Noni Hazlehurst – actor, presenter, ambassador, director, writer, and broadcaster – has been a presence on our screens and stages since her leading role in The Sullivans in 1976. Notable works include Play School (1978-2002), Monkey Grip (1982), Fran (1985), Better Homes and Gardens (1995-2004), Every Family Has a Secret (2019-24), Nancy Wake (1987), The Shiralee (1987), Curtin (2007), and A Place to Call Home (2013-18). Her theatrical appearances have earned multiple awards and she has received several ARIA nominations for her recordings for children. We review Hazlehurst’s memoir, Dropping the Mask, in the November issue.

What was the first performance that made a deep impression on you?

I was taken to see a live matinee of The Sound of Music when I was eight. Afterwards I told my mother that I could play all those parts.

When did you realise that you wanted to be an artist yourself?

I was never in any doubt. I’m a fourth-generation performer and never considered doing anything else.

What’s the most brilliant individual performance you have ever seen?

Judi Dench in Mrs Brown.

Name three performers you would like to work with?

Judi Dench, Andy Garcia, and Ricky Gervais.

Do you have a favourite song?

‘Hejira’ by Joni Mitchell.

Your favourite play or opera?

I have never been to the opera. John Patrick Shanley, Martin McDonagh, and Arthur Miller are favourite writers of mine.

And your favourite composer?

J.S. Bach.

How do you regard the audience?

As a group of individuals I want to connect with.

What’s your favourite theatre or concert hall?

I love working at the Sydney Opera House.

What do you look for in arts critics?

Kindness, humility, and lack of pretension.

Do you read your own reviews?

Absolutely.

Money aside, what makes being an artist difficult – or wonderful – in Australia?

Difficult? The stupid misconceptions about what actors do and the kinds of people they are. Plus the perception that the arts are an unnecessary luxury.

What’s the best thing government could do for artists?

If politicians stopped pretending that we don’t exist and aren’t essential for a well-balanced society, they might learn something by supporting the arts.

What advice would you give an aspiring artist?

Don’t compare yourself to others – there is only one you.

What’s the best advice you have ever received?

The audience doesn’t come to see you – they come to see themselves.

What’s your next project or performance?

Promoting my first book, Dropping the Mask.