Vogue Australia — December 2017

78 DECEMBER 2017

PHOTOGRAPHS: DUNCAN KILLICK

HAIR: SOPHIE ROBERTS MAKE-UP: COLETTE

MILLER

ALL PRICES APPROXIMATE

DETAILS AT VOGUE.COM.AU/WTB

store to pick out films with her that ranged from classics to Westerns and Tarantino to Woody
Allen. Recently, the coming-of-age Luca Guadagnino-directed Call Me By Your Name, with a
soundtrack by Sufjan Stevens, caught her interest, as have short films, while she works on
a15-minute piece she’s written. “I have this new-found love of writing.”
Fittingly, it is late at night – the time when partywear gets its workout – that she finds most
potent creatively. “Throughout the day I can sit in front of my laptop and try to write something
for six hours and come up with two sentences. The moment the sun goes down [though] ... I can
stay up till the late hours just writing or reading or editing.”
Growing up in Sydney’s west, Ellen would tape her own mini movies, writing them and editing
the music with friends. She left school at 16, with the support of her parents, to pursue fashion
and later moved into acting. When Neighbours offered her a three-year role playing Kylie
Minogue’s iconic soap character Charlene Robinson’s daughter, Madison, she initially turned
them down, not wanting to be tied up for so long. “Six months later, they reached out again,” she
says, offering her the chance to write for her own part and dictate the time frame. She accepted,
with Minogue later congratulating her on Twitter after they met. “She’s so lovely,” says Ellen.
She’s leaving room now to move, with New York an option to be closer to LA, where she’ll no
doubt be making even more space in her wardrobe for party and red-carpet attire. “People in
Australia don’t really dress up,” she says, looking forward to more statement outfits. “I’m just
excited to be whatever character I want to be.” ■

VOGUE VIEWPOINT

Scanlan Theodore dress,

$650, and pants, $400, both

from David Jones. Natasha

Schweitzer earrings, $440.

Balenciaga boots, $1,030,

from Harrolds.

FINE PRINT

Bally top, $895.

Hermès scarf, $690.

Acne Studios skirt, $680.

MarimekkoMarimekko

bag, $295.

Dolce &

Gabbana

boots,

$3,250.

Chloé top,

$1,695, from

Parlour X.