Filthy Rich star Emma Fenton always dreamed of seeing her name in lights, but she never imagined her big break would see her downing champagnes and traipsing between strip clubs. “It was definitely a different night out, but I loved it,” admits Emma, whose racy nights out were research for her role as a stripper on the TV2 series.
“I just didn’t want to turn up and look like a dick on my first day on set as there was too much on the line. So Siobhan Page, who plays Roxy, and I met up one night to get to know each other and we went out to all the main strip clubs. We chatted to the girls and tried to get a sense of what we wanted our characters to be like. It was great.”
But the red-light area of Auckland’s infamous Karangahape Road was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to Emma’s preparation to play saucy and seductive Savannah, one of the illegitimate children vying for the Trubridge fortune on Filthy Rich. The industry newcomer also signed up for intensive one-on-one pole-dancing classes, which gave her the confidence to shake her stuff with the nation watching.
“I was so nervous in the beginning, I didn’t even want to practise in front of the teacher,” confesses Emma, 26. “I used to hire out a dance studio to myself just so I could practise alone in the mirror. Eventually, I got more confident and let my boyfriend see what I had been doing. He loved it; he thought I was amazing. Then when the director saw what I’d been working on, he was really enthusiastic about it too.”
But Emma says two months of prep time flew by in the blink of an eye and before she knew it, it was her first day on set. She admits the reality of stripping down to nothing but her underwear in front of cast, crew and a whole room of extras was more daunting than she imagined.
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“I have always been quite confident in my body, but it’s confronting having to wear a G-string in front of a bunch of people. No matter how confident you are, that’s always going to be a bit nerve wracking. I had a routine in my head that I could follow because I knew if I tried to freestyle, I’d forget everything. And it went really well. I was stuffed afterwards, though, and covered in bruises! Gripping the pole is really hard.”
Already knowing a handful of the cast was a confidence booster for Emma, who went to the same drama school, Wellington’s Toi Whakaari, as Alex Tarrant, Josh McKenzie and Taylor Hall, who play her brothers. “We were all in different years but knew each other enough to be excited that we were all on the same show,” she tells. “And they were all so supportive. Everyone was, actually. Miriama Smith is hilarious and totally chill. There’s no hierarchy with her, but she’s always there if you want help or advice or anything. The whole experience was really incredible.”
Living her dream
Stepping foot on the set of a major TV show was surreal for Emma, who graduated in 2011 and found herself working in hospitality while juggling various auditions. She explains, “It’s hard when you know what you want to be doing but you can’t do it. I’ve wanted to be an actress my whole life. I remember watching movies when I was little and dreaming about being in them.”
It wasn’t until one of Emma’s high-school drama teachers got her involved with theatre that she caught the eye of an agent, who advised her to get her teeth straightened with braces, then signed her up.
“I’ve always had someone putting me up for auditions, but it does feel like it’s been a long road to get here,” says Emma. “Seeing it on TV was an amazing moment. My parents flew over from Sydney to watch it with me. We had a bit of a party and everyone was so excited.”
And Emma’s hoping this is just the beginning. “I’d love to work with Meryl Streep. I toyed with the idea of moving to the States – it’s always on an actor’s mind – but now that Filthy has come along, I could quite happily stay here for a while. Maybe all the other actors could move to LA and I could stay here and get all the roles!”
Emma as seductive Savannah, with her Filthy Rich co-stars (from left): Josh as John Jnr, Miriama as Brady, Taylor as Vader and Alex as Joe.
