Following the incredible success of 2019 film Top End Wedding, Miranda Tapsell and Gwilym Lee return to the story of young couple Lauren and Ned in a new TV spin-off, Top End Bub. Exploring family, work and Indigenous culture, this eight-part series also embraces a modern lens – where gender stereotypes are examined and challenged – in navigating relationships, parenthood and career ambitions.
Miranda once again joined forces with Josh Tyler to write the script, which follows Sydney-based Lauren and Ned returning to the Northern Territory when they unexpectedly become guardians to their eight-year-old niece (played by Gladys-May Kelly). The big move, paired with parental responsibility, means career sacrifices for both characters, and newfound strains on their romantic relationship. As Lauren misses out on career opportunities while working remotely, she also grapples with the unease of becoming a motherly figure so soon. The September 2025 release of the show positions Miranda’s character in stark contrast to her in real life, as the actor welcomed her second child in August.
Miranda says she wrote the script with Josh in 2020, when Lauren closely reflected the person she was at the time – at a “crossroads” in her real life. It had been two years since she got married, and she was eager to propel her international career after Top End Wedding’s successful release.
“We were both locked down in Victoria, and, you know, I was at that crossroads. I was not ready to have children after Top End Wedding. I was ready to go over to LA, put my face out there – [and] like hustle,” Miranda tells Missing Perspectives.
“I was like, ‘Oh no… forty is fine to have a kid. Then as I started writing this with Josh, I realised, and even Josh said, you’re never going to have your ducks in a row. You’re never going to have enough money, never going to be where you want to be in your career.
“There’s always countries that you want to visit, you know, food that you want to eat. So I just thought, well sort of like Lauren, it’s just like, let’s just take the plunge.”
Five years later, Miranda and husband James Colley share a daughter Gracie (born in 2021). And it’s now been a time of both personal and professional celebrations for Miranda, as newborn son Vincent was born just weeks ago. Walking the red carpet in Sydney this month to celebrate the premiere of Top End Bub was “so surreal” for the actor. It was particularly “special” to have her family and friends in the room to watch the show, as well as her co-star Gwilym, who had jetted in from overseas.
“It was brilliant, wasn’t it? It was raucous and wild and joyful to get back together again,” Gwilym says in his chat with Missing Perspectives, as he gestures towards Miranda.
“The film was, what seven years ago now? We’ve become a little family. It was nice to have a little reunion again, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah, absolutely,” Miranda adds. “When you’re in it.. when you’re shooting, you’re not thinking about the final product. So it’s always surreal. No matter how many times you do it – especially because I was so invested in this for like four years writing this with Josh Tyler – you know, the reality of everyone seeing it and loving it was just so surreal. It was really special.”
With a line in the show where Miranda’s dad Trevor lightheartedly tells Ned, “Welcome to the patriarchy, we’re just the advisors”, it’s clear that female storytelling is central to this production. Women’s voices are elevated, and audiences see the multi-faceted strength and resilience of First Nations women.
“I think it was important for me to show how much these women hold down the fort,” Miranda reflects. “I think I just really wanted to celebrate how these women do everything to make sure that the family are okay, and it’s often at their own expense.
“The show doesn’t always have the answers, but it’s just really, like a little nod to the Indigenous mums out there who really keep it all together.”
All eight episodes of Top End Bub are available to stream on Prime Video in Australia & New Zealand. Watch the trailer below.
Top photo – Pictured: Top End Bub actor Miranda Tapsell, Source: Prime Video & Peter Brew-Bevan