An interview with Eva Seymour, daughter of Mark Seymour, about her artistic pursuits.

Author:  Kate Sears, Morning Peninsula Magazine.

Date: 20 December 2020.

Original URL: https://www.morningtonpeninsulamagazine.com.au/in-conversation-eva-throws-her-arms-around-many-roles/

Article Text

Peninsula-raised Eva Seymour’s acting prowess has been seen in My Life Is Murder (2019), How to Stay Married (2020) and West of Sunshine (2017). You might also have heard her singing alongside her sister Hannah and father Mark, from Hunters and Collectors, in the inaugural 2020 Music from the Home Front – An Anzac Day Concert for the Fight Against COVID-19 that was rescreened recently on television. Eva speaks to Kate Sears.

You’re an actor, director, writer and singer. Could you tell us how they intertwine for you?

I am an actor first and foremost. I trained in acting and it’s the craft that excites me the most. I’ve always loved to sing and write though, and directing was born out of wanting to create my own work and take control of my own storytelling. There’s a lot of uncertainty in an acting career, and I think a lot of us decide at some point to grab the bull by the horns and write our own stuff in which to explore characters we want to play and tell the stories we want to see.

What was it like growing up with a father who’s part of Australian rock royalty?

There was always a lot of singing in our house. Hannah and I were very rarely quiet, which probably drove Mum mad as we were constantly playing music too loudly, singing along. We started singing back-up for Dad when we were teenagers, and it’s something we’ve been lucky to continue ’til today. I’ve always written my own music and Dad’s always been really encouraging, but acting has always taken precedence for me.

Do any of your acting or singing experiences stand out?

At the end of 2019 and beginning of 2020 I was lucky enough to tour a show called Anthem for Melbourne, Sydney and Perth festivals. It was a play written by the same writers as Who’s Afraid of the Working Class and directed by the brilliant Susie Dee. I’ve been fortunate to act in quite a few new Australian works, but the size of this particular production was pretty incredible. We had 14 actors all playing multiple parts, telling interweaving stories across Melbourne’s landscape. Being able to tour to theatres I’ve always dreamed of performing in with an incredibly talented cast was a remarkable experience – one I won’t soon forget.

What was the process behind Superstars, your submission for the 2020 Peninsula Film Festival?

Superstars was an idea born out of a web series I developed, based around satirical versions of my sister and myself. I wanted to poke fun at that millennial reality TV culture of young people’s obsession with fame and the ease in which a lot of people who come from money enter the creative arts with not a lot of hard work or talent behind them. It’s basically a big spoof on Hannah and me if we were more gung-ho about pursuing music careers.

To see what 2021 holds for Eva, follow her on Instagram @evaseymour

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