The 10 Most Successful Neighbours Actors

After 37 years the Australian soap opera Neighbours is coming to end. The soap was popular in Australia and the UK, we Brits needed two showing a day. It was a show that created memorable characters like the Kennedys, Toadie, Paul Robinson, Harold Bishop, and many more.

It is sad for fans to see the soap coming to end. It’s a show I have a personal connection to. But now seems to be a great time to celebrate Neighbours. Neighbours gave many Australian actors their first major roles, and many have gone on to become big stars, so let’s look at some of the most successful cast members.

10. Natalie Imbruglia

Neighbours had a record for producing pop stars. Natalie Imbruglia was one of them.

In Neighbours Imbruglia played Beth Brennan, a tomboyish character who was breaking gender stereotypes by working as a builder’s apprentice. But this career choice was not without challenges since it’s a male-dominated industry in 1990s Australia. Beth’s time in the show was also marked by her relationship with Brad Willis and being the victim of sexual abuse.

Outside of Neighbours Imbruglia’s biggest acting role was in Johnny English. She played an INTERPOL agent who needed to work with the bumbling British agent.

Imbruglia’s hit song was her version of “Torn.” It was a top 10 hit in many nations and it had a memorable music video. It was a quintessentially ‘90s song.

Imbruglia’s first album sold seven million copies worldwide and she still works as a recording artist. She also worked as a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor and won the third season of The Masked Singer in the UK.

9. Dichen Lachman

Born in Nepal, Dichen Lachman moved to Australia at a young age. Neighbours marked her first major role having previously appeared in short films and commercials.

Lachman originally auditioned to play Elle Robinson, Paul Robinson’s daughter, but the producers ended up creating a new character for her to play, Katya Kinski. Katya was the estranged member of the Kinski family. She returned to her family after her younger brother and sister told her their father was dying. Katya entered a feud with The Kennedys over the custody of Rachel and Zeke, got involved with crime, and suffered at the hands of Robert Robinson. Lachman had a short stint on Neighbours, it lasted for 14 months.

After Neighbours Lachman became a prolific actor on American TV. She had leading roles in Dollhouse, the US adaptation of Being Human, Altered Carbon, and Severance. She has also had guest spots and recurring roles on other American shows.

She has appeared in some films. She lent her voice to Raya and the Last Dragon and appeared in Jurassic World: Dominion.

8. Caitlin Stasey

Caitlin Stasey was a child actor in Australia before joining Neighbours. She was one of the lead characters in the teen sitcom The Sleepover Club before moving onto Neighbours and landing the role of Rachel Kinski.

Rachel Kinski was an intelligent but odd teenager when she first appeared in the soap. She was a home-schooled child who needed to adjust quickly when attending Erinsborough High. Rachel had several storylines on the show. She had to deal with her father’s terminal illness, falls for her friend’s older brother and she had an affair with a teacher. Stasey was nominated for a Nickelodeon Australian Kids’ Choice Award and Inside Soap Award for her role.

Stasey’s first major role after Neighbours was in an adaptation of Tomorrow, When the War Began. The Tomorrow series was a popular series of young adult novels in Australia and essentially the Australian version of Red Dawn. Stasey had a leading role in the horror-comedy All Cheerleaders Die (which also starred Neighbours alumni Sianoa Smit-McPhee) and she had a small role in I, Frankenstein.

Stasey has had a successful career on television. She has had leading roles in shows like Please Like Me, Reign, APB, and Bridge and Tunnel.

7. Eliza Taylor

Eliza Taylor was an emerging actor in Australia before landing the role of Janae Timmins in Neighbours. Taylor was in The Sleepover Club and even appeared in Neighbours in another role before her stint from 2005 to 2008.

Janae was a part of the Timmins clan which included her brothers Dylan and Stingray and sister Bree. She was a teenage character who had a reputation for being promiscuous and a troublemaker. Her first major storyline involved having an HIV scare after finding out her ex had the virus. Janae’s other storylines involved her relationships with Boyd Hoyland and Ned Parker. She married Boyd but it fell apart quickly, and she acted as a surrogate mother to Ned’s son. Janae left Edinsborough with her family and moved to Cairns.

After Neighbours Taylor had plenty of TV roles. Taylor’s big break came when she was cast in the CW’s adaptation of The 100. In The 100, Taylor played Clarke Griffin, a teenager who was forced to be a part of an expeditionary force to recolonise Earth after it had been eradicated for nearly 100 years.

6. Jesse Spencer

Jesse Spencer had a long stint in Neighbours. He played Billy Kennedy from 1994 to 2000. Billy was the son of the Neighbours mainstays Karl and Susan Kennedy. In Neighbours Billy had to deal with his dyslexia, started a pirate radio station with Toadie, and had a long-term relationship with Anne Wilkinson.

After Neighbours Spencer had a successful career on American Network TV. He had leading roles on two major shows, House and Chicago Fire. His role on House lasted for eight years, whilst Chicago Fire had 10 seasons. He also appeared in the Chicago expanded universe: he reprised his role in Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med.

5. Liam Hemsworth

Liam Hemsworth is the younger brother of Chris Hemsworth. One of his early roles was a short stint on Neighbours. He played Josh Taylor, a wheelchair-bound teen who befriends Bridget Parker and became a love rival with Bridget’s boyfriend, Declan.

After Neighbours Hemsworth moved to America to continue his acting career. His biggest role was in The Hunger Games series. He played Gale Hawthorne, one-third of the love triangle for Katniss’ heart. Gale was Katniss’ love time friend who hunted together and he joined the rebellion army. Gale was most prominent in the first and third films.

Hemsworth had a leading role in the long-delayed sequel of Independence Day, was in the second Expendables movie as a young member of the group, and was the male love interest in the adaptation of The Last Song.

4. Ben Mendelsohn

Like Liam Hemsworth, Ben Mendelsohn had a short-term appearance in Neighbours. He appeared in 19 episodes as Warren Murphy. Warren was a teenage character who was a school friend of Charlene and Scott and had a drinking problem whilst preparing for the HSC exams.

After Neighbours Mendelsohn became a prolific actor and a regular fixture on Australian TV. His breakout role came in 2010 when he appeared in the Australian crime-drama Animal Kingdom where he played a career criminal who tried to convince his nephew to join the family business.

The 2010s saw Mendelsohn appear in many major films. His credits include The Dark Knight Rises, The Place Beyond the Pines, Darkest Hour, and played Talos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has specialised in playing villains. He was Director Orson Krennic in Rogue One, Nolan Sorrento in Ready Player One, and the Sheriff of Nottingham in the 2018 version of Robin Hood.

3. Guy Pearce

Born in Cambridgeshire to an English mother and New Zealander father, Guy Pearce moved to Australia at a young age. Pearce was 17 when he was in Neighbours and it marked his first major acting role. Pearce played Mike Young, a teenager who moved to Ramsay Street with his mother to hide from his abusive father. Mike’s storyline revolved around his relationship with Jane Harris and facing the disapproval of Mrs. Mangel, and his decision to become a maths teacher.

Since Neighbours Pearce has had a long acting career working in Australia and America and occasionally performed in the UK. One of his first major film roles was in the hit Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Deserts and he had leading roles in films like L.A. Confidential, Memento, and The Proposition. He has worked with directors like Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott, and John Hillcoat.

Whilst there has been a time when Pearce seemed like he was going to be a leading man, he later positioned himself as a character actor. He often has supporting roles in major Hollywood films. He’s rarely out of work.

Pearce is a rare actor because he has also appeared in Neighbours’ rival soap, Home and Away.

2. Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue is one of the most recognisable performers during Neighbours’ early years. She played Charlene, one of the most iconic characters in the show, and was one half the Neighbours power couple, the other half being Scott Robinson.

Charlene was a tomboy character and her storylines revolved around her relationship with Scott. The pair had a rocky relationship where they broke up and got back together. Charlene and Scott had the first wedding on Neighbours. Minogue was only on the show for two years but she had a lasting impact.

After Neighbours Minogue had a decent career as an actress. She played Cammy in the infamous Street Fighter movie, was a guest star in the Doctor Who Christmas Special “Voyage of the Damned” and a small role in Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge. Minogue’s stardom comes from her pop career. She had a long career in music and had many hit singles like “I Should Be So Lucky” and “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.” She is a star in Australia and the UK.

Honourable Mention: Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe is an actor who needs no introduction. The New Zealand-born actor has won an Oscar for Gladiator, been nominated twice more, and starred in many acclaimed films. He has worked with big-name directors like Ridley Scott, Ron Howard, Michael Mann, and James Mangold. He is one of the few actors to appear in the DCEU and MCU, playing both Jor-El and Zeus.

So the question is why is Crowe only an honourable mention? It’s because his role in Neighbours was brief. He played Kenny Larkin in four episodes of the soap, an ex-con and a scammer whose scam got Madge Ramsay fired from The Waterhole. His appearance concluded with a fistfight with Henry Mitchell.

1. Margot Robbie

Topping this list is the Queensland native Margot Robbie. Neighbours gave Robbie her first major role on TV. She played Donna Freedman and appeared in the show from 2008 to 2011.

Donna was a student at Edinsborough High and was friends with Ringo Brown, Rachel Kinski, Bridget Parker, and Declan Napier. Donna first appeared as a groupie who was obsessed with Ty Harper and during her run on the show she formed a relationship with Ringo, slept with Andrew Robinson, unaware he was underage, dealt with her mother’s poor parenting skills, and apprised to be a fashion designer.

After Neighbours Robbie moved to America and earned a leading role in ABC’s Pam Air. The series only last for one season but Robbie shot up when she was cast in The Wolf of Wall Street as Jordan Belfort’s second wife. It was a role that shot her to stardom.

Since The Wolf of Wall Street, Robbie has worked with big-name directors like Quentin Tarantino, David O Russell, and Damien Chazelle, played Harley Quinn in the DCEU, and has been nominated for two Oscars, one for Best Actress in I, Tonya and another for Best Supporting Actress in Bombshell.