The Melissa George Issue

[Jezz]

Talk about a spoilt snob. She's an actress. She should be expecting that questions from her days on Home and Away are going to be asked to her. I agree with IzzyHoyland's post.

[Ryan]

I'd rather people said what they think and not what others want them to think. Saying that, everything nowadays seems to be a PR game and sooner or later it appears everyone shoots themselves in the foot.

[alexx]

I read another Aus interview from last year where she genuinely says that she considers the scene of Shane's death, on the rock where Angel is trying to get him to talk, amongst some of her best work - she says she was really 'method acting' at that point and sounded proud of it. And that is why people bring it up, she is well remembered for it because it was so high profile and when the show was at it's peak in popularity both here and in the UK.

Knowing the media though, it probably has been hyped up. She may have said all of that, but we don't really know the context since it's all word of mouth and the footage was edited out. I really don't think the 'tall poppy syndrome' applies here though and if she thinks that, she obviously misunderstands the reason why people bring H&A up.

[jldraw]

In my opinion and the bottom line as far as all of this goes is what really hurts Melissa's case here is to my knowledge she is the only former soapie who has become established overseas to have such an issue with Australian soaps. I keep my eyes peeled for mentions of H&A or Neighbours when former cast members now working in the US are interviewed and most of them credit the success they had in Australia in preparing them for their careers overseas.

Melissa George to my knowledge is the only one who gets at all prickly when the subject of her soapie past is broached. Now granted this could be because she is in the somewhat unique situation of having been arguably the biggest star as far as popularity in Australia any soap has ever produced coupled with the fact that she is an established actress overseas now as well. So it could be that her situation is specifically unique to her and unlike what other ex-soapies turned Hollywood stars have had to deal with. I don't know, that is all speculation on my part.

There were also a couple of interesting responses posted on imdb in regards to this issue that I thought I might share here. Perhaps this issue goes far and beyond Melissa George herself?

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"Australians seem to have something very funny going on regarding self esteem. It's as if they're embarrassed about being Australian.

Most of the Aussies I have met and known are intent on becoming American. It's like their dream come true. I cannot begin to understand it or explain it.

So I can't say I'm surprised to hear about this outburst by George"

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I'd say it's cultural cringe/alienation. Our country is dominated by American television, movies and music among other things. For example, most Australians have no interest in Australian films and won't watch them because of the belief that they're all *beep* and that American ones are always better.

That wikipedia article* explains it better than I can. I think it's true though that some people are embarrassed about being Australian. At the very least these people might feel less important, or inferior, in comparison to countries like America.

It certainly isn't the case for most Aussies though. I can't think of many successful Australian actors that have a problem with it either.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_cringe#Australia

[~Lynd~]

Oh Melissa.Go find Simon Baker and Chris Hemsworth and get some class.

I don't have an issue with her wanting her current work acknowledged but to want to completely ignore where she started is ridiculous.

She just comes across as an ungrateful brat who's not as important as she thinks she is.Sure she's had some success overseas but the fact that HAA remains her biggest fanbase says something imo.

[dee123]

She really needs to lean that like it or lump it she'll be known for H&A till the day she dies. Isla Fisher & Chris Hemsworth seem to have no problem. Same as Michelle Williams on Dawson's Creek for example. Besides i think people are more mad about the "I'd rather be in Paris or New York" comment.

[Lise]

I read another Aus interview from last year where she genuinely says that she considers the scene of Shane's death, on the rock where Angel is trying to get him to talk, amongst some of her best work - she says she was really 'method acting' at that point and sounded proud of it. And that is why people bring it up, she is well remembered for it because it was so high profile and when the show was at it's peak in popularity both here and in the UK.

That storyline is still iconic. She should be proud of it like Chris is.

[alexx]

I feel sorry for her that it seems like she went from admired and respected by the media and public, to sort of turning against her over night. She's trying to shoot a movie over here now too so I can imagine it would be even more stressful to have all of this media scrutiny going on. I notice her Twitter page has gone very quiet. Of course she probably said the wrong thing and it has come across as arrogant, but I bet she didn't mean it to come out the way it did and I bet she'll never ever do an interview for Seven again after they revealed it all.

[jldraw]

I feel sorry for her that it seems like she went from admired and respected by the media and public, to sort of turning against her over night. She's trying to shoot a movie over here now too so I can imagine it would be even more stressful to have all of this media scrutiny going on. I notice her Twitter page has gone very quiet. Of course she probably said the wrong thing and it has come across as arrogant, but I bet she didn't mean it to come out the way it did and I bet she'll never ever do an interview for Seven again after they revealed it all.

As I mentioned before I've always been a fan of Melissa's work. She is a very attractive woman and a wonderful actress to boot. But unless Seven Network drastically misquoted her in the recent press she went way over the line in her reaction to H&A being brought up. Specifically the following quote where she allegedly stated “I don't need credibility from my country any more, I just need them all to be quiet. If they have nothing intelligent to say, please don't speak to me any more."

I mean that is pretty bad, bottom line and being that she's been in the public eye most of her life she should know better than to make comments like that. So it's hard for me at least to feel sorry for her and quite frankly I don't know how she can make reparations for what she allegedly said and has now been put out there for everyone to read.

For what it's worth as well, since the original articles have been posted more details have come out regarding some of Melissa's issues with H&A and apparently she hung up on another Aussie journalist when the subject of Alf Stewart was brought up to her recently.

[~Lynd~]

Does she think she's Rachel Griffith or Toni Collette or something?Both of whom are much more successful and have far more respect.