List of Home and Away characters (2021)

Susan "Susie" McAllister, played by Bridie Carter, made her first appearance on 4 February 2021.[4][5] Carter's casting details were announced on 10 August 2020.[4] She began filming during the same week.[6] Carter was pleased to be offered the role during the COVID-19 pandemic, calling it unexpected.[7] She stated "I was astounded and ecstatic at the same time. I am very fortunate and very grateful because I have a lot of friends who are sitting in a very precarious position."[7] Carter has previously appeared in the serial as Toni Jarvis and Brooke Taylor in 1995 and 1999.[7] Susan is a real estate agent who relocates from Western Australia to Summer Bay.[6] Carter described her as "a really fun, dynamic woman" and "fiercely independent". She also said Susan "befriends certain people quite particularly."[4] Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy later reported that she would a possible love interest for John Palmer (Shane Withington).[8] The character was killed off in June 2021, starting a whodunnit storyline.[9]

Following her move to Summer Bay, Susie is first required to help Tori Morgan (Penny McNamee) and Christian Green (Ditch Davey) who are in search of a new home. She soon has her eye on John Palmer (Shane Withington) and approaches him while he is dining alone at Salt; the pair initially hit it off and Susie takes keen interest in John's personal life. The two eventually become more involved with one another and when Susie claims she has no where to live, John agrees to let her move in. Susie shows signs of suspicious behaviour when she begins asking questions and searching through John's bank statements, aside from feeling uninterested every time John touches her. Susie then persuades John to run for Surf Club president, much to Alf Stewart's (Ray Meagher) shock as it is unusual for anyone to run against him for president. Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons) confronts John about his sudden change of character since he has started seeing Susie, causing her to clash with Susie on a number of occasions. Fed up with Marilyn's interference, Susie presents Marilyn with divorce papers from John. Following John's appointment as president, Susie persuades him to raise money for the Surf Club's renovation and she attempts to get sponsorship from local businesses such as the diner and the gym.

Leah Patterson (Ada Nicodemou) and Justin Morgan (James Stewart) decide to enlist Susie's help in finding them a new house, while Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger), having felt that something was not right with Susie since she first arrived, become more suspicious of her. Susie sees Irene as a threat and accuses her of being attracted to John. John urges the women to make peace and invites them to dinner; Susie orders three glasses of wine and drugs Irene's drink, however, she is unaware that Irene is a teetotaler. John drinks the unwanted wine and become violently ill. Irene realises that the wine meant for her was drugged, which sparks her suspicions even further when Susie refuses to seek medical help for John. Justin and Leah receive the news that the house they believe was sold to them is not actually theirs. Irene and Willow Harris (Sarah Roberts) soon discover that Susie McAllister does not exist when they stumble across a photo of Susie with the name Imogen Simons attached. Susie tries to convince everyone that Irene is spreading lies about her and advises Justin and Leah that there was an administrative error with the house which she intends to rectify. All becomes clear when Susie decides it is time to flee with Justin and Leah's life savings, along with the Surf Club funds. Irene confronts her and Susie drugs her with chloroform. Susie finally makes her escape, leaving John heartbroken, while Justin and Leah realise that they have lost all $90,000 of their money, as there is no trace of anyone by the name of Susie McAllister.

Several weeks pass and Leah is still determined to find Susie, while trying to convince John to help her. She eventually comes into contact with another of Susie's victims, Stephen Tennyson (Bren Foster), via an online forum, who claims that he and Susie had a brief relationship before she ran off with his life savings. Leah, John and Stephen continue their search to no avail, until John receives text messages from Susie. They plan a meeting that proves unsuccessful when she does not appear. Susie's body is recovered from the ocean and it is determined that she was killed by a blow to the head. The police realise that Susie could not have sent the texts to John, as she was already dead. Justin becomes the prime suspect after some of Susie's items are found in his possession. Leah later realises Stephen is the culprit, after finding a burner phone, Susie's laptop, and her and Justin's money in his motel room. She contacts John for help. Stephen tries to escape Summer Bay with Leah in fear that she will turn him in, but is eventually arrested and charged with Susie's murder.

Chloe Anderson, played by Sam Barrett, made her first appearance on 11 February 2021.[10] Barrett's casting was announced in November 2020, after she was seen filming scenes at the show's outdoor location.[11] Barrett told Stephanie McKenna of PerthNow that she had always wanted to appear in Home and Away, and she auditioned for the show five times, before she was cast as Chloe.[10] Barrett had to relocate to Sydney, where the show's studios are located. She said the process from the audition to filming happened in "just a few weeks".[10] She also said "My first day on set didn't even feel real, it felt a bit like a dream. I learn a lot every day from everyone, and from the crew as well. That's my favourite part about working on the show, everyone's always willing to help you as a new actor."[10] Chloe is introduced along with her mother Mia Anderson (Anna Samson). They both have a connection to established character Ari Parata (Rob Kipa-Williams), who was in a relationship with Mia. Chloe saw Ari as a father figure before he went to prison.[12] Chloe is billed as "a smart and sassy" young adult, who shares her mother's "intelligence and rebelliousness".[13] Chloe comes to Summer Bay with her friend and Ari's nephew Nikau Parata (Kawakawa Fox-Reo), whom she meets in New Zealand. She hopes to reconcile the father/daughter relationship she had with Ari.[13] Barrett felt that when it comes to Ari and Nikau, Chloe is "quite determined to reconnect."[10] Chloe is also a potential love interest for Ryder Jackson (Lukas Radovich).[12] The character's biological father Matthew Montgomery (James Sweeny) was introduced in November 2021.[14]

Chloe attempts to order an alcoholic cocktail at Salt, but Ryder Jackson refuses to make her one as she does not have her ID, so she orders a pizza instead. Chloe then meets up with Nikau Parata, who tells her that her presence is going to shake things up. Chloe returns to Salt and gives Ryder unwanted advice about making a good martini. Nikau takes Chloe to see his uncle Ari, her stepfather, who she has not seen in a number of years. She explains to him that she met Nikau while she was backpacking around New Zealand and that her mother, Mia, does not know she is in Summer Bay. Chloe has dinner with the family and is invited to stay for the night. The following day, Chloe and Ari talk about why she is in the Bay and how she felt when he went to prison. Chloe tells him that she was angry with him for missing so many moments in her life, but her mother told her that he did not want to see them anymore, which she knows is a lie. Ari tells Chloe that when he went to prison, he and her mother agreed that it was not a place for children to visit and he thought that she would explain this to Chloe. Chloe says that she and her mother just moved away. Ari urges Chloe to call her mother to let her know where she is. When Mia arrives, Chloe confronts her about the lies she told and refuses to leave with her, as she wants to stay and get to know Ari again. Nikau introduces Chloe to his girlfriend Bella Nixon (Courtney Miller) and helps her secure a job at Salt, after she goes up against Ryder in a cocktail making competition.

Mia Anderson, played by Anna Samson, made her first appearance on 11 February 2021.[13] The character and Samson's casting details were announced on 3 January 2021.[15] Mia is introduced as the former partner of Ari Parata (Rob Kipa-Williams) and mother of Chloe Anderson (Sam Barrett). Their arrival helps further exploration of Ari's fictional backstory, as it emerges that he went to prison after his and Mia's baby died. Mia then chose to move away with Chloe, who lost her father figure.[13] Mia is reunited with Ari when she comes to Summer Bay to collect her daughter. She is billed as "an intelligent, gutsy and strong-willed mother-of-one."[13]

Mia comes to Summer Bay after learning her daughter Chloe Anderson has followed Nikau Parata there. Mia's former partner Ari attempts to get in contact with Chloe and Nikau, and later learns that they have gone up the coast. Ari confronts Mia about the lies she told Chloe as they wait. Upon her return, Chloe also confronts her mother about lying about Ari and refuses to leave with her. Mia admits that she never meant to hurt her and she thought she was doing the right thing in order to protect her. Mia asks Chloe how she can fix things, but Chloe wants to stay in order to get her head around everything. Ari also refuses to help Mia, telling her that Chloe can stay for as long as she wants in order to get to know him again. The following day, Mia admits to Ari that she tried to tell Chloe the truth about his departure, but she struggled with all the questions. She tells him that she never meant to hurt either of them. Ari tells her that he understands why she did what she did. Chloe tells Mia that she has the chance of a job at a local restaurant and Mia agrees she can accept it. She then tells Ari that she intends to stay in the Bay too.

Allegra Freeman, played by Laura McDonald, and Emmett Ellison, played by Jaime Robbie Reyne made their first appearances on 29 April 2021.[16] Reyne and McDonald's casting details were announced on 23 April 2021.[17] Their characters are introduced as part of a modelling storyline for Nikau Parata (Kawakawa Fox-Reo) and Bella Nixon (Courtney Miller).[16] McDonald confirmed the plot will also focus on disordered eating,[17] as well as body image from male and female perspectives involving social media.[16] Of her casting, McDonald stated: "I am a 25-year-old size 10 woman, so when this audition brief came to me I kind of assumed I was past it age-wise. I'm also just not in the right size bracket to even be considered for the role. They have done an amazing job."[17] Reyne's character Emmett is a professional photographer who Bella is invited to work with, however, she realises that "life behind the lens isn't what she expects."[16] Allegra (McDonald) is billed as a "sexy and scandalous model" who works with Nikau.[16]

Rachel Young, played by Marny Kennedy, made her first appearance on 24 May 2021.[18] Kennedy's casting was confirmed in early 2021, after paparazzi photographs of her filming with actor Ditch Davey (Christian Green) were released. Kennedy was also pictured wearing a neck brace.[19] Home and Away marks Kennedy's first soap opera role.[20] Of her character's introduction, Kennedy stated: "Rachel lands in Home and Away in quite a different way. It is not your normal entry into Summer Bay, it is a bit of a crash land."[20] For her character's storyline, Kennedy had to wear a halo brace and she explained that it took around half an hour to assemble and then fit it to her.[21] She said that by the end, she "had it down to an art and I'm proud that I was able to just flick it on and off."[21]

Rachel is seriously injured after falling to the ground during a skydive. She is treated by Dr Christian Green, who is booking his own lesson when the call about Rachel comes through to the office. Christian recognises that Rachel is going into shock and attempts to calm her, before she is taken to Northern Districts Hospital. Rachel's x-rays show that her skull has separated from her spine and is only being held in place by ligaments. Christian informs Rachel that she has suffered an atlanto-occipital dislocation, but her spine is intact and he is organising a halo brace for her. She later dies via a hit and run.

Cash Newman, played by Nicholas Cartwright, made his first appearance on 14 June 2021.[22] The character and Cartwright's casting were revealed during a promotional trailer released on 8 June.[23] Home and Away marks Cartwright's first television role since his graduation from National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).[22] Cash is Summer Bay's new police constable. Cartwright felt that his military background, as well as his understanding of rank, helped him with the role.[22] Cash's "welcome to town is pretty serious" when he has to arrest Justin Morgan (James Stewart), before leading an investigation into a body that washes up.[22] Although billed as a "hot cop", Cartwright said there would be more to his character "than meets the eye."[22]

Logan Bennett, played by Harley Bonner, made his first appearance on 10 August 2021.[24][25] The character and Bonner's casting was announced on 25 March 2021.[26] Of joining the serial, Bonner stated "It's been a while since I've had the privilege of working on a program that's such a hallmark of Australian television. I'm happy to say I picked it back up a lot faster than expected. I really love working on shows like Home and Away, I love my character and I can't wait for Australia to meet him."[26] Bonner filmed some of his first scenes in the studio, before taking part in a week long shoot in Yass as part of the show's mid-season cliffhanger storyline, which introduces his character.[25]

Logan's introduction sees him attend the scene of a car accident, involving three of the show's established characters. Clips of Logan helping to load a patient onto a medical helicopter saw him mistaken for a paramedic, but Bonner explained that he is actually a trauma surgeon who has served overseas.[25] Logan ends up coming to Summer Bay to perform a life saving operation, before deciding to stay to "see his patient's journey through from start to finish".[26] Bonner stated: "That's the main brunt of the character at this point. He's coming in and he's got some more uncouth ways of operating – figuratively and literally – than what Australia is used to and particularly what Summer Bay is used to. But he is effective and he's very confident in what he does. He's a real cheeky character and he's a lot of fun to play."[25] Bonner also called his character "a bit of a nomad" and described him as "capable, compassionate, intelligent and fun."[26] Bonner also expressed his interest in finding out more about his character during his time in the Bay.[26] A few months later, it was confirmed that Logan would be a love interest for Mackenzie Booth (Emily Weir).[24]

Felicity "Flick" Newman, played by Jacqui Purvis, made her first appearance on 19 August 2021.[24][27] Purvis's casting was announced in April 2021, after she photographed filming alongside cast member Ethan Browne at Palm Beach.[28] Dan Seddon of Digital Spy believed that she would become a potential love interest for Browne's character Tane Parata.[28] Further details about Purvis's character, including her name, were released on 26 July, as she was featured in a promotional trailer for the show.[24] Felicity was billed as "a firecracker with an abundance of confidence and no filter – which can get her into a lot of trouble."[24] Felicity attracts Tane's attention after she dances on top of a bar.[24] Shortly before her first scenes aired, it was revealed that Felicity is the sister and roommate of Cash Newman (Nicholas Cartwright), Summer Bay's newest police officer.[29]

Theo Poulos, played by Matt Evans, made his first appearance on 9 September 2021. The character and Evans' casting details were confirmed on 6 September.[30] Evans had little acting experience prior to getting the role, but he said he was learning each day. He stated: "It is like getting paid to go to school. My first day in the studio, I kind of had a bit of a freak out because it's just a lot of people around and I didn't know what I was doing. I'm just trying to learn on the job."[31] Prior to his arrival, it was revealed that Theo would have a connection to one of the show's main characters.[30] He was initially billed as "a troubled guy in his 20s", although Evans said he would not be "as bad as he appears."[31] Evans explained that his character is fun and often acts first and thinks later, which is what gets him into trouble. He added that Theo "has a good heart when you get down to it."[31] Theo is first seen being pulled over by constable Cash Newman (Nicholas Cartwright) for speeding. He claims he is visiting his family following the death of his aunt, so Cash escorts him to Summer Bay, where Theo admits that he has been kicked out of home by his father.[30] Theo is the nephew of Leah Patterson (Ada Nicodemou) and his father is Leah's eldest brother Dimitri (Salvatore Coco).

• Characters and cast at 7plus
• Characters and cast at the Internet Movie Database