As the edgy counterpart to fellow soaps Home and Away and Neighbours, Heartbreak High was the show that every Australian teen was obsessed with in the 90s.
WATCH: Heartbreak High: where are they now?
But as well as being the perfect platform to address real-life issues such as racism and human rights – in a form entertaining and digestible for young audiences – Heartbreak High, which is now streaming on Netflix, was a launching pad for local talent.
Much of the cast was comprised of actors who had never been on TV before – and many of them went on to big things – including arguably Australia’s most famous show, Home and Away.
Keep scrolling to check out every actor who’s made the leap from Heartbreak High to the sandy shores of Summer Bay in Home and Away.
ADA NICODEMOU
These days, Ada Nicodemou is one of Summer Bay’s most famous residents but way back when, the actress played feisty and fresh-faced teenager Katerina Ioannou who shared ill-fated romances with the likes of Con (Salvatore Coco) and Charlie (Sebastian Goldspink).
Joining Home and Away as Leah Patterson-Baker in 2000, Ada is one the show’s most iconic stars after two decades in Summer Bay.
CALLAN MULVEY
Ah, Drazic and his eyebrow ring – name a more iconic duo, we dare you! Heartbreak High’s resident bad boy Bogdan Drazic was Callan Mulvey’s breakout role.
Once a bad boy, always a bad boy! Callan got up to trouble again in Home and Away in 2008 when his character, gang member Johnny Cooper, infamously tormented Summer Bay residents and pressured brother Rocco into stabbing stalwart Sally (Kate Ritchie).
LARA COX
Lara Cox became a TV teen queen playing good girl Anita Scheppers in Heartbreak High and melting the hearts of teenage boys across the country.
Following her iconic stint on the show, Lara went on to have multiple guest roles on Home and Away. Her latest, in 2017, saw her portraying Quinn Jackson, the estranged mum of Ryder (Lukas Radovich)
LUKE JACOBZ
Long-haired lothario Zac Croft made his Heartbreak High debut in the final season in 1999 and was played by Luke Jacobz.
Years later – and well after the long locks got the chop – Luke took a gig on Home and Away, playing cop Angelo from 2008 to 2011. He recently returned to the soap and was responsible for putting fan favourite Colby (Tim Franklin) behind bars.
JEREMY LINDSAY TAYLOR
Sporty, good-looking and little broody, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor’s Heartbreak High character Kurt Peterson had plenty to send girls’ hearts aflutter when he joined the show in 1997.
Two decades after his big break, JLT travelled the well-trodden path of migrating from Heartbreak High to Home and Away when he signed up as Detective Dylan Carter in a recurring role from 2016 to 2019.
SALVATORE COCO
As one of the original cast members from the very beginning of Heartbreak High all the way through to season four, Salvatore Coco and his character Costa “Con” Bordino made his mark in Australian TV folklore. One of his memorable romances was with Katerina (played by Ada Nicodemou).
Salvatore reunited with former Heartbreak High co-star Ada during a couple of brief stints on Home and Away in 2003 and 2005. Interestingly, instead of playing her love interest this time around, he acted as her brother!
SIMON BAKER
If only our teachers looked this good! Simon Baker was a teacher named Tom Summers at Hartley High way back in season four for a hot minute before he got fired from the school.
The acclaimed Hollywood star also played another teacher – this time a photography teacher called James Hudson – when he stepped foot in Summer Bay from 1993 to 1994. Did they know you got booted from your last school, Simon?
IVAR KANTS
A fixture in the early years, Ivar Kants played Con’s stern father Roberto Bordino from 1994 to 1997.
Continuing the theme of playing fathers, Ivar went on to portray Principal Barry Hyde on Home and Away, the father of Chris Hemsworth’s character Kim. Oh, and he also had a bit of a romance with Irene (Lynne McGranger)!
DANNY RACO
Another cast member to join in Heartbreak High’s last season was Danny Raco, who took on the role of Marco Vialli.
A few years after Heartbreak High was axed, Danny joined Home and Away in 2001. Reuniting with former co-star Ada, Danny played Leah’s brother, Alex Poulos.
TINA BURSILL
Tina Bursill, who now stars in Doctor Doctor, played Anita and Ryan Scheppers’ long-suffering mother Hilary.
On Home and Away, she had a blink-and-you’ll miss it guest stint in 2001 as Vinnie Patterson’s (Ryan Kwantan) mum. A decade earlier she played a different character altogether, portraying headmistress Louis Crawford for 23 episodes.
TASNEEM ROC
Actress Tasneem Roc first found fame playing student activist Thania Saya, joining Heartbreak High in its final season.
For seven episodes of Home and Away in 2009, Tasneem appeared as Hugo Austin’s (Bernard Curry) wife Suzy Sudiro – much to the shock of Hugo’s girlfriend Martha (Jodi Gordon).
FLEUR BEAUPERT
Fleur Beaupert’s character Nikki, who appeared in season six, was a scene stealer in Heartbreak High before her run came to an end when she left to recover from a nervous breakdown. When she departed from her role as Stephanie in Home and Away in 1997, her exit was just as dramatic when the character was killed off after falling from a cliff. Brutal!
