In the middle of Los Angeles, Teresa Palmer sits in a rented motorhome as we begin our Zoom conversation. But what TV WEEK initially believes to be her trailer on a film set is, in fact, the setup for a family road trip through Tornado Alley, a vast region of America from Illinois to Mississippi that is prone to severe weather patterns. For some, that might sound like a terrifying scene from 1990s thriller Twister, but for Teresa, it’s a tick off her bucket list.
“I’ve always wanted to be a storm chaser,” Teresa, 39, says with a laugh.
“We’re going along Tornado Alley to chase some storms with my kids – but not really, obviously, because I’m pregnant and have children, but we are going to a lot of those places. We go on a RV road trip every year.”
The Aussie actress is referring to the anticipated arrival of her fifth child with husband Mark Webber. The couple, who have been married since 2013, are already parents to Bodhi Rain, Forest Sage, Poet Lake and Prairie Moon, as well as Isaac Love from Mark’s previous relationship.
And be it chasing storms or chasing dreams, Teresa is quickly passing on the lesson that nothing is out of reach. That said, she doesn’t claim to have or know it all, but keeps showing up as a mother first, and as an actress.
“I don’t know many actors in this industry, aside from Angelina Jolie, who have this many children,” she says.
“But, before I even had them, I told everyone I was having six kids. I’ve had insecure moments when I thought no one would hire me because the other actress [in the audition] doesn’t have kids and my needs on set are different. But I keep going for it and the opportunities are still coming.”
The demands of the job aren’t without hurdles and Teresa commends her support team for allowing her to stay flexible and curious in the projects she pursues.
“If I didn’t have my amazing husband and my mother, who lives and travels with us, it would be a lot harder,” she says. But, for the most part, the kids are with them, chasing the next adventure.
“We are the travelling circus,” she says. “I never leave for work and come back. We go together and have these life experiences. Our kids have been to different schools in different countries, and we’ve lived all over.
“I’m still getting hired and I’m so grateful. But I’ve made wonderful friends in the industry who advocate for me, especially in Australia. So, if I keep coming back, I’ll be set.”
With a string of local productions, including Ride Like a Girl, The Clearing and The Last Anniversary, the Adelaide native has become slightly ‘addicted’ to working in Australia. Now, she’s set to star alongside Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) and Aussie Ben Lawson in Mix Tape, a romantic drama that follows the lives of two teenagers who fall in love in the 1980s.
Two decades on, they are adults and living separate lives… until a twist of fate brings them back together. Teresa was instantly reminded of her own first love.
“I was 16 years old and I was in love with a football player,” she recalls. “We dated on and off until I was 21. He was the first man I lived with, and it was a beautiful, potent love – and this story reminded me of that. How many of us have wondered where our first love is and what they’re doing?”
It also connected her with Jim, whom she met while auditioning for the 2008 film, 21.
“I read with him and it was between me and Kate [Bosworth, who ended up getting the role],” she says. “To have that moment and then reconnect after all this time, with kids and life experiences, the nostalgia instantly drew me in. It’s been an amazing experience.”
Mix Tape releases on June 12 on Binge in Australia.
