She’s walked down the aisle three times before. But Ada Nicodemou, who stars in Home and Away as long-running character Leah Patterson, says her most recent on-screen wedding to partner Justin Morgan played, by James Stewart, will be different.
For a start — nothing dramatic happens!
“It’s definitely unusual,” Nicodemou says, “in that usually there’s always some sort of cliffhanger, where someone dies — but none of that happens!
“It’s actually just really lovely, and all about their love.”
For Nicodemou, who has played Leah for 24 years, her character’s happy ending has been a long time coming.
Leah and Justin’s relationship has been put to the ultimate test this past year — the couple has been kidnapped, Justin almost died and poor old Leah had a mental breakdown.
All in the space of 12 months!
No wonder there was a big question mark over whether they would be married at all.
But both the writers, and Nicodemou, knew the characters and long-time fans were owed their happily-ever-after.
“When they were suggesting that Leah and Justin get married, I did ask (the writers) for that,” she admits.
“I said, ‘Oh please, can it just be nice? She has been through so much!’
“And also, I think the audience just really want to see a happy ending … we all thought it would be really nice to just see a couple who love each other, and celebrate that — and have a pretty wedding.”
Scenes were filmed several months ago, at a winery in Sydney’s Hunter Valley.
“The location was at this amazing vineyard, and they do a lot of weddings — and every shot was just so beautiful,” Nicodemou says.
“She did a beautiful job.”
As well as being a beautiful spectacle, the episode also has plenty for rusted-on fans, with old faces returning to reprise their roles.
Justin’s sister Tori, played by Penny McNamee, his daughter Ava (Annabel Wolfe) and Leah’s son VJ, played by Matt Little, who now works behind the camera as a producer on the show, will all appear for the big day.
As well as filming Home and Away, Nicodemou has also been busy away from the show — her first children’s book, Mia Megastar, will be printed on April 3.
“It’s just a cute story and kind of based on me, and how I got into acting,” she explains.
