Ceremony at The Star on December 6, 2017, in Sydney, Australia.
It can be tough to get back to the daily grind after a long holiday but not for Penny McNamee! The actress had no trouble getting back into Tori's role in one of Australia's longest-running drama series, Home and Away, fresh off maternity leave. Here's a quick refresher of Tori's story so far in the show, as well as a sneak peek into the daily life of McNamee. Find out how she meets her blossoming acting career and growing family demands.
Penny McNamee: Theatre And Film Star
Penny plays Tori on Home and Away, an Australian television series about the Summer Bay residents. The show started on January 1988, and continues to broadcast on Seven Network from Monday to Thursday. McNamee has also starred in Careless Love (2012), Salem's Lot (2004) Blue Bloods (2013), See No Evil (2006) and the Pacific (2010). McNamee received nominations for the Logie Award for Best New Talent and Inside Soap Award for Best Daytime Star for her role in Home and Away. Additionally, she won the 2009 Green Room Award for playing Nessarose in Wicked. Before she landed her major roles, Penny described her acting career as “hard,” but chose to continue on the path. Following Penny’s footsteps, her younger sister Jessica McNamee also pursued acting. Jessica appeared on Packed To The Rafters and Home and Away on several occasions.
Tori From Home and Away: The Fun Doctor With A Secret History
A turning point of McNamee's life was being picked for a lead role in Home and Away. Her character, Tori Morgan, has been on screen for three years and shows no signs that she will soon be written off. Tori, along with her three brothers Brody (Jackson Heywood), Justin (James Stewart), and Mason (Orpheus Pledger), first appeared in May 2016. She was introduced as a funny, attractive medical doctor who is going to a fundraiser at a local hospital. It was later revealed that as part of a witness protection program, Tori and her brothers moved to Summer Bay.
Love Goes Wrong For Tori
The plot of Tori Morgan centred primarily on her friendship with Nate Cooper (Kyle Pryor), Duncan Stewart (Benedict Wall), and Riley Hawkins (Ryan O'Kane). She's sometimes partnered with Nate early on, though the issues arise from Nate's failed marriage and other partnerships. Tori is also establishing a link to Duncan Stewart, making matters more complicated. Nate and Tori later become a couple in the hospital elevator, after sharing a passionate moment. But the relationship didn't last – after details of Tori's violent past have been published in a local newspaper, Nate is losing confidence in her and the couple is falling apart. After the revelation, Tori gets back together with the former flame Riley Hawkins. But the relationship has a number of unique issues: Riley's caught flirting with another girl, and Nate is also accused of medical neglect. Tori sees issues with claims made by Riley, and Nate is later cleared of the allegations. Riley assumes that Tori still has feelings about Nate, which causes her to break up with him. Tori bonds with Martin Ashford whose young niece, Luc Patterson, is hospitalised after actor Kyle Pryor decides to leave the show. The partnership is not going well, with Ashford abandoning Tori to look after Luc.
Home & Away filming at Palm Beach with Kyle Pryor, Scott Lee and Raechelle Banno with another character called Olivia. Looks like she is some sort of Community Service co-ordinater?
Fertility Treatment For Tori From Home And Away​
Following her string of unsuccessful relationships, Tori begins fertility treatment and becomes pregnant after receiving a donation of sperm from Robbo Shaw (Jack Ryan), an ex-undercovered cop with a mysterious past. She has a miscarriage later on but vows to try again. Tori secretly have another embryo implanted without Robbo's consent and eventually gets pregnant. Although the pregnancy has been described as high-risk, she continues to carry the baby to full term, ultimately giving birth to a baby girl in a safehouse. Later Tori and Robbo decide to name Girl Grace. The celebration was cut short though, as, after delivery, Tori collapses to the ground and falls into a coma. Tori makes an unexpected recovery in the latest episodes of the show and reunites with her daughter. She is struggling to bond with the baby, as she was not present during the infant's first weeks of life.
One Mum, Two Stories
The plot of Tori's Home and Away has similarities with the real-life of Penny McNamee since the star received her second child the same moment as her mother went She also revealed to TV Week that she initially planned to quit the show after her maternity leave for six months but ultimately decided to continue.McNamee shares, "But I had a fantastic job on my mind – and I knew h I didn't really want to let them down, and I also didn't want to lose the opportunity that I was given. Despite the pressure to maintain her acting career and her mum's duties, the 1.65-meter long, 54-kg actress is back in shape and eager to take on the role again. "And now I feel good. I don't suppose your body ever gets back. You can not go back and have your 20-year-old body again, but after having two kids, I'm happy with where I'm. I'm just going to own it.'
McNamee’s Daily Life
Many days, despite her erratic filming schedule and her regular duties as a mother, Penny has quite an uncertain timetable. She and her partner Matt Tooker, whom she wed in 2009, divide childcare duties. Talking about the matter to Mamamia, Penny says, "Whoever has the later start walks Jack to pre-school, which is around the corner from[ our home], making it very convenient. If we both work we have a lovely Au Pair who worries for Neve. And if I've had the day off, I'm sitting in my PJs and enjoying an excellent breakfast of plenty of cuddles.