For some, the name Clarice Starling sends shivers up their spines, due to the character’s association with cannibal and serial killer Hannibal Lector in Oscar winner The Silence Of The Lambs and its sequel Hannibal.
But when Rebecca Breeds won the iconic role of Clarice Starling in the hit TV drama Clarice, she had to pinch herself.
“It’s a role I’ve been dreaming of having my entire life: the girl who tells the story and drives the narrative,” the Aussie actress enthuses to TV WEEK.
Rebecca took the role and ran with it.
(Stan)There’s also the fact that she’s stepping into a role that won Jodie Foster a Best Actress Oscar in 1992 for The Silence Of The Lambs and was played by Julianne Moore in the 2001 sequel Hannibal.
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“It felt like enormous shoes to step into, and I was honoured just to audition for it,” Rebecca says. “But when I got the role, I just had to pick up the courage to do my absolute best with it.”
The 33-year-old Sydney native, who is married to her former Home And Away co-star Luke Mitchell, is speaking from her base in Toronto, Canada, where Clarice is filmed.
Rebecca’s character must pursue more serial killers while still battling the trauma of her past experience with Hannibal.
“It felt like enormous shoes to step into,” Rebecca says of the role.
(Stan)A mere 500 kilometres away, in the city of Montreal, Rebecca’s husband Luke is filming his upcoming series The Republic Of Sarah (which, ironically, stars Stella Baker, the daughter of another H&A alumnus, Simon Baker.)
“We miss each other a lot,” Rebecca says. “But thank God for FaceTime.”
She’s also missing their cockapoo dog Alfie, who’s with Luke during the week.
“I can talk to Luke and he can understand me, but Alfie can hear me and can’t see me, and that makes me sad,” she laments.
The pair try to take turns every second weekend or so to make the five-hour drive to see each other.
“Even when we’re apart, we remind each other, ‘You’re meant to be doing this and I’m meant to be doing this by your side,'” Rebecca says. “It’s an incredible adventure and by sharing it we enrich each other’s lives.”
Rebecca and Luke, who played Ruby Buckton and Romeo Smith respectively in Home And Away, moved to the US in 2013, with Rebecca landing roles in series We Are Men, The Originals and Pretty Little Liars.
Luke starred in one-season drama Tomorrow People and appeared in shows such as Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., The Code and Blindspot.
Is there any room in that hectic lifestyle to start a family?
“We’d love to one day,” she says. “I’m always thinking ahead, so that’s a part of the conversation. But there’s also a little bit of magic in becoming a family, and you can’t absolutely have a plan.”
“So, our conversation is to have a general plan, but then also go with the flow.”
Rebecca and Luke fell in love on Home And Away.
(Channel Seven)Rebecca feels similarly about possibly returning home to Australia and a guest role in Home And Away, if asked.
“Absolutely I’d consider it,” she teases.
“But everything is about timing. Home for us is Australia, but we love what we do, and so the dream is to eventually be able to have a base there to be near family and to work at home, but also work around the world.”
For now, Rebecca’s hands are full.
“My schedule is so intense, I wouldn’t be fun to live with right now,” she says.
“I get home, I’m learning scripts, I’m on the treadmill, making my green smoothie, going to sleep early, then going to work again the next day for another 16 hours!”
“So, I’m really happy Luke is also off doing his own adventure, so that when we are together, we can really make the most of it.”
