Marilyn Chambers

Marilyn Chambers (also Bryant and Fisher) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Emily Symons. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 18 May 1989. When Symons auditioned for the role she created a backstory for the character and dressed in a mini dress, stilettos and put on a breathy voice. She was successful and producer Andrew Howie cast her in the role. Writers introduced her as the girlfriend of established character Lance Smart (Peter Vroom). Marilyn is characterised as a bubbly and ditsy hairdresser. She has a distinct bouffant hairstyle and unique dress sense which includes high heel shoes. Marilyn has become one of the show's most iconic characters during her tenure. Symons departed on 23 July 1992, but she returned on 5 June 1995 and stayed for four years, making her last appearance on 1 October 1999. She made a brief return from 31 August 2001 to 4 September 2001. In 2010, it was announced that Symons would be returning to Home and Away and Marilyn returned on 19 March 2010. Marilyn's storylines have included being married twice, suffering from post-natal depression, losing her son, receiving an electric shock, and developing cancer. Her significant relationships have been with Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn), Sid Walker (Robert Mammone) and later John Palmer (Shane Withington). Casting Symons was nervous when she decided to audition for the role because she had previously been turned down for several parts in other shows. To prepare for her audition Symons and her acting coach created a backstory for Marilyn and they got to know her better. Symons decided to put on a "breathy voice" and purchased stiletto shoes for the character. This left Symons feeling like she knew exactly how the character should be portrayed. Symons travelled to Kings Cross area of Sydney for her audition and was accompanied by her mother. She made her parent wait in a nearby coffee shop and had to climb over a drunk sleeper obstructing the audition building doorway. Symons was pessimistic about gaining the role because so many actresses turned up to audition. She entered the audition dressed in a mini dress, stilettos and a face full of "big eighties make-up". She was successful and invited back to the subsequent stages of the audition. Symons felt that she impressed the casting department and producer Andrew Howie offered her the role and she began filming her first scenes is March 1989.