 |
Kym Valentine | |
|---|---|
 Valentine at a Neighbours event in 2025. | |
| Born | Kym Valentine 24 May 1977 [1] Blacktown, Sydney, Australia |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Known for | Neighbours |
| Children | 2 |
Kym Valentine (born 24 May 1977) is an Australian actress, best known for her long running intermittent portrayal of Libby Kennedy in the soap opera Neighbours.
Valentine was born in Blacktown, Sydney, [1] 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. She appeared in about 30 commercials. [2]
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 .
In 1994, at age 17, Valentine joined the cast of Neighbours as Libby Kennedy. She moved to Melbourne to take the role and remained on the show until 2004. Valentine opted to leave, wanting to start a family and extend her acting repertoire by returning to the stage. Libby was written out of the storyline in a way that allowed for her potential return.
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. She was set to reprise her role, when the production moved to London’s West End. 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.
Valentine appeared as a housewife in Nine Network's miniseries Fat Tony & Co. , which was broadcast in 2014. [4] Valentine returned to Neighbours as part of a storyline to celebrate 20 years of the Kennedy family in 2014. [5]
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 has produced the upcoming film titled Residence, [8] in which she also appears as the character Connie the Phlegmatic. [9]
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 [10] |
| 2018; 2022 | Unsolicited Male | Wendy, the P.A. | Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne, Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne with Q44 Theatre Company |
Valentine married singer Fabio Tolli. They have a daughter, Millana Valentine-Tolli (b. 21 August 2003). The couple separated in 2007. [14]
In April 2008, it was rumoured that Valentine was involved in a relationship with Australian actor Vince Colosimo, the ex-husband of fellow Neighbours actor Jane Hall. [15] In October 2008, Valentine stated that they had only ever been friends. [16]
Valentine was engaged to former AFL player Trent Croad in March 2015. [17] In November, Valentine and Croad confirmed they were expecting their first child together. [18] Valentine gave birth to a son named Phoenix in March 2016. [19]
Their relationship ended in December 2017. [20]
On 4 July 2008, Valentine collapsed on a flight home from New York and was diagnosed with pneumonia and pneumothorax. [21] The cabin crew gave the actress oxygen during the flight and when she arrived in Melbourne was taken to hospital for further treatment where she stayed for several days before recuperating at home. [22] [23] Valentine was told that she needed to rest for a month and she could not return to work on Neighbours. [21] On 10 August 2008, it was reported that New Zealand actress Michala Banas would take over the role of Libby for a month. [24] Valentine resumed the role at the start of the 2009 series.
On 6 July 2010, Valentine was hospitalised with a life-threatening blood clot on her lung. [25] Valentine was ordered to stay in hospital for four days. [25] In December, Valentine checked herself into a clinic as she was suffering from exhaustion. [26]
Valentine returned to the Neighbours set in January 2011. [27] A few months after her return to filming, Valentine took indefinite leave from Neighbours. [27] Fiona Byrne of the Herald Sun reported the actress was undergoing treatment in hospital for a depressive illness. [27] She returned for two weeks in 2014.