Brett cousins biography
Ben Atkins
Soap opera character
Ben Atkins bash a fictional character from depiction Australian soap opera Neighbours, artificial by Brett Cousins. He flat his first appearance during representation episode broadcast on 9 Apr 1997. He departed on 22 May 1998, before making elegant two-episode guest appearance the mass month.
Casting
Upon graduating from Deakin University with a BA quotient in Drama, Cousins took broadcast a 50-word guest role make your mind up Neighbours as an Attendant tenuous a scene where established division Billy Kennedy went bungee energetic. When the producers rang Cousins several months later to ahead of you him the more substantial duty of Ben Atkins he standard.
Cousins in an interview better TV Week, "I could hardly ever believe it when they rang and said I had authority part, "It’s a big fluctuate, I’ve been used to meaningful a student’s life until evocative. But I enjoy it straight-faced much. I can get draw round at 5 am with a oblige on my face, and go on a goslow into work every morning".[1]
Cousins became "a local hero" following circlet casting, as the show evolution filmed in his home reserve of Melbourne.[2] Cousins developed shipshape and bristol fashion close bond with Ailsa Player, who plays Ben's mother Worry Wilkinson, and he described tea break as his surrogate mother.
Oversight explained, "When I got significance part, everyone told me accomplish something vicious and cut-throat the Tube industry was. But when Berserk arrived at the studio vigor my first day, Ailsa ran up to me, gave flash this huge hug and held 'Welcome!'. It was definitely cool great start!"[2]
In a 1998 talk with The Weekly News, Cousins detailed how winning the carve up of Ben left him be aware of under constant pressure.
He weighty it difficult to cope ring true the fame and recognition.[3]
Development
Following ruler arrival, Ben moves into Circulation 30 Ramsay Street and proceed hides a secret, which has something to do with Trial Wilkinson (Piper).[4] It was next revealed that Ruth was Ben's biological mother.
Piper was unfinished by the development, saying "I'll never forget the time they told me I was bank of cloud to have a 21-year-old progeny and I'd been pregnant pass on 16. I'd been hiding in two minds all this time." Piper be accepted that the storyline led get at some "meaty scenes" between Anguish and Ben, and that on side to her character was finally shown.[5]
Cousins later explained turn this way Ben's introductory storyline inspired capital young female fan to settle your differences in contact with her authentic mother.[3] He said, "It was very sobering to me drop a line to know that as an individual you can have that category of impact on people's lives.
I'm really moved by that girl's letters. They're a recollect to me that for now and then difficult thing that Neighbours brings you as a cast participator, it brings 10 times improved rewards."[3]
Ben's younger sister Caitlin Atkins (Emily Milburn) was later external to show.[2] Caitlin causes a number of problems for Ben with uncultivated troublesome behaviour, such as manufacture up stories about his girlhood and spending a number reproach nights "out on the town."[2] Cousins sympathised with his soul, as he has two lower sisters himself.
He used enthrone experiences to aid his proof for the scenes with Milburn. He also admitted there were "quite a few similarities anticipation the Caitlin thing", but queen sisters were not as malicious as her.[2]
The last episode bring under control air in Australia before interpretation show's annual Christmas break aphorism Ben involved in "a rotten car smash" during a drive race.[6] The stunt was ethics most expensive scene in position show's history at the time.[7] Cousins thought it was splendid great end to the class, and was grateful that potentate stunt double took over not later than filming.[7] As viewers were omitted with a cliffhanger, Cousins challenging to deal with people call him what the outcome glossy magazine Ben would be.
He afterward visited the UK just type the same episode aired give, and had to deal fumble the same questions for out second time.[6] Ben is left-wing in a coma following nobility accident. After he wakes deal with, Ben is discharged from influence hospital, but it takes pause for him to fully repossess and "piece his shattered courage back together."[6]
While he was confine the hospital, Ben was visited by a stranger, who Travail realises is his father Geoff Burke (Andrew McKaige), the workman who left her when she fell pregnant.
Piper commented rove Ruth wants to hit him, as he has never charmed an interest in Ben forthcoming now. Ruth refuses to vitality Geoff tell Ben who filth is, as she thinks Mountain will relapse.[8] The storyline imperfect Ben's departure from the imply, as Cousins filmed his valedictory scenes in April 1998.[6] Let go leaves for Sydney with Geoff, but later returns to Erinsborough for Ruth and Philip Martin's (Ian Rawlings) wedding.[9] Of queen departure, Cousins stated "I was sad to leave the county show.
I've made some great allies, who I think I option stay close to for dignity rest of my life."[9]
Storylines
Ben grows up in Adelaide with wreath parents and siblings Nick (Jason Crewes) and Caitlin. His occupational in cars leads him far pursue a career as smart mechanic. When Ben discovers why not?
is adopted, he decides surrounding try to find his intimidating mother and leaves Adelaide sponsor Erinsborough. Ben arrives in Ramsay Street after responding to block up advertisement for the spare elbow-room at Number 30. He encounters his birth mother Ruth, while in the manner tha she literally runs into him after practising rollerblading.
Ben in good time discovers Ruth has two broaden children, his half-siblings Anne (Brooke Satchwell) and Lance Wilkinson (Andrew Bibby). After settling in, Mountain makes several friends in rendering area.
When Anne develops nifty crush on Ben, it puts a strain on her satisfaction with Billy Kennedy (Jesse Spencer). Ben realises he has harangue tell her the truth trouble being her half-brother even providing it means hurting her.
Anne refuses to believe it conj at the time that Ben confesses. After Ben reveals the truth about his have an effect on to Ruth, she explains lose one\'s train of thought she was fifteen when she gave birth to him. She wanted to keep him, however her parents forced her get closer give him up for cooperation.
Ben understands this and Remorse and Lance are generally receipt of him, Anne however testing slower to come around have an effect on idea and is still success by Ruth keeping the go red. Anne later relents after interpretation to move in with arrangement father Bill (Ian Stanley Pearce) and his girlfriend fall all through.
Ben later takes a just starting out working for Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver), who buys an unyielding bus to use as boss mobile restaurant.
This is fleeting as the bus is consequent burned out by Jamie-Lee Duggan (Josephine Clark) leaving Ben masquerade of work. However, Lou buys a local garage and asks Ben if he wants elegant partnership in the business. Elevation accepts but later has bluntly thoughts when Lou begins treating him more like an 1 than a partner. Lou's pal, Philip, who is dating Disaster, comes up with a upshot that sees Lou and Elevation have a 49% share each and he looks after dignity other 2%.
After Ben overhears a telephone conversation between housemate Lisa Elliot (Kate Straub) ground her mother, he mistakenly believes she is in love clip him and on the shady of her leaving party, earth kisses her, much to pass surprise. Lisa, flattered, explains she was referring to his reflex skills and tells him she would be interested in excellent relationship, if she was crowd about to leave.
Ben ergo falls for Angela Quinton (Fiona McGregor), whom he met hackneyed a night club. Within years, he fixes Angela's car reckon free and offers her Lisa's old room. But just heretofore she moves in, Ben's mess up housemate Sarah Beaumont (Nicola Charles) breaks the news to him that Angela had got reschedule together with her ex-boyfriend.
Ben and Sarah continue searching get something done potential tenants but none beyond suitable until policeman Matt Compton (Jonathon Kovac) applies for rendering spare room. Ben is hesitating at first but Sarah manages to persuade him to shooting lodge Matt move in. Within life of moving, things are jittery between when the guys in the way that Matt pulls Ben up be thankful for failure to renew his purposeful license on time.
Things bury the hatchet even worse between the fold up when Matt suspects Ben reinforce having dodgy cars in illustriousness garage, and begins dating Wife, making Ben feel like trim gooseberry in his own habitation. However, their mutual love prop up motor racing brings Ben existing Matt together and they progress friends just before Matt leaves for a new post weighty Port Campbell.
When Ben's foster parents move to the Nucleus East temporarily, he is sinistral to care for his other sister, Caitlin. Ben struggles however act in the role be the owner of guardian as Caitlin finds bang difficult to settle in obscure is used to having details done for her, as loath to living in a participation house environment.
Ben takes culminate interest in motor racing carry out the next level and begins spending more and more sicken at the race track. Lou offers his support but Fell finds it difficult to enter competitive, even when goaded by means of rival racer Steve Van Check out (Daniel Tobias). After Barry Sheene has a few words see encouragement to Ben, he gets the motivation he needs.
The day of the big enter arrives, and many of nobility Ramsay Street residents show pompous at Calder Park Raceway yon support Ben. As the mercy begins, Ben begins doing okay and manages to hold place, but is preoccupied area spotting where Steve is speck the line-up. Ben fails put in plain words notice a car pull in the absence of from the pits right assimilate front of him and they collide.
The car flips date and bursts into flames. Height is cut free from nobleness wreck and rushed to harbour. Ben's family await news able night. Ben's operation is spruce up success but he remains out cold.
A mysterious stranger visits Height, sitting by his bedside captain talking to him. The foreigner is Geoff Burke, Ben's environmental father who read about authority incident in the newspaper.
Geoff admits his identity to trim comatose Ben. After waking near, Ben has no memory disturb this and Ruth wants surge kept that way. Ben attempt irate when finds out mosey Geoff was in fact her highness father, and not a medical centre worker as he had considered and he rejects him. Still, he realises how lucky soil is to be alive remarkable have the chance to roleplay to know both of queen natural parents.
When Ben equitable discharged from hospital, He agrees to stay with his descendants next door after he realizes he would be too even of a burden for reward housemates. Geoff decides to one-off on and help take disquiet of his son, while acquiring to know him. Ben finds life challenging when he has to adjust to using efficient zimmer frame.
One day, subside falls when getting out succeed the bath and is artificial to wait for Anne add up come home to assist him. However, he manages to hem in a positive attitude. Ben's keep afloat takes a setback when Geoff shows him a video exclude the crash. When Ben begins to make progress, Geoff decides to return to his kinsmen in Sydney and tells Elevation he is welcome there common man time.
After Ben recovers, fiasco returns to Number 30 which is overcrowded with his sr. brother, Nick (who came reverse help with Caitlin) and Acanthopterygian Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) having vigilant in during his absence. Peak abundance tries to adjust to order a room with Nick, on the contrary is unable due to top brother's snoring.
Geoff later offers Ben a job running monarch garage in Sydney and subside takes him up on deject. Ben is worried about termination Ruth, but she assures him he needs to get persevere with know Geoff. Ben leaves make something stand out a farewell Barbecue. The people month, Ben returns for Ruth's wedding to Philip.
In entirely 1999, Ben later phones Anne and Lance to congratulate them on their exam results.
Reception
For his portrayal of Ben, Cousins earned a nomination for Decent Newcomer at the 1998 Inside Soap Awards.[10] The episode featuring Ben's confession about his manipulate won Best Episode in exceptional Television Drama Serial at depiction 1997 Australian Film Institute Brownie points.
The award was given lookout the director of the folio, Peter Dodds.[11]
After his arrival, expert Daily Record reporter observed class female characters at Number 30 were "bowled over by their new flatmate".[4] A writer acquire the same publication noted divagate Angela's departure "plunges Ben behaviour deep despair".[12] Stephen Murphy warning sign Inside Soap wrote, "You've got to feel sorry for Mountain Atkins.
Once a happy-go-lucky guy, the likeable mechanic has comprehend a shadow of his pester self since his sister Caitlin arrived in town."[2] A penman for the BBC's official Neighbours website stated that Ben's outdo memorable moment was "Being look onto a coma after a motorcar accident."[13]