Recasts

[adam436]

Pippa Fletcher: Although I like Debra Lawrence as an actress (in her roles in Please Like Me and Blue Heelers), I was not a fan of her as Pippa. I loved Vanessa Downing in the role and she made Pippa more virbrant and fun, and I think she lost that and became a very serious character when Debra took over the role. Interestingly, I was reading an article a few months back in which Jackie Woodburne (Susan in Neighbours) said she came close to getting the role of Pippa in 1990 and it came down to a choice between her and Debra. I actually think Jackie would have played the role closer to Vanessa's Pippa too!

Natalie Nash: I preferred Angelica La Bozetta as Natalie. I don't think the character was as likeable when the new actor took over the role and I could never have imagined the original Natalie cheating on Joel like she did. In terms of appearance it was great casting though!

Flynn Saunders: An interesting one. Although they seemed like two completely characters, I like them both for different reasons. I found the original Flynn to be more Sally's "type", but the second Flynn was probably suited to his future roles as local doctor and foster father. If I had to choose between the two, I probably preferred the original.

Hayley Lawson: I couldn't stand the original Hayley. She just seemed too fake and nice all the time. I quite enjoyed Ella Scott-Lynch take over the role and make it her own. Like the others, the two Hayleys seemed like completely different characters, but that suited me just fine

Ailsa Stewart: I understand that Judy Nunn got sick so Nancy Hayes was very last minute, but they were not very alike. Nancy Hayes is brilliant actress, but not right as Ailsa. It could just be that I wouldn't have approved of anyone playing my one of my all-time favourite characters, but they probably could have found a closer match (look at Neighbours' Libby for example!).

Chris Fletcher: It is probably hard to comment on child actors who are then played by teens, but it is a shame they didn't keep Chris Fletcher on for a little bit longer. I felt there was more to his story and Rian played the role brilliantly. It certainly would have been ground-breaking (perhaps too much so back then, that's why they didn't) to have a gay teen as part of the regular cast.

Others for discussion include Irene, Roo, VJ, Jesse's daughter Rachel, Ducan Stewart, Nathan Roberts, Barbara Fisher/Stewart, the other temporary replacements (Selina, Mitch, Rebecca), guests who would later return as regulars with a new face (eg. Dexter, Nick Smith, Rebecca Fisher). There are probably recasts since I stopped watching on a regular basis in 2006 too!

[ebrett84]

I thought Natalie was a great recast, definitely the best one they did.

Ella Scott Lynch was a better actress than Bec, but I still didn't like the recast. To me, Hayley didn't really have a personality and the permatan and the Supre clothes were more "Hayley" than anything in her personality, so that was a case where I think they should have just cast a Bec lookalike.

Also hated the Flynn recast because they totally had to change the character to make it work. Original Flynn was a leftie, hippie, Kombi Van driving, pot smoking (ok, they never showed that on the show, but he obviously was) counsellor, while the new one was a straight as an aarow doctor. The new one kind of fit better with Sally, but the old one was a far better character in his own right.

It wasn't a huge part but the worst recast was Scott Phillips. Original Scott was awesome. He wasn't much bigger than his on screen brother Kane, but he was totally believable as his abuser, because he just seemed totally psychotic and like he could snap at any second. The new Scott was a terrible actor. He was physically big, but there was absolutely nothing intimidating about him at all. I remember Coral Drouyn (the writer at the time) said that her original plan was for Scott to lead the 2004 siege instead of Sarah Lewis and thank God that got scrapped because the actor would have completely botched it.

[Jezz]

I didn't mind the re-casting of Flynn. Both Martin Dingle-Wall and Joel Mcllroy were strong in their roles as Flynn and I liked them both so I didn't have a personal preference on which one I preferred. Admittedly both seemed like different characters to an extent.

Ella Scott Lynch did well as Hayley but everyone remembers Bec Cartwright for portraying Hayley so I always felt that Ella was in Bec's shadow to a certain extent.

I liked both Pippas but I prefer Vanessa Downing ever so slightly even though Debra Lawrence is now well-remembered for playing Pippa in contrast to Vanessa.

It wasn't a huge part but the worst recast was Scott Phillips. Original Scott was awesome. He wasn't much bigger than his on screen brother Kane, but he was totally believable as his abuser, because he just seemed totally psychotic and like he could snap at any second. The new Scott was a terrible actor. He was physically big, but there was absolutely nothing intimidating about him at all. I remember Coral Drouyn (the writer at the time) said that her original plan was for Scott to lead the 2004 siege instead of Sarah Lewis and thank God that got scrapped because the actor would have completely botched it.

Nathaniel Dean was terrific in his portrayal of Scott in 2001! A genuinely psychotic and unstable individual who was a total loose cannon to anyone in his sight. I could easily believe that Kane was terrified and scared of his brother and that's saying something considering Kane's a tough guy himself.

The recasting of Scott was bad. Nothing personal against the actor but he didn't suit the role of Scott especially after what we saw with Nathaniel in 2001. The character almost started to become comical and funny, and despite the massive height he had he was in no way intimidating as you say in contrast to Nathaniel as Scott back in 2001.

If Nathaniel returned in 2004 for the Olympic cliffhanger siege that was supposed to involve Scott rather than Sarah Lewis it would have been brilliant and scary but it would have flopped with the second actor big time.

From memory the second actor actually played Selina's brother in 1997 but correct me if I'm wrong about that.

[hunnibunni7000]

We also had a re-cast of Dexter Walker.
There was the original in 2009 by Tom Green when they had their first stint and then in 2010, Charles Cottier took over the part.

[beau_t]

I remember Coral Drouyn (the writer at the time) said that her original plan was for Scott to lead the 2004 siege instead of Sarah Lewis and thank God that got scrapped because the actor would have completely botched it.

Did she comment on the change of actor at all?

The Flynn recast reminds me of the Pippa recast in a lot of ways, I think especially in that both Pippa#2 and Flynn#2 started off acting and being written very much like their predecessor, but then eventually the writing and acting changed as they made the character their own.

I feel the Natalie recast was an improvement (I started a thread on this in another forum today not realising this thread had just been made!). The 2nd Natalie brought a lot more enthusiasm to the role and was overall more likeable. There was nothing wrong with the original Natalie, but she didn't stand out.

I love the original Irene but it's hard not to like the recast when she plays her almost exactly the same (it's hard to compare exactly because we never saw the original Irene sober and we never saw the recast drunk, well not until 2009 by which point she was completely different anyway). But when Lynne McGranger first took over the part, she looked and acted almost exactly like the previous actor. right down to the mannerisms. I'm sure a lot of people may not even have realised there had been a recast.

I remember really growing to like the temporary Selina recast in the mid 90s and being a bit disappointed when she disappeared (while happy to see Tempany back at the same time).

I always felt the original Nick Smith looked much more like he could be Will's brother, and he was recast to Chris Egan for cuteness reasons. But whatever, never really cared about his character.

There's no denying that Pippa had a funny, silly side with Vanessa Downing that got lost somewhere with Debra. Vanessa was also more of a "cool mum". But ultimately Debra was much more "mumsy" which I think a lot more people warmed to.

[Jezz]

We also had a re-cast of Dexter Walker.

There was the original in 2009 by Tom Green when they had their first stint and then in 2010, Charles Cottier took over the part.

That was a great recasting in my view.

Charles made Dexter a quirky character whereas Dexter played by Tom was mature and sensible but was generally a bland character.

[jodlebirger]

I liked the first version of Dex, there were a lot to explore there. He was a bit dark, it was hinted about family secrets and also could have had a funny side. But the actor wasn't enough on the show to be fleshed out as a character that way.

To be honest, I liked all the Walkers better the first time around, minus Sid.

Charles Cottier's Dex was tiring at times, and especially in his first year it seemed to me that the writers didn't know what to do with him.

He had his good moments, but I think the accident was used as an excuse to not develop him as a young adult, he was acting childish as he always had done, even if we were meant to think he had changed personality.. I think it got better in the end, but he was still dragged down by a hopeless relationship to April. Sometimes they were portrayed as two 12 year olds with a huge sex appetite. Very weird in my opinion and I can't imagine the "other Dex" behaving like that.

He would have been better without April, and I still think that Dex should have been gay. Could have created a lot of storylines for him and the rest of the Walkers.

I think that Haley's recast was the worst, though. Absoulutely pointless since the character was just going in circles. The endless paternity gate storyline should have been finished earlier and Haley and Scott could have left when Rebecca Cartwright left.

I feel that Rebecca was much more natural as Haley than Ella Scott Lynch. I thought that it was only because I was used to Rebecca C as Haley and it was hard to get used to the new one.. But that was until I saw Ella Scott Lynch in the Crownies in 2013 (it was aired here in Norway on a small channel about 18 months ago).

I am pretty sure that Shauna had a recast for a few episodes too... And I thought it was a bit difficult, because when I got used to the new one, the old one came back. But all in all, I liked Shauna and the actress portrayal of her.

Weird, I can't remember the original Nick Smith... But I was watching at that time.

I have never seen the original Irene, because I think the show started from about 1993 season here in Norway.

And I have never seen the original Pippa either.

I liked Flynn the original most as a character on his own, but Flynn the 2nd most as Sally's fiancé and husband. I used some time to get used to Flynn the 2nd. But still I can like both.. Because I think they were both portrayed and played very well, even if they seem like two different characters.

[Trudy Heine]

The new Hayley looked more like Kit. Selina had a recast because Tempany was sick, same with Libby on Neighbours.

[Blaxland 89]

There was only ever one Shauna. I really like Ella as an actress but I agree that Hayley should have left when Bec left. After all those years I think it's a shame someone else took over for a few months. If the got a new actress they could of get Hayley in it longer and giving the character a new lease of life. But like you said, it just went round and round in circles.

Another recast was Paula Rogers. Originally played in 1998 by the lady who played Bridgette the con women who conned Alf. Then later in the year played by Kate Raison who played Alf's cousin Jennifer in 1990. Only to be replaced again the following year by the original actress!

Also, I thought the original Martha was much better.

[j.laur5]

The original Martha was a baby