Ada Nicodemou
Ada Nicodemou | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 14, 1977 Carlton, Sydney, Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, children's book author, television presenter |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Known for | Leah Patterson in Home and Away |
Ada Nicodemou (Greek: Άντα Νικοδήμου), born on 14 May 1977, is an Australian actress with Greek Cypriot heritage. She launched her acting journey in 1994 portraying Katerina Ioannou on the television drama Heartbreak High and later appeared in series such as Police Rescue and Breakers. From 2000 onward, she has embodied the character Leah Patterson in the soap opera Home and Away, ranking as the third longest-tenured actor in Australian soap operas, following Ray Meagher and Lynne McGranger. In 2012, she took on hosting duties for the reality TV show Please Marry My Boy.
Early life
Nicodemou was born in Carlton, Sydney, into a family with roots from Limassol, Cyprus. She spent her childhood in Minto alongside her younger brother. Her education included attendance at The Grange Public School and training at the Johnny Young Talent School, where she honed her abilities in singing, dancing, and acting.
Career
Nicodemou's acting career commenced in 1994 when she was cast as Katerina Ioannou in ABC1's Heartbreak High. At just 16 years old, her initial contract was for 12 weeks but was subsequently extended due to her performance. The following year, she appeared as receptionist Anastasia "Ana" Skouras in Police Rescue, and later featured in Network Ten’s series Breakers. In 1999, she had a role in the film The Matrix and made a guest appearance on BeastMaster.
Since 2000, Nicodemou has been cast as Leah Patterson on the soap opera Home and Away, establishing herself as one of its longest-serving actors by 2019. Although she initially auditioned for a different part in 1992, she was eventually offered the role of Leah without an audition, starting with a six-month contract that was later extended.
In 2005, Nicodemou won the third season of Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Aric Yegudkin. Beginning in 2012, she hosted Channel Seven’s reality series Please Marry My Boy. She also made a guest appearance on the show Drop Dead Weird in 2018. In 2021, she returned to compete on Seven’s Dancing with the Stars: All Stars, again partnered with Yegudkin. In August 2022, she featured on the Home and Away podcast titled Welcome To The Bay.
In addition to acting, Nicodemou is a children's book author. Her debut book, Johnas The International Soccer Star, published in June 2018, tells the story inspired by her son’s aspiration to become a soccer star. Her second book, titled Mia Megastar, scheduled for release in April 2024, draws loosely from her personal life and experiences as an actress.
Personal life
In 2007, Nicodemou married Chrys Xipolitas. Although they separated in 2010, they soon reconciled. The couple welcomed their first son on 22 August 2012. In March 2014, they announced they were expecting again; tragically, their second son was stillborn later that year in August.
The couple parted ways permanently towards the end of 2015. Subsequently, Nicodemou was involved with businessman Adam Rigby from 2016 until 2023. In July 2024, she publicly confirmed her relationship with fellow Home and Away actor James Stewart.
Since 2005, Nicodemou has served as an ambassador for the PixiFoto Foundation, which focuses on preventing childhood blindness across Africa. She also supports several charitable organizations including Save our Sons (dedicated to Duchenne muscular dystrophy research), the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Starlight Children's Foundation, and Make-A-Wish Foundation Australia.
Filmography
| Year | Production | Character | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994–1997 | Heartbreak High | Katerina "Kat" Ioannou | Lead role, featured in Seasons 1 and 3 through 5 (totaling 90 episodes) |
| 1995 | Police Rescue | Anastasia Skouras | Recurring character, appeared in Season 4 (13 episodes) |
| 1998–1999 | Breakers | Fiona Motson | Principal role across Seasons 1 and 2 |
| 1999 | The Matrix | Dujour | Film appearance |
| 2000 | BeastMaster | The Nymph | Featured in episode titled "Riddle of the Nymph" |
| 2000 | Pizza | Policewoman | Appeared in episode "Crime Pizza" |
| 2000 – Present | Home and Away | Leah Patterson-Baker | Leading role beginning Season 13, with over 2,400 episodes to date |
| 2007 | Almost | Trixie Hart | Film role |
| 2017 | Drop Dead Weird | Ava | Guest appearance in episode "The Zombie Queen" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award Body | Category | Project | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Logie Awards | Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Home and Away | Nominee | |
| 2002 | Logie Awards | Most Popular Actress | Home and Away | Nominee | |
| Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Home and Away | Nominee | |||
| 2006 | Logie Awards | Most Popular Actress | Home and Away | Nominee | |
| Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Home and Away | Nominee | |||
| 2022 | Logie Awards | Most Popular Actress | Home and Away | Nominee | |
| 2023 | Logie Awards | Most Popular Actress | Home and Away | Nominee | |
| Inside Soap Awards | Best Daytime Star | — | Nominee |