What happened to the iconic 80s cast of Neighbours? Inside their dramatic career glow-ups


The Australian soap opera catapulted Kylie Minogue and her ex-boyfriend Jason Donovan to fame in the 80s and 90s, before they became global household names


© PA Images via Getty Images
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While they spent the 1980s and 1990s causing chaos on Ramsay Street, the cast of the hit Australian soap opera Neighbours have gone on to dominate both Hollywood and the music charts. 

Some enjoyed illustrious careers which spanned the decades and are still garnering attention today, and others rode the wave of their immediate success and called it a day after finding momentary fame. 

From Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan to Margot Robbie and Russell Crowe, the cream of the Aussie crop originated from the long-running series on the Seven Network. 

Ahead of the release of Kylie's three-part, tell-all documentary series titled KYLIE, we're taking a look at where the cast from before the 2000s have ended up… 

Kylie Minogue - Charlene Mitchell© Getty Images

Kylie Minogue - Charlene Mitchell


As the Princess of Pop, Kylie Minogue, 57, really needs no introduction. She rose to fame in 1986 when she was cast as Charlene Mitchell in the soap opera, alongside Jason Donovan.

Her transition from Ramsay Street to pop stardom was astronomical, and she has since sold over 80 million records worldwide, headlined 19 tours and won two Grammy awards. 

Guy Pearce - Mike Young© Getty Images

Guy Pearce - Mike Young

Guy Pearce, 57, earned his acting chops on the soap but went on to prove he could be a Hollywood heavy hitter soon after his departure in 1989. 

After his stint as heartthrob Mike Young, Guy starred in blockbusters such as Memento, The King's Speech, Iron Man 3, and The Brutalist.

He famously dated actress Carice van Houten and welcomed a son with her, Monte, in 2016.

Jason Donovan - Scott Robinson© Getty Images

Jason Donovan - Scott Robinson

Also pursuing a singing career, after leaving the soap in 1989, Jason Donovan, 57, earned himself a number of UK number-one pop singles, including Especially for You and Too Many Broken Hearts. 

He found success on London's West End stage and starred in shows such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. Jason also took part in reality TV shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing on Ice

Jason married Angela Malloch in 2008, whom he met on the Rocky Horror Show UK tour in 1998. The couple share three children together.

Annie Jones - Jane Harris© Mirrorpix via Getty Images

Annie Jones - Jane Harris

Annie Jones, 59, originally auditioned for the role of Charlene before she became known as "plain Jane super-brain" on the popular show.

After Neighbours, she went on to star in several Australian drama series and children's TV programmes. Later on in her career, she reprised the role of Jane in 2018 and again in 2020.

Annie has been married to director Paul Moloney since 1989 and does not have any children. 

Alan Dale - Jim Robinson© Getty Images

Alan Dale - Jim Robinson

Best known for playing Jim Robinson on the soap opera, Alan Dale, 79, is from New Zealand and starred on the programme from 1985 until 1993. 

He departed the series over a pay dispute and struggled to secure other roles due to his typecasting in Neighbours. A move to America solved his problems and saw him work on several prolific TV shows, including The O.C., Lost, 24, and Ugly Betty.



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