Super-Bitch...Or Bust!
From TV Week, 22 February 1986. Written by Prue MacSween.
Peta's set to become the queen of the TV meanies
"I think people will be surprised and my mother will have a
heart attack !"
That's how the vivacious Peta Toppano sums up her role as Jilly
Stewart in 10's glamorous new series Return To Eden.
The role, which Peta concedes is the toughest of her career, is
putting her reputation as an actress on the line.
Her fans are used to seeing her play "nice girls" but with Jilly she
has joined the ranks of TV's super-bitches and is set to "out-bitch"
even Dynasty's Alexis Carrington (Joan Collins) and our own Pat The
Rat in Sons And Daughters.
"Jilly has been stewing and plotting in prison for the past seven
years," explained Peta. "She's determined to get back at her friend
Stephanie Harper (Rebecca Gilling) because she feels totally victimised for something that wasn't
her fault. "
In the mini-series, Jilly (then played by Wendy Hughes ) f
ell
hopelessly in love with Stephanie's husband, tennis ace Greg Marsden
( James Reyne). Together they plotted to kill Stephanie, but their
plans went horribly wrong.
"Jilly loved Greg very much and she operated from the heart, " Peta
said. "She was caught up in cir cumstances over which she had no
control and she comes back as mad as hell. She operates very innocently
to begin with. You think there's something evil about her bu she doesn't show
it. But behind that innocent facade is a calculating mind ticking away.
She soon shows she has strategically planned everything".
Apart from giving her an opportunity to show her versatility as an actress,
she admits the role has acted as a catharsis for much of her deep-felt anger.
"I wanted this role more than anything in the world and playing a
bitch is a wonderful exorcism. Everything I've ever wanted to say
to anyone I've said in the 22 episodes we've filmed. I've purged
myself,"
she said. "It's been tough. There hasn't been a gradual slide from nice-girl
roles into playing a full-on bitch. It's been feet first in the deep end.
But it's been a gem of a role. Everybody wants to play a baddie".
Apart from addressing the tough demands of this role, Peta has
had the difficulty of stepping into the shoes of another actress.
"Sure I was worried about it, but I was determined to make the role
mine - and I think it's very much mine now," she said. "I think initially
people will think that this was Wendy's role, but then they'll dismiss
that and concentrate of what I'm doing, which is totally different from what
she did. Only the character's name is the same."
To prepare for the role, Peta thought about every bitch she had
ever met in her life and drew on her own Italian temperament.
"I thought about me-I have my moments," she said with a laugh.
"I incorporated my fiery Italian backgroun
d into the role. Jilly's so jealous, too ! That little green monster is eating her away
and I've felt that too: jealous of every actress who's evr got a role
I wanted, jealous of every girl that Barry (Peta's husband, Barry Quin),
has ever looked at. I think audiences are going to be a bit shocked
by Jilly," she mused.
So does Jilly have any redeeming qualities?
"She's great in bed," Peta said, laughing.
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