Character Creation and Casting
The character of Cheryl was created in 1993 as the head of a new family to be introduced, the Starks, and was given an immediate link to already existing character and son Darren Stark (Scott Major). Actress Caroline Gillmer successfully auditioned for the role. Debuting on-screen, Cheryl moved into Ramsay Street with daughter Danni (Eliza Szonert), and son Brett (Brett Blewitt), both new additions to the serial's cast.
In 1995, Caroline Gillmer fell ill, during a time Cheryl was written to be a central figure in key storylines. Producers felt they had no alternative, but to temporarily recast her with former Prisoner actress Colette Mann. This made producers nervous that viewing figures might decrease, so they implemented a series of plots to keep viewers interested. Mann took over the role for eight weeks. She revealed that she was hired on a Friday and started filming on the following Monday. She added "I walked in, and Brett Blewitt said, 'Hello, I'm your son!'. And then it was, 'Action!'"
Read more about this topic: Cheryl Stark
Famous quotes containing the words character, creation and/or casting:
“There are certain stereotypes that are offensive. Some of them don’t worry me, though. For instance, I have always thought that Mammy character in Gone with the Wind was mighty funny. And I just loved “Amos ‘n’ Andy” on the radio. So you see, I have enough confidence in myself that those things did not bother me. I could laugh.”
—Annie Elizabeth Delany (b. 1891)
“If they had said that the sun or the moon had gone out of the heavens, it could not have struck me with the idea of a more awful and dreary blank in creation than the words: “Byron is dead!””
—Jane Welsh Carlyle (1801–1866)
“For the gods, though slow to see, see well, whenever a man casting aside worship turns folly.”
—Sophocles (497–406/5 B.C.)