TAKING CENTRE STAGE

THE ACTRESS ON HER NEW SERIES AND THE MAJOR STAR SHE WANTS TO WORK WITH NEXT

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As Detective Andrea (Andie) Whitford in Binge's new crime thriller High Country, Leah Purcell has a lot on her plate. New to town, Whitford is tasked with solving five murder mysteries and missing persons cases while also on her own journey of self-discovery.

Meanwhile, her and her partner's past is lurking in the rear-vision mirror.

At the heart of High Country is a woman who must connect to Country to solve not only her personal puzzle, but the puzzle that's left the community fearful and local police scratching their heads.

When WHO sat down with Purcell to talk all things High Country, she was in Brisbane for the Matilda Awards, to celebrate her play Is That You, Ruthie?, which she not only wrote, but also directed. Purcell's ongoing contribution to the arts in Australia is immeasurable. She was a fan favourite in Wentworth, and appeared in series like Police Rescue, Redfern Now, Love My Way, Janet King and, more recently, The Lost Flowers of Alice Har alongside Sigourney Weaver, Asher Keddie and Alycia Debnam-Carey. Now, as the brilliant lead in High Country - also starring Sara Wiseman, Aaron Pedersen and Geoff Morell - this proud Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka Murri woman gets to tap into her Aboriginality once again.

Her culture is, of course, part of the storyline.