Jason Donovan (Scott) and Kylie Minogue (Charlene) may be long gone, but their on-screen son Daniel Robinson has just arrived in Neighbours. We had a chat with actor Tim Phillipps to find out more about the character and how he feels about being a part of Ramsay Street royalty!
You've been in Neighbours before, haven't you?
"Yes, people have been noticing I played Fox, who was a figment of Paul's imagination. It was only for seven episodes in 2007, but I loved playing a character that was pretty unique for Neighbours. Stefan Dennis, who plays Paul actually did some scenes with me as part of my audition for the role of Daniel."
So tell us, what brings Daniel to Erinsborough after all these years?
"Daniel is road-tripping around Australia and has decided to stop off in Erinsborough and spend some time with his uncle, Paul."
What's Daniel like as a character?
"He is basically laid-back, a surfy dude, a bit of a hippy who is loving, positive and just wants to make the most out of life."
He sounds very different to Paul! What is Daniel's relationship like with Paul?
"Daniel is under the impression Paul is loved. But he starts to piece together people don’t actually like Paul! So he decides to stay in Erinsborough and try and be a good influence on Paul. Meanwhile, Paul wants Daniel to stay so he can be a good influence on Daniel. In Paul’s eyes, Daniel doesn’t have any direction in life. So they both feel like they are helping each other."
What's happens between Daniel, Amber and Imogen? Are we going to see a love triangle?
"It’s a tricky question! Daniel is a loving guy. He develops relationships with anyone and everyone. So due to his nature he does have a lot of time for Imogen and Amber as well. He likes both of their company and shares a real passion for photography with Amber. He loves Imogen’s nature too. She’s a bit more complex in Daniel’s mind. She’s clearly a sweet girl, but she gets so frustrated with Daniel!"
Hmm, could it be love-hate with Imogen?!
"Initially it starts with the fact Imogen catches Daniel camping by the lake. But then it keeps on going. So there’s squabbling and possibly some sort of flirting on some level. So there’s a lot that could happen..."
Does Amber's boyfriend Josh get jealous of the time she's spending with Daniel?
"Daniel doesn’t want to go behind anyone’s back. He’s the sort of person where honesty is the best policy. But he does have a bit of a run-in with Josh, who wants to find out what Daniel’s intentions are."
Is it surreal to be playing the on-screen son of Neighbours legends Jason Donovan (Scott) and Kylie Minogue (Charlene)?
"Yeah, it’s very bizarre! Not only have I known of Kylie and Jason pretty much all of my life, but I’ve also known of Scott and Charlene. Someone has asked Kylie if she knows she has a son on Neighbours now, so that’s a bizarre thought! I don’t know what she thinks yet, but I can’t wait to hear."
Have you done your research by watching classic clips of Scott and Charlene on YouTube?
"Yeah, for sure! It was nice to get a bit of a feel for Scott and Charlene’s relationship. I definitely feel I’m part of a really nice family."
Will fans find out what Scott and Charlene are up to these days?
"It’s my understanding they are still going strong in Queensland. Daniel is in close contact and has a lot of phone-calls with his mum. So that will be exciting for those die-hard Charlene fans!"
Daniel has a younger sister, Madison. Do you think she'll be introduced?
"I feel like that’s a storyline that’s bound to happen eventually. I think that would be great. I have a younger sister myself so it would cool to play opposite someone playing my younger sister."
You've appeared on American telly too, in The Secret Circle and Once Upon A Time. What's Hollywood like?
"It was good. I was there for about three and a half years. I was fortunate enough to get some good work over there. It was more of a lifestyle choice that I wanted to come back home to Australia. Then the Neighbours job came up. So I am really thrilled I can sink my teeth into being back home for a while."
Catch Tim in Neighbours on Channel 5, weekdays at 1:15pm and 5:30pm.
