Sam Barrett, who plays Chloe Anderson on Home and Away, has spoken out about the recent bombshell twist that revealed a horrible secret about her history.
As far as we know, she was raised by her mother Mia Anderson (Anna Samson) and stepfather Ari Parata (Rob Kipa-Williams), with no mention of her biological father.
But everything changed when Chloe’s biological father, Matthew Montgomery (James Sweeny), appeared out of nowhere to confront Mia and demand that he meet his daughter!
Mia revealed to Ari that she had run away from Matthew after becoming pregnant. He took advantage of her while she was blacked out drunk and sexually assaulted her.
“When Chloe was younger, Mia just told her that she and her father were both young and that he didn’t want to be involved in Chloe’s life,” Sam added.
“I don’t believe Chloe has ever sought to track him down.” She reasoned it wasn’t feasible, therefore she hasn’t dealt with her father’s feelings and may have pushed them down a little.
“She’s had Ari as a father figure as well. When Ari was in prison and wasn’t in the picture for a long, it pushed all those feelings even deeper.”
Matthew’s presence in the Bay is a ticking time bomb for Mia, who is trying to keep the dreadful truth hidden. Matthew approaches Chloe in Salt, determined to get to know his daughter!
“When Matthew first approaches Chloe, she thinks he’s simply an average guy. “She’s fascinated because he’s not like the average Summer Bay inhabitant, so she’s not sure what his issue is,” Sam explained.
“When Matthew tells her he’s her father, he appears sincere. But it’s all a little daunting, and it’s all staring her in the face.
“I suspect she’s saying something along the lines of, ‘I don’t know how to feel since that’s not what I’ve believed my whole life.'”
Chloe contacts her mother, desperate for answers, and when she comes, it’s evident that Matthew is telling the truth. Is it going to produce a schism between her and Mia?
“Chloe feels disappointed in Mia and is dealing with some buried emotions.
“It’s just not the storey she’s been told her whole life,” Sam explained, “and Mia becomes the target for all of Chloe’s unresolved sentiments.”
“However, Chloe and Mia’s connection is unbreakable. It’s the one thing both the viewer and the characters can cling to during the entire ordeal.
“In terms of Mia keeping her secret, I believe there is no perfect way to handle any issue, especially one as difficult as this.”
“I admire Mia’s bravery and understand why she does what she does.”
Sam has only been with Summer Bay for a year, but she has already been a part of some major plotlines, including a relationship with Ryder Jackson (Lukas Radovich), being abducted by gangsters, and being pierced by shrapnel when her food truck exploded!
Is this going to be her most difficult narrative yet?
“Yes, it is!” It’s amazing to have so many layers to deal with, and I’m hoping that people will learn more about Chloe and why she is the way she is,” Sam explained.
“But we’ve come to know Chloe in one aspect, and I think we’re in for a big character arc.”
“We’ll get to know Chloe in a way we’ve never seen her before, and it’ll have an influence on people around her.”
