Via Drive

Versatille actor, Johanna Allen, explains why her bright red Hyundai is nicknamed Anne Hathaway and, why good karma is important on the roads

What was your first car?

There were two memorable first cars, both inherited from my parents. The first was a Kingswood, which was known as The Tank because it took up two lanes. You could only get in from the driver’s seat, so anyone who went with me in the car had to scramble over. The car after that was affectionately known as The Snot Mobile, because it was literally the colour of snot, a really tacky green. It looked like a matchbox car and every time I used the right indicator the windscreen wipers would go on, which could be quite alarming.

How long did you have them for?

Way too long. I don’t think they were even road worthy. I grew up in Adelaide so we didn’t have the same stringent laws around what you can and can’t drive.

What are you driving now?

A vibrant red Hyundai i30 that’s known as Anne Hathaway. I got it around the time she was hosting the Oscars. I had a friend who called her Anne Hathaway because he said the colour red was a little bit annoying, like Anne Hathaway, which is a bit cruel. I think she’s great.

How did you find the whole learning to drive experience?

My dad gave me some lessons. There was an unfortunate incident with a pole at the end of the driveway very early on. I think after that I got a driving instructor so that I stayed friends with my parents. My mother still occasionally grips the passenger seat handle and grits her teeth to come in a car with me, even though I’m actually a very good driver, I think. It’s just something about mothers and children and driving.

What’s been your most memorable drive?

I had a very precarious drive up a very big hill in Nepal once when I was travelling to Chitwan National Park. It was in a bus and I wasn’t quite sure we’d make it to the other end because the road was so narrow and this bus seemed to be teetering over the edge of the mountain the whole time. The driver appeared to know the terrain very well, and the speed was not low. But we got there and back. But there were moments of terror.

What’s your pet road peeve? 

Look, I’m sure I’ve vagued out at traffic lights in my time, so I don’t want to say that I’m annoyed by anyone because I feel that that’s bad driving karma. If we’re all nice to each other on the roads and elsewhere, I think that’s a good start for life, really.

VITAL STATISTICS

5  – the number of years I’ve had my Hyundai i30

17 – the age I owned my first car

The lowdown: the highly versatile actor-singer has a Hyundai named after a famous Hollywood star.

Career highlights: Being awarded an emerging artist scholarship to study at Juilliard School New York City; chalking up New York theatre credits including Amadeus and The Crucible; appearing in The Pirates of Penzance as an Opera Australia principal artist; Australian musical theatre credits including Dr Zhivago and Wicked.

Current project: performing her one-woman show The Songs That Got Away at Sydney’s Glen Street Theatre from September 8-11.