Home and Away actress Sophie Dillman has detailed the hidden dark side of her time spent on the popular soap drama, revealing how she was “targeted” and “attacked” by online trolls.
Writing candidly in her regular column for Yahoo Lifestyle, the 29-year-old said that whilst her six-year stint in Summer Bay from 2017 – 2023 was “the best experience” she had ever had, her fame came at a cost.
WATCH NOW: Home and Away’s Sophie Dillman and Ray Meagher do the TV Week 2 Minute Challenge. Article continues after video.
Revealing how she naively accepted that a lack of privacy and public scrutiny was “the cost of working in television” in the earlier days of her career, Sophie explained how hearing about this and experiencing backlash and online hate herself had been “very different.”
“I’ve had embarrassing articles published about me (especially my appearance) that have resulted in me hysterically crying outside Woolworths at Westfield.”
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“Interviewers have asked me very outwardly inappropriate questions that I have had to navigate without crying or running away. In short, it can be really hard,” the actress penned.
“I am not bulletproof and struggle with MANY insecurities of my own.”
Sophie then went on to explain that it was hard not to get “swept up in the perfection seen in social media” and in the acting industry.
“I wish there were more women in the public eye that looked like real people. I have faith that it is changing, but there is a long way to go.”
But despite the difficulties that come with life in front of the camera, Sophie said it had all been “totally worth it” to end up where she is and become the person she was meant to be today.
“There are times that I would prefer to forget, but all of these experiences have led me to this point – sitting in a London cafe thinking about the craziest and best years of my life.”
“Hard? F*** yes. Fair? Not always. Worth it. Totally.”
In January this year, Sophie and her boyfriend Patrick O’Connor (who played lovebirds Ziggy Astoni and Dean Thompson) made the difficult decision to leave Home and Away in their rearview mirror, making the permanent move to London.
Speaking exclusively with our sister publication TV Week, the couple said that whilst it was “incredibly hard” to leave, they knew it was the right time to go.
“We have both done everything possible with our characters and it was time to start a new chapter,” Sophie said.
“It’s bittersweet and emotional, but we realise how lucky we are to have had such an incredible run.”
