There’s fresh new faces in the Bay – and already they’re ruffling some feathers!
It goes like this: Jack takes Martha on a picnic (awww!). On private property (hmmm…). On private property belonging to a bible-thumping old guy brandishing a shotgun and some very outdated beliefs about how to raise kids (uh-oh!). His orphaned grandkids, Annie and Geoff. Annie and Geoff meet Home and Away fans. Home and Away fans, meet the newest members of the Summer Bay family…
When Geoff drives Martha home from their barn – where she was forced to spend the night after Jack abandoned her (You’ll see!) – she’s struck by his impeccable manners and sweet honesty. Both Annie and Geoff are country kids through and through. But that means they aren’t at school and when Sally and Brad twig that means Annie isn’t exactly getting home-schooled like her Pop claims, the two find themselves fighting for her right to an education. Throw some friction with Lucas and Tony down the track plus Geoff getting caught with his eyes on another guy’s prize and these two are in for a rocky ride. We caught up with Lincoln Lewis (Geoff) and Charlotte Best (Annie), and found out they’re loving life in the Bay!
“It’s a blast!” enthuses 19-year-old Lincoln. “Home and Away is amazing! It’s great learning experience - I’m surrounded by such great actors and really nice people. Coming from QLD and being used to doing extra work and ads, straight to a new character on Home and Away – it’s a big change.”
Indeed, winning the role after starting out doing extra work on kid’s TV shows before scoring a few feature film roles (Aquamarine, Voodoo Lagoon) is a dream come true for the cute blonde actor, son of famous NRL player Wally Lewis. Who wouldn’t wanna be mates with Paul O’Brien, hitting Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches for a surf after an exciting day on set? Sounds pretty good to us!
While his character Geoff shares his love of footy and family- Lincoln confesses homesickness for this family is the only drawback to moving down to Sydney - that’s where the similarities end.
“We have some similarities but we have a lot of differences,” Lincoln explains. “His place is the farm, he’s always grown up on the farm and that’s his lifestyle, whereas I’ve grown up around the beaches and the water. Plus he’s too nice for his own good… He gets bullied at first, and Geoff’s personality is to avoid conflict at any cost but if that was put onto me, I would have handled it like any football-raised QLDer would have thumped him then taken him out for a beer later!”
Growing up like said true-blue Queenslander and with a Dad like Wally Lewis, it’s surprising Geoff didn’t follow his Dad’s footsteps into footy glory! Lincoln explains he loves football, and played to District level. “Dad’s never been one to pressure us into football,” he confirms. “Dad did football because he loved the game. He’s always said, ‘Do whatever you wanna do, as long as you really love it and put everything into it and try your hardest at it,’ he couldn’t be happier.”
Lincoln is clearly a family guy at heart – in fact he got The Call about his new future on Home and Away in a furniture shop with his mum and his aunty. “My mum was over the other side of the shop and all she could hear was this kid screaming!!!” he laughs. “My agent was on the line – I just lost it, had my hands in the air and then she just lost it! I reckon everyone in the store thought someone was getting murdered!”
Another young thespian stoked by her chance to grace the small screen is Charlotte Best. Charlotte got the call whilst at her cool performing arts high school, Brent Street. “My agent is in the same building as school,” explains the bright young girl. “They called me in and said ‘We’ve got some exciting news for you’. They had a really weird look on their face, so I knew it must be big. They told me and I started bawling my eyes out!”
This chipper chick has a background in singing and dancing but it’s her acting abilities that’ll catapault her to the nation’s attention, starring as the naïve country girl, Annie. “She finds everything fascinating because she’s been stranded on this farm for so long - she hasn’t been sent to school since Year Two,” she explains. “She’s sort of a tomboy as well, because she’s been hanging out with boys her whole life. She’s catching on though! I have three brothers, so I can relate to her and standing up for myself.”
What would you like to see happen to these two new cuties? Email us on homeandaway@seven.com.au and let us know!!
Laura: (Age 10) I think Annie & Geoff are a wonderful idea. I think Annie should become great friends with Matilda and Cassie. And Geoff should become great friends with Lucas and Ric. Annie and Geoff should definitely go to school, everyone deserves a good education. And they should stay at Sally's house.
Eliza: I just love home and away whenever its 7:00pm the
house is quiet but i am the only 1 in my family that watches it. Well what i
reackon should happen to the cute new actors on home and away is that annie
and lucas should start dating and geoff should try to get together with
drews mum (jazz) but drew trys to stop it. Martha and Jack should get 2 gether. kk luv ya all home and away stars
HOME AND AWAY ROCKS.
Stay tuned, Geoff and Lucas have a bit of a run in, but hopefully they will become friends later.
From all the girls in year 10 at Abbotsleigh School: I would love to see Cassie and Mattie take Annie under their wing like a big sister. She has'nt had many female influences in her life and Cassie could look after her.
Lauren: I am 15 and i live in cairns i think geoff should hook up with cassie because she is so lonely and alex is way too old for her and jules he is such a cutie but not for her and annie she is very pretty i think she should become good friends with matilda because matilda is very pretty and i think they would be good friends and as for martha and jacki think they should get back together despite them getting a gun pointed at them.
Jessica: I think Geoff and Annie should been seen getting together with one of the Summer bay residents. If not it would be nice saying Geoff and Jules have a fight together. The fight would obviously be about Cassie. Other than that i don't think you should have them interfere too much with the residents well at least not in a love and hooking up way.
Mikayla: i am like home and away's biggest fan EVER!!!i love the show !!!!
i am very interested to see what's going to happen with the whole annie and geoff story I CAN'T WAIT!!!! i think something should happen which will turn everyone against annie and geoff but then like an old character or someone should come back and is like omg i haven't seen you in ages and it turns out to be like their cousins or something so then everyone likes them but secretly feels something suspicious because they might turn out to be like the next summer bay stalker. i really can't wait to see what will happen!!!
i love the show it's the best and i want to be on it when i grow up cause i love acting
from your biggest fan.
Do you wanna star in Home and Away like Charlotte and Lincoln? Why not study at the same school Charlotte did? For 20 years, Brent Street has been committed to developing performing artists of the highest standard and among the thousands of graduates over the years, many realise their dreams and forge professional careers in the arts and entertainment industries – like Charlotte – and maybe YOU! The variety of classes and courses on offer is enormous and includes three year old beginner’s classes, a Full Time Cert IV Performing Arts and the very exciting Talent Development School. Brent Street also houses a professional production group and talent agency, so students are exposed to professional engagements from an early age. Head to brentstreet.com for more info!
By Georgia Clark
