When I first got the job I was directing a play and I�d been auditioning and auditioning and auditioning for this role over many, many months. Initially, I thought "All right, it�s this foreign series, shooting in Australia, I�ve got about as much chance of getting this as of winning the lotto." Then I was getting called back and called back and called back until finally I thought "Maybe there�s a possibility that I�ll actually be getting this."

Because I had foreign as well as Australian producers, it meant that the audition had to go this world loop for approval, so every single time you did an audition you�d be approved by Australian producers, the tapes would be sent to London, they�d be approved by the people in London, the tapes would be sent to LA, they�d be approved by the people there, then New York and then back to Australia. You had to jump through all these hoops all around the world and if one person didn�t like you in one city, bang you�re out.

So you�re very nervous every single time. There were so many auditions, the producers were very aware that we were getting more and more tense every single time we had to come in. What we thought was going to be the ultimate audition came up and the producers said "This is going to be the last one � we�ve just got to get approval from London and LA and New York and things are going to be cool". We spent a real long time on that audition - Rockne O�Bannon flew over to Australia and talked us through it.

The tapes went out and I thought "Great, that�s it. Even if I don�t get it, I can let go of the stress and the tension now of whether I do or don�t get this job". Then four or five days later my agent rings up and goes "They didn�t record the sound on your last audition, we have to go back in one more time."

So the stress just came back, and we went back and did another half day�s auditioning with different people. Different combinations of Zhaans and D�Argos actually, at that stage. Then I was away directing and the phone call came from my agent. She said "What do you want to hear?" I said "You know what I want to hear", and she said "I�m telling you that." I just screamed with joy.

I found out on the Wednesday, and they said "Okay you�re due in London on Monday", so a lot of hassles went on there but I was on a plane to London four days later to be life cast and to be covered in rubber for the rest of my life.