The Summer Bay favourite gives fans backstage access, opening the doors to her dressing room, make-up room and some of the most popular sets.
Have you ever wanted to see how your favourite Home and Away scenes come to life? Or how the actors enjoy their downtime or get ready for a scene?
Summer Bay star Ada Nicodemou has given fans an exclusive tour of some of the show’s best-known sets and a tour of the backstage area.
Nicodemou is celebrating the wedding of her character Leah Patterson, who is set to marry Justin Morgan (James Stewart) on Tuesday night’s unmissable episode.
The tour begins on the set of the Pier Diner where Leah works alongside Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger) and Marilyn Chamber (Emily Symons).
Nicodemou says that her favourite memories on the set are from the “gossip sessions” she has with McGranger and Symons.
“Lynne, myself and Emily just talk about our day, how many hours we’re working, what our kids have done, and we just gossip, basically,” she tells 7NEWS.com.au.
“I think that’s that’s my favorite memory.”
The star gives viewers an inside look at some of the props on set, including the infamous burger phone, Marilyn’s pen and some of the actor’s hidden scripts.
Recalling her first time stepping onto the original set of the diner, Nicodemou laughs that she was “so scared”.
The next stop was the set for the restaurant Salt, which Nicodemou calls “the diner’s competition”.
“So when you want a better meal or alcohol you come to Salt.”
Sharing how her days normally run ahead of her first scenes, Nicodemou spills on how she gets into character.
“In the morning I have a routine, I come in with my scripts in hand, I have my very annoying coffee order and read through my scripts,” she says.
“I think the make-up and wardrobe help you get into character.”
Nicodemou says that McGranger and Stewart are her go-to’s for practising lines.
The next stop was backstage, showing fans the magazine wall with some of Home and Away’s most famous covers.
From Leah’s previous weddings to former Home and Away actress Tammin Sursok —so many Summer Bay memories can be spotted.
After looking at some of her wedding covers, Nicodemou says that her favourite wedding setting was her character’s wedding to Vinny Patterson (Ryan Kwanten) who wed in 2002.
“I think because it was the first (of Leah’s weddings),” she says.
Of filming a typical Home and Away wedding, Nicodemou says they are “very long”.
“No one really wants to be invited to them because it goes on for two weeks — it’s hot and you’re tired.”
But speaking of the upcoming wedding, Nicodemou’s face lights up as she marvels, “Oooh it’s really good!
“It feels like a proper wedding, usually with Home and Away a lot of bad stuff happens at weddings and it’s not usually about characters — but this one is.
“It’s full of love, the community gets together and there are some old faces, VJ comes back,” she says of her on-screen son who is played by Matthew Little.
“Justin organising the whole thing as well so he does a pretty good job.”
The actress shows fans the dressing room she shares with McGranger, their couch, workout gear, and some spare clothes seen in the room.
Nicodemou was quick to spot a message McGranger had left for her — something the actress says her friend often does.
“Hi Ada, have you seen the red phone charger and chord? xxx” McGranger wrote on a notepad.
Nicodemou also showed fans one of the most important possessions in her dressing room, the folder where she keeps her most recent scripts.
The star then proceeded to the green room, collecting her newest script from her pigeonhole.
Moving onto hair and makeup, Nicodemou explained that every character has a make-up bag the artists use.
