If you’re one of the few people who’ve only seen snippets of Australian TV drama Home and Away since it’s been on air, we’ll bet you still know who Ada Nicodemou is. At 44, Nicodemou is an icon of Aussie TV.
WATCH: Ada Nicodemou starts a book club with Lynne McGranger
After getting her start as teen dancer Katerina Ioannou on Heartbreak High in 1994, by 2000, she’d found her forever role as Leah Patterson on the universally loved soap. “I can’t believe Leah’s been part of my life for nearly 22 years,” she says.
In addition to her busy work life, Nicodemou is mum to her son Johnas, 9, who she says couldn’t care less about his mother’s celebrity.
Here, she expands on her family life and fame, plus how she continues to look so damn incredible! Her top tip? “I exercise early in the day,” she tells WHO. “It just sets me up so well and makes me feel better.”
With the exception of lockdown, 2021 was a huge year for you. What do you want from the year ahead?
Hopefully a lot of fun, laughter, eating out at restaurants. A bit of overseas travel would be nice! I’ve always had a holiday booked each year and for the past two years, I haven’t. I didn’t think I missed it, but I’m ready now.
If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
Obviously Europe, without a doubt. Even just the Greek Islands. My best friend lives in New York and she’s been there for 10 years, so I’d love to go and see her. It’s been a while!
Between planning your next holiday, looking after your family and filming commitments, how do you possibly find time for yourself?
I’m an early riser and always have been. So I try do some form of a workout when I can in the mornings. I love my car rides – I know that’s going to sound strange. I love listening to my many, many podcasts – that’s kind of my quiet time. And I love to read as well. So I do that before I go to sleep. I mean, it’s like all of us. We try to get in our stuff when we can.
You’ve been working for a very long time, right?
The only break I’ve had, like a proper, solid break, was when I was on maternity leave, which isn’t a break! Literally this past lockdown – I know it was awful for many, many people – but for me, it was nice just to stop. I didn’t have to be anywhere and literally could do whatever we wanted, at home of course. It was a solid break and I loved it. Johnas loved it. I got to cook and I got to play. We were in the pool most days, so we made the most of it.
And you’ll probably never get that time again, unless you quit Home and Away…
Nope! Doing nothing has made me – like I’m sure a lot of people – reassess what I say yes to. I’ve changed work around a little bit. I have more of a work-life balance now, more than I ever had before, even when I was 16 and just started working. I still love work, but that was a good thing for our family.
Speaking of family, does your son Johnas realise you’re famous?
Yeah, he’s onto that. They go through a funny stage. They wonder why everyone’s looking. We try and talk him through how fame isn’t all that important and you know, it’s more about working. It’s more like, that’s just what Mum does. And if anything, he prefers Mum being at home.
Does he ever join you on set?
Yes, he has in the past, but he hasn’t been for a while due to COVID. The crews are really lovely and when he’s there, he gets to call “action”, but he’s only come a couple of times, like when it’s a quick scene. I mean, children just get bored! Johnas is all about soccer and F1. And he’d much prefer to meet Chris Hemsworth anyway.
At least you can say you’ve worked with Chris!
Exactly! He couldn’t believe I worked with Thor. When he’s come into work, there are old TV WEEK magazine covers on the walls down the hallway and when he saw Chris on the wall, he was more excited about that than coming onto set to see me.
You’re looking incredible, what’s your secret?
I love weight training. I try and do that two or three times a week. At the end of lockdown, I started doing F45. It’s a good mix in a workout and it’s hard! But you’re singing and dancing the whole time, so the 45 minutes goes really fast. I also do a bit of running and I love walking. I try to mix it up. I’d really like to try yoga, too.
Do you have any vices?
If I have a bag of chocolate bullets in the house, I’m going to eat them. I love my sweets and I like to have a drink. I figure if I exercise most days, I can enjoy my treats. I don’t deprive myself, life’s too short, right?
Home and Away returns Monday January 31 on Channel Seven .
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