Teresa Bell - Creation and Casting

Creation and Casting

Vendy originally auditioned for the role of Sarah Beaumont, but Nicola Charles was cast instead. Three years later, Vendy auditioned for another role in Neighbours through her agency. Vendy auditioned three times in total and she revealed she was one of three girls up for the role. The actress told the official Neighbours website she learnt she had won the part of Teresa six months later. Of her reaction to the news, Vendy said "I'd put it out of my mind until one night when I got a call from my manager, Scott. He called me all the way from the UK to say 'congratulations, you've got the part'. It was a dream come true for me because I've been trying to get into acting for such a long time."

Vendy told Jason Herbision of Inside Soap that she had initially auditioned to play a different character. She said "The role was originally that of a barmaid called Tamsin Flynn, but after I got the part, the producers took a look at my audition piece and changed my name and occupation." Vendy said Tamsin was supposed to be a surfer and a party girl, but when the character became Teresa she was changed into a "strait-laced schoolteacher" instead. Vendy revealed her cousin, Kristian Schmid (who played Todd Landers), gave her some advice before she entered the show. The actress said "Kristian told me to always think about the motivation of other characters as well as my own." Vendy filmed her first scenes on location at the Erinsborough High set. Two months after her on screen debut, Gina Leros of The Sun-Herald said Vendy would be the one to watch in Neighbours in 2000.