Kym Valentine
 |
Kym Valentine | |
|---|---|
 Valentine at a Neighbours event in 2025. | |
| Born | Kym Valentine 24 May 1977[1] Blacktown, Sydney, Australia |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Known for | Neighbours |
| Children | 2 |
Kym Valentine (born 24 May 1977) is an Australian actress, best known for her long running intermittent portrayal of Libby Kennedy in the soap opera Neighbours.
Early life
[edit]Valentine was born in Blacktown, Sydney,[1] and grew up in Granville.[2] She began dance classes when she was two and attended her first dance school aged six.[1][2] When she was five years old, Valentine began acting in television commercials and stage plays. She appeared in about 30 commercials.[2]
She studied dance, singing and drama at the Performing Arts School in Sydney.[3]
Career
[edit]Valentine's early television appearances included guests roles in Brides of Christ, and Home and Away, and a regular role as Lisa in My Two Wives.
In 1994, at age 17, Valentine joined the cast of Neighbours as Libby Kennedy. She moved to Melbourne to take the role and remained on the show until 2004. Valentine opted to leave, wanting to start a family and extend her acting repertoire by returning to the stage. Libby was written out of the storyline in a way that allowed for her potential return.
In 2005, Valentine took the lead role of Baby in Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, which also toured to Melbourne and Perth. She was set to reprise her role, when the production moved to London’s West End. In June 2007, Valentine rejoined Neighbours on a permanent basis. On 8 April 2009, Valentine made an appearance as herself on The Wright Stuff, a UK TV programme. In April 2011, Valentine took indefinite leave from Neighbours.
Valentine appeared as a housewife in Nine Network's miniseries Fat Tony & Co., which was broadcast in 2014.[4] Valentine returned to Neighbours as part of a storyline to celebrate 20 years of the Kennedy family in 2014.[5]
In 2017, Valentine was cast in Michael Wormald's independent film Choir Girl,[6] which was released in 2019. In 2018, she appeared in a Melbourne stage production of Unsolicited Male (which she repeated in 2022). She also starred alongside her daughter in the short film Treetment, which was filmed in Melbourne in December 2018.[7]
Valentine has produced the upcoming film titled Residence,[8] in which she also appears as the character Connie the Phlegmatic.[9]
In addition to her stage and screen work, Valentine teaches acting classes.[7]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Treetment | Katrina | Short film |
| 2019 | The Grand Scheme | Clementine | Short film |
| 2019 | Choir Girl | Caroline Doyle | |
| 2022 | Junk Mail | Chey | Short film |
| TBA | Residence | Connie the Phlegmatic | Also producer |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Brides of Christ | Miniseries | |
| 1992 | My Two Wives | Lisa Kennedy | 13 episodes |
| 1994 | Home and Away | Belinda | 1 episode |
| 1994–2004; 2007–2011; 2014; 2022 |
Neighbours | Libby Kennedy | 1051 episodes |
| 2014 | Fat Tony & Co. | Peg Mancini | Miniseries, 1 episode |
| 2024 | Til You Make It | Siobhan | 1 episode |
Stage
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–1997 | Cinderella | Cinderella | Llandudno with Qudos Productions, UK |
| 1998–1999 | Snow White | Snow White | Beck Theatre, Hayes with Qudos Productions, UK |
| 2000–2001 | Cinderella | Cinderella | Hexagon Theatre, Reading with Qudos Productions, UK |
| 2002–2003 | Peter Pan | Peter Pan | Hawth Theatre, Crawley with Qudos Productions, UK |
| 2004–2005 | Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage | Baby | Theatre Royal, Sydney, Princess Theatre, Melbourne, Burswood Theatre, Perth with Kevin Jacobsen Productions |
| 2015 | The Vagina Monologues | Co-lead | University of Tasmania with Adrian Baum Presents[10] |
| 2018; 2022 | Unsolicited Male | Wendy, the P.A. | Abbotsford Convent, Melbourne, Chapel Off Chapel, Melbourne with Q44 Theatre Company |
Personal life
[edit]Valentine married singer Fabio Tolli. They have a daughter, Millana Valentine-Tolli (b. 21 August 2003). The couple separated in 2007.[14]
In April 2008, it was rumoured that Valentine was involved in a relationship with Australian actor Vince Colosimo, the ex-husband of fellow Neighbours actor Jane Hall.[15] In October 2008, Valentine stated that they had only ever been friends.[16]
Valentine was engaged to former AFL player Trent Croad in March 2015.[17] In November, Valentine and Croad confirmed they were expecting their first child together.[18] Valentine gave birth to a son named Phoenix in March 2016.[19]
Their relationship ended in December 2017.[20]
Health issues
[edit]On 4 July 2008, Valentine collapsed on a flight home from New York and was diagnosed with pneumonia and pneumothorax.[21] The cabin crew gave the actress oxygen during the flight and when she arrived in Melbourne was taken to hospital for further treatment where she stayed for several days before recuperating at home.[22][23] Valentine was told that she needed to rest for a month and she could not return to work on Neighbours.[21] On 10 August 2008, it was reported that New Zealand actress Michala Banas would take over the role of Libby for a month.[24] Valentine resumed the role at the start of the 2009 series.
On 6 July 2010, Valentine was hospitalised with a life-threatening blood clot on her lung.[25] Valentine was ordered to stay in hospital for four days.[25] In December, Valentine checked herself into a clinic as she was suffering from exhaustion.[26]
Valentine returned to the Neighbours set in January 2011.[27] A few months after her return to filming, Valentine took indefinite leave from Neighbours.[27] Fiona Byrne of the Herald Sun reported the actress was undergoing treatment in hospital for a depressive illness.[27] She returned for two weeks in 2014.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "On this day". The Age. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ a b c Connoly, Paul (24 April 2011). "Kym Valentine". The Sun-Herald. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
- ^ "Kym Valentine" (PDF). BGM Agency.
- ^ Dainty, Sophie (18 October 2013). "'Neighbours' Kym Valentine films first role since leaving soap". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 October 2013.
- ^ Thomas, Sarah (11 March 2014). "Kym Valentine's surprise return to Neighbours for 20-year special". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
- ^ Windsor, Harry (20 March 2017). "Debut feature 'Choir Girl' to shoot in Melbourne in early April". If Magazine. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
- ^ a b Byrne, Fiona (3 February 2019). "Family ties for Kym". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 September 2024 – via Gale.
- ^ "Crew". Residence the film. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Cast". Residence the film. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Hobart production of The Vagina Monologues to raise funds to combat violence against women". The Mercury. 18 March 2014.
- ^ "Kym Valentine". AusStage.
- ^ "Kym Valentine" (PDF). BGM Agency.
- ^ "Neighbours in Panto". www.pantoarchive.com.
- ^ Kilkelly, Daniel (21 October 2007). "'Neighbours' actress splits from husband". Digital Spy. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
- ^ "Underbelly's Vince Colosimo romancing Neighbours' Kym Valentine". Herald Sun. 21 April 2008.
- ^ Kym Valentine: "I hit rock bottom" Womans Day Archived 15 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Neighbours star Kym Valentine engaged to former AFL player Trent Croad". news.com.au. 16 March 2015. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ Smith, Karleigh (5 November 2015). "Kym Valentine and Trent Croad's exciting baby news". Women's Day. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ Jepsen, Belinda (31 March 2016). "Former Neighbours star Kym Valentine welcomes a gorgeous baby boy". Mamamia. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
- ^ "Ex-AFL champ and TV starlet split". Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ a b Vickery, Colin (21 November 2008). "Kym Valentines's collapse caused a Neighbours headache". Herald Sun. Australia. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
- ^ RTÉ.ie Entertainment: Neighbours star suffered collapsed lung
- ^ "Nightmare flight for actor Kym Valentine", Herald Sun
- ^ Kym Valentine takes a break from Neighbours, Herald Sun
- ^ a b "Neighbours star Kym Valentine in hospital with respiratory problem, due back on set soon". Herald Sun. Australia. 8 July 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
- ^ "Kym opens up about health battle". Herald Sun. 2 February 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
- ^ a b c Byrne, Fiona (16 April 2011). "Kym Valentine to take a neighbourly break". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 April 2011.