Actress Margot Robbie is to return for the final instalment of Neighbours. The star, 32, joined the Australian soap opera in 2008 as Donna Freedman and stayed for a three-year stint on the programme.
She's since gone on to receive several accolades for her work in films, including nominations for Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and British Academy Film Awards. In 2019 she was ranked as one of the world's highest-paid actresses by Forbes.
She also stars as the title character in Greta Gerwig's Barbie film, alongside Ryan Gosling as Ken. The film is due for release next summer.
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The long-running Australian soap will come to a close with a double-episode special this week after 37 years on screen. Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan are reunited as their famous Neighbours characters in a teaser trailer released ahead of the last-ever episode of the show.
Other Ramsay Street favourites returning in the finale include Guy Pearce, House actor Jesse Spencer and singer Delta Goodrem. According to reports, another Neighbours stalwart set to feature in the finale is the character of Madge Bishop, played by Anne Charleston, with some suggesting she may appear as a ghost following her character’s death in 2001.
As the 40-second trailer starts, the voice of Harold Bishop, played by Ian Smith, can be heard saying: “It certainly feels like the end of an era” before he is seen in person adding: “It all goes so quickly.” Also shown is Pearce, who reprises his role as Mike Young, the best friend of Donovan’s Scott Robinson and Minogue’s Charlene Mitchell.
Pearce’s role in the Australian soap helped launch his career in Hollywood, landing roles in big budget films such as LA Confidential, The Time Machine and Christopher Nolan’s Memento. In the teaser video he is seen reconnecting with his old love interest, Jane Harris, played by Annie Jones.
Global pop star Minogue and singer Donovan are seen in character standing in front of a car, resting on its bonnet, with his arm around her before the words ‘Will they get their happy ever after?’ appear on screen. Singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte is coming back as Izzy Hoyland and is seen in tears, telling a mystery figure: “Your story, my story. I wanted a reason to come back.”
Also returning for the finale is Peter O’Brien, who appeared in the show’s first episode as Shane Ramsay, Mark Little, who played Joe Mangel, and Paul Keane, who played Des Clarke. Familiar faces from the 2000s will be Chris Milligan, who played Kyle Canning, Morgan Baker as Callum Rebecchi and James Mason as Chris Pappas.
Neighbours, which first aired in 1985 and follows the lives of those living and working in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough, shot its final scenes in early June. It is ceasing production after failing to secure new funding since being dropped by Channel 5 earlier this year.
Neighbours will end with a double-episode special on Channel 5 at 9pm on Friday July 29.
