For Peta's Sake!
From TV Week, 27 April 1985. Written by Stephen Cook.
Could this be TV's Miss Goody Two Shoes back as a scheming bitch?
Peta Toppano is coming back to our TV screens with a vengeance . . . in more ways than one.
The beautiful former Prisoner star is set to knock her goody-goody image for six with
her recent casting as bitchy, vindictive Jilly Stewart in the continuing-series
version of the 1983 hit mini-series Return To Eden.
In the original McElroy & McElroy/ Network 10 production, the character of Jilly
(then portrayed by Wendy Hughes) asserted herself as a powerful, scheming, glamorous bitch.
She ended in jail for plotting the attempted murder of her former best friend,
millionairess Stephanie Harper (Rebecca Gilling) who, after surviving a horrific
crocodile attack, emerged following plastic surgery as revenge-ridden top model Tara Welles.
The new 22-episode Network 10 series, which begins filming on April 29 in Sydney,
and will screen either late thi
s year or early 1986, is set seven years later.
Rebecca Gilling and Jim Smillie are to re-create their original roles as Stephanie Harper,
mining company boss, and Dr Dan Marshall, plastic surgeon.
Expatriate British actor Daniel Abineri is cast as Jake Sanders, a corporate pirate
who becomes Jilly's lover and partner in revenge - and former Sons And Daughters star
Peter Cousens is Dennis, Stephanie's now-grown-up son.
As Jilly, Peta Toppano has been freed from prison and has, like Stephanie, undergone
plastic surgery to create a new appearance.
"Initially, she looks quite dowdy; you'd think butter wouldn't melt in her mouth;
Jilly's a completely different person - well, she is ! It's me, not Wendy," Peta laughed.
"She sets out to hurt Stephanie and does it in a very calculating way - after all,
she's been in jail plotting her revenge for years."
Peta is "absolutely thrilled" to
have been given the opportunity by producer Hal
McElroy to stretch her acting capabilities.
"It's completely different to anything I've done before. I'd always played rather nice
girls, personable young women and put-upon wimps - goody-goodies," Peta said.
Peta feels "flattered" that she is following in the footsteps of the much-in-demand
Wendy Hughes. At the same time she is determined that her Jilly will not resemble
Wendy's - nor any other stereotyped bitch on television.
"I'm starting to find out who Jilly is and delving into areas of my own
personality I feel are appropriate for her", Peta said.
And therein lies Peta's only fear: "I think there's a bit of Jilly in every woman.
For Jilly I'm calling on a side of myself I've never had to call upon as an
actress before - it's a side of me that I don't like. It's also a side of me that's
quite strong that nobody, except my husband (Barry Quin) a
nd couple of close friends,
has seen. I hope I'm level-headed enough to leave Jilly at the studio".
Peta's first and last continuing TV-series role was as Karen Travers in Prisoner.
She only appeared for its first 10 months on air but even today is remembered as "the
girl from Prisoner".
(Coincidentally, Peta also starred opposite Jim Smillie. He played her lawyer and lover,
Steve Wilson.)
Peta won an AFI nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category last year for her
role as 40-year old bashed housewife in the Vince Colosimo film "Street Hero". She
sees this as "a big step in the right direction career-wise".
More recently Peta starred with Tony Sheldon and Robyn Moase in the revival of the
stage revue "You, The Night And The Housewine" at Rose's cabaret in Sydney. Casting
director Liz Mullinar saw Peta in that, and after almost three months of auditions and waiting, Peta won the role in "
Return To Eden".
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