Summer Bay, beware: there’s a new sheriff in town.
Kirsty Marillier, a Perth native, will make her Home and Away debut as police woman Rose Delaney on Monday night.
Fans of the Channel 7 drama will notice that the newcomer shares the same last name as the show’s soon-to-be-departing series regular Jasmine Delaney, portrayed by Sam Frost.
Rose and her on-screen brother Xander (Chris Hemsworth’s cousin Luke Van Os) arrive in the bay after learning they have a half-sister named Jasmine.
“They come only for the purpose of connecting with her,” Marillier told The West Australian.
But don’t be fooled by Rose’s earnestness; she assures them that she is a “firecracker.”
“There’s plenty of opportunity for drama, joy, and the ebbs and flows of any new relationship,” she remarked.
“I believe (Rose) is amusing. She’s witty and dry, a bit of a firecracker who also cares profoundly about doing the right thing and is fiercely loyal to her brother, which I think is a lovely trait.
“She’s very enthusiastic about her work… I’m interested to watch how that plays out in the bay. What happens when this new cop arrives?
Marillier and her family relocated to Perth when she was ten years old, and she recalls watching Home and Away as one of her earliest recollections of the country.
“When my family and I came from South Africa, I started watching when I was about 11,” she recalled.
“I’m quite proud of my South African heritage, and I’ve always felt strongly connected to Australia, having grown up in Perth and attended high school there.”
Marillier discovered her passion for acting at Leeming Senior High School before going on to pursue acting at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
She described her time at the prestigious institution, which has produced stars like as Hugh Jackman, Lucy Durack, and Tim Minchin, as “some of the happiest years of my life.”
Marillier added, “I’ve always wanted to go to WAAPA.” “I auditioned three times before being accepted. That had been a long-held ambition of mine since high school, and it was wonderful to see it realised. I actually felt like I became the actor I wanted to be when I was there, therefore I’m a strong believer in it.”
Marillier had a cameo appearance on the popular Australian serial in 2018; she was only on set for “maybe one or two days,” but it was enough for her to develop a taste for the salty air of Palm Beach, where the show is shot. She had a few auditions over the years before earning the role of Rose, a series regular.
“I think the ability to work on something full-time as an actress is a blessing,” she remarked.
“The programme has done so much for so many people in this business.” But it’s also like having a share in Australian television. Home and Away is a show that I believe is quite valuable.
“It’s simply extremely thrilling to be a part of this new wave of variety and difference on our screens, showing what Australia is truly like,” says the actor.
