Ada Nicodemou reflects on 25 years of Home and Away: “It’s my life”

While it’s hard to imagine Home And Away without her, things could have turned out very differently for Ada Nicodemou.

As a talented teenager, with hit Australian dramas Heartbreak High (1994), Police Rescue (1995) and Breakers (1998) already under her belt, the world was at her feet. Then, the phone rang with an unexpected proposition.

“After Breakers [wrapped], the head writer [of the show] had gone to work 
on Home And Away. They had written the character of Leah for me and asked 
if I would do it,” Ada, 47, tells TV WEEK.

“However, that [Breakers] was my first experience on a soap and it was a difficult show to work on for many different reasons. It left a bad taste in my mouth.”

Ada could have easily said no. Instead, she presented a counteroffer: she would join H&A for just six months – “and no longer”, she says – determined not to fall into the same trap.

Twenty-five years later, Ada is still walking the sands of Sydney’s Palm Beach – and has never been happier.

“I genuinely love it,” she says of 
her tenure. “It’s a real achievement [in this industry] and I don’t take it lightly. I was 21 when I started on the show [in 2000] and I’ve grown up on screen alongside the likes of Lynne [McGranger, who plays Irene] and Ray [Meagher, who plays Alf]. Half of my life 
has been spent in H&A and while I never expected to be here, I’m so proud of it.”

Ada recalls being incredibly nervous on her first day, though it wasn’t her first time on set. Eagle-eyed fans may have noticed that Ada previously entered Summer Bay as an extra in 1992.

While it didn’t lead 
to stardom, she distinctly remembers thinking, “If I sit behind one of the main characters, I’ll be discovered [laughs]!”

Eventually, her wish came true. In 2000, her character Leah Poulos entered as a runaway bride seeking a lift into town. The dramatic entrance not only set up the arc of her character but the blossoming romance with Vinnie Patterson (Ryan Kwanten).

“I instantly connected with Ryan,” Ada recalls of her former co-star. “You don’t realise when you’re in it what the impact will be, but Ryan really resonated with everyone, from the crew to the viewers.”

Over the years, Leah has been portrayed as a hopeless romantic, falling victim to life’s biggest cruelties.

From marriage and divorce to betrayal and untimely deaths (RIP Vinnie!), viewers have longed for her to get her much-deserved happy ending.

It’s par for the course for a long-running drama but even Ada has her limits when it comes 
to her character’s heartbreaks.

Nowadays, art imitates life with Ada and real-life partner James Stewart – who plays Justin Morgan – starring as husband and wife in the show.

“I’ve known him for nearly 30 years, so we worked well together with ease anyway, before [dating],” Ada says. “Things haven’t changed, really. If anything, you get to see your partner more! But the writers saw our connection as actors, and I’ve been lucky to find that with a lot of good people over the years.”

Whether it’s her ongoing search for fulfilment or the relatable themes of love and loss, fans have been by Leah’s side through it all. The pressures of fame colliding with the emergence of social media can be a lot for a young star to take in. For Ada, it was a lesson in balance.

“There is [a greater] intensity with 
H&A than other shows I’ve worked on,” she says. “People want to know more about you and your private life, which can be a juggle sometimes.”

It was after the birth of her son Johnas in 2012 that she realised some things are meant to be sacred, not shared.

“I bought into it all [social media], I did 
it all, because I thought I had to,” she says. “I thought I had to announce the birth of Johnas and what have you. But, looking back at it, the fact that you give birth 
and are indoors for five days because 
a magazine is going to come out with photos of your child or you’ll be followed by paparazzi is surreal.

“The problem is, opening yourself up that much, naively, when something bad or heartbreaking happens, you feel the responsibility to do it again. You can’t just post the positives, you’re already on that journey. So reflecting 
on that has been quite interesting.”

As Johnas enters high school, Ada 
is focused on remaining true to their family values.

“I’m not buying into the fame; I work hard and this is just what Mum does,” 
she says of her teachings. “I have migrant parents and was told to save your money, buy property, clean your house, surround yourself with friends and family. Mum used to say, ‘You only borrow for a house, not for anything else.’”

With that in mind, Ada isn’t necessarily looking to the future and what her career holds. Instead, she’s honing in on the present and how she can make the most of it. Summer Bay may be her second home but it’s what she has because of Home And Away that she cherishes most. 
This is her ultimate dream job.

“It has been my source of entertainment, friendship, sorrow, happy and sad times, security – it’s my life,” she reflects. “But I’m nearly 50, a lot has happened! I’m 
not the same person I was when I started out at 16 or when I started in Home And Away at 21.

“But I’ve stayed true to my core and 
I am really proud of my career, who 
I am as a person, a mother and partner. So far, I’ve done good.”

While it’s hard to imagine Home And Away without her, things could have turned out very differently for Ada Nicodemou. As a talented teenager, with hit Australian dramas Heartbreak High (1994), Police Rescue (1995) and Breakers (1998) already under her belt, the world was at her feet. Then, the phone rang with an unexpected proposition. “After Breakers [wrapped], the head writer [of the show] had…