Leah Patterson-Baker
Encyclopedia
Leah Helena Adara Patterson-Baker (née Poulos, previously Patterson) is a fictional character
from the Australian Channel Seven
soap opera
Home and Away
, played by Ada Nicodemou
. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 22 March 2000. Leah is one of the longest featured characters in the serial's history and has been involved in storylines including the deaths of her husbands, her many relationships, surrogacy, suffering anxiety and the victim of racism.
. Nicodemou took this into account when she accepted the role, only intending to remain with Home and Away for the duration of her six month contract. However, she later decided to stay in the role because she "almost immediately fell in love with the show and the people". Ten years later, Nicodemou said was happy to carry on portraying Leah for the foreseeable future. She explained the reason behind her longevity was because Leah was "still evolving", which kept the role enjoyable.
What's on TV
notes that since Katie Ritchie (Sally Fletcher
) quit the series, Nicodemou is one of the longest serving cast members of Home and Away.
(Ryan Kwanten
) and Tom Nash (Graeme Squires). However, Leah "quickly realises" that her secrets will not remain her own for long because Summer Bay is a "little town". Producers decided to give Leah a "huge and juicy love story" with Vinnie, this was to help Leah settle into the serial more quickly.
describe Leah as "a single mother who has a strong work ethic and stands up for what she believes in." "Leah has a confidence about her that makes her shine. She's easy going and fun loving."
Also adding: "She’s passionate about life and will cry at the smallest injustice and boy, can she talk! But she is also a good listener and she will always provide a shoulder to lean on." Soap opera reporting website Holy Soap
describe Leah as being: "Fun, confident and passionate, Leah is a big talker and a great listener." They have also observed her as being "especially unlucky in love". The Channel Seven make-up department cut and colour Nicodemou's hair for Leah's on-screen appearance. She has also admitted that she has not control over the amount of make-up the stylists apply to get her into costume.
In 2009, Leah struggles with the pressures of life. Nicodemou said she enjoyed portraying Leah's struggle as fights to cope with "work, her son and herself". She said it makes Leah "a real character and makes her challenging to play". In 2011, Nicodemou said that she would like Leah to act out of character and become evil for a couple of episodes and have a nervous breakdown.
Leah marries Dan Baker (Tim Campbell). Campbell later quit the series and producers were faced with the dilemma of how to write Dan out of the serial. Dan and Leah had strong chemistry on-screen, which was popular with viewers. Producers decided to spare the "viewers' moral sensibilities" and write Dan out while he was off-screen. The storyline saw Dan die in an abseiling accident while in the US. Campbell said he "teared up" while watching the funeral scenes because he felt personally responsible because he decided to leave. He also said the only "plausible exits" for Dan were to be either killed off or have Dan being unfaithful to Leah.
In early 2009 Nicodemou revealed that Leah would have a new relationship. Leah starts dating Roman Harris (Conrad Coleby
), Nicodemou said it is good for her and it was nice to see her "thinking of herself for a while". Though she noted that Leah stays true to herself and faces the realism of life and the problems she encounters. Nicodemou stated that it is more important for Leah do deal with that side of her life, "rather than just part of a relationship".
In 2010, the serial embarked on a racism storyline which saw Leah go through a series of changes. Nicodemou claimed she was interested in the storyline because it was different to anything she had done previously, she also revealed that she was pleased they had decided to deal with the issue because she could relate to the issue. Nicodemou said that she was bullied for her ethnic background as a child, so had first hand experience when it came to portraying the scenes. The storyline progresses on-screen as a racism riot starts at the diner, where Leah works, resulting in it being set on fire and burnt down. Speaking to TV Week Nicomedou discussed the impact on Leah stating: "The anxiety makes [Leah] question her job at the Diner and a whole range of stuff. Basically, she doesn't want to leave her house and her friends are really worried about her." The result is Leah's change in persona, of this Nicodemou added that viewers would see "a really broken Leah. She's usually full of heart and spirit. She's always been a real fighter" but the ordeal strips everything away from her and she cannot even cope with looking after VJ. Leah's battle with depression and agoraphobia also related to her Nicodemou's husband's battle with depression. She said that it was good that Home and Away decided to portray the issue because she felt that it too was a "taboo subject".
had been cast into the serial to play Elijah Johnson
, a new local reverend and a new potential love interest for Leah. Nicodemou expressed her delight over Leah's romance with Elijah when she started ji jitsui classes to build her confiednece. Speaking to Sunrise
she stated: "There's a whole lot of love in the Bay and I get a love interest. It's nice and it's really fun and happy and comedy - a lot of warm and fuzzy moments. It's Jay Laga'aia and I'm loving working with him as well. It's all happy times ahead. We're moving away from the darker storylines into lighter stuff." When their relationship ends, Leah begins dating Robert Robertson (Socratis Otto), however, Nicodemou said that she believed that Leah was still in love with Elijah.
However, Elijah later returns to Summer Bay following time in Africa. He arrives with a new wife Grace Johnson (Clare Chihambakwe) whom he has married to help her ill son, Thabo Manthenga (Joshua Mbakwe) receive treatment. Leah is "very upset" because she was looking forward to seeing him again and "exploring her feelings for him". Elijah being married comes "out of the blue" for Leah as she "definitely didn't think he would get married". Nicodemou insisted that Leah and Eljiah would not be reconciling their relationship. While Leah "fell very hard" and formed a life and future with Elijah, she would never take him back as a married man. Eljah "hurt her too many times" and VJ was also caught up in the heartbreak, so she would do "anything to protect her son from getting hurt" again.
revealed his character, Miles Copeland
, was set to have a new love interest with someone who may live in Summer Bay. Quong Tart said Miles is "more surprised than anyone that it happens." While Nicodemou revealed that Leah would fall in love with someone new, rather than Elijah again. A few months later, the Daily Star reported Miles would confess his love to Leah, who is shocked by his declaration. An insider told the paper, "Miles and Leah have both been unlucky in love so if they could find happiness together it would be pretty special. Leah is shocked but once the confession starts to sink in she wonders whether they could work as a couple. She begins to consider making a go of it with him." Nicodemou explained that Leah and Miles have tried to get together in the past, but the timing has never been right for them. However, Miles has always been there for Leah and is regarded as a father figure to VJ. The actress later told RTÉ TEN that she thinks Miles and Leah are well suited and hoped they find happiness with each other. She explained "They have been great friends for a long time and I think it's a great start to a relationship." Miles and Leah discuss their situation and Leah decides to take the first step and kisses Miles to see if they have any chemistry. Nicodemou said Leah is worried about the decision for them to take their relationship further, but she realises that she and Miles do have chemistry and they begin dating.
In August 2011, Leah discovers she is pregnant. Digital Spy
reported Leah is "left stunned" by the positive pregnancy test result. Of Leah learning she is pregnant, Nicodemou explanied, "At first, she doesn't know she's pregnant - she's just hormonal and being a bitch to Miles and needs time to herself. When she does realise she's pregnant, she doesn't want it. That might be an unpopular choice for most people and it can be hard to understand where Leah is coming from, but she doesn't want to be put in that situation at all. She's not happy about being pregnant." Leah realises that she does not want a baby as she previously had a miscarriage after struggling to fall pregnant. Leah took that badly and it made her decide not to have children again. Nicodemou said the impact the storyline would have on Miles and Leah is interesting and things become more serious for them. A week later it was announced Miles would propose to Leah in a bid to solidify their relationship. Leah is surprised by the proposal, which occurs at the pier, and she is left to make a decision over her future with Miles. Nicodemou said Leah is not thinking about marriage at that stage of their relationship. Leah later suffers a miscarriage and blames Miles for convincing her to keep the baby. This left viewers unsure whether or not the couple would remain together. A spokesperson for the serial said that "Leah can't cope. She blames Miles for going through [...] she's pushing him away instead of facing up to what’s happened."
Leah also feels guilty for initially suggesting she have an abortion. Nicodemou told TV Week that Leah believes that she should set Miles free because she does not want him to miss out on being a father again. Miles has a "total shock" when Leah gives him an ultimatum. She also sees ending their relationship as an "easy option" rather than dealing with her "guilt and grief". Quong-Tart later announced his departure from the serial, meaning that Leah and Miles may not have a future together.
), they later find out VJ is deaf. Vinnie's father Ralph Patterson (Alan Cinis) scams him, he is convicted and sent to prison. Whilst in prison Vinnie dies leaving Leah to cope alone. Leah later finds out Vinnie is alive and on witness protection. Leah's brother Alex Poulos
(Danny Raco
) also comes to live with her. Leah then begins a relationship with Jesse McGregor
(Ben Unwin
), they remain together in a good relationship. Leah then acts as a surrogate mother for Sally, giving birth to Pippa Saunders
(Mia Fitzpatrick), but when she hands the child over to Sally, Jesse cannot deal with it and ends their relationship. She later dates Peter Baker (Nicholas Bishop
), then Dan. They later marry, when they plan to emigrate to America Dan heads out first to search for a perfect home for their family and to start his new job. Whilst absailing Dan has a tragic accident and dies off-screen, leaving Leah devastated again. Leah has a relationship with Elijah, they agree to get married. After the Diner is racially attacked in a riot and set on fire, Leah becomes depressed and scared to leave her house because of her fear. Her friends rally around her and help her through her ordeal. Elijah's mother interferes and Leah worries about his job in the church, they later split.
at the 2001
, 2002
and 2006 Logie Awards
, and also received "Most Popular Actress" nominations in 2002 and 2006. She was nominated for the "Best Actress" award at the 2009 Inside Soap Awards
. At the 2010 and 2011 ceremonies she was nominated in the category of "Best Daytime Star".
In her book Soap Stars, Debbie Foy refers to Leah as having lived through several dramatic episodes. In Andrew Mercado's bok, Super Aussie Soaps, he describes Leah as seemingly arriving with an army of Greek relatives, in his opinion it was the introduction of Leah that marked the first time the serial had bothered to include a multicultural community. Holy Soap describe Leah's most memorable moment as being when: "Finding out her beloved Vinnie had died in pokey." TV Week
named Leah and Vinnie as one of soap's "Odd Couples". They said "Vinnie was the local goofball working as a stripper. Leah was the responsible Greek girl. They lived together as flatmates and she found herself falling for his quirkiness." Erin Miller writing for TV Week said the week comencing 21 February 2011, was a "huge week" for Leah. She had many dramas and Miller said "poor Leah hit the roof" when she found out Elijah and Miles had been lying to her. TV Week later said Leah's love life was finally looking good with Miles and noted that she is "notorious for getting her heart broken."
In 2007, when Leah was unsure whether or not to leave Summer Bay, Melissa Gaudron writing for The Sydney Morning Herald
branded her the "forever indecisive Leah" and said she wanted her to leave the soap opera all together. While her colleague, Greg Hassell opined that Home and Away was "surprisingly well produced and acted" and that it benefited from the "steadying influence of old-time cast members" such as Nicodemou. Sasha Molitorisz said that Leah tries so hard to be a good mum that "she's forgetting she may occasionally need some sleep". Jim Schembri of The Age
said Nicodemou is a "Home and Away long hauler". He opined that Dan made Leah "so happy so quickly" in comparison to Jesse, who he said failed to make her happy "after two years of trying".
The Sydney Morning Herald's Stuart O'Connor critised the episode of Home and Away that Leah gives birth to VJ. He said the acting was "woeful" and vowed never to watch another episode of the serial. A columnist writing for the Daily Record
said that Leah and Elijah went "through a tough time getting their love on track" because of "meddling parents" and Leah's doubts about him. They added that they were "doubtful" the couple would remain together. Jaci Stephen of the Daily Mail
commented that Leah always seemed to be confused and quipped "Leah and confusion. Why am I not surprised that those two words are again appearing in the same sentence?" She has also critised Leah's cooking, opining that there was nothing new about customers hiding under tables "given the quality of Leah's food".
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Australian Channel Seven
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
, played by Ada Nicodemou
Ada Nicodemou
Ada Nicodemou is a Greek Cypriot-born Australian actress, best known for her role as Leah Patterson-Baker in the soap opera Home and Away.-Early life:Nicodemou was born in Larnaca, Cyprus. She has been an Australian resident since 1987....
. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 22 March 2000. Leah is one of the longest featured characters in the serial's history and has been involved in storylines including the deaths of her husbands, her many relationships, surrogacy, suffering anxiety and the victim of racism.
Casting
In 1999, Nicodemou was approached by the producers of Home and Away with an offer of a six month contract. Nicodemou was not required to audition and began filming in November that year. Before Leah appeared on-screen, Nicodemou had already been offered an extention to her contract. She had already spent four years in the cast of television programme Heartbreak HighHeartbreak High
Heartbreak High is an Australian television series that ran for seven years from 1994 to 1999. The series dealt with the students of Hartley High, a tough high school in a multi-racial area of Sydney, and proved to be a more gritty and fast-paced show than many of its contemporaries...
. Nicodemou took this into account when she accepted the role, only intending to remain with Home and Away for the duration of her six month contract. However, she later decided to stay in the role because she "almost immediately fell in love with the show and the people". Ten years later, Nicodemou said was happy to carry on portraying Leah for the foreseeable future. She explained the reason behind her longevity was because Leah was "still evolving", which kept the role enjoyable.
What's on TV
What's On TV
What's on TV is a weekly television listings magazine published by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.-Overview:What's on TV is a weekly UK television magazine. It publishes features, TV listings, news and gossip from soap operas, as well as puzzles and competitions...
notes that since Katie Ritchie (Sally Fletcher
Sally Fletcher
Sally Louise Fletcher is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Kate Ritchie...
) quit the series, Nicodemou is one of the longest serving cast members of Home and Away.
Introduction
Leah first appeared in Home and Away during the episode airing on 22 March 2000. Upon her introduction, she was described as "a girl with a big heart, a big secret and a big future that was all hers." In Nicodemou's first interview about the role, she remained secretive about plans for the character, but said Leah has "a big secret" and arrives in Summer Bay alone. Leah was given links within the serial almost immediately. Leah takes a job as a chef at the local diner and moves into a house with Vinnie PattersonVinnie Patterson
Vincent 'Vinnie' Patterson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away. He made his first on-screen appearence on 14 July 1997 and departed on 1 March 2002...
(Ryan Kwanten
Ryan Kwanten
Ryan Christian Kwanten is an Australian actor. He played Vinnie Patterson from 1997 to 2002 on the Australian soap-opera Home and Away...
) and Tom Nash (Graeme Squires). However, Leah "quickly realises" that her secrets will not remain her own for long because Summer Bay is a "little town". Producers decided to give Leah a "huge and juicy love story" with Vinnie, this was to help Leah settle into the serial more quickly.
Characterisation
Yahoo!7Yahoo!7
Yahoo!7 is a 50-50 partnership between the Seven Network and Yahoo! Inc. in Australia.As part of the Yahoo! Inc. and the Seven Media Group, Yahoo!7 brings together the online assets of Yahoo! Inc. and the television and magazine content of the Seven Network and Pacific Magazines...
describe Leah as "a single mother who has a strong work ethic and stands up for what she believes in." "Leah has a confidence about her that makes her shine. She's easy going and fun loving."
Also adding: "She’s passionate about life and will cry at the smallest injustice and boy, can she talk! But she is also a good listener and she will always provide a shoulder to lean on." Soap opera reporting website Holy Soap
Holy Soap
Holy Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...
describe Leah as being: "Fun, confident and passionate, Leah is a big talker and a great listener." They have also observed her as being "especially unlucky in love". The Channel Seven make-up department cut and colour Nicodemou's hair for Leah's on-screen appearance. She has also admitted that she has not control over the amount of make-up the stylists apply to get her into costume.
In 2009, Leah struggles with the pressures of life. Nicodemou said she enjoyed portraying Leah's struggle as fights to cope with "work, her son and herself". She said it makes Leah "a real character and makes her challenging to play". In 2011, Nicodemou said that she would like Leah to act out of character and become evil for a couple of episodes and have a nervous breakdown.
Storyline development
Leah and Vinnie decide to marry. Nicodemou and Kwanten were permitted to choose their own wedding attire for the wedding episodes. Nicodemou's choice of dress caused her problems while filming, because of its tight fit. After a two week shoot in the same attire, Nicodemou revealed that she sustained bruising on her ribs from where the dress' wear. Nicodemou said that she loved Leah and Vinnie being together and said their wedding was a personal favourite scene. She also revealed that she had good chemistry with Kwanten himself, which made her enjoy the pairing more. In 2011, Nicodemou said that her favourite relationship that Leah has had was with Vinnie.Leah marries Dan Baker (Tim Campbell). Campbell later quit the series and producers were faced with the dilemma of how to write Dan out of the serial. Dan and Leah had strong chemistry on-screen, which was popular with viewers. Producers decided to spare the "viewers' moral sensibilities" and write Dan out while he was off-screen. The storyline saw Dan die in an abseiling accident while in the US. Campbell said he "teared up" while watching the funeral scenes because he felt personally responsible because he decided to leave. He also said the only "plausible exits" for Dan were to be either killed off or have Dan being unfaithful to Leah.
In early 2009 Nicodemou revealed that Leah would have a new relationship. Leah starts dating Roman Harris (Conrad Coleby
Conrad Coleby
Conrad Julius Coleby is an Australian actor.-Biography:Coleby is the son of actor Robert Coleby and brother of actress Anja Coleby. He attended Somerset College on the Gold Coast, graduating in 1996. In the same year, he played the role of Colonel Juan Perón in the school's production of Evita...
), Nicodemou said it is good for her and it was nice to see her "thinking of herself for a while". Though she noted that Leah stays true to herself and faces the realism of life and the problems she encounters. Nicodemou stated that it is more important for Leah do deal with that side of her life, "rather than just part of a relationship".
In 2010, the serial embarked on a racism storyline which saw Leah go through a series of changes. Nicodemou claimed she was interested in the storyline because it was different to anything she had done previously, she also revealed that she was pleased they had decided to deal with the issue because she could relate to the issue. Nicodemou said that she was bullied for her ethnic background as a child, so had first hand experience when it came to portraying the scenes. The storyline progresses on-screen as a racism riot starts at the diner, where Leah works, resulting in it being set on fire and burnt down. Speaking to TV Week Nicomedou discussed the impact on Leah stating: "The anxiety makes [Leah] question her job at the Diner and a whole range of stuff. Basically, she doesn't want to leave her house and her friends are really worried about her." The result is Leah's change in persona, of this Nicodemou added that viewers would see "a really broken Leah. She's usually full of heart and spirit. She's always been a real fighter" but the ordeal strips everything away from her and she cannot even cope with looking after VJ. Leah's battle with depression and agoraphobia also related to her Nicodemou's husband's battle with depression. She said that it was good that Home and Away decided to portray the issue because she felt that it too was a "taboo subject".
Relationship with Elijah Johnson
In November 2009, it was announced that Jay Laga'aiaJay Laga'aia
Jay Laga'aia is an actor and singer. He is best known internationally for his role as Captain Typho in the films Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.-Career:...
had been cast into the serial to play Elijah Johnson
Elijah Johnson (Home and Away)
Elijah Johnson is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Jay Laga'aia. When the serial created the character, they felt it was a role that would be well suited to Laga'aia and invited him to join the cast. Laga'aia accepted and filmed for a...
, a new local reverend and a new potential love interest for Leah. Nicodemou expressed her delight over Leah's romance with Elijah when she started ji jitsui classes to build her confiednece. Speaking to Sunrise
Sunrise (TV program)
Sunrise is an Australian breakfast television program, broadcast on the Seven Network. On weekdays the programme follows Seven Early News, and runs from 6am through to 9am.-History:...
she stated: "There's a whole lot of love in the Bay and I get a love interest. It's nice and it's really fun and happy and comedy - a lot of warm and fuzzy moments. It's Jay Laga'aia and I'm loving working with him as well. It's all happy times ahead. We're moving away from the darker storylines into lighter stuff." When their relationship ends, Leah begins dating Robert Robertson (Socratis Otto), however, Nicodemou said that she believed that Leah was still in love with Elijah.
However, Elijah later returns to Summer Bay following time in Africa. He arrives with a new wife Grace Johnson (Clare Chihambakwe) whom he has married to help her ill son, Thabo Manthenga (Joshua Mbakwe) receive treatment. Leah is "very upset" because she was looking forward to seeing him again and "exploring her feelings for him". Elijah being married comes "out of the blue" for Leah as she "definitely didn't think he would get married". Nicodemou insisted that Leah and Eljiah would not be reconciling their relationship. While Leah "fell very hard" and formed a life and future with Elijah, she would never take him back as a married man. Eljah "hurt her too many times" and VJ was also caught up in the heartbreak, so she would do "anything to protect her son from getting hurt" again.
Relationship with Miles Copeland
In January 2011, Josh Quong TartJosh Quong Tart
Josh Quong Tart is an Australian actor who has performed in several television, commercial and film roles.-Biography:...
revealed his character, Miles Copeland
Miles Copeland (Home and Away)
Miles Copeland is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Josh Quong Tart. He debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 30 November 2007. Ryley Mickle and Jackson Edwards played Miles in flashback sequences, showing him at ages three and...
, was set to have a new love interest with someone who may live in Summer Bay. Quong Tart said Miles is "more surprised than anyone that it happens." While Nicodemou revealed that Leah would fall in love with someone new, rather than Elijah again. A few months later, the Daily Star reported Miles would confess his love to Leah, who is shocked by his declaration. An insider told the paper, "Miles and Leah have both been unlucky in love so if they could find happiness together it would be pretty special. Leah is shocked but once the confession starts to sink in she wonders whether they could work as a couple. She begins to consider making a go of it with him." Nicodemou explained that Leah and Miles have tried to get together in the past, but the timing has never been right for them. However, Miles has always been there for Leah and is regarded as a father figure to VJ. The actress later told RTÉ TEN that she thinks Miles and Leah are well suited and hoped they find happiness with each other. She explained "They have been great friends for a long time and I think it's a great start to a relationship." Miles and Leah discuss their situation and Leah decides to take the first step and kisses Miles to see if they have any chemistry. Nicodemou said Leah is worried about the decision for them to take their relationship further, but she realises that she and Miles do have chemistry and they begin dating.
In August 2011, Leah discovers she is pregnant. Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
reported Leah is "left stunned" by the positive pregnancy test result. Of Leah learning she is pregnant, Nicodemou explanied, "At first, she doesn't know she's pregnant - she's just hormonal and being a bitch to Miles and needs time to herself. When she does realise she's pregnant, she doesn't want it. That might be an unpopular choice for most people and it can be hard to understand where Leah is coming from, but she doesn't want to be put in that situation at all. She's not happy about being pregnant." Leah realises that she does not want a baby as she previously had a miscarriage after struggling to fall pregnant. Leah took that badly and it made her decide not to have children again. Nicodemou said the impact the storyline would have on Miles and Leah is interesting and things become more serious for them. A week later it was announced Miles would propose to Leah in a bid to solidify their relationship. Leah is surprised by the proposal, which occurs at the pier, and she is left to make a decision over her future with Miles. Nicodemou said Leah is not thinking about marriage at that stage of their relationship. Leah later suffers a miscarriage and blames Miles for convincing her to keep the baby. This left viewers unsure whether or not the couple would remain together. A spokesperson for the serial said that "Leah can't cope. She blames Miles for going through [...] she's pushing him away instead of facing up to what’s happened."
Leah also feels guilty for initially suggesting she have an abortion. Nicodemou told TV Week that Leah believes that she should set Miles free because she does not want him to miss out on being a father again. Miles has a "total shock" when Leah gives him an ultimatum. She also sees ending their relationship as an "easy option" rather than dealing with her "guilt and grief". Quong-Tart later announced his departure from the serial, meaning that Leah and Miles may not have a future together.
Storylines
Leah runs off from her wedding, she arrives in Summer Bay in her wedding dress where she meets Vinnie. They start a relationship, marry, she has a baby called V.J. Patterson (Felix DeanFelix Dean
Felix Dean is an Australian child actor who portrays V.J. Patterson in the popular Australian soap opera Home and Away since 2007. Born in Sydney, Australia, he also appeared in the Australian drama series All Saints in 2006 as Todd McFarlane. In 2007, he appeared in Comedy Inc...
), they later find out VJ is deaf. Vinnie's father Ralph Patterson (Alan Cinis) scams him, he is convicted and sent to prison. Whilst in prison Vinnie dies leaving Leah to cope alone. Leah later finds out Vinnie is alive and on witness protection. Leah's brother Alex Poulos
Alex Poulos
Alexi "Alex" Poulos is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, portrayed by Danny Raco. He made his first on screen appearance on 26 February 2001 and departed in 2004...
(Danny Raco
Danny Raco
Danny Raco is an Australian actor and director, known for his television work.Raco was born in Rome, Italy. He got his start playing Marco Vialli on the teenage soap opera Heartbreak High from 1998 to 1999. In 2001, he joined the cast of a primetime soap opera, Home and Away, playing Alex Poulos...
) also comes to live with her. Leah then begins a relationship with Jesse McGregor
Jesse McGregor
Jesse McGregor is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away. The character was played by actor Ben Unwin between 1996 and 2000 and again between 2002 and 2005.-1996-2000:...
(Ben Unwin
Ben Unwin
Ben Unwin is an Australian actor. He is best known for portraying the character Jesse McGregor on the Australian soap opera Home and Away from 1996 to 2000 and 2002 to 2005....
), they remain together in a good relationship. Leah then acts as a surrogate mother for Sally, giving birth to Pippa Saunders
Pippa Saunders
Philipa Rose "Pippa" Saunders was a fictional character in the show Home and Away. She is named after Sally's adoptive mother, Pippa Ross.After discovering that Sally was suffering from cancer in 2001, it was also discovered that Sally couldn't have children...
(Mia Fitzpatrick), but when she hands the child over to Sally, Jesse cannot deal with it and ends their relationship. She later dates Peter Baker (Nicholas Bishop
Nicholas Bishop
Nicholas Bishop is an English-born Australian actor. He is best known for his television roles as Detective Peter Baker on the soap opera Home and Away and as Peter Dunlop on the ABC medical drama Body of Proof .-Early life:Bishop was born in Swindon, England...
), then Dan. They later marry, when they plan to emigrate to America Dan heads out first to search for a perfect home for their family and to start his new job. Whilst absailing Dan has a tragic accident and dies off-screen, leaving Leah devastated again. Leah has a relationship with Elijah, they agree to get married. After the Diner is racially attacked in a riot and set on fire, Leah becomes depressed and scared to leave her house because of her fear. Her friends rally around her and help her through her ordeal. Elijah's mother interferes and Leah worries about his job in the church, they later split.
Reception
Nicodemou has received several award nominations for her performance as Leah. She was nominated for the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian TelevisionGold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television
The Gold Logie Award has been awarded annually to the Most Popular Personality on Australian Television at the TV Week Logie Awards since 1960...
at the 2001
Logie Awards of 2001
The 43rd Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Sunday 22 April 2001 at Crown Casino in Melbourne and broadcast on the Nine Network. Shaun Micallef from the ABC was the Master of Ceremonies...
, 2002
Logie Awards of 2002
The 44th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Sunday 28 April 2002 at Crown Casino in Melbourne and broadcast on the Nine Network. Wendy Harmer from the Sydney radio station 2Day FM was the Master of Ceremonies.The ratings of the 2002 logie awards averaged around 1,865,000 and ranked at #5...
and 2006 Logie Awards
Logie Awards of 2006
The 48th Annual TV Week Logie Awards were presented on Sunday May 7, 2006 at the Crown Entertainment Complex in Melbourne and televised on the Nine Network....
, and also received "Most Popular Actress" nominations in 2002 and 2006. She was nominated for the "Best Actress" award at the 2009 Inside Soap Awards
Inside Soap Awards
The Inside Soap Awards is a yearly award ceremony run by Inside Soap magazine since 1996. The awards celebrate the British and Australian soap operas and their actors. Until 2007, EastEnders had won the award for "Best Soap" on every occasion...
. At the 2010 and 2011 ceremonies she was nominated in the category of "Best Daytime Star".
In her book Soap Stars, Debbie Foy refers to Leah as having lived through several dramatic episodes. In Andrew Mercado's bok, Super Aussie Soaps, he describes Leah as seemingly arriving with an army of Greek relatives, in his opinion it was the introduction of Leah that marked the first time the serial had bothered to include a multicultural community. Holy Soap describe Leah's most memorable moment as being when: "Finding out her beloved Vinnie had died in pokey." TV Week
TV Week
TV Week is a weekly television magazine in Australia, first published as a Melbourne-only publication in December 1957 , and bearing a strong affiliation to television station GTV.The publication is still publishing weekly...
named Leah and Vinnie as one of soap's "Odd Couples". They said "Vinnie was the local goofball working as a stripper. Leah was the responsible Greek girl. They lived together as flatmates and she found herself falling for his quirkiness." Erin Miller writing for TV Week said the week comencing 21 February 2011, was a "huge week" for Leah. She had many dramas and Miller said "poor Leah hit the roof" when she found out Elijah and Miles had been lying to her. TV Week later said Leah's love life was finally looking good with Miles and noted that she is "notorious for getting her heart broken."
In 2007, when Leah was unsure whether or not to leave Summer Bay, Melissa Gaudron writing for The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
branded her the "forever indecisive Leah" and said she wanted her to leave the soap opera all together. While her colleague, Greg Hassell opined that Home and Away was "surprisingly well produced and acted" and that it benefited from the "steadying influence of old-time cast members" such as Nicodemou. Sasha Molitorisz said that Leah tries so hard to be a good mum that "she's forgetting she may occasionally need some sleep". Jim Schembri of The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
said Nicodemou is a "Home and Away long hauler". He opined that Dan made Leah "so happy so quickly" in comparison to Jesse, who he said failed to make her happy "after two years of trying".
The Sydney Morning Herald's Stuart O'Connor critised the episode of Home and Away that Leah gives birth to VJ. He said the acting was "woeful" and vowed never to watch another episode of the serial. A columnist writing for the Daily Record
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
said that Leah and Elijah went "through a tough time getting their love on track" because of "meddling parents" and Leah's doubts about him. They added that they were "doubtful" the couple would remain together. Jaci Stephen of the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
commented that Leah always seemed to be confused and quipped "Leah and confusion. Why am I not surprised that those two words are again appearing in the same sentence?" She has also critised Leah's cooking, opining that there was nothing new about customers hiding under tables "given the quality of Leah's food".
External links
- http://web.archive.org/web/20020823195808/http://homeandaway.com.au/meetthecast_det.php?cast=leah Character profile at the official Home and Away website 1
- Character profile at the Official AU Home and Away website 2
- Character profile at the Official UK Home and Away website
- Character profile at Holy SoapHoly SoapHoly Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...
- Character profile at the Raidió Teilifís Éireann Home and Away websiteRaidió Teilifís ÉireannRaidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
- Character profile at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...