She has starred in the likes of All Saints, Rush, Wentworth and Doctor Doctor, so Nicole Da Silva is certainly no stranger to an Aussie legacy series. And this week, the acclaimed actress, 44, arrives in Summer Bay – taking on the role of Dr Amelia Carlisle in Home and Away.
“It is a rite of passage for most Aussie actors, I think,” she tells WHO about joining the soap.
While always on the bucket list, Nicole admits the role also came at the right time for her.
“As a single parent, having full-time work in Sydney close to my daughter’s school, and our family and community, was the right decision,” she shares.
Where does Nicole Da Silva step into Summer Bay?
Diving straight into the drama when she hits the Bay, Nicole – who had a brief guest appearance on the soap back in 2006 – explains her character makes some “brave moves” when a Summer Bay local is caught up in a shooting and ends up in the emergency department.
Although the actress admits joining a show with such a deep fan lore was “terrifying” – “Hopefully everyone plays nice,” she jokes – Nicole says on-set, the cast and crew have “been very welcoming”.
However, she stops short of naming the first cast member who made her feel at home on the series.
“If I told you one person specifically, you might figure out who plays my love interest – and it’s best you discover that when you watch,” she teases.
After intense dramas like Wentworth and Rush, stepping into Home and Away has felt like a tonal reset for Nicole.
“Home and Away does have its own unique tone and format, so discovering what that requires has been fun,” she says. “But every job, whether drama, comedy or in between, requires truth and honesty, and I try to make that the baseline of everything I do.”
A potential return to Wentworth for Nicole Da Silva?
With her Wentworth character Franky Dole remaining a cult favourite character around the world, does she ever feel pressure to outrun a role that iconic?
“No, I’m really grateful for the impact that Franky has made,” Nicole tells. “She came at a time when LGBTQI+ and female representation was stereotyped and limited, and she helped shape a modern and nuanced picture of queer women that transcended her gender and sexuality. She resonated with so many people, and I will always celebrate that.”
So with renewed chatter online about a possible continuation or reboot, would she ever return to the world of Wentworth?
“Absolutely, I’d love to,” Nicole adds.
(Home and Away airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7)
