As much as we're happy to play with the styles from the early 2000s, you couldn't pay me to revisit the decade. Sure, it would be a life pre-social media, with flip-phones and Nokias, and low rise jeans. But as the new women-led series, Paper Dolls, on Paramount+ reminds us, it was also the era that gave – and tore down – the likes of Britney Spears and Hilary Duff. You know the rest of their stories.

In eight episodes, Paper Dolls whisks us away into the music industry at the turn of the new millennium. It's led by five of Australia's most promising young talent, comprising Emalia, Miah Madden, Naomi Sequeira, Courtney Monsma and Courtney Clarke, who each play a member of the newly-formed pop group HARLOW. Across the season, we watch the group work through tensions, growing pains, and personal strife and career goals, after they're thrusted together by an Australian Idol-style reality television show, while navigating the insidious aspects of an industry determined to commodify them.

Created and written by Ainslie Clouston, the first three episodes of Paper Dolls are available to stream on Paramount+. If you're missing Heartbreak High and are after more original Australian television to embrace, look no further.

Below, we spoke to the stars of HARLOW to discuss a breakdown of their characters, the scenes they had the most fun shooting, and everything Paper Dolls. Find their responses, along with a quintessential Y2K playlist, below.

Miah Madden

What’s the first thing we should know about you?

I'm currently pursuing two entirely separate careers. First as an actress and storyteller, and second as an activist for Indigenous rights. I am currently completing a Bachelor of Law to one day work in criminal defence for Indigenous juveniles with hopes of reforming our legal system. My greatest goal is to be able to make change for my people, and to do that I believe there needs to be more Indigenous people representing Indigenous people.

My character is… I relate to them because…

My character in Paper Dolls is Charlie. Although my life couldn’t be more different to Charlie’s, I really empathised with her story. I know a lot of people close to me who have gone through similar struggles to Charlie and I felt honoured to tell that story. I must say, our taste in fashion is very similar! I loved being able to wear vintage designer pieces from the 90s and 00s, my favourite being an iconic pair of Versace jeans.

How have you had to prepare for this role?

I have never done more prep for a role than I have for Charlie. Her character is complex and required a lot of sensitivity surrounding her issues with self-harm. I wanted to make sure I did justice to her story in that sense. I mapped out her character arc for the entire series as soon as I got the scripts, assigning music to each scene (which really helps set the tone and emotion for the scene) and choosing moments that stood out to me so that I could make them stand out for the audience. With a character that had so many intense moments I didn’t want to play one-note the whole time. Instead I tried to find the light and dark in her scenes by choosing moments which were pivotal for her development as a character and using them to give my best emotional performance. As a group, we had to prepare together by learning dance choreography for all of our performances and doing singing sessions to record our very own album for the show. It was very physically demanding but certainly helped me stay fit during the shoot.

The bravest thing I’ve ever done is…

I would have to say solo travelling in Europe! Travelling solo can be really scary but it's such an amazing experience and really pushes you to your limits. I really recommend solo travelling for young people who want to go and see the world and really get to know yourself.

What’s your favourite thing about the early noughties? How did it feel to revisit this period?

It’s pretty funny because I was born in 2002, so I wasn’t even alive when Paper Dolls was set in 1999. That meant a lot of the references went completely over my head… I had no idea what a Walkman was. However, being raised by a young mum in her 20s during the early noughties meant that I was brought up listening to Nelly Furtado, Britney and Shakira so revisiting the music of my childhood was very nostalgic.

Tell me about your character’s style? Whose wardrobe from the series would you pick to wear in real life?

Charlie’s wardrobe is full of chic designer pieces. Lots of sets, lots of heels and low rise jeans. Charlie’s wardrobe was my favourite and I ended up leaving my last day on set with a bag full of her clothes; vintage Dior t-shirts, Celine flats, Bec and Bridge sets. Although I have to say some of Jade’s outfits were amazing. I totally stole her cargo pants from Jaded London.

The music that energises me is…

Early 00s bangers!!! Nelly Furtado’s Maneater has been my number one listened to song on my Spotify Wrapped for two years in a row. I was lucky enough to see her live at NYE last year right before we started filming Paper Dolls.

Are there any musicians you were inspired by/looking to emulate for the musical element of this role?

I think we compared ourselves to the Spice Girls a lot. Both of our girl groups have five girls with very different styles and personalities. Charlie is very Posh Spice which also influenced the decision to cut my long hair into a bob for the role.

What scene did you have the most fun shooting?

I had so much fun filming a scene in episode 4 at Reformatory Festival where we are searching for Annabel in the mosh pit of a rave from above. It was a pretty insignificant scene for my character but myself, Courtney Monsma and Courtney Clarke had SO much fun. It felt like a real rave! Smoke, lights, doof tunes… plus it was a Friday night shoot so we were making the most of it and had so much fun!

What do you think Paper Dolls adds to the conversation around fame?

Paper Dolls dives into the reality of fame and exposes the mental highs and lows of those experiencing it. Our show highlights the smoke and mirrors of famous life, where on the outside it seems all glamour and popularity yet in reality the girls only have each other to relate to their bizarre lifestyle. Paper Dolls gives the audience a glimpse into the complex lives of female pop stars in the late 90s and early 00s and the barriers they inherently face just for being women.

My words to live by are…

Never settle for less than what you deserve!

Emalia

What’s the first thing we should know about you?

I love Nintendo games, watching cute dog videos fills my heart with joy, and I make R&B music.

My character is… I relate to them because…

I play Izzy James. She's sassy, headstrong, and empathetic. I relate to her in many ways. I understand the difficulty of navigating the music industry and how it can affect your mental health. I also really relate to the way she cares for others; she always looks out for the other girls and wants to protect them from the negative experiences she's had. Above all, I understand her love for music, the way it drives her, and the weight it carries in her life.

How have you had to prepare for this role?

I wrote what I like to call the "Izzy bible". I went deep into her backstory and psyche, building it up off of what our incredible writer Ainslie Clouston had created. I did a lot of research into the 2000s era, studying the fashion, girl bands and their performances, the kind of technology that was popular at the time and the societal landscape to understand how that would affect her lifestyle and thought processes. I made a lot of Pinterest mood boards to figure out her style and what would inspire her. We also worked with a psychologist early in the process to discuss the headspace of our characters and what they were experiencing, which was a very important element. The girls and I had to work really hard learning choreography, recording the songs, and plotting out the scenes collaboratively and individually to ensure we were nailing all elements of performance. Our schedule was intense, so it meant we had to be super disciplined and well-rehearsed. There was a lot of work that went into it.

The bravest thing I’ve ever done is…

Commit wholeheartedly to pursuing my dream.

What’s your favourite thing about the early noughties? How did it feel to revisit this period?

For me it's the music. I'm a 90s baby, so I grew up listening to 2000s music. It inspired and helped shape my own music in a lot of ways, and is a nostalgic part of my life. As a kid all I wanted was to be in a 90s girl band like my faves, Destiny's Child, or in an early 2000s movie (Mean Girls), so it was a dream come true to live out the fantasy. I will say, going back to texting on a Nokia and remembering that buying phone credit used to be a thing, was a trip.

Tell me about your character’s style? Who’s wardrobe from the series would you pick to wear in real life?

We were inspired by a few different icons for Izzy; Sporty Spice, JLo and Jessica Alba in Honey to name a few. I'd call it 90s street style. She loves her baggy track pants, embraces natural beauty, prioritises comfort, but also loves a bit of a glam moment. Our costume designer Caitlin Murray also took some inspiration from my personal style, which I felt honoured by. Hoop earrings are something I always wear, so it was cool to be able to incorporate that into Izzy's signature look.

I think in real life it would be a toss up between Izzy and Jade for me. Jade wore some really cool Jaded London pieces, which is a favourite brand of mine.

The music that energises me is…

Old school R&B.

Are there any musicians you were inspired by/looking to emulate for the musical element of this role?

I studied artists like Beyonce, Mariah Carey, JLo, Xtina and Britney who were popping off in the 2000s. I also looked to a lot of different girl bands for inspiration such as TLC, Destiny's Child, and the Spice Girls. It was so important to find an individual voice for Izzy, but to also consider her role within the group dynamic.

What scene did you have the most fun shooting?

I had a lot of fun shooting the DJ CellBlock scene in episode four with Naomi, who plays Annabel. It was really nice to delve into the lighter, more youthful side of Izzy. Naomi is such a positive, uplifting life force and an incredibly giving actress, so we had the best time playing around with different ideas and relishing in the fun. Having all of the extras around us in their awesome outfits added to the excitement. I remember one extra wore this huge unicorn head, and another was sporting a red-eyed eyeball mask – it was a vibe.

What do you think Paper Dolls adds to the conversation around fame?

I think it does a fantastic job of unveiling the humanity behind fame and the dangers of it. It's so easy to put your favourite celebrities up on a pedestal and forget that they are just people too, who have bad days and struggles of their own. Fame looks shiny and appealing from the outside, but there is often a lot going on behind the scenes that can cause pressure and isolation. The grim realities of the entertainment industry itself also contributes. Paper Dolls puts that in perspective, exploring the dark side to fame and society's obsession with it.

My words to live by are…

My Dad first shared these words with me in a beautiful handwritten card when I was a kid to cheer me up after an audition rejection and it's always resonated since: "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger".

Courtney Clarke

What’s the first thing we should know about you?

I’m the real slim shady. 

My character is… I relate to them because…

My character is the wonderful Jade Hart. Jade is a lot of things. 

To the HARLOW girls, Jade is somewhat of an older sister keeping things on track, and trying to maintain balance and eliminate drama. To management, Jade wants stardom the least in the group, which makes her the hardest to manipulate. She lives life in accordance to her own moral compass and is more than happy to resist or speak up about what doesn’t sit right with her. Jade keeps her personal life private and wants ultimately to have a career that is all about the music. While I would say I relate to her, in so many ways, I mostly feel that I actually got to know new and different sides of myself through exploring what it was to be her. Empathy is a pretty beautiful and powerful tool. 

How have you had to prepare for this role? 

The prep for any job/character always looks totally different. We each had our own personal research ventures, but given that we were to be playing aspiring pop stars there was the obvious choreography and musical bootcamp in order to be primed and ready for the performance aspects. Luckily for us we were set up with the best…

In the recording studio we worked with the incredible Robby de Sa and Janeva Burrill (signed to Sony) to collaborate on the tracks you hear throughout the series. For choreography with the award-winning dancer and choreographer Mitchell Woodcock (who, from our first week together, gave me my on-set nickname of CC… which stuck).

We also had one-on-ones with writer Ainslie Clouston to explore the dynamic background of our personal characters and discussions with a psychologist to get a clear gauge on the portrayal of some of the heavier themes in the show. 

Personally, music was an enormous part of my prep – I made playlists for each section of Jade's arc for episode three. Songs that strengthened my emotional connection to her experiences, songs that inspired me, songs of the decade!

The bravest thing I’ve ever done is…

Fall in love. Not just with a person, with a craft. When you fall in love with something, your heart can’t help but want to commit to it; take risks for it, sacrifice safety for it. I fell in love with storytelling, and all of the multifaceted aspects of this industry. Sometimes I have to remind myself how brave it is to follow your heart and make the choices you have to, to spend your life doing something that you truly love. Even though the odds can be against you, and the differing levels of vulnerability can be immensely scary... every part of that journey is fulfilling to me. 

What’s your favourite thing about the early noughties? How did it feel to revisit this period? 

Space buns. Nostalgic. I remember growing up with my stereo headphones and discman in the back seat of the car listening to Strawberry Kisses on repeat, outlining my life plan to one day be as cool as Hilary Duff. Something about that era feels so alive, vibrant, electric. The concept of stardom could never be conceived through an iPhone… if you were famous in the 90s, the entire world knew your name. 

Tell me about your character’s style? 

Just as there are many different versions of Jade, she also has a very dynamic wardrobe. Everyday raw Jade is both laid-back and edgy. She dresses for herself, not to impress. She can be found in Fiorucci T-shirts, low rider cargos, Diesel, Juicy sweatshirts… loads of Jaded London (a modern day homage to 90s street chic) and authentic 90s vintage store finds. 

HARLOW Jade was inspired by early cool-girl Bella Hadid. One of my fave pieces were the space-racer silver sunglasses she rocks through episode four at the Punk festival. Iconic. (I definitely stole many of these items to add to my own wardrobe when we finished shooting…shhhh).

Some of Jade's makeup looks like her smokey eye were inspired by Kate Moss. Everyday hair, our favourite Kat Stratford from 10 Things I Hate About You, and, of course, the Y2K wire-pony is a homage to Grimes' look at the 2021 Met Gala.

The music that energises me is…

Music is based on mood and I’ve pretty much got a playlist for every outfit and activity of the week. 

For a girl's night it's Shakira, my ringtone is Pocketful of Sunshine (thanks Easy A), I put on Rob's playlist from High Fidelity when I'm cooking bolognese, and Taylor Swift soundtracks long drives.

Are there any musicians you were inspired by/looking to emulate for the musical element of this role?

There were so many phenomenal musicians in the 90s to draw inspiration from when it came to character development. Though for Jade, I was particularly heavily inspired by Alanis Morissette. I watched her doco Jagged on Netflix at least 3 times while we were shooting. I think the way she broke female stereotypes of the time period and redefined what it can look like to be a female artist on her own terms was and still is an inspiration. I saw a lot of correlation between her and Jade in the perseverance for integrity. I think the freedom, liberation and authenticity that Alanis performed with on stage and conducted herself with in public appearances would ultimately be Jade's Professional Dream.   

What scene did you have the most fun shooting?

Fun was never at a loss while shooting this show. I have to say, there was something electric and special about shooting the performance scenes… we’d often have audiences full of extras who deserved our absolute best take after take as much as the cameras did. It’s almost impossible to describe but there is nothing like the feeling of performing live onstage to an audience. Songs and dances we had all trained and practiced together for weeks, bonding, laughing, learning. That euphoria was something else. 

What do you think Paper Dolls adds to the conversation around fame?

Paper Dolls is the glimpse behind the curtain. Yes there is glitter and lights but blood sweat and tears isn't just a saying. Fame is something that will always come with a price. 

 My words to live by are…

It’s all instincts and heart… just listen, listen, listen.

New episodes of Paper Dolls are streaming weekly on Sundays at Paramount+.