Character Creation and Casting
In July 2008, Neighbours was branded "too white" by black and Asian viewers in Britain. A report found that many ethnic viewers felt they were under-represented in some of Britain's most popular television shows. In Australia there was talk of a 'White Australia policy' when it came to casting actors for top-rated soaps. In response to the criticism, executive producer Susan Bower made the decision to add more ethnically diverse extras, small walk on roles and speaking parts. She also decided to introduce 15-year-old Korean actor Hany Lee into the cast as exchange student, Sunny Lee. Bower said "I know we're going to get flak about this gorgeous little Korean girl who's going to be coming in next year, because you're damned if you do and damned if you don't".
Hany Lee was chosen to play the role of Sunny after she was spotted at Dolly Magazine's "Neighbours' Next Big Stars" contest. Lee made it to the final ten, but ultimately lost out on the six-week contract to Mauricio Merino, Jr. (Simon Freedman) and Chelsea Jones (Tegan Freedman). A few months later, Lee was cast as regular character Sunny after producers saw her audition tape for the competition.
In August 2009, it was announced that Lee was to leave the show. Producers confirmed that Lee would film her last scenes the following month and they would air in Australia that November. Following the news, Lee said that she would miss the friendships that she had formed with the actors and crew.
Read more about this topic: Sunny Lee
Famous quotes containing the words character, creation and/or casting:
“In the tale proper—where there is no space for development of character or for great profusion and variety of incident—mere construction is, of course, far more imperatively demanded than in the novel.”
—Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849)
“The human spirit is itself the most wonderful fairy tale that can possibly be. What a magnificent world lies enclosed within our bosoms! No solar orbit hems it in, the inexhaustible wealth of the total visible creation is outweighed by its riches!”
—E.T.A.W. (Ernst Theodor Amadeus Wilhelm)
“Reason sits firm and holds the reins, and she will not let the feelings burst away and hurry her to wild chasms. The passions may rage furiously, like true heathens, as they are; and the desires may imagine all sorts of vain things: but judgement shall still have the last word in every argument, and the casting vote in every decision.”
—Charlotte Brontë (1816–1855)