That’s because, wearing another hat, she’s been in the resort for almost six months again playing lead for A Remarkable Place to Die’s second series.
She’s been given a month off shooting the TV murder-mystery drama to promote Caterpillar.
The multi-generational drama, about three women living under the one roof, took her six years "to get the script right" before it was shot in late ’24.
"It was a very complex kind of thing to tackle as a first feature," she says.
"Like, a multi-protagonist story is already quite a difficult thing to write and balance.
"And then I also had this added aspect of dementia through it in which there are some sort of fantasy elements, and there was this metaphor that also intertwines with the dementia, about monarch butterflies."
Preston Crayford — following in the footsteps of her mother, noted Kiwi film-maker Dame Gaylene Preston — says it follows three generations of women "at three pivotal life stages, all kind of muddling through this enormous change in their family".
"It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry, and it’s a tribute to the women who raised me."
Asked if it’s autobiographical, she calls it "autofiction".
"The story is entirely fictional, but it’s definitely grown out of my real life."
She’s enjoying a break from her full-on role with A Remarkable Place to Die, playing lead, Detective Anais Mallory, especially as this series has gone up from four to six episodes, and each is now 90 minutes long.
"I talked them into reducing my workload a little bit because that was pretty intense last season."
The dialogue, Preston Crayford says, is really hard "because it’s also a very procedural kind of show, so you have to learn the case really well as you have to know what you’re talking about".
"I walk that Lake Hayes track a lot, running lines."
An added dimension this time is having a baby in tow who was born just three weeks before this shoot started, "so that’s been really intense".
"I have to send the most enormous shout-out to Hana Deavoll, she’s been my on-set PA, because I’ve been pumping every two hours for the last six months."
She also pays a huge compliment to series creator, Screentime NZ CEO Philly de Lacey.
"It’s a lovely production to work for because they really take care of people and it does feel like one big family — like, I haven’t had that experience on any other show, actually."
Q&A screening of Caterpillar hosted by Chelsie Preston Crayford, Silky Otter Queenstown, May 16, 6pm, tickets from Silky Otter’s website; also showing at Arrowtown’s Dorothy Browns from next Thursday
