For budding Australian actors, landing a recurring role on soap giants Neighbours and Home and Away was a rite of passage for those who went on to become big shots in the industry.
However, Sarah Roberts seemed to view it as more of a challenge than an initiation as she managed to land herself a gig on both shows, with her most recent stint being as Willow Harris on Home and Away from 2017 to 2021.
Now, as the actress is set to star in season two of the Stan Original series Scrublands, Sarah revealed why she still keeps close with her former soap co-stars—and why Hollywood is her next stop.
‘One of my best friends was one of my cast mates on Neighbours. That goes way back. Another one of my best friends, Emily Weir, she’s from Home and Away,’ Sarah told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I’ve also made friends with a lot of the new cast from Home and Away because Emily is friends with them and we all hang out together.
‘I just had my 40th birthday party at the end of last year and I had a party on a boat on the Sydney Harbour. It was full of a lot of the Home and Away cast. I get really close to people and really value my friendships.’
Sarah went on to say a large part of the reason she is still so close with her former castmates, despite having left soap shows behind four years ago, is because of how vulnerable the stars become with each other during filming.
‘You share so many deep dark secrets about yourself and you have to develop a lot of trust between each other. That lends itself to strong friendships,’ she said.
As for what’s next for the TV star, Sarah said she has her sights set on the next big HBO hit in Hollywood, adding she wants something she ‘can sink her teeth into’.
‘My next dream it would be to book a television show where I’m in a contract for five years. I would like that to be a character I can sink my teeth into. I’m not sure I’d want to do another soap,’ she said.
‘I’d love to do a season three of Scrublands… I love going back and working with the same cast and crew. I’m really friendly with everyone I work with.’
When asked if she would go back to star in Home and Away despite not wanting to do another soap, she said: ‘Yeah, sure. I’d love to. You know I would go back and do longer stints on both Home and Away and Neighbours.
‘I mean, sadly I don’t think Neighbours is running anymore, is it. I haven’t done a long-running American TV show. So I would love to do like a HBO show or something of that sort.
‘I would have loved to have done something like Breaking Bad or Game of Thrones. That would be a dream job for me.’
Sarah went on to say making it big in Hollywood has ‘always been a dream of hers’, and revealed she ‘got really close’ to landing a role in some big television shows when she used to live in America.
‘Unfortunately I didn’t get them and then I ended up booking Home and Away and just wanted to be working consistently in Australia. But it’s always been a dream of mine to go back,’ she said.
‘I’d love to get a US show under my belt… I’ve got a pretty clear slate at the moment… America could be next on the cards potentially.
‘I’d love to do an action film. That would be high on my priority list. I used to be a dancer and I love learning all that choreography and using my body. It makes me feel alive.’
Sarah is set to star in the upcoming season two of the Stan Original series Scrublands, where she will reprise her role as reporter Beth Ramachandran.
‘I find Beth really intelligent and smart and quick witted. It’s not often I get to play characters like that,’ she said of the character.
‘I was really drawn to her job as well. She’s a crime reporter… I find it so intriguing. I find human nature super interesting.’
Stan and Nine Network announced last month the brand new season, dubbed Scrublands: Silver, will premiere on April 17.
Filmed in Augusta, Western Australia, Scrublands sees Luke Arnold and Bella Heathcote reprise their leading roles after a critically acclaimed, smash-hit first season.
In the brand new season, it’s been a year since the life changing events of Scrublands season one.
Award-winning investigative journalist Martin Scarsden [Luke] has returned to his coastal hometown, Port Silver, to set up a new life with partner Mandy Bond [Heathcote].
When he arrives to find his childhood friend Jasper brutally murdered and Mandy the prime suspect, Martin struggles with doubts—about Mandy and about his own ability to recognise the truth.
As he pushes forward to find the real murderer and absolve Mandy, Martin confronts secrets about Port Silver and his long-buried past.
Based on the best-selling novel Silver by Chris Hammer, the sequel to Scrublands, the second season will also star Luke Carroll, Debra Lawrance, David Roberts, Tasma Walton, Luke Pegler, Caroline Brazier and Joel Jackson.