Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou)
Neighbours' Willis family are at the centre of more drama on UK screens this week as Imogen finally breaks down and admits that she has an eating disorder.
After weeks of denying her problem, Imogen's resolve crumbles after her worried mum Terese finds evidence of her food binges.
Digital Spy recently caught up with Rebekah Elmaloglou, who plays Terese, for a chat about the storyline and life at Neighbours.
After a few months filming at Neighbours now, how's it all going?
"I'm absolutely loving it. The cast and crew are just incredible, and they've been so welcoming. It's been lovely to work with the younger cast, who are new to the industry but very professional. I'm also really loving working with the established cast who have been there for years. It's really exciting and I'm so pleased to be part of the Neighbours family."
We've seen lots of positive feedback for Terese, so you must be pleased with how people are responding to her!
"Absolutely. I've just found out recently that people are really loving her, so I'm stoked about that. She's so much fun to play, as there are so many different sides to her. On one hand you have the smart and career-minded woman, but then there's also the softer side we see when she's with her family. I think that softer side is starting to come out a little bit more now, and you'll see that on screen soon.
"Terese is my dream role and I'm having a ball playing her. People also seem to be enjoying the Terese/Paul interaction, which is so much fun to do."
What was Imogen's eating disorder storyline like to film?
"It was amazing. Ariel Kaplan, who plays Imogen, is a beautiful little actress and she's been amazing with that whole storyline. It was very much Ariel's storyline and I was there as a support for her, but the feedback for both of us has been fantastic. It's a hard storyline to do, but people have really taken it on board. I'm really happy that Ariel has been acknowledged for the brilliant work she's done on the storyline.
"We also had a beautiful director, Fiona Banks, who directed the full-on block where the story comes to a head. She was amazing too, as she was very soft and calm with us during those scenes. It was a lovely storyline to work on."
Terese tries to comfort Imogen
© Channel 5
Terese tries to comfort Imogen
Will we see a lot of guilt from Terese and Brad for not noticing Imogen's problems?
"Yes, because so much of their attention has been focused on Josh and his storylines. This situation with Imogen makes them wake up and realise that they have been neglecting her. There is an element of regret that they weren't more in tune with Imogen and her problems."
How strong would you say Terese and Brad's marriage is?
"It's absolutely solid. That's the interesting thing, because everyone's asking, 'Will Terese and Paul get together?' or 'Will Brad and Lauren get together?' Everyone has been asking me that, but at this stage, definitely not.
"Who knows what might happen down the track, but at this stage the producers have been telling us that their marriage is on track. They're very strong as a couple and they love each other very much. Although they're very different, they work together well and I think that's often the case with marriages in real life."
There's always a lot of expectation when a new family joins the show. Were you nervous about that?
"I wasn't nervous about the family - I just knew that the character I'd been cast as was fantastic. I just love every aspect of her. I actually didn't know too much about the family at first, I just knew that the producers were changing the show by bringing in new families and giving things a bit of an upheaval.
"It was only later that I found out how full-on things would be, with the Willis and Turner families having a connection and things like that. But I think the family are working really well together."
The Willis Family; Brad, Terese, Imogen and Josh.
© Channel 5
The Willis Family; Brad, Terese, Imogen and Josh.
Are you hoping that we meet Terese and Brad's other daughter Piper before too long?
"I think it's definitely on the cards. It's something that we haven't talked about too much with the producers at this stage, but we are starting to talk about her in the storylines, which is nice. It'd be great to add in another dynamic with her, because she's 14 and so a little bit younger. I'd like to see her come in for sure."
We know that Melissa Bell recently returned for another stint as Lucy Robinson. Did you share many scenes together?
"I have had a few scenes with her. Melissa is absolutely gorgeous and lovely to work with. I've worked with her before in the industry and it was great to see her back on Neighbours. I think the viewers love seeing familiar faces return to the show. There's a few scenes with Terese and Lucy, but Lucy is mostly interacting with Paul and having storylines with him this time."
What are your memories of your time on Home and Away as Sophie Simpson?
"It was an amazing learning platform to work on a show from the age of 15 to 19. It was incredible. I lapped it up and loved every minute of it. I loved the character of Sophie and still do. I also loved working with the people there - some of them are still working at Home and Away, while others have gone back a few times. I have very fond memories."
Does that soap background help you much with Neighbours?
"It does, as the two shows are really similar with the way they're shot. The only difference is that we film six episodes a week on Neighbours, compared to the five that Home and Away does. We're working at a much faster pace but I thrive doing that - I really enjoy working at that speed.
"It's just amazing now to be working with such incredible people who I've admired over the years and met at various awards and events. I have a great deal of respect for them, so the first day I stepped onto Ramsay Street, I was a little bit starstruck! But they've all welcomed me with open arms and it's been a great experience."
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