Actresses Anita Hegh and Jessica Marais arrive on location in Concord where they are filming Carlotta / Pic: Justin Lloyd Source: The Daily Telegraph
THIS is the first look at Jessica Marais as Carol Byron, who later became Les Girls superstar Carlotta.
Confidential was invited on set for a first look at the Packed To The Rafters actress in costume for the upcoming ABC telemovie.
"I'm having a lot of fun," Marais said on the Concord set.
Production began in Sydney this week and will tell the true story of Carlotta's troubled childhood as a boy named Richard and her rise to become a star of Les Girls and a transgender advocate.
Anita Hegh plays Carlotta's mother Evelyn, while Ryan Johnson is her former boyfriend Peter.
The real-life Carlotta is heavily involved in the project as a consultant, working with producers Lara Radulovich (Wentworth, Neighbours) and Riccardo Pellizzeri (MDA, Blue Heelers) for the past six years.
"Carlotta is quite a niche project and there is some quite confronting material in there," said Radulovich.
"I'm not sure she ever thought it was going to happen but she stuck with us and, with hindsight, I think that very long development period has actually worked for the story.
"We are really good friends now and I feel a real obligation to tell her story."
Marais was the first choice to play Carlotta.
"Jess is a really earthy, funny, bright and warm person and that is Carlotta," said Radulovich. "And, visually, if you look at pictures of Carlotta when she was a young headliner, she looked like Brigitte Bardot, so they are the perfect match for this."
It is hard to imagine but the role will require Marais to be transformed into Carlotta's male self, Richard.
The telemovie will also star Caroline O'Connor, Alex Dimitriades and Paul Capsis.
