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For nearly four decades, Neighbours has been a beloved staple on our screens, bringing unforgettable characters and the iconic Ramsay Street into the homes of fans worldwide.
However, some of its most cherished stars didn’t just leave their mark on Erinsborough – they went on to become global pop sensations, veteran stage performers and Hollywood A-listers.
As soap opera fans mourn Amazon’s decision to axe the show for the second time, let’s look at four actors who swapped their Melbourne beginnings for superstardom…
1. Jason Donovan
A natural performer, Jason Donovan started his acting career at just nine years old and shot to fame in 1986 as Scott Robinson in Neighbours.
After leaving the show in 1989, Donovan released his debut album Ten Good Reasons, which featured three UK No1 singles, including the hit Sealed With A Kiss.
In 1991, Donovan starred as Joseph in the hugely successful West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He also made a memorable appearance at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, performing Any Dream Will Do outside Buckingham Palace.
More recently, Donovan has become famous for stepping into the iconic role of Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, rocking fishnets and heels on stages across both Australia and the UK.
Showing no signs of slowing down, the 56-year-old Australian actor and singer is currently touring the UK on his Doin’ Fine 25 tour.
2. Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue first stole our hearts as Charlene Robinson on Neighbours, where her unforgettable romance with Donovan’s character, Scott, captured the world’s attention.
But it was her re-recorded version of The Loco-Motion, released in 1987, that catapulted her to stardom and solidified her place in pop music history.
Known as the Princess of Pop, she has constantly reinvented herself, conquering music, acting, and fashion, while collecting countless accolades, including two Grammy Awards.
With a string of chart-topping albums and iconic hits like Can’t Get You Out Of My Head and Spinning Around, Kylie’s reign continues to soar. Most recently, the 56-year-old pop star delivered an unforgettable performance at the 2024 Brit Awards, where she was honoured with the prestigious Brit Global Icon Award.
3. Margot Robbie
Australia’s golden girl, Margot Robbie, is undeniably one of the biggest stars to come from Neighbours. After a three-year stint on the show as the bubbly teen Donna Freedman, she left in 2011 to try her luck in America.
That bold move quickly paid off when she landed her first major film role in The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013) as Naomi Lapaglia, DiCaprio’s character Jordan Belfort’s mistress-turned-wife.
Now based in the US, the 34-year-old actress has starred in a slew of high-profile films, including I, Tonya, Bombshell, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, and Barbie.
Robbie and her husband, filmmaker Tom Ackerley, have also co-founded LuckyChap Entertainment, a production company dedicated to creating women-focused projects.
The Hollywood couple reportedly welcomed their first child, a baby boy, in October 2024, though they have yet to reveal his name.
4. Liam Hemsworth
Another Neighbours star who soared to Hollywood fame is Liam Hemsworth, who played Josh Taylor, the surfer who became a paraplegic after a tragic accident, on the show from 2007 to 2008.
Since spreading his wings from the Aussie soap, Hemsworth has starred in a string of big movies, such as The Hunger Games, Knowing, and The Dressmaker.
His personal life has also kept fans buzzing, thanks to his on-and-off romance with Miley Cyrus, whom he met on the set of The Last Song. The couple married in 2018 but finalised their divorce in 2020.
The 35-year-old actor is currently in a relationship with model Gabriella Brooks and will soon appear in season 4 of the Netflix series The Witcher, replacing Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia.
