alan45
06-03-2009, 11:44
Hayley Mills’ elder sister Juliet has been starring in Wild at Heart during the 10-week run which ends with a climactic reunion between Hayley’s character Caroline and the residents – human and animal – of Leopard’s Den.
So after their cousin Susie Blake appeared in the last series, as her fictitious sister, did Hayley have any problems persuading her Los Angeles-based sister to join the cast?
“No way,” she states firmly.
Recalling that every crew and cast member is away from home while they work at the location Glen Afric, she says: “It draws everyone closer - you all depend upon each other so much. Everyone is going through the same homesickness and the problems of being alone.
“That’s why I’m always keen to get my family out there – and if possible get them in a show,” she laughs.
Now she returns to act with her sister for the first time ever on camera.
“It was very exciting - I’d been looking forward to it. It was great fun to work with my sister, and I stayed with Juliet and her daughter Melissa.
“It’s such a wonderful job. All the cast and crew were very welcoming
“Everybody is affected by Africa, by the impact of that country; it really does get into your heart.
“Living in Africa and seeing the country, driving and walking through Soweto and the townships, the poverty is dreadful, and yet, people have a resilience, a warmth and a humour, and a determination to make the most of their lives.
“There is tremendous pride in the country at what they have achieved – black and white. It’s wonderful and inspiring, and they have come a long way, and by and large they are living and working together very successfully. It’s still not perfect; everybody knows that, but it’s work in progress.
“One can only hope and pray fervidly that they hang on to what they know is right. It’s been a real learning experience for me.”
Previously, Hayley had filmed the ITV drama series The Flame Tress of Thika in Kenya.
“That was very different,” she recalls. “It was in 1980; there were rumblings of discontent. These are countries going through their birth pangs.
“South Africa is a glorious country. Through Hodges, the driver I had again this time, I’ve visited Soweto, to meet his family and friends, and talked to them about what life was like during apartheid times.
“And then you go out into the bush, and there you are with this wild country and the animals; what does it feel like to hold a three-week old baby lion? Incredible, just really incredible.
“People rush off to India for enlightenment and to experience life in a wholly different way, and in Africa too, you are confronted by yourself with the emptiness and the space.”
And Hayley would love to be involved in more adventures at Leopard’s Den.
“I think it’s a wonderful series - they’re characters who’ve become more and more interesting.”
Hayley currently splits her time between New York and London.
Speaking from Manhattan, she says: “I’m going back in a couple of weeks to see my family, including my boys and my grandson
“I am very lucky to have this opportunity to live in two places; it has its tricky moments, when I want to be in one place and I’m in the other, or I’ve got the left shoe in Manhattan and the right one is in Barnes.”
As one of the most famous child actors of the last century – she won an Academy Award for her performance in Pollyanna, filmed when she was just 14, and had a six-year tenure at Disney – what advice would Hayley give to today’s young performers?
“Respect what you do, and learn as much as you can from every experience and from the right people around you.
“It’s a very different business to when I started.”
Would she like to be a child star in 2009?
“No. I think it’s much more difficult, and even more flighty and transitory, quite honestly.
“It’s a very difficult business to steer your little craft safely through, and not get side-tracked and go down dead ends.
“There are a lot of distractions and pressures. I was very fortunate to have parents who were pretty experienced in the business; they knew what a lot of those pitfalls were.
“But you have to make your own choices in the end.”
So has Hayley ever regretted following in her parents’ footsteps?
“I’ve had moments when I really didn’t know what the hell I was doing, and thought I should have been doing something completely different – but didn’t know what it was.
“I’ve had my ups and downs, of course, but ultimately, I love doing what I do.
“The social side of the profession I’ve often found very difficult. My parents loved that side of things, but when I was growing up, I was very shy and found it terribly difficult.”
In this last episode of the current series, Danny (Stephen Tompkinson) and Alice (Dawn Steele) are enjoying being together but agree to keep their relationship under wraps for the moment.
However, they’re unaware that Georgina (Juliet Mills) has heard their every word. They discover there have been less welcome consequences of the storm - fences are down and animals are running loose in the town.
Georgina is pre-occupied with the imminent arrival of a very tricky guest, but when she discovers the Family Day Festival is under threat because of storm damage, she realises it’s the perfect distraction for the mysterious visitor and immediately takes over the responsibility of organising it.
The Animal Hospital has lost most of its drugs in the storm and Alice turns to Vanessa (Mary-Anne Barlow) for help. However, when she arrives at Mara, Alice is surprised to find her brother Rowan (Cal Macaninch), staying there. Vanessa gives Alice the antibiotics she needs, but she’s clearly upset to have lost out with Danny and shocks Alice by telling her that this is the last help she’ll ever give to her former friends at Leopard’s Den.
This tenth episode of Wild at Heart is written by Andy Watts and directed by Nick Laughland. The producer is Nick Goding and series producer is Serena Bowman. It is a Company Pictures production for ITV1.
So after their cousin Susie Blake appeared in the last series, as her fictitious sister, did Hayley have any problems persuading her Los Angeles-based sister to join the cast?
“No way,” she states firmly.
Recalling that every crew and cast member is away from home while they work at the location Glen Afric, she says: “It draws everyone closer - you all depend upon each other so much. Everyone is going through the same homesickness and the problems of being alone.
“That’s why I’m always keen to get my family out there – and if possible get them in a show,” she laughs.
Now she returns to act with her sister for the first time ever on camera.
“It was very exciting - I’d been looking forward to it. It was great fun to work with my sister, and I stayed with Juliet and her daughter Melissa.
“It’s such a wonderful job. All the cast and crew were very welcoming
“Everybody is affected by Africa, by the impact of that country; it really does get into your heart.
“Living in Africa and seeing the country, driving and walking through Soweto and the townships, the poverty is dreadful, and yet, people have a resilience, a warmth and a humour, and a determination to make the most of their lives.
“There is tremendous pride in the country at what they have achieved – black and white. It’s wonderful and inspiring, and they have come a long way, and by and large they are living and working together very successfully. It’s still not perfect; everybody knows that, but it’s work in progress.
“One can only hope and pray fervidly that they hang on to what they know is right. It’s been a real learning experience for me.”
Previously, Hayley had filmed the ITV drama series The Flame Tress of Thika in Kenya.
“That was very different,” she recalls. “It was in 1980; there were rumblings of discontent. These are countries going through their birth pangs.
“South Africa is a glorious country. Through Hodges, the driver I had again this time, I’ve visited Soweto, to meet his family and friends, and talked to them about what life was like during apartheid times.
“And then you go out into the bush, and there you are with this wild country and the animals; what does it feel like to hold a three-week old baby lion? Incredible, just really incredible.
“People rush off to India for enlightenment and to experience life in a wholly different way, and in Africa too, you are confronted by yourself with the emptiness and the space.”
And Hayley would love to be involved in more adventures at Leopard’s Den.
“I think it’s a wonderful series - they’re characters who’ve become more and more interesting.”
Hayley currently splits her time between New York and London.
Speaking from Manhattan, she says: “I’m going back in a couple of weeks to see my family, including my boys and my grandson
“I am very lucky to have this opportunity to live in two places; it has its tricky moments, when I want to be in one place and I’m in the other, or I’ve got the left shoe in Manhattan and the right one is in Barnes.”
As one of the most famous child actors of the last century – she won an Academy Award for her performance in Pollyanna, filmed when she was just 14, and had a six-year tenure at Disney – what advice would Hayley give to today’s young performers?
“Respect what you do, and learn as much as you can from every experience and from the right people around you.
“It’s a very different business to when I started.”
Would she like to be a child star in 2009?
“No. I think it’s much more difficult, and even more flighty and transitory, quite honestly.
“It’s a very difficult business to steer your little craft safely through, and not get side-tracked and go down dead ends.
“There are a lot of distractions and pressures. I was very fortunate to have parents who were pretty experienced in the business; they knew what a lot of those pitfalls were.
“But you have to make your own choices in the end.”
So has Hayley ever regretted following in her parents’ footsteps?
“I’ve had moments when I really didn’t know what the hell I was doing, and thought I should have been doing something completely different – but didn’t know what it was.
“I’ve had my ups and downs, of course, but ultimately, I love doing what I do.
“The social side of the profession I’ve often found very difficult. My parents loved that side of things, but when I was growing up, I was very shy and found it terribly difficult.”
In this last episode of the current series, Danny (Stephen Tompkinson) and Alice (Dawn Steele) are enjoying being together but agree to keep their relationship under wraps for the moment.
However, they’re unaware that Georgina (Juliet Mills) has heard their every word. They discover there have been less welcome consequences of the storm - fences are down and animals are running loose in the town.
Georgina is pre-occupied with the imminent arrival of a very tricky guest, but when she discovers the Family Day Festival is under threat because of storm damage, she realises it’s the perfect distraction for the mysterious visitor and immediately takes over the responsibility of organising it.
The Animal Hospital has lost most of its drugs in the storm and Alice turns to Vanessa (Mary-Anne Barlow) for help. However, when she arrives at Mara, Alice is surprised to find her brother Rowan (Cal Macaninch), staying there. Vanessa gives Alice the antibiotics she needs, but she’s clearly upset to have lost out with Danny and shocks Alice by telling her that this is the last help she’ll ever give to her former friends at Leopard’s Den.
This tenth episode of Wild at Heart is written by Andy Watts and directed by Nick Laughland. The producer is Nick Goding and series producer is Serena Bowman. It is a Company Pictures production for ITV1.