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Shortland Street star Kura Forrester admits it was agony deciding whether she should leave her dream role playing “annoying but lovable” receptionist Desi on the long-running soap.
“It was definitely confronting,” she shares. “I talked to so many people about it. I loved working on the show and I loved having some financial security! But my agent suggested that this would be a good time for me to think about whether I wanted to be on Shorty for a long time or maybe consider my options and see what other work might be available.”
The multi-talented actress – who won the 2019 Billy T Award for her stand-up show Kura Shoulda Woulda and also appeared in Taskmaster NZ this year – confesses that she wanted to be in a position to put her best foot forward if other projects came up.
“As much as Shorty tries, it’s really hard to do other work while you’re there. The pace is relentless – I don’t think people realise how many hours the actors and production staff put in. And then there are all those lines to learn!
After three drama-filled years on Shorty, Kura admits, “I’ve enjoyed stepping back from it.”
“It was totally my dream job, but I can admit I’ve enjoyed stepping back from it. I’ve been like, ‘Oh, my God, this is what it’s like to have an evening where you don’t feel like you’ve got work hanging over you!’ I thought I would be there five years, but it turns out three was enough.”
During the three years, she’s been part of plenty of dramatic storylines – Desi has battled a gambling addiction, alcoholism and mourned the loss of her estranged father. Kura says there isn’t anything else she wishes Desi had done during her time on the soap. Although she still needs to practise her stunt work.
“I was really bad at all the stunts – I was terrible,” she declares. “There was a time where I had to hit [onscreen husband] Damo drunkenly and I hated it. My kryptonite as an actor is stunts and violence. I just can’t do it!”
She’s grateful that Desi hasn’t been killed off, so there is a chance her character could return to the famous clinic from living the good life in Nelson. “Look, one of my best friends is the head writer at Shortland Street, so that’s really helpful. She said to me, ‘If you ever get really strapped, we’ll just get Desi back in there for a couple of weeks,'” jokes Kura.
In the meantime, she’ll be taking some wonderful memories away from her three-year stint, which helped to purchase her home in Auckland’s Avondale, and Tui, her much-loved Cavachon, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and Bichon Frise mix. “I’ve never owned a dog of my own before. I love her so much,” she gushes. “I totally get dog people now.”
Kura, 37, says Desi’s wedding to cos-play enthusiast Damo, played by Grant Lobban, ranks among the highlights.
“It was really camp and fun, and we had lots of amazing guests, a kapa haka group, drag queens and the sensational Tina Cross. It was spectacular and I really don’t mind being the centre of attention at things like that!” she chuckles.
She doesn’t have wedding plans of her own at the moment, though. “I’m actively dating, but I’m nowhere near a wedding!” she shares. “So it was nice to have had a fake one.”
Desi and Damo’s Shorty wedding was a highlight.
Although Shortland Street has catapulted her into a “next-level” type of local fame, she says potential suitors soon get over it. “People get a bit weirded out about me being on the telly, and then they meet me and they’re like, ‘Oh, she’s just a normal girl.’ I’m sort of asking my friends to set me up at the moment as well.”
And viewers will still get to see her lovely face on the small screen when the third series of Educators kicks off in December. She says the cast has really hit their stride in the improvised show.
“It almost felt like we’re flying with it now because we really understand our characters so well,” she tells. “We understand how we feel about all the other teachers and the students, so there is a real shorthand between all the actors and Jesse Griffin the director.”
Enjoying new lessons on Educators with (from left) Tom Sainsbury, Victoria Abbott and Jonny Brugh.
She’s also preparing to host the New Zealand Television Awards. “For a while there, I was thinking I’d go Ricky Gervais-style, then I was like, ‘Just stick to what you’re good at, Kura.’
“So, I’ll probably just do some stand-up about myself and how the industry is going for me, and I might actually touch on the fact that I’ve left Shortland Street and I’m looking for a job – just while I’m in front of all those TV people,” she says with a laugh. “And then I figure I’m just going to get on with the show because a fast show is a good show!”
Shortland Street airs 7pm weekdays on TVNZ 2. Educators starts on TVNZ+ in December.
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