Teresa Palmer considers herself fortunate after securing the challenging role of an anxiety-ridden woman in the new film Addition. The Australian actress did not hesitate to accept the part, committing to the project even before reviewing the screenplay.
From Zombie Romance to Psychological Drama
Early in her professional journey, Palmer gained recognition for her breakthrough performance in the 2013 American comedy Warm Bodies, where she portrayed a young woman who develops feelings for a zombie character played by Nicholas Hoult. That unconventional premise required significant trust from the actors involved, but producer Bruna Papandrea possesses remarkable persuasive abilities.
Papandrea's exceptional talent for identifying and adapting successful literary works has become legendary within the industry. Her impressive track record includes transforming bestselling novels like Gone Girl, Big Little Lies, and The Dry into acclaimed screen productions.
A Collaboration Built on Trust
The combination of Papandrea's stellar reputation and Palmer's previous positive working relationship with the producer made the decision to join Addition remarkably straightforward for the actress. "You had me at, 'Bruna'," Palmer chuckled during a recent Zoom interview. "I already said 'Yes' before I even read the script because it is Bruna Papandrea, but it was a double 'Yes' after I read it."
The film adaptation draws its narrative from Australian author Toni Jordan's novel of the same title. The story follows Grace, a woman who copes with childhood trauma through obsessive counting that permeates every aspect of her existence. This psychological coping mechanism significantly impacts her ability to develop and sustain a new romantic connection with Seamus, portrayed by Game of Thrones actor Joe Dempsie.
Connecting with the Character
"I read the script and I fell in love with this quick-witted, brilliant mind. Grace is just an incredible character," Palmer explained regarding her immediate connection to the role. Following her initial enthusiasm, the actress embarked on extensive research to ensure her portrayal would successfully translate Grace's complex psychology from page to screen.
Palmer revealed her research process included studying anxiety disorders generally and discovering particularly valuable insights from a woman sharing her personal experiences with anxiety-driven counting behaviors on YouTube. "She was just very open with these intrusive thoughts, how the spiral would pick up, how it would take off, it would take hold of her, and it was really interesting how she found her way out of the spiral. I found that very invaluable," Palmer noted.
The Challenge of Authentic Portrayal
Papandrea had maintained the rights to Jordan's novel for fourteen years, but previous screenplay versions struggled to capture the character's unique qualities authentically. Even with an improved script, finding the right actress presented significant difficulties.
"Grace was a very hard role to cast," Papandrea acknowledged. "She's a very complex character, and she needs to read very intelligent but also incredibly vulnerable at times. So it was an amazing thing when we sent the script to Teresa, and she had such a strong reaction to it, and I kind of knew instinctively, 'Oh, this is meant to be'."
Exploring Mental Health and Relationships
Unlike depictions such as Rain Man, which presented a complicated legacy regarding autism representation, Grace's character faces psychological challenges rather than neurodevelopmental conditions. Addition excels in examining how mental health struggles can profoundly affect both familial and romantic relationships.
Palmer elaborated on this thematic exploration: "When we're first falling in love with someone, we all do this thing where we show the very best of ourselves. You're falling in love, and you're putting your best foot forward, and maybe you're not quite cracking open the areas that are a bit vulnerable that you feel shame about. You are the very shiniest version of yourself, and Grace is trying to keep that up, and it's utterly exhausting for her."
The actress described wanting Grace's emotional state to feel "like a kettle waiting to boil" with pressure gradually building until "it comes out in different ways and she snaps, and she can be wild and erratic and crazy and all these things that are so beautifully unique to her."
Palmer emphasized her desire to portray the universal struggle of suppressing emotions until they inevitably surface: "Something I really wanted to portray on film is just the act of trying to shove the lid on top of the feelings and then they just burst out of you. You can't help it when you become very intimate with someone in a way where it's real, true, deep, revealing love—you have to show everything, warts and all."
The film Addition is currently screening in cinemas across Australia, bringing this nuanced exploration of anxiety, trauma, and human connection to audiences nationwide.
