Home and Away star Courtney Miller has revealed that Bella Nixon’s mental health could be in jeopardy after a devastating betrayal by "her rock" – boyfriend Nikau Parata (Kawakawa Fox-Reo).
Only a year ago Bella was in psychiatric care after she started self-harming following flashbacks of an attack by sexual predator Tommy O’Reilly (Adam Sollis).
A stay in a specialised recovery centre helped Bella get her life back on track and kind and caring Nikau has been with her every step of the way.
But now that the teens are caught up in the cutthroat world of modelling all that is about to change… When Nikau sleeps with manipulative model agent Sienna Blake (Rosey Riley)!
In a bid to control her protege’s modelling career — and life — she convinces model Allegra Freeman (Laura McDonald) into making sure Nikau misses Bella’s big photography showcase.
Then she lures him into bed, lying that Bella has started a secret romance with her mentor, Emmett Ellison (JR Reyne) using a photo of the pair as "proof".
Courtney explained to WhatToWatch that Bella and Nikau have unwittingly fallen into a trap...
“Bella and Nikau are new to this world of manipulation,” commented Courtney. “They are both trying so hard to support each other’s endeavours, so much so that they fall naive to the trust of Sienna and Allegra.
“Bella is not one for the finer things in life. She has a high regard for loyalty and family. The money and modelling parties were completely out of her comfort zone, but she chooses to be a part of it for Nikau’s sake. “
After an explosion in the food truck outside Salt, photographer Emmett is injured. As well as being concerned for his well-being, Courtney revealed that Bella’s world would be rocked if her internship is jeopardised.
“Bella feels her ‘life calling’ is being a photographer. Living a sheltered childhood, Bella never had a formal education and found it very hard to assimilate into the academic world when she attended school for the first time at 16 years old,” shared Courtney.
“Photography has allowed Bella to find her purpose. The internship with Emmet has highlighted the potential for making photography a lifelong career and thus it’s an important step for her.”
Nikau is instantly regretful by what he’s done but how will Bella deal with his betrayal when she finds out the truth? With her parents dead and her brother Colby Thorne in prison, Nik is Bella’s everything.
“Bella will undoubtedly feel heart broken,” confirmed Courtney. “Nikau is her rock in a world of loss and pain. The news will not only undo their relationship but Bella herself.
“Mental health issues are always at the fore-front in any relationship breakdown. Bella is an extremely resilient young lady but after losing her whole blood-family in the past, this will test her mental health like never before.”
We’ve all been rooting for Bella and Nik, so the thought that the couple’s sweet relationship could be over is sad, but Courtney promises there’s still hope!
“Bella and Nikau are the Romeo and Juliet of the Bay,” she insisted. “I foresee their love combating all.”
Bella has found her artistic mojo in Summer Bay but Courtney is also creative… In fact, she’s a talented artist and earlier this year she had an exhibition of her paintings in Sydney.
She recently shared a snap on instagram of one of her paintings at the exhibition's opening night, posing alongside co-star Lukas Radovich, who plays Ryder Jackson.
Courtney revealed: “I have always loved drawing and painting, however, I really fell in love with it in our first COVID lockdown back in April 2020. I would paint for hours. My early paintings hold all of my lockdown sanity."
With Sydney back in another lockdown that may go on for some time, Courtney (who graduated with a degree in Psychology before she started acting) insisted that she’ll be happy enough in her studio with her canvases and brushes:
“If it wasn’t for painting, I don’t think I would have survived lockdown as well as I did," she shared.
