It has been an “empowering” journey for Miranda Tapsell to bring her community’s stories to the screen. First, she captured audiences with the 2019 film Top End Wedding, and now she returns with the newly released TV series Top End Bub. The Larrakia and Tiwi actor and writer expressed her desire to showcase how, in her experience, Indigenous families prioritize children.
“My mum was always taking in kids,” Tapsell shared. “Even though I’m an only child, I was never by myself,” she added, highlighting the communal approach to child-rearing that she experienced growing up.
In Top End Bub, Tapsell portrays high-powered lawyer Lauren Ford, who, along with her husband Ned, played by British actor Gwilym Lee, relocates from Adelaide to Darwin to care for her niece Taya, affectionately known as Bub, after her mother’s tragic death in a car accident.
Challenging Stereotypes and Celebrating Kinship
The series offers a warm depiction of Lauren’s family, including her mother Daffy, played by Ursula Yovich, and her non-Indigenous father Trevor, portrayed by Huw Higginson. This portrayal stands in contrast to the often negative media depictions of Indigenous families, particularly during the Northern Territory Intervention from 2007 to 2022.
“The families I know in Darwin and on the Tiwi Islands, they’re not negligent,” Tapsell asserted. “They are very inclusive. My dad is non-Indigenous and he has really been brought into the fold; same as my husband.”
For Tapsell, it was crucial to highlight the dynamic kinship system of the Tiwi people. “We do think outside the nuclear family,” she explained. “It isn’t just the mum and the dad: it’s the nanna, it’s the aunty, it’s the uncles.”
A Universal Story with Local Roots
Co-star Gwilym Lee believes that Top End Bub will resonate with audiences worldwide because it combines specificity with universal themes. “We’re telling a story about this blended family and this different version of a family,” he said. “And I think anyone can relate to that.”
Lee emphasized the importance of community in child-rearing, a concept that has become somewhat lost in modern society. “We have to re-imagine how we have a family, how we bring up children, and actually reconnect with the idea that it takes a community, a village, to raise a child.”
Returning to Darwin and Expanding the Story
In the original movie, Lauren returned to her hometown of Darwin to marry Ned. The film, which opened at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2019, quickly garnered an international audience. “It meant so much to me that so many people that watched the movie were able to apply their own lives to it,” Tapsell told ABC Entertainment.
She and co-creator Joshua Tyler were eager to revisit Darwin and the Ford family five years later to explore “what happens after happily ever after?” This question mirrors Tapsell’s personal life, as she experienced significant life changes, including marriage and motherhood, during the series’ development.
Beyond these personal parallels, Tapsell wanted to delve deeper into the relationship between Daffy and Trevor. “Ursula Yovich did such an incredible job in the film, but she’s only in it for, like, six minutes,” Tapsell noted. “She deserved another go, especially when I started to see the incredible chemistry that she and Huw had in the film.”
Spotlighting Indigenous Talent
The series not only highlights Indigenous actors but also showcases Indigenous musicians, including King Stingray, Baker Boy, and Jem Cassar-Daley. Additionally, it provides opportunities for Indigenous artists behind the scenes. Shari Sebbens, who played Lauren’s sister in the movie, directed much of the series, marking one of her first ventures into screen directing after a career in theatre.
Tiwi woman Libby Collins, who served as a script consultant on Top End Wedding, took on the role of producer for Top End Bub. “She was our bridge between the [Tiwi] community and the creative team,” Tapsell explained. “It all just begins with asking the question: Why can’t these people come along for the journey?”
The Humor of Blak Matriarchy
The Ford family, particularly the women, are depicted as both humorous and strong-willed. In one memorable episode, Lauren and Ned plan an elaborate birthday party for Bub without consulting her, leading to comedic chaos. Tapsell drew inspiration from her own family, describing her mother and aunties as “driven and formidable” with high expectations for their children.
Despite her early dramatic roles, Tapsell has found a niche in comedy, with credits in shows like Preppers and Get Krack!n. “I didn’t think I was that funny,” she admitted, but she sees comedy as a powerful tool for accessibility and survival. “What was so important to me about making Top End Bub a comedy was to really make it more accessible to the audience, particularly non-Indigenous people,” Tapsell said. “Through comedy, I feel my family, my community, have survived through so much, through so many generations.”
