Sophie Dillman and Patrick O’Connor’s relationship has seen a lot of ups and downs recently, from vehicle accidents and near-fatal poisoning to lingering worries about their future.
Of course, we’re talking about their on-screen romance on Home and Away, where they portray lovebirds Ziggy and Dean.
After a phenomenal season, the pair has fought difficulty and triumphed, providing their portrayers a much-needed break.
“What a year!” exclaims the narrator. At our seaside photoshoot, Patrick, who portrays Dean, tells TV WEEK. “I had a lot of fun acting out the automobile accident scenarios. It was an amazing shoot to be a part of, and seeing the car go flipped from behind the scenes was great. Not to mention the picturesque New South Wales towns of Yass and Wee Jasper.”
Sophie adds that the players of H&A have had a “crazy” year, but one that she is thankful to have enjoyed in light of the worldwide epidemic, which has pushed many Australians out of work.
“We were hoping to start this year and leave 2020 behind, but that didn’t happen,” she explains. “We’ve all had to adapt and modify, even the stories, but it’s a true credit to our team’s ability to work together. It’s been a difficult year, but one that I’m quite pleased of.”
Sophie and Patrick, who live together in Sydney, are extremely familiar with one other and their personalities. However, collaborating to bring their experiences to light isn’t as simple as it appears.
“It’s actually a lot of effort,” Sophie admits. “Being able to make Paddy’s and my characters’ instincts appear natural when they aren’t our own is a fun task.”
They also recognise the necessity of turning out the lights at the end of the day, with Sophie describing their house as a “haven.”
They do have one thing in common with Ziggy and Dean: they both like going to the beach. The pair were both born in Queensland and want to spend the holidays with their family. Patrick sees it as an opportunity to enjoy everything the season has to offer.
“Eggnog, oddly enough, is the one item that tells me that Christmas is approaching [laughs]. The other day, I got my first one of the season!” Paddy laughs when he says this. “However, the majority of our family is in Queensland, and it will be wonderful to spend the holidays with them following the previous year.”
Sophie’s Christmas plans include relaxation and recuperation.
“It’s a terrific opportunity to relax and spend time with the people you care about,” she says.
While they can’t tell what’s under the tree, Paddy quips that he’d want to get Dean a new car – “it’s time for a Holden SS Ute!” he adds – and Sophie acknowledges that her wish list is more practical than fancy.
“I’m not sure if that was my worst present,” she admits, “but I requested for a vacuum a few years ago.” “I guess it was my fault it was so dull [laughs]!”
