Sitting down with the stars of the new Channel Ten show, Playing For Keeps, Jackson Gallagher and Olympia Valance, it becomes immediately clear why these two were paired together to play on-screen lovers.
With chemistry for days and the cheekiest banter, these two really have a soft spot for one another and it’s hard to tear your eyes away from them.
As it turns out, the pair go way back. A few years ago, they were two actors working on rival soaps – Home and Away for Gallagher (he left in 2016), and Neighbours for Valance – when they modelled in a campaign together.
Needless to say, rumours abounded about whether they were a couple off camera. Yet, despite what many assumed, neither really knew one another beyond that shoot.
“I tried to speak to you, but you ignored me. I slid into the DMs – I got nothing!” Gallagher laughs, with Valance next to him.
“Apparently I was giving him peanuts,” she laughs. Fast forward 18 months, and they’re good friends after filming their new show. But just how close is something fans are dying to know.
So you guys have known each other for a while?
VALANCE: We did, several years ago. But we hadn’t really spoken since then. Actually, Jackson, I have to send you this photo – I found another [from that campaign] of you and me. I’m going to post it – it’s so funny. We look so young.
People are definitely dying to know if you two are dating each other now.
VALANCE: No!
You must get asked that a lot.
VALANCE: Yeah. GALLAGHER: Do you?
VALANCE: I do.
Are you dating anyone, Olympia?
VALANCE: No. But I’m happy.
Do you play husband and wife on the show?
GALLAGHER: We start out as fiancées … but I don’t want to give too much away beyond that.
VALANCE: We are tight lipped! But yeah, the show is exciting – there’s a lot of big plot twists.
GALLAGHER: I haven’t seen it, so you never really know, but I think it’s going to be good.
Jackson, did you play footy before the show?
GALLAGHER: It’s not something I grew up doing – I was too busy riding horses as a kid. But now I love it.
Did you train with anyone?
GALLAGHER: That was a big part of it. I had a few months to get ready. I reached out to my uncle, Steven Taurbet – he used to play AFL in the 1980s, when mullets were cool. He played for Sydney and a few other teams. He put me in contact with a guy called Merv [Keane] at Essendon. He is a recruiting coach there, so I went out and he gave me some tips, and I watched the boys train.
Olympia, did you identify with your character?
VALANCE: I’m in awe of my character Tahlia, and I want to be just like her. I think she is incredibly smart. She knows exactly what she is doing, she has planned out this whole empire, basically.
You’ve personally got quite a few irons in the fire.
VALANCE: It’s exciting times.
GALLAGHER: Exciting times for Olympia Valance!
VALANCE: Shut up. This always happens – they’re going to quote you. What was I saying?
GALLAGHER: You’re empire building.
VALANCE: Ha! Yes, my character knows what she wants and she gets what she wants.
Read the full interview in this week’s issue of WHO, on sale now.
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