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Neighbours bosses have announced the casting of actor Ben Barber as new regular character Rhys Lawson.
The 27-year-old has already filmed his first scenes as Rhys, a doctor who is tipped to cause a stir in Erinsborough as his arrival will not go down well with some of the locals.
Barber started work on set last week, shooting alongside established cast members Jackie Woodburne and Alan Fletcher (Susan and Karl Kennedy).
Speaking of his casting, the new recruit commented: "I love the character, he is very determined and focused. I'm looking forward to what's ahead."
Barber, who trained at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts, will hit screens in Australia in July.
News of his arrival follows last week's announcement that Benjamin McNair is returning to Neighbours for a four-month guest stint as Malcolm Kennedy.
Other recent cast changes have seen James Mason (Chris Pappas) and Christopher Milligan (Kyle Canning) promoted to regular fixtures in Erinsborough.
tammyy2j
13-06-2011, 17:15
Looks yummy
I seen him in H&A the other day as a river boy
Neighbours star Ben Barber has insisted that his character Rhys Lawson is a nice guy at heart.
The ambitious doctor has been appearing in Erinsborough since July last year, and viewers in the UK are about to see the full force of his ruthless side.
However, speaking to Digital Spy about Rhys's personality, Barber explained: "Very, very deep down he is quite sensitive and he does mean well.
"I think at the end of the day, he just wants to win and he has this ability to justify why he does things, and if people are hurt in the process, it's their fault. His vision is the one that is most important."
In episodes soon to air on Channel 5, Rhys launches a nasty plan to land a place on Erinsborough Hospital's surgery programme.
Befriending new intern Erin (Elise Jansen), Rhys pretends to be romantically interested in her - hoping to distract her away from work and get her kicked off the programme so he can take her place.
Barber added: "This is Rhys at his manipulative best. He woos Erin and when she is completely vulnerable, he strikes!"
Neighbours airs weekdays at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Channel 5 in the UK, and weekdays at 6.30pm on Eleven in Australia.
"I think at the end of the day, he just wants to win and he has this ability to justify why he does things, and if people are hurt in the process, it's their fault. His vision is the one that is most important."
That's the complete opposite of a nice guy! I can't stand Rhys and any attempts to make him seem sensitive fall flat for me.
Neighbours' UK fans are about to see the full force of Rhys Lawson's manipulative side as he launches a nasty scheme to worm his way on to Erinsborough Hospital's surgical programme.
The Ramsay Street doctor failed to make the cut last year, but he sees a chance to rectify the situation in the coming days when he meets new surgical intern Erin (Elise Jansen).
Seeing that Erin is shy and vulnerable, Rhys pretends to be romantically interested in her - hoping to distract her away from work and get her kicked off the programme so he can take her place. However, Kate Ramsay (Ashleigh Brewer) is shocked by his antics and tries to sabotage his plans.
Digital Spy recently had a quick chat with Ben Barber, who plays Rhys, to hear about the new storyline, life at Neighbours and his character's future.
We've seen you on our screens for about seven months now. How are you finding your time at Neighbours?
"I'm absolutely loving it. The cast are fantastic, we have a lot of fun on and off the set, and while the pace we film takes a bit of getting used to, I think I'm on top of it now and I'm enjoying the challenge."
Fans have seen Rhys as quite a complex character. How do you describe him to people?
"Ambitious is usually the first word that comes to mind! He's also driven and good at getting what he wants. And very, very deep down, he is quite sensitive and he does mean well.
"I think at the end of the day, he just wants to win and he has this ability to justify why he does things, and if people are hurt in the process, it's their fault. His vision is the one that is most important."
What kind of a reaction have you seen from viewers over Rhys?
"I think they like him. They're always wondering what he is going to do next - he is unpredictable. They know he is capable of being manipulative, so they're interested to see what happens next."
How is Rhys feeling after losing out on a place on the surgical programme?
"He is devastated and desperate. This is the Holy Grail for him and also for his ill mother, and through an act of stupidity, he has lost it. So when he starts targeting Erin to get a place on the programme, this is Rhys at his manipulative best. He woos Erin and when she is completely vulnerable, he strikes!"
Were you surprised when you read the scripts and saw how ruthless Rhys would be in this storyline?
"I'm always surprised! I'm stunned at the situations the writers have him in, until I see where it's going and I get a handle of his motivation."
How does Rhys feel when Kate starts to interfere in his scheming?
"To Rhys, how Kate feels is of no concern to him. His objective is to get into the programme, and if Erin is a casualty, so be it. And if this appalls Kate, that's her issue!"
We see Erin get a warning at work after Rhys makes her miss an important class. Is there any sense of guilt from Rhys?
"Guilt? Hell no! His plan is falling into place perfectly. You'll see that Kate later tries to tell Erin what Rhys is up to. But the guy is a charmer and is able to make Erin believe that Kate is the one with the problem."
Then he tries to imply that Erin has a drinking problem…
"Yes, he spills wine on Erin's top, so when she goes into the hospital, she wreaks of alcohol. Rhys just has to plant the seed of doubt, fake some concern for his colleague, and rumour and innuendo does the rest…"
Would you like to redeem Rhys in the long-run? Or do you want him to become more and more ruthless as a character?
"The latter definitely, however you need to show that there is another side to the character, otherwise he is one-dimensional and I don't think the viewers would buy that."
Rhys had a one-night stand with Kate last year. Would you like more to happen between those two?
"Sparks definitely fly when Rhys is around Kate. He knows how to press her buttons so, yeah, it would be interesting to see where those two could go."
Can we expect more scenes between Rhys and his mother?
"Definitely. There is a major backstory to Rhys and his mother coming up, which explains a lot about why Rhys is the way he is."
What's next for Rhys?
"Well, speaking of his mother, there is a big revelation coming up, and believe it or not, there is some romance for the doctor - however, it isn't with Kate which viewers may expect."
Ruffed_lemur
11-02-2012, 17:09
Great interview. Thanks for posting Perdita! :)
I like Rhys, even though he's a schemer. As the interview says, there's more to him than this. He's an interesting character with some issues. As is Jade too. I think they're both great. :)
Erinsborough Hospital's Rhys Lawson will reportedly suffer a serious career setback after attempting to save the victims of a car crash.
The doctor, who dreams of becoming a surgeon, is left devastated after learning that a hand injury is more serious than first thought.
According to the Daily Star, Rhys - played by Ben Barber - gets hurt as he tries to help out at the scene of accident and then refuses to get his hand looked at when the ambulance crew arrives. It is only later at the hospital, when his girlfriend Vanessa Villante persuades him to have his injury examined, that Rhys learns that he needs an operation on his hand and has only a 5% chance of making a full recovery.
"Rhys has always wanted to be a top surgeon and the news shatters his world," a Neighbours insider told the paper. "He quickly descends into a dark depression and starts to think that his life is over."
Neighbours airs weekdays at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Channel 5. Viewers will be able to see the drama surrounding Rhys and the crash unfold later this autumn.
Erinsborough Hospital's Rhys Lawson will reportedly suffer a serious career setback after attempting to save the victims of a car crash.
The doctor, who dreams of becoming a surgeon, is left devastated after learning that a hand injury is more serious than first thought.
According to the Daily Star, Rhys - played by Ben Barber - gets hurt as he tries to help out at the scene of accident and then refuses to get his hand looked at when the ambulance crew arrives. It is only later at the hospital, when his girlfriend Vanessa Villante persuades him to have his injury examined, that Rhys learns that he needs an operation on his hand and has only a 5% chance of making a full recovery.
"Rhys has always wanted to be a top surgeon and the news shatters his world," a Neighbours insider told the paper. "He quickly descends into a dark depression and starts to think that his life is over."
Neighbours airs weekdays at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Channel 5. Viewers will be able to see the drama surrounding Rhys and the crash unfold later this autumn.
Neighbours' Rhys Lawson has tough times ahead on UK screens later this month as he fears that his career could be over.
The surgical intern, played by Ben Barber, injures his hand while rescuing the teens after their upcoming car crash - which throws his entire future into jeopardy.
Rhys initially has no idea that the damage to his hand is so serious, but when Karl Kennedy brings his tests forward, he soon hears some shocking news - he only has a 5% chance of a full recovery.
At first Rhys is keen to fight this, but the reality of the situation soon hits home as he knows that the odds aren't good for him to continue as a surgeon.
When Vanessa and Susan both encourage Rhys not to give up, he tries to be optimistic and ploughs ahead with his rehab. Will he be able to get the results that he wants?
Neighbours airs these scenes on Thursday, September 27 at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Channel 5.
Neighbours launches a big new storyline for Rhys Lawson on UK screens next week as his life-long dream of becoming a surgeon comes under serious threat.
Having injured his hand at the scene of the teens' car crash, Rhys is left devastated when hospital tests reveal that he only has a small chance of a full recovery - leaving him fearing that his career will go no further.
Rhys later decides to go through the difficult process of rehab, but it's clear that there's a long journey ahead for him - and absolutely no guarantees that he'll get the outcome he's hoping for…
Digital Spy recently caught up with Ben Barber, who plays Rhys, for a quick chat about the storyline and more.
Here in the UK, we've just seen the car crash and rescue episodes. What was it like to film these huge scenes for the show?
"Great! It was a big scene and being shot at night, we had lights set up all around the site. It had a real feature film feel about it."
How does Rhys's hand injury storyline play out?
"Rhys knows his hand is injured, but he has no suspicion at all that the injury will turn out to be so serious. He is very confident about having the tests done - as far as he's concerned, he has nothing to fear.
"You'll see that Rhys tries to take on some ordinary work chores at the hospital in order to keep himself busy while his hand heals, but he is bored to tears and driving everyone crazy.
"Afterwards, the tests on Rhys's hand are brought forward and he finds out that he only has a 5% chance of a full recovery. He is devastated - becoming a surgeon is the most important thing to him and he has no plan B. This is a guy who manipulated himself into the surgical programme, it means that much to him."
Vanessa is keen to support Rhys, but he keeps pushing her away. How much of a test is this going to be for their relationship?
"Vanessa hasn't seen this side of him so she is struggling, and let's face it, he is wallowing in self-pity at the moment. In fact, he's a bit of a pig to anyone who is trying to help."
Susan and Rhys haven't always seen eye-to-eye, but she is one of the characters who tries to offer him some advice. What can you tell us about those scenes?
"Rhys has to realise that he hasn't got all the answers. He has to learn to listen to others, and Susan is no slouch when it comes to giving out advice! I always enjoy scenes with Jackie Woodburne, who plays Susan - I learn something each time."
If Rhys didn't make a full recovery, do you think he'd stay in the medical profession in a different role?
"At this moment, he can't consider anything past surgery."
This is quite an emotional storyline for Rhys. Were you excited to show another side to his character?
"Absolutely. I enjoy any storyline which shows another layer to his character."
The Rhys/Vanessa/Lucas triangle is turning out to be one of the year's biggest storylines. Does Rhys have any idea or suspicion of Lucas's feelings towards Vanessa?
"Not at this stage, but he is starting to piece things together… But Rhys doesn't see Lucas as a threat, he is too confident for that. In reality, though, he is a big threat. He is the father of Vanessa's baby and it's not a normal situation."
Are you looking forward to working with a baby on set when Vanessa's child arrives?
"Yeah, it will be different. One thing I've learnt from nieces and nephews is they control the situation, so I'm expecting a scene stealer!"
What else can you tell us about what's coming up for Rhys over the rest of the year?
"The Vanessa and Lucas storyline will certainly dominate Rhys's world for most of the time!"
Will we see more of Rhys's mother in future episodes? Will his friends get a proper introduction to her?
"We certainly see more of her and Vanessa meets her, but that's the extent of it."
Are there still plans for more revelations to do with Rhys's mother, or do we already know her full background?
"We learn more about her marriage to Rhys's father, which may explain why Rhys is the way he is."
Finally, there have been some rumours doing the rounds on Twitter that Chris could be moving in with Rhys and Kyle. Can you tell us whether this is true?
"Let's just say there is certainly some house hopping coming up with Jade off the scene…"
Neighbours airs weekdays at 1.45pm and 5.30pm on Channel 5 in the UK, and weekdays at 6.30pm on Eleven in Australia.
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