Cassie Turner

Cassie Turner

Cassandra "Cassie" Turner is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Sharni Vinson. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 18 March 2005. Vinson originally auditioned for the role of Martha MacKenzie (Jodi Gordon), but later secured the role of Cassie. She admitted it was a challenge to portray a character six years her junior who was still attending school. Cassie's backstory reveals that she was abused as a child by her uncle. However, her characterisation is out of conjunction with the usual victims of such crimes. She is portrayed as "fiercely independent and headstrong" female who has a knack for "winning friends and influencing people". Cassie is popular with the serial's male characters, while her allure also broadened off-screen to male viewers. Cassie is given a foster family when Sally Fletcher (Kate Ritchie) and Flynn Saunders (Joel McIlroy) take her into their home.

Cassie has featured in various romance storylines; in one she begins a relationship with Macca MacKenzie (Trent Baines). The serial decided to portray as domestic abuse through the two characters. Cassie was seen pushing those closest to her away, while Macca continued his abuse. Cassie has also been involved in a high profile storyline in which she discovers she is HIV positive. Vinson also visited females with the virus as part of the research process. The storyline was well received by carriers of the virus and Vinson said it was a "big moment" in her acting career. Vinson has received one Logie Award nomination for her portrayal of Cassie. In 2007, Vinson decided to leave Home and Away because of personal commitments. Cassie departed screens on 2 April 2008, when she left to go travelling.