melbourne profile MCN
FEBRUARY 2011 • VOL 1, ISSUE 12
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Our favourite hostess explores new territory H
er wit, intelligence and off-beat glamour have made veteran actress and comedian Julia Zemiro the perfect host for SBS’s iconic Rockwiz. She recently took on the job of steering one of the most riotous annual nights of comedy when she compered The Short and Girly Comedy Gala fundraiser for the Victorian AIDS Council (VAC). She’s a big supporter of the trail blazing organisation that’s been helping Victorians prevent, deal with and survive the deadly illness for over 20 years. While the gala event was “one-night-only” the work of the VAC is ongoing and Zemiro’s awareness of the importance of their public education and prevention programs was further honed during the
filming of the upcoming SBS documentary series, Sex: An Unnatural History. Zemiro will be the viewers’ tour guide through the sixpart series exploring the last 50 years of Australia’s sexual landscape. “It’s not a ‘how to, series,” she laughed. “It’s looking at where we are with sex in Australia right now and exploring where we might go in the future.” “I was interviewing the most extraordinary people: doctors, lay Anglican ministers, academics. “We looked at things like virtual sex, even robots, but the consensus seems to be that no matter how rapidly technology develops, human beings still want to be close. “That’s what makes being a young person trying to come to terms with all this so difficult. Sex has always been fast and
Breakthroughs in the last two years have renewed hopes in some circles that scientists may be closer to developing a vaccine for HIV furious. It’s often impulsive, particularly when you’re young and we’re human,” she emphasised. It’s an important point. We all know, for example, that condoms are the best protection against STIs. But, as Zemiro points out, we also know we should always wear hats in the Australian sun – and we don’t do that either. Zemiro’s empathy for the much maligned Generation Y was possibly forged during her stint with Bell Shakespeare’s
school touring company when she first graduated from Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). “They only had one touring company at the time and I was really thrilled to be selected. It’s still on my list as one of my top five jobs of all time ... the teachers and the kids were all pretty great,” she said. Breakthroughs in the last two years have renewed hopes in some circles that scientists may be closer to developing a vaccine for HIV, but Zemiro’s duties on Sex: An Unnatural History also brought her face to face with the complex realities of medical research. “It just takes so much money and so much time. There’s so much unavoidable trial and error,” she said. For more information, or to donate to Victorian AIDS Council: www.vicaids.asn.au Sex: An Unnatural History airs on SBS later this year.
Melbourne’s favourite hostess, Julia Zemiro
Zemiro’s Melbourne
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Photo: Tourism Victoria
By Rebecca Ponsford
Photo: TSPublicity
While the gala event was “one-night-only” the work of the Victorian AIDS Council is ongoing
emiro’s considered Melbourne home since 2003, but it was an eventful and colourful journey that led her here. She was born in Aix-enProvence and was brought to Australia at the age of two and a half when her parents settled in Sydney. It was the early 90s before she came to Melbourne for the first time to complete her acting training at VCA, and then spent several years moving back and forth for her work in theatre, film and television. She really feels like this is home now though, and loves her favourite haunts in cafe -dense Fitzroy. “I like to hang out in Brunswick Street,” she says, and rattles off the wealth of cosy venues on and near the famous
route: Joe’s Garage, Rumbarella’s, Mario’s, Cafe Easy, Min ... As a dedicated “public transport girl” she loves the proximity to the city. “When I’m working or rehearsing in the city I just have to walk through the Edinburgh Gardens and I’m there,” she says. The cafes strips along the Yarra, though, are the clear favourites. “I love the riverside,” she says. “Southbank has its ups and downs and it can be a bit commercial, but it’s as close to Europe as you’ll find in Australia. “At night time with the lights – it’s just beautiful. I love going for a drink down there, and it’s a wonderful place to walk.”
As close to Europe as you can find in Australia
w w w.cliveclinics.com.au