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1News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- 1News
Menopause, sex and the joy of being 60: Robyn Malcolm doesn't hold back
As her long career climbs to new exciting peaks, one of New Zealand's favourite actors remains politically fierce, sexually outspoken and determined not to be overlooked by her famously sexist industry. By Gill Higgins It might be a strange comparison, but I think of Robyn Malcolm like a tornado. Wherever she lands, she kicks up what's in her path and somehow leaves you feeling more alive than before. And so it was that on a mini break from filming in Perth, she swept me into a whirlwind 24 hours: a dash to Tauranga to speak at a women's business event, then straight to Wellington for dinner with old friends, then on to see her son Pete's band, American Muscle, that same night. ADVERTISEMENT And while she's at it, she's across her social media. She's the face of a new anti-ageing cream for the vagina (yes, really), she's promoting her latest Netflix series, pushing the relaunch of Outrageous Fortune for its 20th anniversary, and gearing up for the October release of the long-awaited Pike River film. Somewhere in there, the dogs get walked too. And she's just turned 60. Robyn Malcom, then and now. (Source: Supplied) For those of us racing toward that milestone, Malcolm's not just weathering it – she's changing the forecast. 'The ticking over into 60 that I was nervous of because of what it represents – I am so in love with. I love it!' So naturally, I wanted to know how she's so positive about a period of life that many dread. Once back in Auckland, exhausted, we head to the home she's had for over a decade. It's an old villa, painted a striking pink to brighten up her street. It's loud, it's a statement, it says 'I'm proud of who I am', just like its owner. Malcolm's sense of purpose has always been clear. From a young age, acting was everything. At 15, after a clash with a senior staff member at school (she told them to f*** off), she turned to her father, Pete – who happened to be the school principal. His response? It was time to leave and chase her dreams. ADVERTISEMENT A young robyn Malcolm and her dad, Pete. (Source: Supplied) It was her dad who told me that story and I could tell he was quietly proud of his stubborn, determined daughter. She moved to Wellington to live with her grandmother and never looked back. A Kiwi star was born. Malcolm in her first show (that's Michael Hurst). (Source: Supplied) That determination has never left her. Malcolm has never been afraid to stand up – for herself and for others. She recently marched against the government's Fast-track Approvals Bill. She's protested the atrocities in Palestine. And in 2010, she famously took on the Warner Bros, during the filming of The Hobbit, speaking out for better pay and conditions for local actors. 'I went through hell with that, it was awful. I had death threats and loss of work.' Young Malcolm was equally outspoken. (Source: Supplied) So always feisty, but she'd say never more so than now. ADVERTISEMENT 'Since menopause my feminism – which has always had a really healthy spring in its step – is so f***ing rabid now!' Much of her ire is directed at her own industry. The ageism, the sexism – she says it's relentless and she's felt it especially keenly since going through menopause. 'When I first went through it, I was just sobbing my heart out going, I don't know what's happening.' Her doctor prescribed HRT and antidepressants. But as she looks back now, she wonders 'how much of my feeling shit was about my place in the world and the messages I was being given'? Malcolm says menopause was a hard time. (Source: Supplied) She shares the stories with humour, but the undertow is serious. Like the time in her late 40s that she was asked to sign a nudity clause – something she was happy to do - only to be told they'd prefer her to keep her clothes on. Or the roles she lost to women 10 to 15 years younger, despite the fact she was the one who was the same age as the character. She quotes Amy Schumer 'when you're no longer f***able, suddenly there's less tolerance'. 'It wasn't crushing,' she says, 'but it made me furious.' ADVERTISEMENT An industry's obsession with youth She's also frustrated by the effect the industry's obsession with youth has on women. She knows many actors who've spent thousands of dollars chasing it. 'To me, it's almost like an illness, this dissatisfaction with how we look, how we try to be something we're not.' She feels women waste far too much time and money betraying the very things we should be grateful for. 'Why are we so critical, so mean, so judgemental, so downright vile to our bodies'? She's been there. But she's done with it. Malcolm, in the Shortland St era. (Source: Supplied) These days, she's found a new appreciation for her body, likening it to a car – a solid one, that's carried her for 60 years and is still going strong. 'I'm learning how to handle a slightly older vehicle now. I love that metaphor. Like I've got to go in for a Warrant of Fitness a bit more than I used to.' ADVERTISEMENT She 'buggered her knee' while filming the 2024 TV series After the Party and her back plays up. 'Because I'll still bend from the hips and lift 30 kg bags of compost out in the garden, you know?' But she celebrates that her vehicle is still on the road. Still doing its job. It's OK to be a woman and angry And it's not just an appreciation of her physical self, but her emotional self too'. 'It's fine to be an older, angry, belligerent, passionate, furious woman. It's really fine'. It was all of this, all these experiences, that inspired her and co-creator (and head writer) Dianne Taylor to create After the Party. They knew it was a risk. A drama with a lead who was flawed rather than having flawless skin. Who wore trackie bottoms rather than flowing dresses. Who created a mess in the kitchen rather than a perfect pavlova. 'We really dug our heels in; there was a bit of pushback – 'she's not a nice character. People might not like her'.' ADVERTISEMENT With her partner, Scottish actor Peter Mullan, in After the Party. (Source: Supplied) Some didn't. Funding was hard to find. It took three years. But the payoff was worth it. Rave reviews, rewards and nominations rolled in – from France, New Zealand, Scotland and even at the Baftas which are like the British Oscars. It was up against well-funded giants like Shogun and Jodie Foster's True Detective. Shogun won, but it was a wild ride, a little Kiwi show creating quite a storm. And now? Robyn Malcom and Peter Mullan at the Baftas. 'We're getting serious offers from overseas, we're making something new with people in the UK.' That's all she'd reveal, but she couldn't hide her excitement. If filming moves to the UK, that would be a bonus – because it's home to Malcolm's long-distance partner, Scottish actor Peter Mullan. They've been together, albeit frequently oceans apart, for 15 years. 'You go, well, I love you, so we'll make it work. It doesn't have to be conventional, and we make sure we put the kids first.' (Malcolm has two, Mullan has four, all of them aged in their late teens and older.) 'I remember my mum saying, 'I like this man he puts his kids ahead of you. And that's what he should do'.' ADVERTISEMENT Mullan has also been her acting partner, twice. First in Top of the Lake, then in After the Party, where she accuses him of paedophilia on screen. Off-screen, she's far more generous. 'He's a great human being, a phenomenal father. Fierce and politically connected. And one of the greatest actors in the world.' We can't say enough about sex So, for Malcolm, unconventional works. Which means it makes perfect sense that while many actors push creams to smooth wrinkles on the face, Malcolm promotes products to revitalise the vagina. She's not shy about it, in fact, quite the opposite. 'Nobody wants to talk about sex, I've never understood why, it's like we just don't want to talk about sex. I figure we can't say enough.' She dives straight in. Explaining that 84% of women experience vaginal atrophy as they age. It's due to cellular death and it can lead to painful sex, burning sensations and infections. Malcolm says Myregyna cream and pills can revitalise cells – and she swears they work. Maybe the New Zealand-made product contributes to Malcolm feeling more comfortable in her own skin than ever before. She has a partner she loves, two sons she's proud of, and a career catching its second wind. And she believes there's more to come. ADVERTISEMENT She calls this stage the final act of her play. One she wants to make the best yet. She's named it: Oh my God, I am mortal. 'I haven't quite worked out how to articulate it but I think as your body gets older, the catch up that your mind has to do… it's to have a really visceral relationship with mortality.' Standing up for what matters At her sons' age (19 and 17), she says death was barely a concept. Now, it's a constant consideration. 'Like, maybe be grateful for every day more than you were. Maybe take a few more risks. I'm always thinking, how would I feel on my deathbed?' Malcolm, protesting for Palestine. (Source: Supplied) It's vital to her to stand up for what she believes in. One of the issues weighing heavily on her mind is the war in Gaza – she calls it 'one of the great moral catastrophes of the 21st century' –she says she'd be on the very first boat if an international group of artists were heading there to help. 'And I really mean that.' Because more than anything, she wants her life to count. 'To be able to say I did and said all the right things, that I showed up and that I was honest. And maybe that's what the last stage of life is about – finding your own way to your own sense of the authentic.'
Scoop
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Lineup Announced For Mānuka Phuel Synthony Origins
818. - Latest News [Page 1] Happening for one night only on Saturday 26 July at Spark Arena, SYNTHONY Origins is a return to the roots — a full throttle homage to underground club culture, warehouse raves, and the era that shaped it all. More >> Rhythm And Vines Announce Supergrans Tairāwhiti Trust As Official Charity Partner For 2025 And Beyond Wednesday, 11 June 2025, 9:34 am | 818. SuperGrans Tairāwhiti Trust ( plays a vital role in the community by enabling whānau with skills and knowledge to take greater control of their own lives. More >> The Others Way Festival First Line-Up Announcement. And A Huge Plot Twist - We're Closing Down K Road Saturday, 31 May 2025, 7:06 pm | 818. We're shutting down the street, and throwing K Road the biggest party you've ever seen, with the wildest line-up in the festival's history. You don't wanna miss it. More >> Phoebe Rings Joins Japanese Breakfast As Support For The Auckland Winter Series Saturday, 31 May 2025, 7:02 pm | 818. Made up of lead singer/synthesist Crystal Choi, drummer Alex Freer, guitar/synthesist Simeon Kavanagh-Vincent, and bassist Benjamin Locke, they join U.S. band Japanese Breakfast who will perform for the first time ever in Aotearoa next month as part ... More >> Trailer Released For Kiwi Feature Film Pike River Ahead Of Nationwide Cinema Release On October 30 Wednesday, 28 May 2025, 8:43 am | 818. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Rob Sarkies (Out of the Blue, Scarfies), Pike River tells the true story of Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse, two women who lost their loved ones in the disaster and became leading voices in the families' long fight More >> Full Cast Announced For William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet By Auckland Theatre Company Tuesday, 20 May 2025, 6:54 pm | 818. Making their Auckland Theatre Company debut, Theo Dāvid (Shortland Street) and Phoebe McKellar (One Lane Bridge) will star as the ill-fated lovers, Romeo and Juliet. More >> Naked Samoans Add One-Off Show At Q Theatre Sunday, 18 May 2025, 2:42 pm | 818. Last seen on stage together in 2018, their much-anticipated return reunites best mates Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Mario Gaoa, Shimpal Lelisi, Robbie Magasiva and Iaheto Ah Hi in a dark comedy of denial, miracles and community service. More >> The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Set To Bring Historic 75th Anniversary Milestone Show To Auckland In 2026 Friday, 16 May 2025, 7:50 am | 818. Led by the magnificent Massed Pipes and Drums featuring UK Military musicians, the Show will feature over 30 bands and acts from around the world including fan-favourite Top Secret Drum Corps and performers from the New Zealand Defence Force amongst many ... More >> Kiwi Feature Film Pike River To Receive World Premiere At Sydney Film Festival Sunday, 11 May 2025, 7:47 pm | 818. Pike River is the powerful true story of Anna Osborne (Melanie Lynskey) and Sonya Rockhouse (Robyn Malcolm), and their fight for justice alongside other Pike families following one of the worst mining disasters in Aotearoa New Zealand's history. More >> Artistic Underground Festival F.O.L.A [AKL] Returns To Tāmaki Makaurau Friday, 2 May 2025, 8:15 am | 818. Back in full force for the first time since 2023, F.O.L.A. [AKL] is a haven for the misfits, punks & menaces of the art world & is full of the kind of art that starts movements and shapes the future. It is your gateway drug to the wildest, most exciting ... More >> Beyond The Beat Flips The Script On Kiwi Music With Bold New Series Wednesday, 30 April 2025, 9:28 am | 818. Premiering this Thursday 1st May, and continuing with weekly drops throughout New Zealand Music Month - May, the series offers an electrifying glimpse into the future sound of Aotearoa. More >> A Breathtaking Collision Of Symphonic Orchestra Meets Hard Rock And Heavy Metal: Mānuka Phuel FULL METAL ORCHESTRA Saturday, 26 April 2025, 8:33 pm | 818. Phil Rudd (AC/DC), Jon Toogood (Shihad), Jennie Skulander (Devil Skin) & More Announced To Join The Line-up For Mānuka Phuel Full Metal Orchestra. From the teams behind SYNTHONY and COME TOGETHER – Brace yourself for the ultimate collision of metal ... More >> Get Ready To Fall In Love With The Auckland Live Cabaret Festival This June Wednesday, 16 April 2025, 7:09 pm | 818. Established in 2014, the Auckland Live Cabaret Season has grown in popularity each year, this year being renamed the Auckland Live Cabaret Festival, recognising its significant impact and place on the arts and cultural calendar. More >> Mall Grab Joins Auckland Winter Series Along With Shows In Wellington And Christchurch This June Monday, 31 March 2025, 8:10 pm | 818. Second Line Up Announcement Of The Auckland Winter Series More >> The Lost Dogs' Disco Set To Light Up Aotea Square This April Thursday, 20 March 2025, 9:56 pm | 818. The Lost Dogs' Disco is no ordinary exhibit. With 16 larger-than-life dogs standing (or lounging) tall—some reaching an impressive 5.5 meters—visitors will be greeted by these colourful, illuminated canine characters. More >> Japanese Breakfast Announces First Ever Aotearoa Show Thursday, 13 March 2025, 9:14 pm | 818. For Melancholy Brunettes follows a transformative period in Zauner's life during which her 2x GRAMMY nominated breakthrough album Jubilee and her bestselling memoir Crying In H Mart catapulted her into the cultural mainstream, delivering on her deepest ... More >> Jude Kelly Announces Debut EP 'The Seven Spirits Of Her' Out May 9 Friday, 7 March 2025, 8:36 am | 818. Imbued with her signature narrative-driven lyricism, each song from her upcoming project personifies a different character within herself, threaded together like chapters of a memoir. More >> Wellington Animation Film Festival To Return This March Wednesday, 5 March 2025, 6:49 pm | 818. Five highly acclaimed films will receive their New Zealand premiere: Living Large (Winner of the Section ContreChamps at Annecy 2024), Colors Within (Japan) The Storm (China) Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning (South Korea) and Rock Bottom (Spain and ... More >> Trailer Unveiled For 'Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua - Two Worlds' Sunday, 16 February 2025, 11:03 pm | 818. Marlon Williams: Ngā Ao E Rua - Two Worlds gives audiences a behind the scenes glimpse at Williams' most ambitious project to date, writing an album in te reo Māori, and the personal challenges he faces along the way. More >>
RNZ News
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Pike River movie to premiere at Sydney Film Festival
Twenty-nine men were killed in one of New Zealand's worst mining disasters. Photo: The feature film Pike River will premiere at the Sydney Film Festival on Saturday, before its release in New Zealand later this year. The movie follows the families of the 29 men killed in one of the worst mining disasters in the country and their search for justice. Director Rob Sarkies said the crew worked closely with the families of the men who died in making the film, which was shot on location in Māwhera, Greymouth, Wellington and Auckland. Pike River features New Zealand actors Melanie Lynskey as Anna Osborne and Robyn Malcolm as Sonya Rockhouse. Osborne's husband, Milton, and Rockhouse's son, Ben, were among those killed in the mine explosion 15 years ago. Rockhouse has said the film had, in some way, helped with their healing. "Anna and I have found it to be an incredibly humbling experience to be involved in the film, with a crew of people who felt strongly about the injustices we suffered and wanted to tell our story." They are attending the film's premiere in Sydney together. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
‘Pike River' trailer released, first screening in Sydney
Robyn Malcolm takes on the role of Sonya Rockhouse in the movie Pike River. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED Greymouth is set to host the New Zealand premiere of the upcoming Pike River film this October, although it will screen first at the Sydney Film Festival next week. The trailer for the film was released yesterday, offering a glimpse into a retelling of the events leading up to the November 2010 explosion that killed 29 men underground at the Pike River coalmine, and the long battle the families of the miners have faced since. The New Zealand movie opens locally on October 30. New Zealand actresses Melanie Lynskey (Two and a Half Men, Yellowjackets, The Last of Us, Heavenly Creatures) and Robyn Malcolm (After the Party, Far North, Outrageous Fortune) play Anna Osborne (Lynskey) and Sonya Rockhouse (Malcolm), who both lost their loved ones in the disaster and became leading voices in the long fight for truth and accountability. The film also features Lucy Lawless (Xena, My Life is Murder) as unionist Helen Kelly, and Tim Gordon (The Kick) as Pike families spokesman Bernie Monk. Pike River was partly shot on location in Greymouth in 2023, and some families were closely involved in the production. The film is supported by the Families Committee and Families Reference Group. Film-makers say they have chosen to premiere the movie in Greymouth to honour the community at the heart of the story, though it will have its world premiere in Sydney on June 7, as a "special presentation" at the 2000-seat State Theatre. Some Pike River families from New Zealand and Australia will be attending that screening, along with members of the cast and crew. Melanie Lynskey stars as Anna Osborne. Greymouth Mayor Tania Gibson watched the trailer yesterday morning. "It's going to be an emotional time — watching the trailer was hard in itself." The film would be good for the community to see, 15 years on. "I'm sure there will be some mixed emotions around." Director Rob Sarkies, originally from Dunedin, commented: "After working closely for more than five years with many of the Pike River families it's gratifying to be sharing the first glimpse of the film. I hope Pike River will give New Zealanders an insight into the determination of these families and an understanding of what they went through, and why. "Melanie and Robyn have done an extraordinary job capturing Anna and Sonya's inspiring friendship that transformed them into leaders for their community." — Greymouth Star
1News
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 1News
Pike River film premieres trailer ahead of October release
New Zealand audiences will get their first glimpse of the Pike River film, with the official trailer released ahead of its arrival in theatres this October. The film follows the aftermath of the Pike River mine disaster that killed 29 men on November 19, 2010. It tells the true story of two women, Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse, who lost loved ones and became central voices in the families' fight for justice. The roles are portrayed by Melanie Lynskey and Robyn Malcolm respectively, two of the country's most respected actors. ADVERTISEMENT The film also features Lucy Lawless as union leader Helen Kelly, and Tim Gordon as the Pike River families' spokesperson Bernie Monk. Melanie Lynskey and Robyn Malcolm as Anna Osborne and Sonya Rockhouse. (Source: Supplied) Director Rob Sarkies said it was "gratifying" to share the first glimpse of the film after five years of working closely with many of the Pike River families. "I hope Pike River will give New Zealanders an insight into the determination of these families and an understanding of what they went through, and why. "Melanie and Robyn have done an extraordinary job capturing Anna and Sonya's inspiring friendship that transformed them into leaders for their community." Filming took place primarily in Greymouth, with additional shoots in Wellington and Auckland. The film's world premiere will take place at the Sydney Film Festival on June 7 as a Special Presentation, followed by a New Zealand premiere in Greymouth on October 30. ADVERTISEMENT Some Pike River families from New Zealand and Australia will be in attendance along with members of the cast and crew.
