Black Snow: Megan Smart on Travis Fimmel, her diverse roles and why WA holds a special place in her heart

In the near decade since Megan Smart was at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, she has worked on sets across the country, playing roles from criminals to police officers and plenty in between.

Yet during the filming of the second season of crime drama Black Snow, she found herself challenged in new ways — by one of TV’s most in-demand actors, Vikings star Travis Fimmel.

Fimmel, who has had roles in the critically-acclaimed Boy Swallows Universe and the anticipated series Dune Prophecy this year, reprises his role as Detective James Cormack this season and also makes his directorial debut, taking the reins for the sixth episode.

Smart, who plays police officer Samara Kahlil, investigating the historical disappearance of a girl who went missing from her hometown on the night of her 21st birthday, was full of anticipation when she was cast alongside Fimmel, perhaps best known for his breakthrough role as Ragnar Lothbrok.

“I knew him from Vikings, of course, and I really loved what he had done with that character, so I was so excited to work with him on this,” she says.

And working with Fimmel turned out to be an eye-opening experience, which tested her as an actor.

“He is a real mystery — an enigma — and you don’t know what you are going to get with him, even on the day,” Smart says.

“He is really private, and really particular about the way he works, and the same goes for him as a director. Sometimes he would throw the entire script away, so we were really kept on our toes, and it forced us to be in-the-moment as an actor.”

Smart enjoyed the process, but says it wasn’t all serious on set.

“He also really liked to play pranks on the crew,” she laughs. “One day, the props department got him back really good though, and put tabasco in his coffee in a scene. He couldn’t stop coughing for half an hour.”

Smart called Perth home for three years during her studies and the city still holds a place in her heart.

“WAAPA feels like a long time ago, but it was one of the best experiences of my life,” she says. “I am so grateful for my time there. It was incredibly challenging, and high pressure and hard work, but because of all that, it was also immensely rewarding, and it has had an indelible impact on who I am as an actor — and as a person.”

Smart’s career began before she had even graduated, when during her third year she was “spoilt rotten” with her first role — in Breath, the film adaptation of Tim Winton’s book, starring Simon Baker and shot in WA’s South West in 2016.

Since then, she’s popped up in all sorts of productions, from The Secret Daughter alongside Jessica Mauboy, to Harrow, Wakefield, Class of 07 and even Home and Away (she appeared in seven episodes back in 2021).

“Something that I am really proud of, and really grateful for in my career, is that I’ve had the opportunity to play such crazy-different roles,” Smart says.

“I’ve played everything from murderers, to sweet little innocent people with self-esteem problems, to mentally unwell patients, to cops; I’ve been in comedies, dramas — I’ve played a lot of different roles and I’ve loved it.”

Smart, who is currently in Melbourne filming, admits she’s always on the lookout for projects that will bring her back to her adopted home. “I like to find any excuse I can to come back,” she says.

Black Snow season two premieres January 1 on Stan.