Melissa Tkautz says she backs the LGBTI community 100 per cent

Melissa Tkautz was shocked by the behaviour of her cast mates on the Real Housewives of Sydney. Matthew Wade caught up with the star to find out how she got through it in one piece.

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During a particularly dramatic scene in the inaugural season of the Real Housewives of Sydney, a fight erupts between housewives Athena X and Victoria on the rooftop of a Singaporean restaurant, ending in thrown drinks and dissipated dignity.

Fellow cast member Melissa Tkautz, the popular Aussie songstress and actor famous for her hit song Read My Lips, watches in disbelief and outrage as the women shout nasty retorts to one another. Staying out of the other women’s drama is a position she holds for the majority of the season.

As the token humble and down-to-earth cast member of the Sydney iteration of the Real Housewives franchise, Tkautz says she found the filming very difficult at times.

“I found the experience very uncomfortable, and I think it shows on my face,” she says.

“I was in shock with what was happening – obviously with reality TV anything can happen and it’s completely unscripted, but I didn’t know the drama was going to head in such a full-on direction.”

Having known fellow housewife Matty for more than ten years, she says she bonded with her the most during filming, but still loves all the housewives.

She adds that if she’s asked to come back for the second season, she’ll definitely be on board.

“I think I’m closest with Matty, but I love Chrissy and Victoria as well,” she says.

“I’m a pretty easy-going person and I get along with most people.

“I think if I’m back on board for season two I’d be a little nervous but more aware of how the show goes so I could ease into it a lot better.”

Tkautz has always had a solid queer fanbase, from her pop music to her roles on television and film.

She says she’s always connected with her LGBTI fans and was aware she had a large gay following from early on, as she’s often perform at gay nightclubs on Oxford Street and around Australia.

As a firm believer in equality and LGBTI rights, Tkautz has never doubted the importance of fighting for them.

“I back them 100 per cent,” she says.

“I’ve got lots of LGBTI friendships and relationships that are longer than I’ve been married. It’s unfortunate, and I do anything I can to fight for them.

“The thing with Australia is we don’t like to take the lead first, even though the majority of Australians are in support of things like marriage equality.”

In the realm of acting Tkautz is slated to play the role of local pub owner Sasha in the upcoming Australian horror flick Boar which has been picked up by Universal.

She’s also just recently dropped her latest single The Key, a slight departure from the usual dancefloor anthems fans have come to expect from Tkautz.

“I do a lot of dance numbers and I thought it was a bit more poppy, but I like the vibe of this because you can always get it remixed,” she says.

“This is good in my repertoire when I’m performing because it’ll give the show a different feel.”