Yellowjackets’ Simone Kessell on dating Heath Ledger, and her husband, director Gregor Jordan

Australian actor Simone Kessell is best known for playing Lottie Matthews in the TV series Yellowjackets. The 49-year-old shares how her ex-boyfriend, the late Heath Ledger, introduced her to her husband, film director Gregor Jordan, and why she’s never taken his last name.

My Maori maternal grandfather [Koro] Jack Gardiner was one of the grumpiest and mightiest of men, but he had a soft spot for me. I was the sporty grandchild, and he was a former Maori All Black. He passed away four years ago.

I sunk a dingy in the river at the back of his house as a kid. I was with my cousin, and he came out and yelled at us. I blamed my cousin. She looked up at Koro who was very scary and didn’t say it was me. He was the sort of man who got over his temper quickly. He had big hands, loved the cows on his farm, and every Christmas I was the one who always gave him a cow mug.

I get my empathy and compassion from Dad, Michael Kessell. He is a bit eccentric, very tactile and warm to strangers. He was also a good sportsman and my tennis coach.

I broke his heart at 15. I had been doing theatre and was cast in a TV series, and suddenly a new world opened up. I can still remember Dad asking, “What about tennis?” I was like, “What about it?” As careless as teenagers are, I broke his heart as we always talked about going to Wimbledon.

Dad met Mum, Matewiki, when she was a waitress in Auckland. He was a dishwasher at the time and then worked his way up to head chef. She helped him run their restaurant. They also ran a wedding reception lounge and we lived out the back as a family. Dad carved ice sculptures [Laughs]. I remember an exquisite peacock for a wedding.

I never thought I would get married. I thought I was too cool for that.

Simone Kessell, actor

I had a crush on a boy at primary school when I was six. He asked if he could give me a kiss and I said no. I then put a leaf to my cheek and said you can kiss the leaf, and he said OK. I was thrilled.

I had a long-time boyfriend when I was 16 to 19. He was the cool guy from the boys’ school and was very popular. We stayed together a few years out of high school. I was close to his family. We attempted to go flatting together, and then the wheels fell off. I last saw him at a mutual friend’s wedding 10 years ago.