Melissa George is the star of new US medical drama Heartbeat - and the Aussie actress has said that being thrust into the spotlight at an early age helped her cope with the responsibility of a leading role.
George first rose to prominence for playing Angel Parrish on Home and Away in the '90s - and told Digital Spy that being cast as the face of a high-profile US show has been "a long time coming".
"I've been working for 20 years straight - 20 years," she said. "I feel like to be number one on the call-sheet, you need stamina, a sense of humour and you want talent - but you need a lot of other things that I think 20 years give you.
"It hasn't come too soon. There's a big responsibility, but that's OK for me. I've been responsible for 24 years. I've been living alone since I was 16. I've been paying my own bills since I was 16."
George recalled how she would "travel alone and pay rent" when she was "a baby" working on Home and Away.
"Responsibility has never been something I've had to learn - I've had that for a while," she insisted.
"I have a moment that I think about all the time. I was alone in an apartment in Milson's Point [in Sydney] - an amazing apartment that the executives behind Home And Away gave me.
"I was barely 16 and I had a stack of episodes, because I was doing an episode a day. I was the star of the show when I was 16, and I was rehearsing a scene in the kitchen.
"I was in front of the fridge running my lines and I was so driven to be good at it that I've never lost that drive. Most people just fizzle out, but it was such a big moment for me.
"I was like, 'Oh my God!' - I was looking out at the Sydney Harbour Bridge, I was 16 years old, I was making money with no parents telling me what to do. I have that moment [of excitement] inside me all the time. I love what I do!"
Heartbeat casts the Golden Globe nominee as Dr Alexandra Panttiere, a world-renowned heart-transplant surgeon who struggles to balance her personal and professional life.
The series - based on the real experiences of Dr Kathy Magliato - was developed by Jill Gordon (My So-Called Life, The Wonder Years).
"I was captivated that it was [a story of] a woman stuck in a man's world," said George. "It's unbelievable to think I'm starring in a female-driven show written by Jill Gordon; a story that's based on Kathy Magliato and the writing staff is 85% women. It's great."
Heartbeat begins on Friday, April 29 at 9pm on TLC in the UK.
