Following The Secrets She Keeps, Jessica De Gouw Still Sees Social Media as a Force for Good

Laura Carmichael and Jessica De Gouw in The Secrets She Keeps

This interview was originally written for Sainte Magazine.

There was a time, not so long ago, when social media influencers reigned supreme, infiltrating our daily lives with sponsored posts and carefully curated, color-coordinated feeds. It seemed like that would always be the way things were. To use a phrase that politicians are so fond of at the moment, it was “a new normal”. But as Covid hit and normalcy became a privilege that fewer and fewer people were allowed, the age of the influencer came to a screeching halt. As folks literally fought for their lives and adjusted as best they could to surviving with reduced income, children unable to attend school, and not being able to leave their houses, sponsored posts about a new diet tea or complaints of boredom from within pristine mansions didn’t sit well with the public-at-large.

So, the Australian thriller series The Secrets She Keeps (featuring on Sundance Now in America and BBC One in the UK) has come at a rather interesting time. Set in modern Sydney, Australia, the story follows the twists and turns of two very, very pregnant women: influencer Meghan (Jessica De Gouw, Gretel and Hansel, Dracula) and supermarket worker, Agatha (Laura Carmichael, Downton Abbey). The two women provide a sharp social contrast -- although they are the same age, Meghan is well-off, married, already has two children, and is unsure what this third child will mean to an already strained marriage (telling her followers, of course, that she couldn’t be happier). Agatha is single, living just above the poverty line, and desperately clinging to the belief that this child is the answer to all of her problems. Their worlds entwine and collide in a six-part thriller that is pleasurable, thoughtful, and intense.

When I spoke with Jessica on a Thursday afternoon, her lilting voice was almost comforting, even through a bad phone connection. The question of the purpose of influencers weighed heavily on my mind, having just completed the series and still feeling very disenchanted by influencer culture in general.

[Cassandra Litten] What it was like to shoot all of the emotional twists and turns of The Secrets She Keeps?

[Jessica De Gouw] There were certainly a lot of those. If you have a creative team like we did, incredible directors and producers and a cast who are very, very open and supportive... it's not a challenge so much as a very enjoyable, creative experience. Having people around you all the time who are ready to dive in and sort of go those places with you, it was actually just a lot of fun, but it did, at times, feel a bit overwhelming. [But] people are very, are very supportive.

[c.l.] And what was it like playing opposite Laura Carmichael?

[j.d.g.] With Laura? Oh, I mean, amazing (laughter). Laura and I knew each other before shooting. We were friends already, we knew each other from London. I can't remember if I found out she had been cast around the same time as me, which was a lovely surprise. But also, it meant that I could show her around Sydney, 'cause I've lived in Sydney before, and [I could] introduce her to my friends. It was a really lovely time to be (laughter) hanging out as well as being creative partners. It was brilliant.

Jessica De Gouw as The Witch in Gretel and Hansel

[c.l.] Your two most recent roles, as the Witch in Gretel and Hansel and Meghan in The Secrets She Keeps, made me realize I've never really seen you in anything that's terribly similar to something you've done before. I've never been, like, "Oh, wow! Jessica De Gouw in another genre role,"--

[j.d.g] Oh, thank you, that's kind of you to say (laughter).

[c.l.] I think this, kind of obviously, speaks to your versatility as an actor and made me wonder how you choose projects or what draws you to the roles that you accept or go after?

[j.d.g.] Yeah, definitely. Where I first try to look is in the script, 'cause I think you could have the most creative, the most amazing crew, the most creative, the most amazing director, but if the script isn't there before you start shooting… it's never going to be incredible because everything starts with the script. I'm always very, very curious who the creatives are and what they're saying with the story as well. I think that's a lot of how I pick what I do… what is it, what is it saying, what is the character about, what do I want to say with this character, and why do I feel like I could tell this story as opposed to somebody else. I like to choose characters that are different from one another that explore different things or different aspects of me, whatever that might be, and I certainly [try] very hard to not repeat myself, which, obviously, to some degree is inevitable.

[c.l.] Of course.

[j.d.g.] But yeah, it's fun to play a new character every time and have very different experiences and live in very different worlds.

Courtesy of Jessica De Gouw on Instagram, @jaydegee

[c.l.] Touching on the importance of understanding what a character is saying and how you can best tell the story, I've noticed that you use your platform on social media to speak up on important issues, most recently, Black Lives Matter, you're frequently defending LGBTQ rights whenever you can. Actually, before the wildfires in Australia became, you know, a trending topic worldwide, I learned about them through your Instagram. So, I was wondering-

[j.d.g.] Really? Oh, that's amazing.

[c.l.] (laughs) Yes! I was wondering what it means to you to stay so involved and use your platform to further awareness on things that are obviously very important to you.

[j.d.g.] Well, I mean, I think you just sort of made your point very clearly (laughter), you know, in the fact that you... weren't aware of the Australian bush fires and coming across something that I said on social media brought your attention to it. I think that that's an incredible thing, and I think if you have the platform, then you should use [it]. I mean, obviously, a lot of it is for bringing people, making people aware of my work, and projects, but you do have a responsibility, and there's a lot that you shouldn't stay quiet about. I think there are people who are better at it, and there are people who are more qualified, people whose voices we should definitely be focusing on and uplifting and listening to. I sort of try and do that a little bit as well... draw attention to these voices who are much more capable... talking about these things than I am. The beautiful thing about social media is that I can do this. We have access to the whole world, so why not try and sort of communicate and become a community?