Remi Varga-Murphy

Neighbours

Company type	Television series
Industry	Television soap opera
Headquarters	Australia
Area served	Australia

Neighbours is an Australian soap opera available on the streaming platform Amazon Freevee and broadcast on Network 10 within Australia. The show's 39th season commenced with Episode 8904 on 18 September 2023, marking its return after a 14-month break following the exit of UK broadcaster Channel 5. The season opener introduced the Varga-Murphy family—comprising JJ (Riley Bryant), Cara (Sara West), Remi (Naomi Rukavina), and Dex (Marley Williams)—alongside characters Reece Sinclair (Mischa Barton) and Haz Devkar (Shiv Palekar). Haz’s dog, Trevor (Bodhi), made his first appearance two episodes later. Subsequently, Eden Shaw (Costa D'Angelo) joined the cast in October, with Reece's half-sister, Krista Sinclair (Majella Davis), arriving in November.

JJ Varga-Murphy

JJ Varga-Murphy, portrayed by Riley Bryant, was introduced on 18 September 2023 as a member of the newly formed Varga-Murphy family. He appears alongside his parents, Cara (Sara West) and Remi (Naomi Rukavina), as well as his brother Dex (Marley Williams). This family was created to represent the LGBTQIA+ community, with executive producer Jason Herbison emphasizing their capacity to generate "many new stories." JJ’s narrative centers on uncovering the identity of his biological father, which prompts the family’s move to Ramsay Street. While Cara asserts that JJ’s father is an American sperm donor, JJ suspects Andrew Rodwell (Lloyd Will) might be his biological parent, leading them to lease 24 Ramsay Street.

JJ builds connections with local residents such as Nell Rebecchi (Ayisha Salem-Towner) and Sadie Rodwell (Emerald Chan). He shares his suspicions about Andrew Rodwell’s paternity with Dex, setting the stage for significant plot developments.

Cara Varga-Murphy

Cara Varga-Murphy, played by Sara West, made her debut on 18 September 2023. Announced on 22 June 2023, Cara is a key figure in the newly introduced Varga-Murphy family, which includes her wife Remi (Naomi Rukavina) and their children JJ (Riley Bryant) and Dex (Marley Williams). West expressed pride in joining the cast and highlighted the family’s role in authentically representing the LGBTQIA+ community. She described Cara as fiercely loving her family with unwavering good intentions. Executive producer Jason Herbison underscored the importance of this new family introduction as a fresh chapter for Neighbours.

Journalists Laura Jane Turner and Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy identified the arrival of the Varga-Murphys as one of the top sixteen LGBTQ+ television moments of the year, recognizing their influence on changing perceptions of rainbow families and their potential to become iconic characters on Ramsay Street.

Remi Varga-Murphy

Remi Varga-Murphy, portrayed by Naomi Rukavina, also debuted on 18 September 2023. Announced alongside Cara and their children, Remi is a medical professional and an essential member of the Varga-Murphy household. Rukavina praised Neighbours for its genuine depiction of diverse families without resorting to tokenism, describing her involvement as a fulfilling journey. Executive producer Jason Herbison reiterated that introducing this family aligned perfectly with the show’s new era.

Within story arcs, Remi quickly becomes part of Ramsay Street’s community by assisting neighbours such as Mary Ryan during crises and formally introducing herself to Karl Kennedy. She notably supports Cara in securing employment by successfully negotiating a role for her at Lassiters Hotel through Paul Robinson.

Dex Varga-Murphy

Dexter "Dex" Varga-Murphy, brought to life by Marley Williams, made his first appearance on 18 September 2023. The announcement of his casting, along with the rest of the Varga-Murphy family, was made public on 22 June 2023. This role represents Williams' debut on television. The family includes parents Cara (Sara West) and Remi (Naomi Rukavina), as well as brother JJ (Riley Bryant). West emphasized the family's representation of the LGBTQIA+ community, while Rukavina highlighted their close-knit relationships. Executive producer Jason Herbison noted that the Varga-Murphys would introduce a wealth of new narratives to the series.

Reece Sinclair

Reece Sinclair, portrayed by Mischa Barton, was introduced on 18 September 2023. Her casting was revealed on 17 April 2023 as the first fresh character following the show's revival. Reece is an American whose arrival brings more complexity than initially apparent. Barton expressed excitement about joining this iconic series and exploring her multifaceted character. Executive producer Jason Herbison described Reece as "dynamic and unpredictable," predicting she would captivate audiences worldwide. Although Barton had not previously watched the show, she was aware of it through Kylie Minogue's involvement and felt this role was a strong fit for her. Reece’s initial guest stint lasted ten weeks, concluding on 23 November, with social media hints suggesting a possible return.

Haz Devkar

Hari "Haz" Devkar, enacted by Shiv Palekar, debuted on 18 September 2023. Palekar’s casting was announced via the show’s social channels on 7 June 2023. Haz arrives as the new manager of Harold's Café and owns a dog named Trevor. He resides at Number 32 Ramsay Street in a shared household with established characters Mackenzie Hargreaves (Georgie Stone) and Byron Stone (Xavier Molyneux). The trio has cohabited for around three months, with Haz relocating from Geelong. While the origins of their connection remain unclear, cast members have pointed out their varied professional lives alongside a solid camaraderie.

The writers have positioned Haz as a potential romantic partner for Mackenzie, who is a widow after losing her husband Hendrix Greyson two years prior, portraying her readiness to move forward. Stone described their evolving relationship as "really cool," filled with "will they? won’t they?" suspense. She emphasized that Mackenzie is attracted to Haz’s kindness, authenticity, humor, playfulness, and grounded nature—traits that bring lightness amid her past hardships. Palekar remarked that Haz holds deep respect and admiration for Mackenzie, valuing honesty, fairness, and integrity, which underpin his high regard for her.

Their romance faces complications within the storyline. Mackenzie forms connections with both Eden Shaw (Costa D'Angelo) and Billie Alessio (Georgia Walters), while Haz’s focus on his dog Trevor creates friction, particularly affecting his relationship with Billie.

Trevor

Trevor, played by Bodhi, made his debut on 20 September 2023 as Haz Devkar’s (Shiv Palekar) pet dog. Announced through the Neighbours official X account on 3 August 2023, Trevor continues the series’ tradition of featuring canine characters. Bodhi is a Groodle—a crossbreed between Golden Retriever and Poodle—provided by the animal talent agency "Paws on Film" and trained by Luke Hura, who has worked with previous on-screen pets like Bouncer. Hura described Bodhi as intelligent yet occasionally distracted during filming sessions. Lauren Sellwood handled animal wrangling duties for Trevor’s scenes. Palekar referred to Trevor as a "gorgeous" but chaotic character who manages to "steal every scene."

In 2024, a storyline introduced Trevor’s original owner, Alyssa Gavalas (Imogen Sage), who spots him while Byron Stone (Xavier Molyneux) is walking him. Alyssa reveals that Trevor’s initial name was Bodie and seeks to reunite with her lost dog. Haz becomes anxious about losing Trevor and consults legal advice.

Trevor, a rescue dog owned by Haz, accompanies him to work at Harold's Café despite health regulations prohibiting animals there. His presence leads to problems such as dog hair contaminating food and damage to items including Mackenzie Hargreaves’ pillows. Haz discloses that Trevor suffers from anxiety and cannot be left alone; Mackenzie agrees to care for him in his absence. Trevor continues struggling when alone, causing damage to Billie Alessio’s jumper; Billie responds by locking him out overnight, prompting Haz to end their relationship due to her treatment of Trevor.

Haz’s subsequent girlfriend, Holly Hoyland, destroys a scarf given by Mackenzie out of jealousy and falsely blames Trevor. When Byron walks Trevor, Alyssa approaches seeking to reclaim her dog. After some hesitation, Haz agrees to return Trevor following Alyssa’s introduction of her son. However, Trevor escapes from the Gavalas household back to Haz, who then returns him once more to Alyssa. Ultimately, the Gavalas family decides to give Trevor back to Haz after recognizing his homesickness.

Eden Shaw

Eden Shaw, played by Costa D'Angelo, made his first appearance on 16 October 2023 as a potential romantic partner for Mackenzie Hargreaves (Georgie Stone). Introduced at The Waterhole under the name "Ed," he quickly establishes a flirtatious connection with Mackenzie. It is later uncovered that he is actually Eden, the troubled former boyfriend of Holly Hoyland (Lucinda Armstrong Hall), whose difficult breakup had been alluded to previously. D'Angelo described Eden as a "complex individual" embroiled in significant conflict with Holly, who herself described him as someone who mistreated her.

OK! Magazine referred to Eden as a "bad boy" who plays a "central role" during the show’s flashback week, which uncovers events that occurred during the series’ hiatus. Armstrong Hall explained that Eden was Holly’s first love; they met in the UK and traveled to Australia together. Holly had planned for Eden to meet her parents but delayed this after realizing there were family issues. Instead, Eden, Holly, and Krista Sinclair (Majella Davis) embarked on a backpacking trip, forming a close yet ultimately strained friendship after Holly discovered Eden had been unfaithful with Krista.

Eden pursues Mackenzie romantically and secures a job at Yorokobi Winery. When he encounters Holly, he flees and steals Mackenzie’s rings along with bags belonging to her friends. Holly and Haz Devkar (Shiv Palekar) investigate and recover most of the stolen items before Eden traps Holly in a shed, assaults Haz, and escapes from the police. Later, Eden is spotted by Sharon Davies (Jessica Muschamp) but manages to flee again. He then knocks out Nell Rebecchi (Ayisha Salem-Towner) at Melanie Pearson’s (Lucinda Cowden) home; Nell’s father contacts authorities who rescue her. Holly is devastated to learn that Eden was responsible for Nell’s injury.

A year earlier, Eden betrayed Holly by cheating with Krista. After Melanie pushed Krista into a pool causing injury, Eden blackmailed Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) into covering up the incident. Though Krista survived, she remained under Eden’s control. Holly and her friends eventually find Eden at an abandoned estate where Krista is located; Eden is subsequently arrested.

Following his release from prison, Eden confronts Krista and her boyfriend Leo Tanaka (Tim Kano), revealing he knows about her pregnancy. A confrontation involving Leo and David Tanaka (Takaya Honda) ensues; David falls off a cliff while ensuring Eden's safety but later dies from his injuries. Eden undergoes surgery but refuses to disclose how he located Krista. Paul later threatens Eden, revealing that he informed him about Krista’s pregnancy and intentions—events indirectly contributing to David’s death. Weak from surgery, Eden escapes from the hospital and takes Melanie hostage with a scalpel, triggering a police standoff. Toadie Rebecchi intervenes, subdues Eden, rescues Melanie, and Eden is taken back into custody.

Krista Sinclair

Krista Sinclair, portrayed by Majella Davis, first appeared on 13 November 2023 as the half-sister of Reece Sinclair (Mischa Barton). Her introduction followed a mystery arc where Barton revealed that Reece came to Erinsborough searching for her sister. After surviving an apparent on-screen death on 21 November, official social media confirmed Davis would continue in the role under a year-long contract. From 27 November 2023, Davis was added to the show's opening credits. Prior to this role, she had auditioned unsuccessfully for parts such as Chloe Brennan and Nicolette Stone. For her portrayal of Krista, Davis was longlisted for "Best Daytime Star" at the 2024 Inside Soap Awards.

Krista's relationships include friendships with Holly Hoyland (Lucinda Armstrong Hall) and Eden Shaw (Costa D'Angelo), explored during a special flashback week designed to reveal untold stories from when Neighbours was off-air. Armstrong Hall described their friendship as an escape filled with youthful fun, noting the close bond between Krista and Holly as well as Krista’s intimate involvement with Eden as "heartbreaking." On 12 November 2023, Amazon Freevee released a trailer highlighting Reece’s quest to find Krista, confirming their connection through a shared photograph.

In the digital series Ramsay Street Revelations, Davis characterized Krista as lively, fun-loving, and quirky—embodying a party spirit. She only discovered Krista’s family link to Barton’s character after noticing their shared surname. Reluctant to engage with the family business, Krista arrives on Ramsay Street seeking to avoid it, promising "many twists and turns" along with eventual redemption.

Others

Date(s)	Character	Actor	Context
21 September	Mary Ryan	Carissa McPherson	Choking incident at The Waterhole during dinner, aided by Remi Varga-Murphy and Karl Kennedy.
2 October 2023–12 March 2024	Billie Alessio	Georgia Walters	Begins dating Haz Devkar after meeting on a dating app; relationship ends as Haz prioritizes his dog. Later disqualified from Lassiters Lie-In contest for tampering with Haz's meal.
12 October 2023–3 January 2024	Noah Dawes	Zane Ciarma	Acts as a school bully targeting Dex Varga-Murphy, resulting in a three-day suspension. Attends New Year's Eve celebration where underage drinking leads to removal.
12 October	Pete Dawes	Gabriel Egan	Father of Noah Dawes; disputes son's suspension and threatens to limit his school attendance.
	Monique Fallon	Lily Mooney	Identified from afar by Reece Sinclair.
18 October	Sandy Phillips	Juliana Begue	Housekeeper at Lassiters Hotel responsible for managing lost property alongside Katrina Marshall.
23 October	Garrett Wilkins	Scott Reid	Participates in a tour of Erinsborough High School.
	Antonia Hammond	Katie Weston	Also attends the Erinsborough High School tour.
	James Douglas	Andy Steuart	Architect inspecting the proposed development site at Erinsborough High School on behalf of Terese Willis.
23 October 2023–12 December 2024	Tess Carmichael	Anica Calida	Manager of the Sinclair group, principal investors in Lassiters; oversees Reece Sinclair’s efforts to locate her sister. Collaborates with Heath Royce in fraudulent schemes targeting Krista Sinclair and Lassiters, leading to police investigation and her arrest. Commits to accepting responsibility for her conduct.
25 October	Tina Marin	Paris Valentino	Employee at Lassiters Dayspa providing guest details to Reece Sinclair; dismissed and later reinstated due to a political arrangement involving her father's council vote.
25 October 2023–27 March 2024	Penny Shrewster	Jessica Husband	Lassiters staff member causing disturbances; terminated by Krista Sinclair and suspected of hotel sabotage in retaliation.
1–15 November 2023, 21 November 2024–	Hudson Greene	Nikita Chronis	Manager at Fitzgerald Motors following business acquisition; connects Reece Sinclair and Byron Stone with car buyer Theo Kaloudis; participates in apprenticeship program with Max Ramsay.
1 November	Theo Kaloudis	Lawrence Hawkins	Student at Erinsborough High who sells a car previously owned by Krista Sinclair to Reece for $5,000.
9 November	Ted Munce	David Simes	Receptionist at backpackers' hostel who denies recognizing Krista Sinclair's photo when questioned by Reece Sinclair and Byron Stone.
16 November 2023, 30 September–4 December 2024	Senior Sergeant Tony Thompson	Damien Aylward	Police officer involved in interrogations concerning Krista Sinclair’s death, responding to an armed siege, and handling internal disciplinary matters. Assists Krista in locating a missing acquaintance.
20 November	Gillian Byrne	Sally Cheng	Councillor in Erinsborough advocating for the merger of a school and aged care facility.
	Anthony Marin	Gregory Caine	Conservative councillor bribed by Paul Robinson to secure a favorable vote; father of Tina Marin.
4 December	Neil Martello	Steven Oktaras	Security guard employed by Terese Willis at Erinsborough High; involved in managing crowds during protests and an accidental injury event.
20–21 December	Tamara Daine	Jodie Dry	Former client of Byron Stone's escort service seeking to rehire him; advised against pursuing due to his recent separation from Reece Sinclair.

External links

• Characters and cast on the official Neighbours site