Saskia’s television credits include the leading role in Wicked Science, Water Rats, and Blue Heelers for which she received the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television series in 2006.
Saskia’s feature credits include the role of Jane Jones in Ned Kelly, Erica Yurken in Hating Alison Ashley, Rivka in Jewboy and Vanya in the ensemble drama The Jammed.
Tell me in your own words about your character, Nikki Caetano, in Sea Patrol?
My character is Nikki Caetano, the navigator. Nikki is young, passionate and driven. She loves the Navy and always knew that she would find herself following an officer's career. A beautiful aspect and something very enticing about her character is two conflicting passions she can't ignore.
Pulling her in one direction is her devotion to the Navy and her passion to respect and honour her CO. But the other aspect to Nikki's life right now is that she is falling in love for the first time with ET, and this of course is not allowed on the same ship. This creates a beautiful tug of war inside of her, constantly presenting challenges throughout the series.
How is your character similar or different to yourself?
Nikki was such a pleasure to play. I really admire her dedication to her job, in that way we are similar, we simply love what we do. I love that Nikki's character is experiencing what I observe in a lot of my girlfriends, being young, faced with exciting choices and wanting to follow your heart, though that can be tearing you in very different directions. Another thing, Nikki is slightly better at Mathematics than me, I couldn't Navigate with all those numbers to save my life!
What was the most memorable aspect of filming?
Boot camp was pretty memorable. From the blisters, sleeping above Lisa McCune on a docked Patrol boat for two nights, learning how to navigate, eating SCRAN every day... that first introduction week was so challenging, yet so rewarding. And as an actor it was invaluable. We even did the same oath upon induction into the Navy, we just changed the words to "...the Navy series Sea Patrol."
What was your view of the navy prior to the show compared to now?
I always respected the Navy. I always acknowledged their presence in protecting Australian waters, but Sea Patrol has opened my eyes to the Navy being a family. They not only have honour and pride in our country, but tremendous support within the ships crew. I really walked away from Sea Patrol feeling like I became apart of something special.
Any anecdotes that make the show memorable or different from other shows you have worked on?
This was such an exciting, adventurous, thrilling filming process. I feel as though Sea Patrol really is ground breaking. Shooting in the middle of the ocean, doing boat transfers with camera gear and costumes changes, make-up bags and lighting equipment. I also have never experienced such camaraderie between cast and crew. We were all there from zero five hundred hours to dusk on the ocean, in the pouring raining, all holding each others hair back as we got sea sick. That's what made Sea Patrol so special, how much we all believed in the project... to present to Australia the lives of, essentially, our heroes.
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