Lucinda Cowden

Last updated

Lucinda Cowden
Born (1965-04-24) 24 April 1965 (age 59)
Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
OccupationActor
Years active1985-present
Notable work Neighbours

Lucinda Cowden (born 24 April 1965) is an Australian actress.

Contents

Cowden was born in Ballarat, Victoria. [1] She played Melanie Pearson in the soap opera Neighbours from 1987 until 1991, with a cameo appearance in the 20th anniversary documentary in 2005. She reprised the role in January 2021. [2]

Cowden left Neighbours in 1991, and later admitted that she did not want to be typecast. [3] She then went to the United Kingdom and appeared as Aladdin at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. She also embarked on a 12-week tour of the UK as Peter Pan. [3] Cowden presented the second and third seasons of the BBC children's television series, Parallel 9 . [1] She was a voice actress on the children's show The Koala Brothers . [4]

Cowden returned to Neighbours in 2020. [5] [6] Cowden also reprised the role again in 2023 after the series was picked up by Amazon Freevee. [7] On 29 October 2024, Cowden confirmed her exit from the show, Cowden said that she knew of her character's departure in December just days after co-star Ryan Moloney found out about his contract ending, Moloney had announced his exit from the show in June 2024. [8] Cowden also confirmed the decision to leave the show was not hers as the contracts for cast came up all at once. Cowden revealed that when she was filming her final scene she had broken her nose after falling on set. [8]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1993 Body Melt AndreaFeature film
2008Lover's WalkYoung AudreyShort film
2014Chocolate Strawberry VanillaAmandaFeature film
2016 ABCs of Death 2.5 Segement "M" for Mutant"Feature film
2016Lost SoulMotherShort film
2018Just Between UsMumFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985 Winners Jenny Foster1 episode: "Just Friends"
1985Handle with CareSarahTV film
1985; 1986 Prisoner Guest role: MandyTV series, 1 episode
1986 Prisoner Guest role: ReceptionistTV series, 1 episode
1987–1991, 2005, 2021–2024 Neighbours Melanie Pearson Regular role
1989 The Power, The Passion Regular role: Danni EdmondsTV series
1992The Late ShowGuest role: Constantly upstaged actressABC TV series, 1 episode
1993–1994 Parallel 9 Herself - PresenterTV series UK, 44 episodes
2003–2007 The Koala Brothers Regular role: (Voice) Mitzi, Alice and LollyTV series, UK/Australia 79 episodes
2004 The Basil Brush Show Guest role: MarionTV series UK, 1 episode
2006Making Children SmileHerself (Voice)Video UK
2007 Doctors Guest role: Clare O'GradyTV series UK, 1 episode
2012The Big Fat Quiz of the 80sNeighbours character: Melanie Pearson (Uncredited / archive footage)TV Special, UK
2015 Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite HerselfTV Special Documentary [9]
2017Gocsy's ClassicsGuest role: GloriaTV series, 1 episode
2021; 2022Isolation InterviewsHerselfTV series, 2 episodes
2022Neighbours: End of the RoadHerself / Melanie PearsonABC TV special aka "Leaving Erinsborough" UK

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References

  1. 1 2 "Zap!". What's on TV . No. 34. (IPC Magazines). 21–27 August 1993. p. 56.
  2. Lee, Jess (9 December 2020). "Neighbours announces Lucinda Cowden is returning as Melanie Pearson". Digital Spy . Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Panto gives flight to a fancy". Evening Standard . 31 December 1992. Retrieved 7 December 2021 via Newspapers.com. Lock-green.svg
  4. "Watch The Koala Brothers". Amazon.co.uk . Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  5. "Exclusive: Neighbours' Lucinda Cowden discusses Melanie Pearson's return". Digital Spy. 30 January 2021.
  6. "Lucinda Cowden returning as Neighbours' Melanie | TV Tonight". 10 December 2020.
  7. "Neighbours secures Ramsay St location, Lucinda Cowden returns". 17 April 2023.
  8. 1 2 Alexander, Susannah (29 October 2024). "Neighbours star Lucinda Cowden announces exit from Melanie role". Digital Spy . Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  9. Knox, David (28 February 2015). "Airdate: Neighbours 30th: The Stars Reunite". TV Tonight . Retrieved 3 March 2015.