Chloe Maxwell

By Clint Morris

Interview with Model Chloe Maxwell
Co-starring in the new movie Under the Radar.

One of Australia’s most prominent young models, Chloe Maxwell has always been intrigued by the lens. Her inquisitiveness has paid off too – she’s one of the nation’s most identifiable models, a popular video disc-jockey on television and now, a promising new film star. Chloe Maxwell is re-writing the dictionary meaning of "versatile", and Clint Morris caught up with her to talk about her entrance into film, Under the Radar.

"I’ve always wanted to be on camera even since I was a little girl," reflects Maxwell from a hotel suite in Melbourne.

"My mum was relaying that story the other day – whenever the camera would come out I would be in front of it going ‘look at me, look at me’.

"In my later stages of childhood I’d do school musicals – but I always had to play a man, because I had no shape and a husky voice. That pissed me off," she laughs.

Maxwell was sixteen when she got introduced to the modelling world. "[TV series] A Current Affair was doing a story about how they could pick girls off the street and make them into models.

"Before that I had no want or need to be in the fashion industry, I actually wanted to be a journalist.

"Even when I did become a model I kept saying to my agent ‘Now you know I’m not going to be doing this for very long… I’m going to be a Journalist’. In some respects I guess I did get to be a journalist though, a music journalist for Channel V – and I didn’t even have to go to university."

Making the transition from model to VJ to actress was an unproblematic one says Maxwell. "I’ve always been a bit of an actress so in that respect, no, but I think it was hard in the fact that I was working with cast and crew who had a lot of experience.

"It was also a bit difficult because a lot of people had preconceived notions of who I was and what I was about, so it was getting over that initial stereotype."

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And the model-cum-actress says she had to really battle for the role too – no special treatment was thrown her way.

"I auditioned and went through quite a rigorous sequence of call-back and casting sessions. I went for about two or three call-backs, and then they told me I got the part, which was amazing considering I was up against some other highly esteemed Australian actresses."

A black comedy about four youngsters that get inadvertently caught up with mobsters while on their way to the beach, the film’s quite different to some of the other local comedies of late.

"I guess it’s not following the same formula as some of the other Australian films as the last few years have, it’s kind of disjointed like a Quentin Tarantino film.

"The director even drew upon the inspiration of Quentin Tarantino I believe. It’s a dark comedy, it’s aimed at a younger demographic, which makes it particularly different as well."

Maxwell got on like a ‘house on fire’ with co-stars Nathan Phillips, Steady Eddy, and Clayton Watson too, says the beauty. "They are think they’re comedians so we’re always cracking jokes. It was just great," says Maxwell, adding that we might see attestation of the cast’s tight bond on the DVD.

"I’m not sure what’s going on with that, but when we were shooting we were all asked to carry around little video cameras each and shot behind-the-scenes stuff, so it will be interesting to see whether that ends up on the DVD. Some crazy stuff on there – like Disco Bowling. Actually, maybe I should confiscate the footage."

It might be the first of many films roles for the young starlet, if everything goes to plan. "I’m actually on the short-list for a couple of new films, but I don’t feel comfortable about talking about them yet – just in case I jinx them. But yes, things are happening."

And readers wouldn’t be content unless we robbed Chloe of some of her secrets to keeping fit, hale and hearty and gorgeous.

"It’s not that hard to stay fit. Half an hour a day of exercise is easy. I like to go swimming, even in this cold weather I’m diving into the Ocean. And then after that, I like to do a jog on the soft-sand.

"I do that most mornings. I don’t really have any great beauty secrets. I basically do it on the cheap. I wear this particular cleanser only because I read something about Cher wearing it once. But yeah, that’s about $5 and I never spend too much on those types of things. So you can actually look good and not have to spend a lot of money in the meantime."

Maxwell does admit that there is pressure on a lot of young girls to be slender and attractive though, and that’s not very fair. "I don’t think as much as that goes on here as it does in Hollywood, but yes, it definitely does go on. I think they should really look at just how talented the person is, instead of going straight to their looks."

Under the Radar commences July 29th, 2004.

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