D I SCOVER / A WORLD OF INSPIRATION
to create, produce and act in the show. I had to make sure I had enough for everyone who needed me, including family.” Marta lives in Hobart with her husband, fellow actor Ben Winspear and their teenage daughters, Grace and Maggie, bringing world-class productions to Tasmania through their screen and stage company, Archipelago Productions. Bay of Fires is Marta’s “love letter” to the west coast and the sense of community in remote, small towns. “I’ve had this massive love affair with the region,” says Marta. “Living in Tassie during the pandemic I learned that it’s all about community – it always was, and it always will be. I felt really enriched by that.” Best known for her roles in Jack Irish and A Place to Call Home , Marta has been involved in refugee causes for many years, and since 2012 has been a proud ambassador of the charity Australia for UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency’s national partner in Australia. Her role as special representative has taken her on volunteer missions abroad. “I went to Zaatari, on the Syria-Jordan border. It’s one of the biggest refugee camps, with 75,000 people then and sadly, even more now. Australia for UNHCR does such an incredible job in finding out what is needed, and they have a massive impact. “So, when people say to me, ‘What can I do?’ I say, ‘You donate to people that are making a difference.’ And UNHCR does that – they turn up and return people to their dignity. I have found it incredibly rewarding and an incredible privilege being involved.”
PAY IT FORWARD MARTA DUSSELDORP
The 50-year-old actor, producer and humanitarian on how she balances co-creating and starring in a new TV show with family life and her mission to raise awareness for refugees . Words PIP HARRY Main photograph YIANNI ASPRADAKIS M arta Dusseldorp had only one regret during the filming of
from hitmen in sky-high heels. “Running in high heels for that long was really hard,” Marta laughs. “I was like, oh my god, I can’t believe I didn’t take these things off!” She also had to draw on her tenacity. “Endurance was required
her new ABC series Bay of Fires on the rugged west coast of Tasmania – that she didn’t consider the footwear of her character Stella, a single mum who spends the first episode fleeing
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DARE SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2023
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