Marilyn Chambers of Home and Away is recognised for being one of Summer Bay’s most kind citizens, but that’s about to change when Marilyn recovers from the consequences of the recent poison gas assault at Salt.
Marilyn (Emily Symons) looked to be largely unharmed by the gas at first, but she eventually fainted and became critically ill. Marilyn has been demonstrating a much different – and considerably nastier – demeanour lately, and has been unexpectedly lashing out at her loved ones, while making a physical recovery.
Emily, who has portrayed Marilyn on and off since 1989, told TV Week that she was “shocked” when she first discovered of her character’s transformation, which was brought on by organophosphate poisoning.
“It appears that when you receive organophosphate poisoning, there can be changes to the brain and behaviour, but everything else remains normal,” she explained, adding that the consequences are a “really real thing.”
Emily acknowledged that portraying a cruel Marilyn is the most difficult thing she’s ever had to do on the show, and that it “had to be pulled out” of her.
She added, “This is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done as Marilyn.” “It’s a completely different Marilyn, which has been quite difficult for me to portray since she’s become second nature to me.”
“Having to build a new [version of the] character all of a sudden… certain days I was like, ‘I can’t say that – it’s so nasty.’ But I needed to go there in order for the plot to function.”
After having to deliver harsh words as Marilyn, Emily – who previously played Louise Appleton in Emmerdale – said that she has been apologising to her co-stars.
“It was challenging,” she remarked, “but it was an excellent acting course.” “I was portraying Marilyn’s polar opposite. All of her personal attributes vanished, and she became argumentative, angry, and enraged with John (Shane Withington, who plays Palmer, Marilyn’s husband). The workers appreciated the change of pace.”
“I hope it will work and I hope people understand,” the actress said, adding that she is “a little apprehensive” about how fans will respond to Marilyn’s rapid personality change.
