Isla Fisher takes a swipe at H&A

[Mishyy]

Isla Fisher has dissed Home &Away, the very show that propelled her to stardom. Picture: Getty Images

ISLA Fisher has become the latest former soap actor to publicly bag the show that boosted her to stardom, joining the likes of Melissa George in taking a stab at Seven's Home and Away.

The Aussie actor, who starred as high school student Shannon Reed on the long-running soap from 1994-97, credited Home and Away with 'teaching her how to look good in a bikini and how to deliver bad dialogue convincingly'.

"Home and Away taught me how to look good in a bikini," she told London newspaper The Observer in a recent interview.

"And how to deliver bad dialogue convincingly - a skill that really helped in the early days of my career", Fisher added.

The 37-year-old, who is married to Hollywood heavyweight Sacha Baron Cohen, has seen her career skyrocket in recent years. She currently stars in heist movie Now You See Me, alongside Morgan Freeman, and landed a role in this year's blockbuster, The Great Gatsby.

"For a long time I was auditioning for films that weren't very good, but I'd always get called back because I could make a terrible line sound real. For that, I'll always be grateful", she says, eventually crediting Home and Away.

Channel 7 was unavailable for comment today.

Fisher's diss comes after Melissa George's hissy fit on the Morning Show in November last year.

George said the Australian press were "disgusting" for constantly aligning her with the soap and threatened to walk off the set if hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies made mention of her lovable character, Angel Parrish.

"I don't need credibility from my country any more, I just need them all to be quiet," she said. "If they have nothing intelligent to say, please don't speak to me any more. I'd rather be having a croissant and an espresso in Paris or walking my French bulldog in New York City."

Whatever that meant.

Isla Fisher and Melissa George back in 1995. Picture: Nathan Edwards

While these two A-listers have, for whatever reason, been reluctant to give credit where credit is due, Home and Away's Rebecca Breeds was full of praise for the popular show in a recent interview with The Australian.

Having relocated to Los Angeles after landing a role in a new CBS comedy We Are Men, the rising star joins a host of Gen-Y actors fleeing the coup to try their luck in Hollywood.

"You wouldn't expect anything less, we all got such great training," Breeds said. "Thank you Home &Away."

Breeds' husband Luke Mitchell (who was also on Home &Away) joins her in LA to star in his very own series, Tomorrow People.

"When you can turn up to a set in India or America and know you're ready and prepared because of your Australian training, it's awesome," the 26-year-old said, referring to Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, the Hindi film she shot last year.

Add these two up-and-comers to the growing list of former Aussie soap stars who have made it big overseas - the Hemsworth brothers, Kylie Minogue, Isabel Lucas, Naomi Watts, Tammin Sursok, Natalie Imbruglia, Ryan Kwanten, Heath Ledger, Sharni Vinson - and you've got to wonder why Fisher and George are so keen to distance themselves from the show.

Home and Away actor Rebecca Breeds has been cast in new US series, . Picture: Supplied

Source

Wow you were on the show for 3 years, 3 years too long by the sound of it!! Why did you stay if you were only there to "look good in a bikini" or "make bad dialog sound good"???

Makes it sound as if she was violated!!

[~Lynd~]

These people need a huge slice of humble pie.Do they honestly think they'd be where they are now if HAA didn't start them off?They aren't even huge stars, i'd say they've been moderately successful.Even Heath Ledger was on HAA for a brief time.I really just don't understand the need for such nasty egos.

[Red Ranger 1]

It kind of feels like it's been blown up out of proportion to make headlines.The actual comment, which accounts for a tiny fraction of the article(even after they print it twice), is somewhat disrespectful but seems like a throwaway, slightly tongue-in-cheek comment rather than a full blown attack.

[samdanfan]

Red Ranger Disrespect is disrespect and I think She should like Melissa be thinking about an apology soon. Lynd As for Nasty Egos what hurts me is hearing bad stories from fans and I dont like to discuss as what happen to me here and my mates overseas! They are worse antifan actors down under so dont be shocked at Isla comments as it better than saying something about the fans! Still the show has Devoted fans and she should have known better.

[Ryan]

Making an apology to whom? Are they not allowed an opinion. If Isla Fisher thinks the dialogue was naff, that's her opinion.

The one thing I would say, though I do enjoy the comedies she has been, they are hardly Schindler's List on the writing scale.

[Red Ranger 1]

She does actually seem to imply that a lot of the stuff she's done since hasn't been very good either.But presumably that doesn't make as good a headline.

[samdanfan]

Well much like Melissa she should and say that her feeling doesnt mean anything negative toward anyone else.

Yes I been to many events and had actors bash shows and sometimes co-stars.

Yes they have a right to an opinion and should be thinking about bashing something that means alot to alot of fans and word their issues better!

[Ryan]

"Is wording their issues better" code for "say something I agree with". Isla Fisher says she thought the writing of Home and Away was of a pretty low standard. But soaps have never been then pantheon of great writing, even though we may enjoy them.

[jldraw]

A few questions:

First off when have Melissa George or Isla Fisher ever come near the "A-List"? This isn't an attempt to put either actress down as I'm a huge Isla Fisher fan and recognize that Melissa George has some talent but seriously? Make mention of the name Melissa George to anyone walking down the street in the United States and you are likely to get blank stares in return unless of course they happen to be fans of "Alias". The same would go for Isla Fisher although she has gained some notoriety for some great supporting cast type roles in several successful films. However with the exception of "Confessions Of A Shopaholic" she has yet to headline any films of her own and certainly has not headlined a legitimate blockbuster of her own yet. In fact in a recent article Fisher mentioned that awhile back she was having trouble finding representation in Hollywood and was turned down by a slew of agents including the agency that represents her husband Sacha Baron Cohen.

So far from A-List stars first of all.

Secondly, I don't see anything wrong with what Isla Fisher said. To me it's totally different from some of the quotes that have been attributed to Melissa George over the years. Isla has always been consistent in her opinion that H&A afforded her great opportunities but she didn't quite understand the workings of the show from the storylines to the fact that she and the other actresses were basically portrayed as eye candy throughout their time on the series. She has made mention in the past that she was basically in a bikini the entire time on the show which of course is hardly true (still trying to find that infamous scene where Isla/Shannon turns up at a funeral clad in a bikini) but she was on two other soaps as well I believe in addition to H&A so maybe her memories after all these years have sort of blended together.

Thirdly regardless of the fact that this article is trying to make a story out of nothing, it's still worth it for that vintage picture of Melissa and Isla. They were so cute back in the day. Personally regardless of some of the things that have come out since, I'd take those two over Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth any day of the week.

[samdanfan]

Jldraw you make some good points, Unless your into Aussie TV as me and lets face it Its not like it use to be decades ago, you wouldnt know who these actors are.

Second she does have a right to say how she feels yet its kind of strange for her at that time to do those episdoes and wear what she was told and then later say how unhappy she was and lets face it she not the only actor to do that yet it does make her seem ungrateful?

Ryan your right about writing as its ruined many of a character and show for me.