 |
Kym Valentine | |
|---|---|
 Valentine at a Neighbours event in 2025. | |
| Born | Blacktown, Sydney, Australia |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Known for | Neighbours |
| Children | 2 |
Kym Valentine is an Australian actress, best known for her long-running intermittent portrayal of Libby Kennedy in the soap opera Neighbours.
Kym Valentine was born in Blacktown, Sydney, [1] [ better source needed ] and grew up in Granville. [2] She began dance classes when she was two and attended her first dance school aged six. [1] [2] When she was five years old, Valentine began acting in television commercials and stage plays. [2] [ better source needed ]
She studied dance, singing and drama at the Performing Arts School in Sydney. [3]
Valentine's early television appearances included guests roles in Brides of Christ , and Home and Away , and a regular role as Lisa in My Two Wives .[ citation needed ]
In 1994, Valentine joined the cast of Neighbours as Libby Kennedy. [4] She moved to Melbourne to take the role and remained on the show until 2004.[ citation needed ]
In 2005, Valentine took the lead role of Baby in Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, which also toured to Melbourne and Perth.[ citation needed ]
In June 2007, Valentine rejoined Neighbours on a permanent basis. On 8 April 2009, Valentine made an appearance as herself on The Wright Stuff , a UK TV programme. In April 2011, Valentine took indefinite leave from Neighbours.[ citation needed ]
Valentine appeared as a housewife in Nine Network's miniseries Fat Tony & Co. , which was broadcast in 2014. [5] Valentine returned to Neighbours as part of a storyline to celebrate 20 years of the Kennedy family in 2014. [4]
In 2017, Valentine was cast in Michael Wormald's independent film Choir Girl, [6] which was released in 2019. In 2018, she appeared in a Melbourne stage production of Unsolicited Male (which she repeated in 2022). She also starred alongside her daughter in the short film Treetment, which was filmed in Melbourne in December 2018. [7]
Valentine appears as the character Connie the Phlegmatic in the upcoming film titled Residence. [8]
In addition to her stage and screen work, Valentine teaches acting classes. [7]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Treetment | Katrina | Short film |
| 2019 | The Grand Scheme | Clementine | Short film |
| 2019 | Choir Girl | Caroline Doyle | |
| 2022 | Junk Mail | Chey | Short film |
| TBA | Residence | Connie the Phlegmatic | Also producer |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Brides of Christ | Miniseries | |
| 1992 | My Two Wives | Lisa Kennedy | 13 episodes |
| 1994 | Home and Away | Belinda | 1 episode |
| 1994–2004; 2007–2011; 2014; 2022 | Neighbours | Libby Kennedy | 1051 episodes |
| 2014 | Fat Tony & Co. | Peg Mancini | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2024 | Til You Make It | Siobhan | 1 episode |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–1997 | Cinderella | Cinderella | Llandudno with Qudos Productions, UK |
| 1998–1999 | Snow White | Snow White | Beck Theatre, Hayes with Qudos Productions, UK |
| 2000–2001 | Cinderella | Cinderella | Hexagon Theatre, Reading with Qudos Productions, UK |
| 2002–2003 | Peter Pan | Peter Pan | Hawth Theatre, Crawley with Qudos Productions, UK |
| 2004–2005 | Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage | Baby | Theatre Royal, Sydney, Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Burswood Theatre, Perth with Kevin Jacobsen Productions |
| 2015 | The Vagina Monologues | Co-lead | University of Tasmania with Adrian Baum Presents [9] |
| 2018; 2022 | Unsolicited Male | Wendy, the P.A. | Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne, Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne with Q44 Theatre Company |
Valentine married singer Fabio Tolli, and they have a daughter. The couple separated in 2007. [13]
Valentine was engaged to former AFL player Trent Croad in March 2015. [14] In November 2015, Valentine and Croad confirmed they were expecting their first child together, [15] and a son was born in March 2016. [16] Their relationship ended in December 2017. [17]
On 4 July 2008, Valentine collapsed on a flight home from New York and was diagnosed with pneumonia and pneumothorax. [18] When she arrived in Melbourne she spent several days in hospital before recuperating at home. [19] [20] Valentine was told that she needed to rest for a month and she could not return to work on Neighbours. [18] New Zealand actress Michala Banas took over the role of Libby for a month, [21] and Valentine resumed the role at the start of the 2009 series.[ citation needed ]
On 6 July 2010, Valentine was hospitalised for four days with a life-threatening blood clot on her lung. [22] In December 2010, Valentine checked herself into a clinic as she was suffering from exhaustion. [23]
Valentine returned to the Neighbours set in January 2011. [24] A few months after her return to filming, Valentine took indefinite leave from Neighbours. [24]