Claudia Karvan on the Unfilmed Ending of The Secret Life of Us

By Velvet Winter

ABC Arts

Topic: Television

Claudia Karvan was ten when she first acted in the 1983 film Molly, and she has kept working ever since.

She won her first AFI (now AACTA) award in 1996 for a role in the hospital drama GP, and was already well‑known from movies like Redheads and The Heartbreak Kid, which later inspired the teen series Heartbreak High.

Claudia Karvan and Alex Dimitriades in The Heartbreak Kid. (Supplied: IMDb)

She was three seasons into The Secret Life of Us, a groundbreaking Australian drama that earned her a Logie, when co‑creator John Edwards encouraged her to direct, launching her career as an actor‑director‑producer.

Over the next fifteen years she co‑created three series – Love My Way, Spirited and Bump – often acting, producing and writing at the same time.

She appeared on the Logies stage last week, winning Best Supporting Actress for the SBS short series Homebodies, based loosely on AP Pobjoy’s life. Karvan said she was proud to support the first trans‑led project to win a Logie.

Claudia Karvan accepts the Silver Logie for Best Supporting Actress for Homebodies with co‑star Luke Wiltshire. (Getty: James Gourley)

After more than twenty years of juggling many roles, Karvan is slowing down with a new part in SBS’s The Airport Chaplain, starring alongside Australian legend Hugo Weaving and rising star Shabana Azeez. The drama follows airport chaplain Tobias, played by Weaving, and his caring staff.

So, you have two hours before a flight. Where are you most likely to be at the airport?

The bookshop.

What has been your relationship with chaplains? Did you have one at school?

I did. I went to SCEGGS Darlinghurst, an Anglican school, and loved singing in the choir, but I never used the chaplain like people use Hugo’s character. I had never even heard of an airport chaplain.

It is a fascinating job. Airports worldwide have chaplains, and there is even an international airport chaplain conference you can attend.

How has your view of religion and faith changed over time?

I only believed in God briefly in fifth grade. I attended a few Christian camps, which were a lot of fun – we played games, read the Bible, and it felt like “jolly hockey sticks.”

It gave me comfort, but when I told my dad I was religious he just laughed and said “Pfft.” I thought, “Maybe he’s right.”

I do not follow a monotheistic God. I read a lot of Buddhist philosophy and often draw on ideas from Buddhist talks, podcasts, meditation books, or Leonard Cohen. I wouldn’t call myself a Buddhist, but I respect its discipline and ideas. I find it very revealing and love it.

Claudia Karvan and Hugo Weaving in The Airport Chaplain. (Supplied: SBS)

What role should a chaplain have in 2026? Should it stay only in airports?

Look, I don’t want to tell anyone how to live their lives.

I think faith can be wonderful if it helps you. We need to respect all the ways people move through life; we all travel differently. Variety and diversity keep the world turning.

I loved your work in Homebodies earlier this year. It was a beautiful story. After wearing many hats on Bump, how does it feel to return mainly to acting?

It feels good because a lot of responsibility and planning is taken off my shoulders and I can ride on other people’s ideas. There is a lot of work before filming starts and after it ends that I don’t have to do.

Even though producing is creative and rewarding, it is also nice to just get a call sheet, learn lines, join a team and be grateful, without the heavy responsibility. I love that.

It is great because I can now ask questions. Before I saw what happened behind the scenes in pre‑ and post‑production. Now I can ask, “How did this story start?” or “What are you looking for in this scene?” It helps my performance.

Claudia Karvan and Luke Wiltshire play mother and son in Homebodies. (Supplied: SBS)

I think this is your first time working with Hugo Weaving since 1999’s Strange Planet. How does it compare to 27 years ago?

Yes, 27 years ago Emma‑Kate Croghan directed us in a sex scene. She was very awkward and said she felt awkward herself.

There were no intimacy coordinators, so Hugo and I did a clumsy, embarrassing scene. A week later Emma‑Kate said, “That was terrible. Can we do it again?” Hugo and I laughed about it.

But we see each other often socially, I know Hugo’s work well, and it was wonderful to work with him again; it made the relationship easy.

Alice Garner, Claudia Karvan, and Naomi Watts in Strange Planet. (Supplied: IMDB)

It has been 25 years since The Secret Life of Us. Have you reflected on how important that series was for you and many Australians?

Oh, absolutely. Deb Mailman keeps thriving, and it was a privilege to have been her flat‑mate years ago.

We have podcasts and many online pieces. It still finds new audiences, which is wonderful.

It still matters to people in their twenties, which amazes me. We never expected that then. It was a lucky job.

Do you ever think it could be remade today? Reboots are popular now.

I would love them to do what they finally plan. They had an ending after series three that was never filmed. I have contacted screenwriter Judi McCrossin and producer Amanda Higgs and said, “Why not make a feature film and finally show the ending we always imagined?”

Wouldn’t that be great? But it’s their show. I’ll just cross my fingers.

The Secret Life of Us cast in 2002: Deborah Mailman, Spencer McLaren, Claudia Karvan, Sibylla Budd and Samuel Johnson. (Getty Images: Patrick Riviere)

And the campaign starts today! You have such a huge career. Is there a role you would love to revisit now, knowing what you know?

Oh, that’s a good question. I think I was not as brave when I was younger and protected myself a lot.

So I would probably revisit all my early roles, be more open with the team, trust them more and be less guarded. I would basically redo my first decade.

That leads nicely to my next question. How would your ten‑year‑old self react to seeing your career now?

Wow, great question. My ten‑year‑old self would be surprised. She would not know me and would ask, “Who is that? Why didn’t you become a lawyer?”

Claudia Karvan (right) on the set of her first film, Molly, in 1983. (Supplied: Claudia Karvan)

Having been public since childhood, what is the most important lesson you have learned about keeping privacy when needed?

Just be kind to yourself. Know when to protect your boundaries and not judge yourself. Know when to power down. Learn to say no. Self‑care came to me very late.

While watching Airport Chaplain I thought I would love a Tobias for my own life. Where could you use a chaplain?

In the ocean while swimming or surfing. Or when I’m bushwalking and feel I’m losing my way. Yes, out in nature.

My final question: What change in the Australian screen industry do you most appreciate in 2026 compared with when you started?

Intimacy coordinators.

They choreograph scenes, making them more meaningful. They are like on‑set chaplains, helping with uncomfortable talks, holding your hand, connecting people, and keeping you safe.

The Airport Chaplain premieres Wednesday, August 26 at 8:30 pm on SBS and SBS On Demand.

Header image: Claudia Karvan attends the world premiere of The Airport Chaplain at the Melbourne International Film Festival. (Getty: Naomi Rahim)

See more ABC coverage in your search results

Dinleme pratiği

Dinleme pratiği