Saying Goodbye to Sonya: A Conversation with Neighbours Favourite Eve Morey

It’s a TV institution, an essential part of student life, and responsible for launching the careers of some of Australia’s greatest exports: Neighbours brings you a daily slice of suburbia and a guilt-free excuse to twitch the curtains on some of the hottest names in soapland.

Australian actress Eve Morey, whose roles have included Lucy Green in Pig’s Breakfast and has been Sonya Rebecchi in the soap opera Neighbours since joined in 2009. She has also appeared in All Saints, Home and Away and various theatre productions.

In our interview, Eve tells The Fan Carpet‘s Marc Jason Ali about her time on Neighbours, filming her final scenes and what the future holds for her…

You’ve been Sonya for a decade now, I still remember your introduction with Rocky when Toadie adopted him, so much so that you became a firm favourite of mine, how has her journey on the show been for you, going from Dog Trainer to Mother to the Nursery?

I mean I was a guest on the show for over a year and never in a million years did I think I would come on the show and meet my actual husband. 10 years later, I have 2 kids with him. I was 26 when I started and I’m now 36. But hey, this is the end of an era, saying goodbye to Sonya Rebecchi who has been such a big part of my life for so many years.

With saying goodbye to such a beloved character, do you have any memorable moments that will stick with you for the rest of your career?

Ah many! The leaving scenes with Nell. Having kids made me have a perspective on those scenes and it was easier to connect.

Also, the beach scenes with Toadie. It was the most meaningful storyline of the show and my most meaningful story I’ve had during my time at Neighbours.

I really enjoyed the storyline with Mark and the baby. When they put that story to us saying we are going to be a surrogate, it made no sense to me but then it made sense. I really enjoyed working with Scott, it really grounded us.

What was your reaction to the storyline of Sonya’s departure following the harrowing storyline with Alice aka Heather and Andrea?

It was awful filming Sonya’s final scenes. Just awful. But at the same time incredibly special and precious. Even though Ryan and I were in the most awful circumstances in the final scenes, we still shared light and loving moments and in the end, there is this beautiful tragedy.

What has Neighbours meant to you over the last decade? Were you a fan of the beloved show before you joined the cast?

Like I said, Neighbours has been a huge part of my life for so long. I used to watch the show growing up, it was a surreal feeling when I was offered a job at a show I loved watching. But in a weird way I’m free as having been on the show for so long, I can now prioritise being with the kids at home.

I know some cast members who leave the show move into behind the scenes roles like Kate Kendall is now Directing, is that a career path that appeals to you? Would you want to if offered to you? Are there any other aspects of the industry that you’d like to pursue?

My priority is the kids but I am interested in stepping away from acting and I really want to work with actors. Prior to kids, I started studying psychology and I’m thinking to work with actors working around the wellness and mental health side of things.

Sonya’s diagnosis has hit the street hard, especially Mark as your characters are incredibly close, what has the atmosphere been like on set since you found out that this was the storyline that they were going with?

It was weird because Toadie and Sonya were forced to break up but neither of us wanted to break up. It was just so weird. I was in the green room when all of the cast were at Sonya’s memorial and it was so weird. But I just feel really sad for Toadie and the kids.

EVE’S LAST SCENES AS SONYA ARE ON MARCH 5 NEIGHBOURS AIRS MONDAY TO FRIDAY AT 1.45PM AND 5.30PM