At 52, Rebecca Gibney is taking control. The beloved actress has opened up in The Australian Women’s Weekly this month about standing up for abuse victim Melissa George, creating strong roles for women and not giving a rats about what others think.
“Roles don’t write themselves. You either have to knock on doors – or bash them down when you get to a certain age – or create roles yourself,” Rebecca says.
In an intimate interview, the Gold Logie winning star reveals her empathy for Melissa, and how she felt compelled to defend her fellow actress after she spoke openly about her abusive marriage.
Rebecca’s own father was abusive, and would regularly beat her mother and it was out of respect for her mother that Rebecca felt she had to speak up when trolls savaged Melissa.
“I couldn’t believe that people could actually have a go at her when she was reaching out and in obvious pain,” Rebecca told The Australian Women’s Weekly.
“She could have become bitter and twisted and angry over what she had to endure, and she’s actually turned it around to become the complete opposite.”
Rebecca flew back to Australia from Auckland for an exclusive shoot with The Australian Women’s Weekly, taking a short break from filming season two of Wanted, the TV series she co-produced with husband Richard Bell.
A kind of Australian Thelma & Louise, Wanted follows strangers Lola Buckley and Chelsea Babbage, who intervene in a fatal car-jacking.
With more than 30 years in the notoriously fickle entertainment industry, Rebecca says she has learned to follow her heart and stand up for what she believes in.
“As I get older, I don’t give a rats anymore what people think. I’ve got a new lease on life,” she says.
The full interview can be found in the new edition of The Australian Women’s Weekly, which is on sale now.
