There’s an exciting new family coming to Ramsay Street, the Varga-Murphys, featuring mums, Remi and Cara, and teenage sons, JJ and Dex.
In spite of their differing approaches to life, mothers Cara and Remi unite in parenting their teenage sons, JJ and Dex.
Love and playful energy fill the household, but don’t expect no fireworks. Someone in the family has an ulterior motive for being in Erinsborough and it’ll have explosive ramifications for their neighbours.
Naomi Rukavina plays Remi a serious and studious doctor who is passionate about her family, career and helping others. When Remi believes strongly in something, her attitude can be uncompromising. But it’s her wife and kids that help her see life isn’t always clear-cut and sometimes rules need to be broken.
Rukavina’s credits include Run Rabbit Run, Wentworth Prison and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Naomi Rukavina said
“I am thrilled to be joining the new Neighbours legacy. As a stalwart of Australian drama television, the show is on the front foot of showcasing diverse and real representations of Australian families, not in a tokenistic way. The joys, sadness and madness of Neighbours has been a great adventure thus far and the Varga-Murphy family have already formed a special bond off screen and on. I can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Cara will be played by Sara West. The character is billed as a down-to-earth, fun-loving ‘tradie’. Not only is she handy with a hammer and drill, she’s also fierce, loyal and protective when it comes to her family. The cheese to Remi’s chalk, their differences make the marriage work.
West’s recent credits include Don’t Tell, Bad Girl, Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door and Dead Lucky.
Sara West said:
“I’m so honoured to be a part of the new Neighbours legacy and really looking forward to bringing the Varga-Murphy family to Australian and international screens. Cara has a bold, impassioned love for her family and I love that her intentions have, so far, always been good. I hope having the Varga-Murphys on telly will help better reflect the beautiful LGBTQIA+ community that I’m proud to be a part of and I can’t wait to share the family with you!”
Riley Bryant plays JJ, a kind, confident, self-assured teenager who leads with his heart and not his head, and Marley Williams plays Dex, a deep thinker who always has his brother’s back.
Jason Herbison, Neighbours’ Executive Producer, said:
“We are delighted to welcome the Varga-Murphy family to Ramsay Street and the amazing cast portraying them. It feels fitting that the new season will herald the arrival of a new household, with many new stories to tell. They have fitted into Erinsborough beautifully, they are warm, fun and also very unpredictable.”
The new chapter of Neighbours went into production on 17 April, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia and will launch on Amazon Freevee this September.
