus.”
And because it’s always such a delight to see Anna on screen, it’s a happy bonus for us all when she’s acting!
Vince screens at 8.30pm on Thursdays and ThreeNow.
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