EXCLUSIVE: Nicky Whelan dishes on working with George Clooney and Jack Black (2024)

Socially distanced in her Los Angeles home with her pug, Yoda, Aussie actress Nicky Whelan is doing her best to stay positive during the COVID-19 crisis.

WATCH:Nicky Whelan flaunts revealing outfit for Chris Harrison’s launch party

She FaceTimes with her family in Australia and meditates for two hours daily. But music has been her hero. “It’s helped me get through this and it sounds so simple and silly,”Whelan, 38, shares, “but I constantly have music playing in my house, all different music that reminds me of different chapters and stages of my life, and it’s this emotional journey.” And when the dance music kicks in, she says mischievously, “I’m like, ‘Oh s–t, post it on Instagram!’”

That fun, spontaneous energy has propelled her Hollywood career, too. Whelan, starring in the upcoming film The Binge with Vince Vaughn, takes time out to catch up with WHO.

You are part of Neighbours’ 35-year history! What did you love about playing Pepper Steiger?

People that know me well always say I’m pretty bubbly, and this character had this long mermaid hair, she was the sport teacher, she was so bouncy and she had this delicious relationship with Benji Hart, who played Adam [Rhodes] from England. We had such an adventure.

Do you keep in touch with others?

I’m still so close to so many of the crew. I mean, Steph Mac [Stephanie McIntosh] and I have been on FaceTime in this quarantine, and she just went back and did the special. She’s one of my girls!

After Neighbours, you moved to Los Angeles and quickly became Mayaon Scrubs, and starred in 2011’s Hall Pass. Were you destined for comedy?

One of my first jobs in America was for Funny or Die. I was working with Will Ferrell. But I’m always surrounded by incredible comedians, so I don’t ever really take the credit for being funny. It wasn’t like I was sitting back saying, “I want to go in a comedy direction.” I just loved it.

And now we’ll see you opposite Vince Vaughn in The Binge, out later this year!

I did The Wedding Ringer a couple of years ago with Josh Gad and Kevin Hart, who are two incredibly talented comedians and actors. And the director of that, Jeremy Garelick, called me and asked me to come back in his latest movie. And I was so bloody happy because I had said to the universe, “Give me something funny,” and sure enough, Jeremy called me!

You had just done the thriller Trauma Center with Bruce Willis last year, right?

Yes! This stuff is heavy! So to get this bibbidi bobbidi role – Jeremy goes, “Nicky, you’re playing a deejay. You can just dance” – well, I had an absolute ball.

Your Instagram is pretty upbeat, too. You recently shared your Nespresso ad with George Clooney and Jack Black …

I auditioned for that job and, I promise you, there were six-foot models everywhere and
I was this dumpy little 163cm Aussie walking around. I was blown away about the whole job and then, “Oh, you’re off to Lake Como with George Clooney and Jack Black for a commercial.” It doesn’t get better than that. That’s why I posted it! I’m so proud of it.

Was it cathartic to talk about your 2017 divorce a year later via social media?

I never ever spoke about my divorce and neither did he [ex-husband Kerry Rhodes].
I liked that we unconsciously made this effort to do that. But I did think it was important a year later … to reflect and let people know that I am human and there were moments when I was on my knees
and then there were moments when I laughed harder than I ever have.

Are you at a good place with your relationships now?

Break–ups don’t always have to be a sad thingdepending on how you want to look atthem. Kyle [Schmid, who Nicky dated towards the end of 2019] and I had a fantastic time together. We have gone our separate ways now, which is so peaceful and so beautiful. And again, another chapter in mylife that was wonderful.

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