After all, it is one of the show’s cringiest moments, a bloody trainwreck of a conversation between three co-workers that starts bad and gets worse.
“I work with a South African guy called Mike and an Aussie guy called Karl,” Imbruglia says of the real-life inspiration for the skit. “I was part of an awkward exchange they had when they met and I found it so toe-curling, I decided to recreate and extend it for the screen.”
Musician Dan Kelly plays the part of Mike, bringing a pitch-perfect sense of comedic timing to the screen – though he was chosen by Imbruglia primarily for his skill when it comes to putting on accents.
“I asked my friends on Facebook, ‘Does anyone know any guys who can do a convincing South African accent?’ and multiple people tagged Dan Kelly in response. I decided to try and pin Dan down in this role. In order to make it a less intimidating proposal, I told him he could choose a friend to play the other character. He nominated – much to my delight – Gus Agars, who plays plays drums in The Gin Club and in Marlon Williams’ band. He’s a lot of fun.”
And boy does that fun translate onto the screen – albeit in a way that will have your toes curling and your hands balling up into agitated fists. “It’s so incredibly painful to watch,” Imbruglia says. “That’s my kinda fun!”
