It’s an unseasonably balmy late autumn day in Melbourne and the home of stage and screen star Lucy Durack is dappled with sunshine. Music is playing as Lucy’s husband, actor, director and choreographer, Chris Horsey, sits down to a miniature tea party with the couple’s gorgeous 3-year-old daughter, Polly.
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Through it all, 36-year-old Lucy – one of the industry’s most endearing performers, soon to hit screens as a judge on the new Channel Seven series of Australia’s Got Talent – laughs while admitting: “Life is about to get even busier!”
For Lucy, best known for playing Glinda the Good Witch in the hugely successful mega-musical Wicked, and Chris are expecting their second child – a boy, due in October. And as the talented pair – happily together almost 12 years after meeting in the theatre – reveal to New Idea, they couldn’t be more thrilled.
Congratulations on the wonderful news. You must be so excited.
Lucy: We really are. I’m almost 19 weeks, so pretty much halfway.
Do you feel you’re really starting to show?
Lucy: I’m filming Australia’s Got Talent at the moment and, when we start the day, everyone is like, “Oh, you’re hardly showing!” and by the end of the day, everyone’s like, “Wow, you look really pregnant!” And it’s not even food-related! We’ve been filming 17-hour days, so I think that by the evening, the baby is like, ‘I can’t hold it in anymore!’ [Laughs]
Did you always hope to have a family together?
Chris: We did, and I always wanted a big family – five or six kids.
Lucy: And I said, “If Chris wants to have the next three or four kids, that’s fine!” [Laughs] I think two pregnancies is probably enough for me! But Chris is one of five, so he’s used to being around a bigger family, while I’m one of three.
How have you been feeling?
Lucy: I was really sick the whole way through my pregnancy with Polly and I think that’s why it took us this long to get around to having a second, but I’m actually feeling really well this time. That’s been the most wonderful surprise. We’re having a boy, so I don’t know if it’s an old wives’ tale that what you’re having can make a difference, but anecdotally for me it really has been the case.
What was your reaction when you found out the baby’s sex?
Lucy: So excited. With Polly, we didn’t find out what we were having until she was born and that was a wonderful surprise. But this time we thought, “Second time around, it’d be good to be prepared.” We’re both working a lot, so it’s good to be a little more organised. I’m just so thrilled that I’ll be having the experience of having a little boy and I’m very excited for Chris, too.
Is Polly looking forward to having a little brother?
Lucy: She can’t wait. A lot of her little friends have siblings, and I think she’s probably the one who’s been most ready for us to have another baby. She’s really gunning to be a big sister – and she’ll be the best big sister.
Have you got a birth plan?
Lucy: Polly was caesarean, so I imagine this one may be too. My mum will come across from Perth (where Lucy hails from) so she can sit with Polly and bring Polly up to see us as soon as the baby has arrived.
Have you started thinking about names?
Lucy: Because we didn’t know what Polly was going to be,we already had a few boy names and now Polly has come up with a few herself – and they’re actually quite good.
Lucy, how did you feel when you were asked to join the new Australia’s Got Talent judging panel alongside Nicole Scherzinger, Shane Jacobson and Manu Feildel?
Lucy: So thrilled. We’ve galvanised as a team and we have each other’s backs. It’s kind of the world’s biggest variety show. It’s just so fulfilling and moving to be part of it.
You’ve also just finished filming a new series of the ABC TV dramedy The Letdown. Is it a big juggle?
Lucy: I’m very lucky that Chris is such a brilliant husband and brilliant father. I’ve just come back from being in Sydney for a week and he did everything, including great hairstyles in Polly’s hair for her to wear to day care. He’s nailing it!
Are you both counting your blessings now?
Lucy: We really are. And now we just can’t wait to meet our little boy.
For more, see this week’s New Idea, out now!
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