The release of T Australia’s Wanderlust issue – covered by the brilliant actor and model Charlee Fraser – marks 25 editions of our print publication. A lot has remained the same in the years since we launched: We’re still committed to being the world’s foremost authority on creative culture and style, and everything we produce is done so to connect with and inspire our readers. From fashion and beauty to food, design, technology and sustainability, we apply a distinctly Australian lens on both local and global issues.
But a lot has also changed. The world continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and so too has the way we experience and interpret culture. In the past 25 editions, we’ve seen how creativity is not just about aesthetics but about innovation, authenticity, and the drive to forge meaningful connections. We’ve witnessed the rise of new creative voices, the rethinking of traditional models, and the embrace of new technologies that have reshaped the way we live, work, and express ourselves.
And we’ve met the most incredible people along the way. A great privilege of this job is being offered a small window into the lives and creative processes of some of the world’s most talented performers, thinkers, and makers. From the surprising and savvy Emma Watkins, who graced our debut cover, to shooting star-on-the-rise Jacob Elordi, I have been struck by the generosity and humility of these individuals, their openness to share their journeys and insights, and their unwavering commitment to their craft.
Here, we reflect on our favourite lessons from T Australia’s 25 cover interviews. We hope you find them as inspiring as we do.
Margot Robbie On Committing To The Bit
“You gotta commit,” she tells the writer Bill Wyman in his 2021 profile of the Academy Award winning actor and producer. “You cannot half-arse anything. That is my motto when I am on set. You have to commit 120 per cent — anything less than that ends up looking stupid.” Read the full interview here
Idris Elba On Using The Tools You’ve Already Got
“You’ve got all the keys in the piano, right?” Elba muses in his March 2022 cover interview. “And that piano can play everything from folk to classical to reggae to rock. Well, I was working with the incredible George Miller on a film that was very different from what he’s known for. But he was using the same eight keys he’s used to make all his films. Essentially I’ve been doing that all my life, too. I just use the one talent that I’ve got — which I guess is that I’m an artist with a massive imagination — and I apply that same imagination to both a screenplay and to working in a studio. It’s the same eight keys in a different application.” Read the full interview here
Queen Latifah On Practicing Confidence
As the journalist Emily Lordi discovers while researching her 2023 The Greats issue cover profile of the hip-hop star, an actress and producer Queen Latifah, the star’s confidence, while it might have seemed innate, took constant practice. In her 1999 book, “Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman,” Latifah describes being gripped by fear before taking the stage at her first high school talent show: “What if they don’t like me? What if somebody boos?” Then she flipped the question: “What if they love me? What if they give me a standing ovation?” Read the full interview here
Lance “Buddy” Armstrong On Leading By Example
“It’s about breaking down those barriers,” Franklin explained to T Australia journalist Luke Benedictus, in reference to an Instagram post he published following the AFL star’s 1,000th goal. “It’s about giving our Indigenous people that platform to go, ‘You know what? If Lance Franklin can make it — or if any successful person that’s Indigenous can make it — I can be successful in this world, too.’ If a young kid looks at that picture and thinks, ‘You know what? I can succeed at something if I put my mind to it’; if that happens, then I’ve done my job.” Read the full interview here
Sarah Snook On Embracing Paradoxes of Human Nature
In her exploration of “Dorian Gray” and “Succession”, the Golden Globe-winning actor Sarah Snook discusses how both works delve into human complexity and moral ambiguity: “We are both good and bad,” she reflects. “We all have humiliations and shames and things we want to keep hidden.” Read the full interview here
Ajak Deng on Facing Your Fears
The model Ajak Deng had developed a phobia of air travel, a major inconvenience for someone required to commute internationally for work. As she described to Victoria Pearson during her 2023 cover interview, she decided to try skydiving as an attempt to face — and hopefully quell — her fear. Peering down from her position in the sky, Deng could no longer see cars; far below, they looked like ants. “I said, ‘No, I changed my mind, I’m sorry. I’m not doing this,’ ” she recalls. “They’re like, ‘The plane can only land with [just] the pilot, so there’s only one way out.’ ” She jumped. The tactic worked. Not only did Deng conquer her fear of flying, but she became hooked on the adrenaline. “I want to go skydiving in Dubai over the Palm — my dream.” Read the full interview here
Daniel Ricciardo On Living in the Moment
“I’m now at a point where I’m just taking it race by race,” the then-Formula 1 McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo told the journalist Emma Pegrum for the Legacy issue of T Australia. “The older I get, I appreciate that this is not going to be around forever… I know I’ll miss it when it’s gone.” Read the full interview here
Emma Watkins On Adapting and Innovating
The pandemic forced The Wiggles to rethink their approach to entertaining, leading to new content and partnerships. As Emma explained to the journalist Lucy Cousins, “It’s been a great time to step back, in a sense,” using the time to explore new ways to reach their audience and develop content like social distancing and handwashing songs. Read the full interview here
Pierce Brosnan On Developing Style
Brosnan’s art reflects a lifetime of inspiration, practice, and influence from masters like Matisse and Chagall. On set in his home in Malibu, California, that creative growth isn’t just talent; it’s the ongoing practice and development that sharpen one’s skill and personal voice. “It’s all in the doing… the repetition, the practice, the line and the form.” Read the full interview here
Charlee Fraser on Trusting The Universe
When the model and actor Charlee Fraser auditioned for her debut film role in George Miller’s 2024 “Furiosa”, she practiced the art of surrender. “I had to let it go and trust the universe; trust the people involved, trust George, that they will all know that if it’s meant for me, it’s meant for me.” Read the full interview here
Rhys Kosakowski On Valuing the Australian Artistic Identity
In his 2022 cover interview, the dancer Rhys Kosakowski underscored the importance of the local arts scene celebrating its uniqueness, suggesting that Australian artists should “keep doing what you don’t see, because that’s what’s so appealing.” He believes Australian dancers and artists should continue to “push our Australian identity”, to help local creatives stand out, and bolster global recognition. Read the full interview here
Ajla Tomljanović On Choosing Happiness
“Sometimes really bad things need to happen for you to take action, and I hate that about me,” the tennis player explained to the journalist Victoria Pearson during their 2022 interview. “Sometimes I’ll delay certain things that need to happen. But once I took it head-on, it was a process — and not a fun one. It doesn’t come overnight, it’s a daily thing where you just choose to choose happiness.” Read the full interview here.
Josh Niland On Balancing Emotion and Ego
The award winning-chef Josh Niland views cooking as an emotional journey, and acknowledges in his 2024 interview with the journalist Nina Rousseau that chefs often find criticism challenging because “cooking always starts with emotion.” To be successful, Niland argues you must measure equal parts of both. “If you’re able to balance the amount of emotion and ego you need within cooking, then you’ve got a pretty good concoction.” Read the full interview here
Elsa Pataky On Self-Defined, Incremental Success
The public will always be enthralled by stories of overnight success. For sustained success, however, the actor Elsa Pataky aims for small, achievable goals – rather than double-speed stardom. “Make little goals and make them happen,” she told Helen Hawkes in her 2022 cover interview. Read the full interview here
Simon Baker On Artistic Intent and Personal Connection
“The intention is a curious way I approach work,” says Simon Baker in his 2021 cover interview. For the Australian actor, professional choices are always driven by a deeper connection to the material. “I have to see the director’s intention. There’s entertainment — there’s Marvel movies, which are entertaining. I like to see an intention, whether that is to disregard certain aspects of society or to shine a light on certain aspects of society. That is the focus for me.” Read the full interview here
Miranda Otto On Finding Your Fire
When it comes to the nature of success, the actor Miranda Otto’s philosophy is surprisingly simple. “It’s finding the things that really light a fire in you and make you happy, and being able to pursue those,” she shares with the writer Helen Hawkes for her cover interview – a feature she shared with her colleague Teresa Palmer. Read the full interview here
Jacob Elordi On Maintaining A Critical Eye
The Australian actor Jacob Elordi has a complex relationship with self-doubt and criticism. But, as he explains to the writer Victoria Pearson, it might be the secret to producing high-quality work. “I quite enjoy being highly critical of myself. It makes me demand a certain quality of work.” Read the full interview here
