Ziggy Astoni and Dean Thompson, both fans of Home and Away, grabbed the nation’s hearts in their recent plotline, in which Ziggy became Dean’s caregiver after his automobile accident.
It’s a great respite for actress Sophie Dillman to confront a fresh narrative with Theo working as an apprentice at the garage, with Dean battling to get back on a surfboard and Ziggy tasked with assisting him.
But Theo appears to be hiding some secrets of his own; will Ziggy be able to uncover the truth, and will the two form an unexpected bond?
The information came from actress Sophie Dillman, who teased some obstacles in the road for Ziggy and Dean in an exclusive interview with Daily Star.
Sophie explained the shift in narratives as follows: “[Having a change] is fantastic. I clearly enjoy working with Paddy – he’s a fantastic actor, he has a fantastic tale, and it’s been a fantastic storyline to fill out as a caregiver.
“However, mixing things up and seeing different sides of the character is always a good thing. Ziggy had been trying to assist him with his recuperation for a long time, but she was completely out of her depth.
“She was doing her best, but she’s not a nurse, and she has no idea how to deal with the physical and emotional aspects of the situation – for both him and her.
“So I think it’s really lovely to see her in her element – comfortable and doing her thing, and being her own person.”
“No relationship is perfect,” Sophie cautioned.
She went on to say: “Ziggy is 25 now, and she’s gone through those crucial years of figuring out who she wants to be as a woman, so she’s having to think about her future a little more.
“Then there’s the fact that Dean is a little older, and he has a son. There’s a lot of accountability involved. I believe there will be many ebbs and flows, hiccups, and everything in between.”
Working with her off-screen lover Patrick O’Connor, who plays Dean, is a lot less stressful, as Sophie revealed how the two unwind after a hard day of filming.
Sophie clarified: “It’s not strange to tell a non-romantic story. The romance is fantastic and a lot of fun to play, but anyone who has ever been in a long-term relationship knows that’s not what it’s all about and what it’s like all of the time.
“Sometimes it’s just the day-to-day details like who’s preparing dinner or ‘Do you need help today?'”
It’s also a bit of a role reversal for Sophie, who has revealed in real life that Paddy is a “amazing caregiver” for her.
Sophie has endometriosis and suffers from excruciating pain to the point where she can’t move and must take a lot of medication.
According to MailOnline, she’s had three operations to treat her uterine condition.
She told the Daily Star: “Because I have endometriosis and occasionally have really awful weeks, months, or days of pain, being Dean’s caregiver is a bit of a role reversal in our family. He is an excellent caregiver for me.
“That’s where the love is – we’re there for one other every day. All of our minor irritations with job, friendships, or anything else, our families, and the pandemic – this is real life.”
Sophie guffawed when asked about leaving Soapland: “When we have a very busy day on set, we both get quite silent.
“We’ve been known to lie in bed next to each other, completely silent, and one of us will open the Uber Eats app, type in what we want, hand it over to the other without saying anything, and let them order what they want.
“We hit submit, and no one says anything until they go to the front door and get the order!”
Weekdays at 1.15pm on Channel 5 and 6pm on 5STAR, Home and Away airs.
