Simone Louise Buchanan is an Australian film and television actress, and television director. She is best known for her television roles as Debbie Kelly in the situation comedy Hey Dad..! and Samantha Fitzgerald in the soap opera Neighbours.

Early life Buchanan's siblings Miles Buchanan and Beth Buchanan are also actors. All three appeared in the children's television show Secret Valley.

Buchanan's father later learned that he had a daughter from a relationship before he married Buchanan's mother. Buchanan's half-sister Rudie Chapman is also an actor and worked with Beth on Neighbours. The three sisters went onto star in a production of Crimes of the Heart together.

Career Having attended a drama and dance school along with her brother, the siblings were cast in the 1978 feature film A Good Thing Going. Buchanan went on to appear in a number of television series, including The Flying Doctors and Sons and Daughters, before she was cast in Hey Dad..!.

Buchanan has appeared in several films, including playing a rape victim in Shame, and as Laura Harris – and eventually Anna Dodwell – in the Australian drama series Pacific Drive.

In 2008, Buchanan played Samantha Fitzgerald, the bipolar-suffering estranged wife of Dan Fitzgerald (Brett Tucker), in the long-running soap opera Neighbours. Originally appearing for three months, from March to June, the character's introduction was considered a success, leading to her return for a second three-month stint from November to February 2009. The character appeared for a four-week guest role in late 2010, to coincide with the 6,000th episode celebrations.

Buchanan returned to the Neighbours set in 2018 as a director, after the series producer Jason Herbison asked her to do her director's attachment with the show. Buchanan also appears in the 2018 horror film Boar, alongside John Jarratt, Ernie Dingo, Steve Bisley and Roger Ward.

Personal life Buchanan has been married to Brett Smith since 2008. She has a son, Tane (born 1998), from a previous relationship. In August 2009, it was announced that Buchanan was expecting her second child, due in early 2010. The pregnancy was achieved with IVF treatment."Simone Buchanan's IVF battle: Pregnant at 41!" NewIdea.com.au, 24 August 2009 (Retrieved: 31 August 2009) Buchanan gave birth to a son, Rémy, via caesarean section.

In March 2010, Buchanan supported Sarah Monahan, a co-star on the Hey Dad..! television show, over allegations that fellow star Robert Hughes had engaged in inappropriate sexual behaviour on the set of the show. Buchanan claimed she had approached the show's producer about the alleged assaults but that he instructed her to keep quiet. She testified at Hughes' 2014 trial that she only heard allegations about his inappropriate behaviour and never saw it for herself.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Type 1978 Newsfront Child Feature film 1979 My Brilliant Career Mary Anne Feature film 1981 Doctors & Nurses Jane Gilmour Feature film 1981 Run Rebecca, Run Rebecca Feature film 1982 The Mystery at Castle House Kate Feature film 1983 Platypus Cove Jenny Nelson Feature film 1984 Run Chrissie Run! Cathy Feature film 1987 Shame Lizzie Curtis Feature film 2004 Swimming to the Boy Mum Film Short 2005 Forced Entry Julie Film Short 2005 Push Susan Film Short 2006 End of Town Mother Film Short 2013 Patrick Patrick's Mother Feature film 2017 Boar Debbie Feature film 2021 The Possessed Carissa Feature film 2022 Girl at the Window Christina Ellis Feature film

Television Year Title Role Type 1978 A Good Thing Going Cathy Harris TV movie 1980; 1982 Secret Valley Simone TV series, 15 episodes 1982 Runaway Island Jemma McLeod TV movie / TV pilot 1983; 1984 Carson's Law Rose Gunn TV series, 2 episodes 1983 High Country Debbie Lomax TV movie 1984 Carson's Law Melanie Creswell TV series, 2 episodes 1984 A Country Practice Sharon Barnes TV series, 2 episodes 1984–85 Runaway Island Jemma McLeod TV series, 8 episodes 1985 The Flying Doctors Lucy Daniels TV miniseries, 3 episodes 1985–1986 Sons and Daughters Donna Jackson/Palmer TV series, 22 episodes 1987 Willing and Abel Guest role TV series, 1 episode 1987–1994 Hey Dad...! Debbie Kelly TV series, 167 episodes 1989 The Bert Newton Show Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode 1991 A Country Practice Sara Kennedy TV series, 2 episodes 1991 The Main Event Herself TV series, 1 episode 1993 G.P. Mickey Davis TV series, 1 episode 1993 R.F.D.S. aka 'The Flying Doctors' Rebecca Owens TV series, 13 episodes 1994 English at Work Herself TV series 1995–98 Pacific Drive Laura Harris TV series, 389 episodes 1998 All Saints Mitchie Bell TV series, 1 episode 1999 Water Rats Jenny Spiro TV series, 1 episode 2000; 2003 Blue Heelers Nurse Angie Cohen TV series, 2 episodes 2003 Stingers Cathy Pearson TV series, 1 episode 2006 McLeod's Daughters Amy Tanaka TV series, 1 episode 2007 Where Are They Now? Herself with Hey Dad...! cast TV series, 1 episode 2008–10; 2020 Neighbours Samantha Fitzgerald TV series, 91 episodes 2008 9am with David & Kim Guest TV series, 1 episode 2010; 2011 A Current Affair Herself with Hey Dad...! cast TV series, 1 episode 2014 A Current Affair Herself TV series, 1 episode 2014 Upper Middle Bogan Kirby TV series, 1 episode 2018 Boar: Bloopers Herself Video 2018 Boar: Director Chris Sun Herself Video 2018 Boar: Cast Interviews Herself Video

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