Rose McIver
Rose McIver
Frances Rose McIver is a New Zealand actress. Her mainstream feature film debut came in 2009's The Lovely Bones; other works include the films Predicament, and Blinder; as well as guest appearances in New Zealand-based shows Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and Legend of the Seeker. McIver was a series regular on Power Rangers RPM, and she has recurring roles in both Showtime's Masters of Sex and on ABC's Once Upon a Time...
NationalityNew Zealander
ProfessionTV Actress
Date of Birth10 October 1988
CityAuckland, New Zealand
My brother was scouted for a commercial when he was three, and it was just because he could speak clearly and was well behaved, basically. I don't think he had any amazing acting ability at that age - although he is actually a great actor.
I also have a role model back in New Zealand, a woman called Miranda Harcourt. She's an actress and a writer. Her willingness to stay open to material is really great. I read a lot, and I try to watch and listen to diverse material.
Tinker Bell is a great wing woman. And as somebody pointed out to me, she is also a winged woman.
My mom used cold cream her whole life, and she's got great skin!
The great thing about being an actor in a film is that you're able to start knowing exactly where you're going to finish and really paint something in between. You can work to know the arc you need to build. Whereas in television, it is open-ended, and you're constantly guessing. There are pros and cons to both.
I've done a lot of drama, and as a lifestyle, going to work and laughing every day is just great. It's great for your mental health, and it's great for setting up a nice year.
I work with a stylist called Devon Nuszer and a makeup artist called Aaron Barry, and between those two, I trust them implicitly. I have the things I do over and over again and that I feel safe with, but they inspire me to take risks, and I trust them so much.
When I was about five, I could do a vaguely decent American accent - straight through kind of decent - and 'Hercules' needed some kids. I definitely wasn't a good actor.
My motivation is to get a deeper understanding and exploration of something that I want to know about the human condition. So, that's what I look for in the material I read: if it's asking a genuine question about a concept of the world that interests me. And also, it helps if it's a context that I find interesting.
My most vivid memory - it's actually one of my first memories - I was three, and I was the youngest angel in the show production. And I remember being absolutely desperate for the toilet. I needed to wee really badly. So I was crossing my legs when I was walking down.
I think if I manage to juggle a personal life that I'm really happy with as well, as long as I manage to maintain balance, that's kind of the mark of success to me.
I really like questions. I like people who write scripts because they're asking questions, not because they're giving answers. It's something that I look for.
I had to do a Northern England accent once, and I didn't have much time, so I went and pored through YouTube. There are all sorts of resources out there. The Internet has made that much more affordable. Don't break your neck to spend your money.
I don't really have a drive toward being a director at all. Not that I wouldn't rule it out, but I just don't think my instincts lie necessarily in a very visual way. But I am very interested in storytelling, narrative and character development, so writing is something that I absolutely want to do.