Neighbours' Harley Bonner: 'Josh and Amber are totally dysfunctional'
Neighbours' Josh Willis will face more challenges in the upcoming weeks as his relationship with Amber Turner hits another hurdle.
Digital Spy recently chatted to Harley Bonner - who plays Josh - about the couple's latest drama, his time on Neighbours and the future for the Willises.
How are you enjoying your role on Neighbours?
"I have been here about eight months now and I love it. Every day is different and I couldn't ask to be in a better place right now. It is great."
How did the role come about?
"I have an agent and I just did the same as every other actor. You audition hundreds of times and you only get a handful of gigs. This role happened to come up and I thought it would be a really good opportunity. It is a good time in your life to be at this point, so I went for it and happened to get it."
Was it nerve-wracking coming into the show as the son of Brad Willis who was already a well-known character?
"Well, I didn't really know much about Brad before, other than the fact that he looks completely different now! I didn't feel much pressure. I thought the other Brad was kind of dumb and I didn't want to play my character as dumb, so I thought I would make him more like Terese. But no, there wasn't a whole lot of pressure really."
Are you pleased with the way that fans have responded to Josh and the Willis family?
"Yeah, I think the fans have responded well to them. You always get your haters but that isn't what I like to focus on. I don't look at comments on Facebook pages and stuff like that because you don't want that sort of stuff in your mind. If you haven't got control of yourself then that could really eat you up, especially if you are an insecure sort of person."
Many of your storylines are revolving around the Amber and Josh relationship. Do you think they make a good couple? Are you optimistic about their future?
"I think they make a horrible couple. They are constantly fighting and breaking up. They are totally dysfunctional and I don't know what I feel about their future. I don't know whether I am hopeful or whether I am just going to go with it, like I think Josh is."
They have had quite a turbulent time already - do you think they genuinely love each other?
"Yeah, I think they do. They definitely do. It takes you back as it is a teenage love. I recently separated with my teenage love - we had been together for four years and three months, so I have something to compare it to."
What is it like working with Jenna [Rosenow], who plays Amber?
"I can't stand her! [laughs] No, I do really enjoy working with her. She's good."
There's a story coming up where Josh shares a kiss with a journalist called Ruby and then he hides it from Amber. What can you tell us about that storyline?
"Ruby comes in as a journalist for the West Waratah paper and I think there is a real connection there, well, so I thought. But apparently Ruby was just using Josh to get a story and they end up kissing, but it was really just to get him nice and close - she is a tactical journalist."
Josh is obviously an elite swimmer and he always had quite a lot of attention from his parents because of it. Do you think that Imogen's eating disorder has changed the family dynamic a bit?
"Yeah, that story was great. It was an interesting one to play and a great topic to tackle. It has changed the dynamic I think. It shook the family and made them think 'what is going on?' and 'now we have to change the way we have always been'. I don't know whether it was a case of Imogen being neglected but because Josh has such a massive goal, they wanted to help him. If Imogen had the goal, they would be putting in just as much effort with her. It wasn't neglect."
Are you hoping that we meet Josh's other sister Piper soon?
"Yeah, I can't wait. I can't give away too much but there could be one or two more..."
As viewers, we've always had the feeling that there are some big secrets at the heart of the Willis family and the Turner family, so are we going to see some big revelations in the near future?
"Indeed you will! There is big storyline coming up for Brad and Lauren but I don't want to give away too much. You will have to wait and check it out."
Could this have an impact on Josh, and his relationship with Amber?
"Yeah, it will impact on Josh I suppose. It could definitely impact on him and Amber, but I don't know whether or not it will. It definitely could though."
In the long-term, are you pleased about what is coming up for Josh?
"Yes! Well, Josh wouldn't be pleased for what is coming up for Josh but Harley is pleased about what is coming up for Josh. It is fun tackling certain avenues of your character's life and deeper parts of them."
Are pleased about what is coming up for Neighbours in general?
"Yeah, I am pleased about what is coming up - I think the show is doing really well."