If you don’t know the name Allira Jaques by now, chances are you soon will.
After the release of her new movie Love You Like That on Thursday, you might just find yourself singing her praises.
And, when you learn that the 35-year-old actress is from the Hunter region, I’m guessing you’ll be flooded with a sense of kinship with her.
Born and raised in Boolaroo, Jaques is set to make her mark on the Australian film industry this week, when her character graces screens across the country in a film by debut writer and director Eric C. Nash.
Boasting a cast that includes Descendants actor Mitchell Hope, Wolf Creek’s John Jarratt, Chris Haywood and Aboriginal comedian Steph Tisdell, Jaques is expected to wow Events Cinemas audiences with her talent.
Love You Like That is set in the fictional coastal town of Seafront Sands.
The Aussie rom-com begins when a young woman (Jaques) is washed up naked on the shores of Mim Beach appearing to know nothing but her birth date.
Struck down with what appears to be amnesia, the mysterious beauty soon sets tongues wagging.
“[She] turns the sleepy town into a tailspin,” producers tell us.
“Is she a mermaid, why does she have amnesia, [and] what is going on with her craving for coffee?”.
The tight-knit township takes to calling her ‘Mim’ after the beach on which she was found.
With an inexplicable ability to cast a spell on the locals, Jaques then continues to have a profound effect on everyone she comes into contact with, including the hard-as-nails councilwoman, her retired naval captain brother (Jarrett), a grieving widow who runs the local cafe, a sensitive policeman afraid to pop the question, and his assistant who thinks he’s Tom Selleck.
Her cupid’s arrow doesn’t stop there, mesmerising handsome dating agency boss Harrison (Hope), who’s sassy assistant Emily (Tisdell) brings the regular laughs to the M-rated film.
“I won’t tell you too much,” Jaques says.
“But the film has lots of twists and turns, and there are a lot of funny moments as well.”
Photo: Peter Stoop 
Allira and some of the cast and crew. 
Photo: Peter Stoop 
During the course of one eventful day, Jaques’ character causes change to everyone’s lives forever.
But it is not until the final scenes that it all ties up.
The film has been touted as “a nostalgic movie which is sure to delight audiences in the tradition of Australian hits like Strictly Ballroom and Muriel’s Wedding“.
For Jaques it has become a dream role, one she landed while in Los Angeles.
“They didn’t give me the ending of the script when I auditioned,” she said.
“I made up something in my head and they liked what I did, then they told me the ending and I did another take.
“Once I got to see a few of the plot twists I thought ‘Oh I love this’ and I knew I really wanted this role.
“She was fun to play and the role meant I got to come home.”
Love You Like That was filmed in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire in October 2019, taking just six weeks to complete.
For tickets go to eventcinemas.com.au.
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