Isabel Lucas on sex, sea and sharks

Umm… elephant trough?
Yeah, it’s to keep the elephants separate to the community’s drinking system. The elephants are a threat to the locals, since water is so scarce. They’ve been known to kill people and knock down their houses to get to their water systems.

Damn pachyderms. Working in all that sand, is there any orifice that doesn’t get all sandy?
Ah, not really. When we were working, it was a lot of hard, messy, physical work and at the end of the day we were all caked in dirt and often we couldn’t shower for days. But it was so worth it.

So you’d be an animal expert now: who’d win a fight between a gorilla and a shark?
That would depend on whether they were in water or not. If they were, the shark.

What if they were in knee-deep water? Little bit of an advantage to both, but also a disadvantage.
I reckon the gorilla, then. Although it’s hard for the gorilla to land a killer blow, whereas the shark just needs to bite him once.

Good answer. But was Africa a nice change from lying on the beach at Summer Bay in the winter pretending it was summer?
Yeah, that’s true – 5am winter mornings on the wild, windy beach.

Most important question: does that ginger bloke always talk like that?
You mean Alf? “Flaming galah”? He’s quite different in person. He’s quite a gentleman and he’s sort of like the backbone of the show. But everyone can do an impression of him. I did mine to him once. He just has a bit of a chuckle and takes it lightly. He’s used to it.

So what was the most ridiculous storyline you’ve been involved in?
The scriptwriters have very active imaginations sometimes. Probably when Tasha received a message to track down this box of guns that’s buried out in the bush somewhere. Filming that storyline was just bizarre; digging up this enormous box of guns and bringing it back to the house and handling all these rifles. Supposedly, Tasha’s adoptive parents were Y2K survivalists. It’s pretty way out.

Is playing a woman with amnesia the easiest first acting job ever?
Oh, absolutely. Not a challenge in the slightest. Tasha was such a unique character, with an extremely unusual background. But it was tricky in that there wasn’t much substance to base the character on or relate to, which is great for an imaginative person like myself.

Have you ever had amnesia in real life?
No.

Have you ever had amnesia in real life?
No.

Have you ever had amnesia in real life?
Er, no, ha ha. Have you?

We can’t remember. But what is it about Summer Bay and all these hot women?
Ooh… you think? It must be the water. Obviously production lean towards casting attractive people…

What’s your stance on nudity? Would you strip off for your art?
It would really depend on how I felt about the script. If nudity was required to make a scene “full”, then I’d consider it. If it was a gimmick to get people to watch it… that’s not what it’s about for me.

So that’s a no to Bikini High School Massacre 6, then?
Yeah. I think you’re getting my drift.

We’re clever! Is there a huge rivalry between the hot Home And Away chicks and the hot Neighbours chicks?
So many people assume that, but we get along fine. It’s cool having catch-ups with them.

So you haven’t had the urge to deck Toadie or anything?
Ha ha! To deck him? Who’s Toadie?

The chubby guy from Neighbours. His character can be summed up in two words: “annoying goatee.”
Oh, okay. Is that his character name? He’s not chubby. I don’t really watch much TV.

So what do you find attractive in a guy?
I find it attractive when someone reveals their self to you. People who are really honest and real, who can just be themselves. Humility, spontaneity and compassion are beautiful qualities.

How about, say, being a journalist for a prominent men’s magazine?
Ha ha! Well, it’d be good dialogue – all relatively one way, with you asking the majority of the questions. A good conversation is very important so you never know.

And if we just sit at home and play computer games?
I don’t believe you. Do you have a girlfriend?

Guess. Would you find a chubby bloke hot?
Well, instinctively, I don’t think that’s the first thing I’m drawn to. We all know physical appearance plays a part in how attracted you are to someone.

Were you hot at school? Most attractive women say they used to be ugly ducklings.
We moved around a lot for my Dad’s work [as a commercial pilot]. We lived in Melbourne, then Switzerland, then in Northern Australia – Kakadu National Park and Cairns. We had horses, so I spent a lot of time in the country, especially in Kakadu as a little Earth child.

Like, no shoes and hippy hair?
Yeah, with the Aboriginal kids. It was a pretty special, life-shaping experience.

One final question: have you ever had amnesia in real life?
Stop that now.