Simone Buchanan

Last updated

Simone Buchanan
Born
Simone Louise Buchanan
OccupationActress
Years active1978–present
SpouseBrett Smith (m. 2008)
Children2

Simone Louise Buchanan is an Australian film and television actress, and television director. She is best known for her television roles as Debbie Kelly in the situation comedy Hey Dad..! and Samantha Fitzgerald in the soap opera Neighbours .

Contents

Early life

Buchanan's siblings Miles Buchanan and Beth Buchanan are also actors. [1] All three appeared in the children's television show Secret Valley . [1]

Buchanan's father later learned that he had a daughter from a relationship before he married Buchanan's mother. Buchanan's half-sister Rudie Chapman is also an actor and worked with Beth on Neighbours. The three sisters went onto star in a production of Crimes of the Heart together. [2]

Career

Having attended a drama and dance school along with her brother, the siblings were cast in the 1978 feature film A Good Thing Going . [3] Buchanan went on to appear in a number of television series, including The Flying Doctors and Sons and Daughters , before she was cast in Hey Dad..! . [3]

Buchanan has appeared in several films, including playing a rape victim in Shame , and as Laura Harris – and eventually Anna Dodwell – in the Australian drama series Pacific Drive .

In 2008, Buchanan played Samantha Fitzgerald, the bipolar-suffering estranged wife of Dan Fitzgerald (Brett Tucker), in the long-running soap opera Neighbours . Originally appearing for three months, from March to June, the character's introduction was considered a success, leading to her return for a second three-month stint from November to February 2009. The character appeared for a four-week guest role in late 2010, to coincide with the 6,000th episode celebrations. [4]

Buchanan returned to the Neighbours set in 2018 as a director, after the series producer Jason Herbison asked her to do her director's attachment with the show. [1] Buchanan also appears in the 2018 horror film Boar , alongside John Jarratt, Ernie Dingo, Steve Bisley and Roger Ward. [1]

Personal life

Buchanan has been married to Brett Smith since 2008. [5] She has a son, Tane (born 1998), from a previous relationship. [6] In August 2009, it was announced that Buchanan was expecting her second child, due in early 2010. The pregnancy was achieved with IVF treatment. [7] Buchanan gave birth to a son, Rémy, via caesarean section. [6]

In March 2010, Buchanan supported Sarah Monahan, a co-star on the Hey Dad..! television show, over allegations that fellow star Robert Hughes had engaged in inappropriate sexual behaviour on the set of the show. [8] Buchanan claimed she had approached the show's producer about the alleged assaults but that he instructed her to keep quiet. [9] She testified at Hughes' 2014 trial that she only heard allegations about his inappropriate behaviour and never saw it for herself. [10]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1978 Newsfront ChildFeature film
1979 My Brilliant Career Mary AnneFeature film
1981 Doctors & Nurses Jane GilmourFeature film
1981 Run Rebecca, Run RebeccaFeature film
1982 The Mystery at Castle House KateFeature film
1983 Platypus Cove Jenny NelsonFeature film
1984 Run Chrissie Run! CathyFeature film
1987 Shame Lizzie CurtisFeature film
2004Swimming to the BoyMumFilm Short
2005Forced EntryJulieFilm Short
2005PushSusanFilm Short
2006End of TownMotherFilm Short
2013 Patrick Patrick's MotherFeature film
2017 Boar DebbieFeature film
2021 The Possessed CarissaFeature film
2022 Girl at the Window Christina EllisFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleType
1978 A Good Thing Going Cathy HarrisTV movie
1980; 1982 Secret Valley SimoneTV series, 15 episodes
1982 Runaway Island Jemma McLeodTV movie / TV pilot
1983; 1984 Carson's Law Rose GunnTV series, 2 episodes
1983 High Country Debbie LomaxTV movie
1984 Carson's Law Melanie CreswellTV series, 2 episodes
1984 A Country Practice Sharon BarnesTV series, 2 episodes
1984–85Runaway IslandJemma McLeodTV series, 8 episodes
1985 The Flying Doctors Lucy DanielsTV miniseries, 3 episodes
1985–1986 Sons and Daughters Donna Jackson/PalmerTV series, 22 episodes
1987 Willing and Abel Guest roleTV series, 1 episode
1987–1994 Hey Dad...! Debbie KellyTV series, 167 episodes
1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest - HerselfTV series, 1 episode
1991 A Country Practice Sara KennedyTV series, 2 episodes
1991 The Main Event HerselfTV series, 1 episode
1993 G.P. Mickey DavisTV series, 1 episode
1993 R.F.D.S. aka 'The Flying Doctors'Rebecca OwensTV series, 13 episodes
1994English at WorkHerselfTV series
1995–98 Pacific Drive Laura HarrisTV series, 389 episodes
1998 All Saints Mitchie BellTV series, 1 episode
1999 Water Rats Jenny SpiroTV series, 1 episode
2000; 2003 Blue Heelers Nurse Angie CohenTV series, 2 episodes
2003 Stingers Cathy PearsonTV series, 1 episode
2006 McLeod's Daughters Amy TanakaTV series, 1 episode
2007 Where Are They Now? Herself with Hey Dad...! castTV series, 1 episode
2008–10; 2020 Neighbours Samantha FitzgeraldTV series, 91 episodes
20089am with David & KimGuestTV series, 1 episode
2010; 2011 A Current Affair Herself with Hey Dad...! castTV series, 1 episode
2014 A Current Affair HerselfTV series, 1 episode
2014 Upper Middle Bogan KirbyTV series, 1 episode
2018Boar: BloopersHerselfVideo
2018Boar: Director Chris SunHerselfVideo
2018Boar: Cast InterviewsHerselfVideo

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Eeles, Matthew (24 May 2018). "Interview: Simone Buchanan". Cinema Australia. Retrieved 26 July 2018.
  2. ↑ Duck, Siobhan (26 October 2014). "Sister act grabs another chapter" . Herald Sun . Retrieved 27 April 2024– via Gale.
  3. 1 2 Duck, Siobhan (26 October 2014). "Aussie TV's dirty little secret" . Herald Sun . Retrieved 27 April 2024– via Gale.
  4. ↑ "Simone Buchanan sticking to her guns in sex row". Herald Sun . 6 July 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  5. ↑ "My adoption Dream" Archived 12 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine CareForKidsBali.com (Retrieved: 31 August 2009)
  6. 1 2 "Meet Simone Buchanan's Little Miracle". New Idea. 2010. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  7. ↑ "Simone Buchanan's IVF battle: Pregnant at 41!" NewIdea.com.au, 24 August 2009 (Retrieved: 31 August 2009)
  8. ↑ Hornery, Andrew; Geesche Jacobson (27 March 2010). "Hey Dad star to see police over sex claims". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  9. ↑ "Hey Dad! co-star 'threatened' over sex abuse claims". The Age. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  10. ↑ Dale, Amy (13 March 2014). "Hey Dad! star Simone Buchanan heard allegations about Robert Hughes but never saw anything". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). Retrieved 13 March 2014.


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