NEED TO KNOW
- Following her starring roles on Wentworth and Doctor Doctor, Nicole Da Silva is heading to Summer Bay.
- Having filmed an episode of Home and Away in 2006, she now joins the cast as Dr Amelia Carlisle, though she’ll be put in a life-or-death situation..
- She’s also addressed whether she will return for a Wentworth reboot.
Nicole Da Silva has been a staple on our screens since she scored her first role in All Saints in 2005, going on to land notable long-running stints in Rush, from 2008-2011, and Doctor Doctor, from 2016-2021. But for a whole legion of fans worldwide, she’ll forever be Wentworth’s, Franky Doyle.
The instant that the spin-off series Wentworth: The Next Chapter was announced by Binge in February, speculation went wild as to who would appear.
Top of the list was Franky – a former prisoner who ended the series exonerated and working as a paralegal while in a happy relationship with Dr Bridget Westfall (Libby Tanner).
So would Nicole be keen to reprise the role if asked?
“I would definitely bring back Franky in a potential Wentworth reboot,” she tells New Idea. “Franky was such a dynamic and complex character, so the dichotomy between ex-criminal and lawyer would be fun to explore.”
While we’ll have to wait to see if that comes to fruition, in the meantime, the 44-year-old’s latest role sees her come full circle.
Having filmed an episode of Home and Away in 2006, she now joins the cast as Dr Amelia Carlisle.
“I remember it being a quick shoot, and a fun and easy learning opportunity when I was still pretty fresh out of drama school,” she says. “Filming is still incredibly fast on set, and while the workload is a little more demanding these days, there’s still that fun energy.”
In typical Home and Away fashion, Amelia’s arrival in Summer Bay is dramatic.
“Amelia arrives in the midst of a medical emergency. A beloved local is caught up in a shooting and Amelia goes above and beyond to save the victim’s life,” Nicole reveals.
She also reveals that love is on the horizon, seemingly with Jeremy Lindsay Taylor’s Sergeant David Langham – though it will be anything but smooth sailing.
“It comes laden with challenges, so Amelia has to learn to assuage her impulse to quit and leave town,” she explains.
A “dinnertime staple” in her house growing up, Nicole has fond memories watching the show as a child.
“It was peak ’90s – I remember Shane [Dieter Brummer], Angel [Melissa George] and that iconic moment where Pippa was suddenly played by a different actor [Vanessa Downing then Debra Lawrance]!” she says.
“I also remember watching the effervescent Laura Vazquez [as Sarah Thompson]. We’re both from South American families and seeing her on screen gave me a real sense of pride for my own culture. Now Laura runs the hair and makeup department and we’re working together daily which is a wonderful full-circle moment.”
Drawn to Amelia’s complexity, the role came at the perfect time, allowing Nicole to put down roots.
“The timing was right for me to take on this role,” she explains. “Living and working full-time in Sydney while my daughter is still at school is a privilege I couldn’t pass up, and Amelia struck me as an interesting and complicated woman.
“She comes from a challenging childhood and is used to moving around a lot, so when circumstances change and she decides to stay in the Bay, it poses a real challenge for her. I liked that, despite her past, she pursues her future wholeheartedly.”
