Bronwyn Davies
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bronwyn Davies | |||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Rachel Friend | ||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 1988–1990 | ||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 7 July 1988 | ||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 22 February 1990 | ||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Don Battye | ||||||||||||||||
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Bronwyn Davies is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Rachel Friend. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 7 July 1988. Bronwyn is the sister of Sharon Davies. Bronwyn fell in love with Henry Ramsay and when he left for New Zealand, she followed him not long after. Bronwyn departed on 22 February 1990.
After Kylie Minogue (Charlene Robinson) decided to depart the show to pursue a singing career, producers wanted to replace her with a similar actress,[1] and were planning to start a nationwide search when they found and cast Friend as Bronwyn.[2] Friend was eighteen when she joined the cast and she chose to postpone an arts degree course at Melbourne University for the role.[1][2] Friend said she had decided to take the year off in order to get acting work, so she was "rapt" about securing a job on Neighbours.[3] Her casting was announced in June 1988, and she told a reporter for The Sun-Herald: "I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all but I think I'm going to like working on Neighbours."[2] Friend was initially contracted for 13 weeks, but Darren Devlyn of TV Week expected this to be extended following a positive reaction from producers.[3] While discussing Minogue's exit and Friend's arrival, actor Ian Smith, who played Harold Bishop, said Friend "has great appeal and will be a total replacement. She's won't have any of Charlene's characteristics."[3] Friend made her first appearance as Bronwyn on 7 July 1988.[3] Viewer reaction to her character was so positive that she was later given a one-year contract.[1]
Development
Bronwyn is a country girl. In her fictional backstory, she had to give up her schooling when her mother died and she had to take on several new responsibilities, which made her "pretty domestic".[1] Friend described her as "practical, sensible and quite serious."[1] Friend thought she was more outgoing than Bronwyn, who she called a "hick" and said she was too quiet.[1]
Bronwyn is introduced amid the disappearance of toddler Jamie Clarke (S.J. Dey) at a shopping centre. While his father Des Clarke (Paul Keane) looks away, Jamie is taken by a young girl, who soon abandons him. Bronwyn then finds Jamie and returns him to Des, but not without lecturing him first.[3] Of her introduction, Friend explained "She (Bronwyn) certainly has a lot to say in her early scenes. She tells Des he's an incompetent father, then ends up becoming Jamie's new nanny."[3] Bronwyn also plays a small role in the break-up between Mike Young (Guy Pearce) and Jane Harris (Annie Jones) when she points out to Des that Jane has a romantic interest in him.[3] Friend stated "Bronwyn is very confident and outspoken. With Des and Jane, she really puts her foot in it without meaning harm. It also turns out that Mike is a little jealous of her."[3]
Producers paired Bronwyn with Mike for a brief romance storyline.[4] This led to Friend's first on-screen kiss, which she admitted to being scared about filming.[4] She said "I was so nervous, but after I'd kissed him once it was all right – I did feel a bit self-conscious, but I realised nobody takes any notice and it means nothing."[4]
In October 1989, Darren Devlyn of TV Week confirmed that Friend had decided to quit the serial.[5] Her decision came shortly after her partner and co-star Craig McLachlan relocated to Sydney to join the cast of fellow soap opera Home and Away.[5] Friend said it was "a career decision", as she wanted to try other things. She filmed her final scenes in December.[5] On-screen, Bronwyn moves to New Zealand to be with Mclachlan's character Henry Ramsay, whom she later marries.[6]
