Australian soap Neighbours has made its big return to the silver screen last month, carrying on the show's long-running broadcast since 1985.
In the new edition of the series, airing on streaming service Freevee, a time jump in the show meant that new characters were introduced to Ramsay Street. One of these new characters to join the show is Cara Varga-Murphy, played by Sara West.
Playing doting mother to two beautiful children, Cara is married to wife Remi, making the couple the soap's first LGBTQ+ family. Cara actress Sara said when she joined the show that she was so proud to introduce the idea of queer families.
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But Sara has appeared in more than just Neighbours, having been a staple of the Aussie TV and film scene for almost a decade. So, as Sara settles into life as new character Cara, Daily Star looks at actress Sara West's life and career.
Early beginnings
Sara West was born in the Southern Australian city of Adelaide. Whilst going to high school in the city, Sara's mum encouraged her daughter to go into drama.
The call for drama soon became strong for Sara who would later go on to study Drama at the Flinders Drama Centre, part of Flinders University in Adelaide. In order to further her career, West left the city behind for Sydney to follow new opportunities.
Having been active in the acting industry since 2010 – appearing in the cult classic The Turned – Sara's first major role came in 2014 when she played the role of nurse Clarice Daley on the war drama ANZAC Girls. She was acclaimed for her skills in the one-series show, which then opened the doors for a plethora of new acting gigs in both film and TV.
Bigger opportunities
One of West's most notable performances came in 2015 when she landed the role of Liza Minnelli in the hit show Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door. Airing on the Seven Network in Australia, the story told how Aussie singer Peter Allen was able to break into the Hollywood industry.
The show was a smash hit for the actors, with the series going on to win a slew of gongs at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Awards. Sara's acting was again commended as she embodied the mannerisms that Liza exuded, culminating in a nomination for a Logie Award for the Most Outstanding Newcomer.
After her time on the show, West went on to star in a number of smaller roles for both TV and film. These included Disco Dykes in 2018, a collection of short films that highlighted LGBTQ+ stories across public broadcaster SBS.
During this time, Sara would take on directing – opting to direct the collection herself, with additional help from the New South Wales Emerging Filmmakers Fund. One film she wrote directed – Mutt – won four awards at the South Australian Screen Awards, with West herself bagging the award for Best Director.
Personal life
Sara is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, as she takes on her new role of Cara in Erinsborough. Speaking at the time, West said she was "honoured" to join the cast of the new series of the show.
West has been open about her sexuality for years, revealing in an interview in 2020 that she had been in a relationship with a woman at the time she directed Disco Dykes. She said: "My girlfriend at the time and myself had actually, up until that point, kept our relationship a secret.
"We thought what better way to ‘come out’ than to make an LGBTQI+ themed film that celebrated our off-centre sense of humour. I wrote and directed the film and she acted in it, so when we told our producer, who was a close friend of both of ours, she was completely shocked."
Since then, West has kept her personal life private as she tends to focus solely on her acting career. She said when landing her new role on Neighbours that she hopes the inclusion of a queer family will "help better reflect the beautiful LGBTQIA+ community" in the country.
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