That Gaby Roslin Podcast: Reasons To Be Joyful - Victoria Broom

Episode Date: August 13, 2025

Actor Victoria Broom joins Gaby for a chat about all things joy! They discuss her new show "I Jack Wright" (not I Jack Black, as Gaby keeps calling it) and her role in Wonder Woman (where she got to break into song with some of the cast). They also discuss her passion and advocacy for queer representation on screen - and her charity work, which includes work for Period Poverty and The Stroke Association.You can watch all our episodes over on our YouTube channel - where you'll also get our bonus episodes every Friday! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Victoria Broome, welcome to the podcast. Thank you. You are a reason to be joyful in yourself. It's so lovely to chat to you again. Do you have any ideas what I can do, and politely, with my teaspoon? Put it in your tea? No, it's hot water with lemon. I'm not sure.

Bend it. Oh, like Yuri Geller. His name was Yuri Gellar. Yeah. Did you ever try and do it? Yeah, of course. I think everybody tried to do it. But, you know, where he was just staring at it and running it.

I'm going to stare at it. The whole podcast I'm going to stare at it. Brilliant. Maybe you can make my spoon bend. Maybe. I'm just, I'll stare at it as well. Let's do that. Oh, it's just bent.

Who's going to know? Because if I do that, then it's noisy. Oh, not sounding. There we go. That's it. I'm putting it on the seat. Yeah, a token spoon. I like it.

Okay, should we start with? I Jack Black, which isn't called I Jack Black. No, I Jack Wright. But has Jack Black seen it? it? I don't know. I would think so. Maybe. It's so good. It is good, right? Well, when the very first time I interviewed you on the radio, I said on air, I Jack Black, and you didn't correct me. That's why I'm laughing about, no. It's I Jack Ride. I Jack Ride. So good. It is, yeah. And actually everything, this isn't me being sycophantic. You know, when I talk to you, cheetahs,

Marcella. Yeah, good shows, right? I'm lucky. Yeah. really good shows. And you were in Wonder Woman, Super Wonder Woman 1984? Oh my goodness. So that, I was a tiny, tiny part in that. But if there's any, like, DC. But you were in Wonder Woman? I was, and with the original Wonder Woman, which, like, if there's any DC hardcore fans,

yeah, they, it's at the very end of the, you know, when Marvel in DC do that kind of, oh, here's a little treat for the fans. It was one of those scenes. And I didn't know, because you have to sign so many NDAs when you do something like that. So I had no idea what it was I was filming. I had no idea who I was filming with. They're ridiculous. And then when I got there, I got to Warner Brothers, I was like...

Sorry, rewind, rewind, what do you mean? You're doing what you're filming? So when you're doing like a... Because it was a small role. When you're doing a small role like that, you guess, but you don't know until you get there. And then they go, okay, yes. So you are on Wonder Woman 1984. Because the film had actually already been filmed.

So this was a pickup because Patty Jenkins was like... like, I know, sounds, sounds random. So you get to see. Yes, but the audition is a made-up audition. Made-up audition, made-up audition, made-up names. Do you not know that? No. Okay, okay, of course you won't, because you're not right. So, yeah, so we, we, so basically, when you're doing something...

Take me through from the beginning. Your agent calls you. Yeah, so your agent calls you and it's got, right, you've got an audition for something where you have to sign an NDA and they're going to send over fake sides. And I'm like... A side is a script. So the bit of the audition. And they're like, okay, so this is what you know about the character,

but that might not be the character you're playing. And I'm like, okay, so this was years ago, though. But I was like, okay. And they said, but we think it's for Wonder Woman, the new Wonder Woman. And I was like, right. Okay. So I had to go in with, I had to go in with this made-up script. It's so weird.

And actors' life is so strange. Made-up script. And then they were like, they called my agent the next day. And they were like, yeah, she's nailed it. She's gone to network. They're happy. She's got the job. But you don't know what job at this.

But I didn't know what job at this stage. And they said, but it's something, you know, it's something exciting. And I was like, okay. But then I was Googling it. And I was like, well, Wonder Woman's already finished filming. So I was like, okay. Right. So then they were like, okay, they've sent you the actual sides now.

But the names were different on the character names. So was it Daphne. Something like that, like Dave and Pete or something. Okay. And so then I turned up onto the Warner Brothers set and I was like, okay, it's either Fast and Furious or I'm in like Wonder Woman. And then I went into the makeup trailer, Linda Carter, Galgado, Paddy Jenkins. All of us together. Not all of us together.

And I went, so it's Wonder Woman then, right, okay? And that was it. That's how I knew. What was the conversation going on in the makeup talk? Oh, well, we all started singing Dolly Parton's 9 to 5. Because Linda Carter's a countryman western singer, and so is her daughter, and her daughter was there. Honestly, Gabby, it was the most bizarre thing I've ever experienced. But wonderful.

So we all just started singing 9 to 5. It was great. You sung 9 to 5 with the two Wonder Women. Two Wonder Women and Paddy Jenkins, an Oscar winning director. Yeah. On the Warner Brothers set. Oh, that's insane. Isn't it?

And then were you not allowed to tell anybody that that had happened? No, no. Until it came out. No, yeah. And I didn't even say anything about it, because it came out during COVID. So I was gutted because I was like, oh, well, that would have been a nice premiere to go to, you know. So I was absolutely gutted. So it came out during going to go, and that's when all the cinemas were closing down.

So honestly, it was the most Hollywood experience ever. But the fact that we were all just sitting there, Linda Carter was in a robe, just looking very gorgeous and glamorous. Gal Godot, who's gorgeous and glamorous, Paddy Jenkins, who's gorgeous and glamorous. And we were all just sitting there. And you, and you as well? And then we were all just sitting there.

And honestly, it was the most random, fabulous memory I will have. Who started singing first? Oh, it was Linda Carter. Linda and her daughter, yeah. Because she was saying she's in the UK. The reason this came about is because she was in the UK. So Paddy Jenkins was like, right, we need to add something in here. And so it was, because the film had been finished.

So they added this in. bit at the end. The added bit at the end. Yeah. If you've not watched it, watch it, guys, because it is pretty special. I don't know how any of your future stories in this episode are going to top that. I know, right. Yeah. Is that the top of the top? That is, yeah. When people say to me what is one of your, like, most memorable moments on set, I can't really beat that. No, you can't. Well, it's been lovely having you on. Thank you so much, Victoria. Thanks very much.

Yes, let's see. Okay, let's talk about you. Sorry, I'm not going to be able to get that picture out my head. Yeah. By the way, what did you did, did you not get to do the turn with them? Oh, no, but she did do it. She did do it in front of you. Yes, yes, yes.

In the makeup trailer. Oh, no. Because that was the first time Gall had met her as well. So it was like a big deal. Yeah, it was a massive deal. It was amazing. Did you say, Wonder Woman. And Richard did it.

I should have done that. That's what you are. Sorry, we'll leave that now. War and park that. Okay, so let's go back to you. I-Jack Wright. Huge success. As long as everything else that you do, huge successes.

Right? Yeah. I think that's not a good thing. I hope you feel very proud about I-Jack-Rite. I do. It's such, I mean, so Chris Lang, who's the writer of the show. Really a writer.

Oh, right? Brilliant writer. So anything he creates is just wonderful. And so when I read that script, I was like, okay, this is a good show. And then when I saw, when we were filming it, I was like, okay, this is a good show. And then I've seen it. And I'm like, oh, yes, it's a good one. Oh, that's so good.

So it's a really, it's such a nice feeling. And then in episode six, so there are six episodes of the series. And in episode six, there's a really nice moment that I, have, which I'm really, really proud of. It's like, yeah, it's such a great episode. The whole, every, I mean, every episode is great, but it's just, there's so

much left like, unsaid. It's just... So, does that mean there's another season? Who knows? Hopefully. We need the, you know, the viewing figures, but hopefully, I think Chris Lang's mind has got many other seasons, but it's all about,

as I'm sure you know, it's all about how well it does. And it's, and the reviews are amazing. I was just about to say, I hope that people read the reviews. I hope you do. It's difficult because the reviews are incredible for this. Yeah.

But I also always tell every performer, don't read the reviews. Because if you believe the good, then you believe the bad. Yeah. I don't really read reviews. I think I learned from such a young age. Yeah, great.

I mean, I did see that we're like 100% on Rotting Tomatoes, and apparently that's really good. So, yeah, so I'm really chuffed with it. And when I watch the first episode with the cast and crew screening, we all, I think all of us just let out a... We all knew that it was going to be a really good show. So is that how you choose? When you get a script and your agent calls you up,

not Wonder Woman, that's a whole different world. Different, right? But when you get a script through, do you take that moment that you just, within the first few lines, you get the prickles on the back of your neck you think, ah, this is one. Yeah.

And I've had that, you know, I've had that with cheetahs and Marcella. Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, Marcella was, that kind of changed the landscape of my career, really. Like, that was the, so I will always have that as like a place in my heart because I learned so much on that set. And it was the biggest show that I'd ever done at the time.

and working with the likes of like Anna Frill and Victoria Smurphy. And Victoria Smurphy is a good friend. And it's, you know... She's been on this podcast and can we both say we love her? We do love her. And she's an amazing, amazing actress. She's an actress that... She isn't just just amazing.

I mean, she is amazing, but she isn't just amazing. She's such a giving actor. So she gives a lot in the scene to the other actor. And I really appreciated that. I don't think I've ever told her that. So I really appreciate it. You'll tell her. Yeah.

Okay. I'll tell her. Thanks. Because you won't want to ring her off and say that. I really appreciate you. But it was, it was a huge show and a massive success again. But it was one of those shows that everybody was talking about. It was really bizarre.

You know, wherever, there are certain shows that that happens to, cheetahs. Yeah. The show we're talking about and I Jack Wright. And, you know, there's a few shows that happen. And everybody's, there's this sort of. whispers in court, not secretly, but it's sort of, oh, yeah, have you seen it? Oh, why haven't you seen it?

Have you not seen it yet? It's those, and those shows have all been like that. I'm hoping that's the case with IJet Wright. I think it is. I think people are going, have you seen that show? Have you seen that show? I'm hoping they are because it is such a good show. It really is.

The cast are amazing. You know, Nikki and Mookabird and John Sim, who lead the series, are just so incredible in this show. They're amazing actors anyway, but it really is such an ensemble piece with some hardcore talent. It's such a privilege to be part of their show. But Cheetahs was another one that was a... Oh, how good was that?

That was... So that... So many years ago, but I thought it was about two years ago. No, I know. I think it's because the second season came out. But the first season, it took a while for that to come out, you know, because we were filming it pre-COVID and then COVID hit. And I remember being on set and then...

telling us we wouldn't be able to come back the next day. Are you kidding me? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh yeah. We were on set and then they said, right, we're shutting down. Like, don't come in tomorrow. We'll let you know. And then that was in March and then we didn't pick it back up again until November. Wow. So we'd all changed slightly, put on a bit of weight. Like, you know, no one had had a haircut. So we'd all changed slightly from when we'd filmed pre, you know. Isn't it weird when we taught? It's very odd. I came from doing the TV show this morning. and somebody was talking about it on air

and it was really weird we all feel like we're talking about something that sort of now is like a weird cheese dream that it didn't really happen but it did happen we know it did and there were some awful things off the back of it we lost people that we know and love

but it's sort of odd when you said that I sort of had to go do the same thing where I twist my head and go oh yes of course yeah like we lost like you know a couple of years Yeah, we did. And it's, there were, you know, there was some, it was an awful time. But what I remember was taking my neighbour milk. And in London, you don't really talk to you.

You don't know who they are. You know, you're living next to people for years and you don't know who they are. And we had, like, there were elderly people on the street. And I used to, you know, the shopping used to come in and I was washing it. Yes, we do. Wiping it down, you know, and not leave it on the doorstep. You know, that type of stuff. But then taking it around and, you know, having a WhatsApp group with your neighbours and things like that.

And that, that's kind of gone again. Has it? It hasn't remained. Do you not think? Well, I mean, I've moved. Oh, that's nice. Yeah. That's nice.

But I feel like London is still like, no, they've kind of forgotten about it and it's moved on. You know, do you remember when you couldn't even sit on a bench? Yeah. I remember it well. There's tapes around it. It was extraordinary. I was very lucky because I was working. I was working every day.

I was doing radio every day. And I remember walking through London, walking nine miles. I used to walk nine miles to work. And there was one day where I saw two people. That was it. Yeah. In nine miles.

I mean, that's... It was crazy. Yeah. Wow. Anyway. Yeah. So yes, so you stopped filming for seven months. Yeah.

And then we picked it back up again. And then it took... I think a year and a half, maybe even longer for it to actually come out. Like, it took a while. And then... That was such a good show. Can we have more? Well, I mean, I don't know.

Can you speak to them? I should call them. Yeah. But you're also, come on, you're not... And I'm not going to... I'm using this as a simplistic way of saying it. You're not just an actor. You're a creator as well, aren't you?

Yeah. Yeah. I think I like to... be. I think that every actor has it in them to create something. You know, it's part of our DNA, what we do and who we are. So we all have our own, but I think everybody can create something. Like I think everybody's got it in them, you know, everybody's got a unique experience in life. We're all unique. We've all got different experiences. And we're the only ones that live the life that we live. And I think everybody can write that out. Whether it's a good or not.

Do you, is that where you want to go? Do you want to do more writing, directing, all of that stuff? As a performer, as an actor, I don't want to, you're a performer, you're a creator. Yeah. But is that where you see the next steps going? No. No, no. Because you're an influential, aren't you in the top one?

No, well, you're the top. Oh, an influential game. You're an influential gay. You're an influential gay. You know, I'm not being, I mean, you actually are listed as it. Are you in the top 50? No, top 20? I have been in the top 20.

I think I've been in the top 10. But no, I'm in the, I'm in the, currently I'm in the top 100. In the world? No, in the UK. No, in the world. In the world. But if with your influence and with all the, because you, I always get that you're thinking of ideas and everything.

Can you imagine what you could go and create? Because you're now at top 100 influence. Yeah. Influential. I mean, I don't ever do. So it's funny, right, when I talk about that. because it's like, I've never known a world away from just being my authentic self, which is lovely, which is...

Which is wonderful for an actor to say that. Right. And it's like, I've never... I've never known a world out of that. So to have, like, accolades and things like that, it's not something that I ever thought of. It's not something that you look for. You don't strike for it, do you? No, it's not like a...

It's just... It just is that. And I talk very passionately about quite a lot of things. You know, and one is lesbian visibility and queer female representation within the media. And it's like, yeah, I don't, I just do it because that's just what I'm passionate. But you should go and write all of these things. All of this passion that you have because you're very passionate about what you do.

You're passionate about the industry for all the right reasons. It's all not frippery and over-excitement. It's just, you should write this. You should write a drama. You'd make a brilliant drama writer. Yeah. I think it's such a skill, though, isn't it? And I think writing is...

Yeah, you know, I should, yeah. Like, it's such a skill to create, you know, because I've, you know, I've been in this industry a long time and I've read some bad scripts, you know. What do you do when you get a bad script? Well, I'm very lucky at the moment that I don't actually get bad scripts at the moment, which is really nice. So there's a lot of really good scripts out there.

But in the past, I've had some bad scripts. And you kind of, you know, yeah, you just have to just kindly decline. But isn't that the strongest thing is to say no? Everyone says it's one of the most empowering things. Yeah, it does make you, but then, you know, you've got to value your worth, I think, as an individual and as a performer and as an actor. And you just have to go.

That doesn't really connect with me. That's so great. There are I know many actors who, you know, it's a tough. It's tough for people to say no sometimes in the creative world and something that people are so passionate about. It is tough to say no sometimes because they're like, oh, when's the next job going to be? You know, things like that.

But actually, you just have to take a step back and trust your own ability and trust that, you know, you've earned your stripes and you've no. Actually, no. But thank you. So, did it something you always wanted to do, you were little, did you say, I want to be an actor?

No, so it's weird because I don't, so I've been asked this question a lot recently actually. No, I like it. No, I like it. So it's, it's, I don't know life without it. Like, I know that sounds really, but I don't. Like when I was three or four, I was performing in talent contests in, on our annual holidays to either Blackpool or Clarke Bay in Wales. What did you perform? Daisy Daisy, Daisy, when I was three.

Daisy Daisy, Daisy. Daisy, you know, Daisy, Daisy, that one. That one. That one. That one. So I used to do that when I was like three or four. And then I used to put on like accents and pretend to be like just, you know, from a really young age. I was tiny. So I've not, I've always done it.

I've always wanted to do it. You know, I've done a lot of different mediums. So I've done, I started off in theatre and I was like, I wanted to do classical theatre, you know. And then when I was starting out, you know, you didn't really. swap over. You always stayed in your, you know, theatre actors did theatre, TV actors did TV, film actors, you know, and now it's very, it's very different landscape. So, um, so I've navigated it really well and I kind of fell into television. Well, I didn't fall into television. I worked very hard to get into television. And then I've just worked kind of in TV and I just love

the medium. They're so different, it's so different to theatre. But I always, I'll always love theatre. But you'll still do both. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like I loved, Classical theatre. I did a lot of classical theatre. I did a lot of Shakespeare. And I learnt a lot from it. So, yeah, I'll always do both. And is the worst question? We have some mutual actor and performer and creative friends.

They always say the worst question. And so I never ask it. Oh, you're going to ask it now, though? No, I'm not going to. No, no, no. Is always, do you know, it's coming next? I get it. I can't bear it because people say it to me. And I just said, please don't ask me that. Yeah, it's a bit like, oh.

It's a really, but there's this thing about being a performer. I'm going to use that, an entertainer, whatever. Yeah. That people always ask us that. And it's sort of just, please don't ask that. Yeah, because it's also, you know, a lot of the time as well, it just kind of gets a bit awkward. Because a lot of the time as well, you can't really say anything.

You have no idea. But then you also can't really say anything if you do have an idea or if you've signed an NDA, you know, like Wonder Woman, for example, you don't know. I actually don't know. I was so, honestly, anyway. It was so random. But also, if you use the line, yes, but I can't tell you,

then people think, oh, if you're making it out. Yeah, exactly. And they're like, what, it's. Let's talk about something that you feel really passionate about. Bloody good period, the charity. I really wanted you to talk about this. So for people who don't know about it, please share and let's see if more people can get involved.

So Bloody Good Period is a charity that's based in the UK that is bringing awareness of period poverty. Now, people that don't know what period poverty is, it's people that can't afford to buy or to have access to menstruating products. So, yeah, so they're trying to break the stigma away from periods and also kind of educate about periods. and the different types of periods that menstruating people have. And it's such an important charity because what people don't seem to realise is period poverty is a thing in the UK. Like people can't afford or don't have access to period products in this country.

And they don't believe it because they're like, no, it's, you know, it's United Kingdom, no. But no, it's a thing. But it's a massive. It's a massive thing. There were girls who are going to school just with bits of material. Paper. So tissue paper is one of the most common, old socks. So tissue paper, old socks. This is 2025. Yeah. And, you know, it's...

And being teased. It's being teased, you know. And it's... There's such a stigma around periods. And so I talk about periods all the time because I've always suffered from really heavy, severely painful periods. So I'm like, I want to talk about it, you know. Yeah, so when I met the charity, I met them at a bloody good brunch. So they were doing like a fundraising where you bring in period products or you raise money or anything like that. And they do comedy nights as well. So do check them out on their website. So it's bloody good period. And they do a comedy night.

And the comedy night, and it's once a year, is so much fun. So Gem Barista is usually the MC, who is amazing. who loves to talk about periods. And so it's a very kind of female, heavy line-up. And everyone is just so passionate. And they do for free. And men come, men are there to... Absolutely, because also they're learning about it as well, you know,

because everyone's got a mother or a sister or a wife or, you know, there's always going to be a woman in someone's life. And it's... We need to talk about it because it's such a natural thing. And it's like, why are these products? They should be available in schools. You know, not every school has been granted free period products. And it's just like how...

It should be in all schools. It should be everywhere. The fact that lots of places that I work, they have them in the loos. Yeah. And they're shared loos. The men and women, they're shared loos, which I think personally I'm all for. Yeah, yeah. But we should have in every school.

Yeah. Every school, every supermarket. So what's amazing at the moment is... This should be brought down in price as well. Yeah, well, I don't even think we should be paying for them, to be honest. It's a natural thing. So, like, ALDI have partnered with Bloody Good Period at the moment. I love an ALDI.

So, ALDI have partnered with Bloody Good Period at the moment and are providing free period products. I didn't know that. Yeah, so free period products in all of their stores. And they are also donating... To everybody... To everybody... No, to everybody. So if you're shopping in ALDI, they're available in the toilet.

So for customers. Not to buy off the shelves. No, for customers. So they're free for customers to use in toilets, which is amazing. But also they're giving period products to bloody good period for them to distribute. I've just got goosebumps from that. Thank you, Aldi. Yeah, right?

And I love an Aldi. Yeah, no, but everybody else follows suit. Do you know what I mean? Lots of the supermarkets do a lot for charity, which is great. Let's all have those period products. But just put the period products in the toilets. you know, for people that need them. And a lot of people need them.

What a great thing to hear. Right. Oh, thank you for sharing that. No worries. Now, I also, the stroke association, I know that's something that you talk about as well. Yeah, so the stroke association I get involved with because my gran, who was just a mentor to me, she was amazing, Gill. So my grand died of a stroke. And she suffered from a stroke three years before she died.

And as a family, we didn't know anything about stroke. So I reached out to them to get more information, more information for my family. Because it's not, you know, the stroke association isn't just about the person that's had a stroke. It's actually how the family and how loved ones can help that person. Because what people don't realize about stroke is they see all of this stuff on the adverts or whatever, that it's a physical thing. Like you can sit, but it's actually, depression is a major, major thing post-stroke. that they really try,

they're trying to do so much research. So I just help them out by kind of spreading the word, raising money, but also they do every year, they do like a, about depression. And I wanted to get involved with it and kind of help host the event

because the depression was such a massive thing for my grand. Yeah, that we didn't realize we didn't know. And she went from being somebody that was just so incredibly healthy, lively, like always wanting to learn, always watching eggheads. Do you remember egg heads?

Yeah. Always watching egg heads. Always answering the questions before any of them. To just being really down. And the fact that she couldn't walk. Yeah, it was, yeah, it was an awful time. And then she did eventually have a stroke three years later and died.

I'm so sorry. It was a horrible, horrible time for my family. So that's why I will always talk about it because it doesn't just affect the elderly. It affects so many people. And there has been more awareness around it because I think there was a footballer that suffered from a stroke. So there's been a lot more awareness around it.

But yeah, we need to figure out why and how it can be stopped if it can and things like that. yeah, that's right. You're a really good person, you know. Thank you. I try to be. But your energy is infectious. Thank you. I try to just, yeah, I try to be. Kindness is free, you know. I could not agree more, but you're going to make a difference in the world.

I like talking to people who are going to make a difference. And not only you're going to make it, you want to make a difference. Yeah, thank you. Keep doing what you do. Thank you. That means a lot to me, Gabby. Thank you.