Amber Turner
| Amber Turner | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Jenna Rosenow | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2013–2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 7 February 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | 5 April 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Richard Jasek | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Spin-off appearances | Amber's Blog (2012) Neighbours vs Zombies (2014) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Amber Turner is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Jenna Rosenow. The actress, who had previously appeared in the show as an extra, successfully auditioned for the role of Amber and relocated to Melbourne from Geelong for filming. She said she was excited about joining the cast and seeing what she could do with her character. Amber was created and introduced along with her family, as part of a major overhaul of the show's cast. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 7 February 2013. In April 2015, Rosenow announced her intention to leave at the end of her contract, and Amber departed on 8 January 2016. She made a cameo appearance on 5 April.
Amber is portrayed as a regular teenage girl. She is friendly, vibrant, caring and a bit naive. Rosenow said Amber would do anything for her friends and family. She added that Amber means well with her decisions and sometimes does the wrong things for the right reasons. Amber's storylines have often focused on her relationships with Robbo Slade (Aaron Jakubenko), Josh Willis (Harley Bonner) and Daniel Robinson (Tim Phillipps). The character has also endured a pregnancy scare, bullying, a crush on her gay friend and learning her child is seriously ill.
Creation and casting
[edit]On 4 November 2012, it was announced that the five-strong Turner family would be introduced to Neighbours in February 2013.[1] The family were created as part of a major overhaul of the show's cast.[2] Of the Turners, Kate Kendall, who plays matriarch Lauren, explained "The producers were looking to get quite a traditional family in there and hark back to some of those old traditions and family values. They're going to be a really charismatic family, but you'll also get some really juicy storylines and that's what the audiences relate to. Viewers will relate to the familiarity of them and hopefully the sense of magnetism that we bring."[2] The Turners were given an immediate link in Erinsborough through long-term resident Lou Carpenter (Tom Oliver), the father of Lauren and grandfather to Amber and her brothers.[2]
Jenna Rosenow was cast as Amber, the only daughter of Lauren and Matt Turner (Josef Brown).[2] Rosenow had previously appeared in Neighbours as an extra, but Amber marked her first regular role.[3] The actress auditioned for the part and was placed on a short-list, she received a callback and was then told that she had won the role.[3] Rosenow relocated from Geelong to Melbourne, where Neighbours is filmed.[3] She told Daniel Kilkelly from Digital Spy that she was excited about joining the cast of Neighbours and seeing what she could do with her character.[4] She also said that it was easy to settle in and it helped that she came into the show with four other actors.[4] In December 2012, Neighbours launched an online spin-off called Amber's Blog, which featured Amber documenting her family's move from Mount Isa to Erinsborough.[5] Rosenow made her debut screen appearance as Amber on 7 February 2013.[3] In 2014, Rosenow extended her contract with the show for another year.[6]
Development
[edit]Characterisation
[edit]Before her introduction, Kendall described Amber as "the typical teenage girl", while Rosenow thought she was just a regular 17-year-old, who is a bit naive.[2][7] A writer for the official Neighbours website called Amber friendly and vibrant, adding that she is "on the cusp of adulthood, dealing with the many life changes that come with it."[8] During an interview with Kilkelly, Rosenow stated that Amber is "kind and caring" and someone who would do anything for her friends and family. When it comes to boys, she is a bit shy.[4] She continued "Amber means well with every decision she makes, even if it means doing the wrong things for what she thinks is the right reasons."[4] Rosenow also said that Amber seems like "the perfect good girl", but she would arrive in Erinsborough with a secret.[7]
Amber does not initially want to be in Erinsborough and she misses her home and friends back in Mount Isa.[4] Rosenow observed that the town did eventually grow on Amber, but for a while she came across as "disinterested" and "moody".[4] When she started to make more of an effort, then more sides of her personality started to come out.[4] When asked if Amber gets on with her family, Rosenow replied that she did because the whole family is loving and "really tight-knit."[7] Amber has inherited her mother's love of horses, which has brought them closer together and she is the apple of her father's eye.[8] The website writer added that Amber gets on well with her brothers Mason (Taylor Glockner) and Bailey (Calen Mackenzie).[8]
Relationship with Robbo Slade
[edit]Rosenow revealed that Amber had a boyfriend back in Mount Isa that her family were unaware of. Robbo Slade (Aaron Jakubenko) was Amber's first boyfriend and Rosenow thought that Amber had put "a lot of her attention and energy" into the relationship.[4] Speaking to Kilkelly, the actress said that the relationship proved to be "an escape" for Amber from the Turner family's problems. Robbo was a friend of Mason's and Rosenow branded him "bad news".[4] She also described him as being "the bad boy of Mt Isa", which she believed was why Amber was attracted to him. Rosenow added that Robbo was charming to Amber's face, but the opposite behind her back.[4] When Robbo was revealed to be a criminal, he soon skipped town.[9] Not long after, Amber realised that she might be pregnant and that terrified her.[9][10] Rosenow explained "She's still a little bit hung up on him. He was her first love, her first sexual partner, and now she's facing this potential pregnancy alone. There's a part of her that thinks the pregnancy may force Robbo to return."[10]
Unsure what to do, Amber confided in her teacher, Kate Ramsay (Ashleigh Brewer). Rosenow said that Amber sought Kate's help because she felt comfortable around her and believed that she was the only person who knew enough about her situation to understand.[10] She did not want to worry her parents, as she did not think they could cope with the news.[9] Kate advised Amber to take a pregnancy test, which to Amber's relief turned out to be negative.[9][10] Lou later found the test in the bin and initially assumed that it belonged to Lauren, who then realised that it was Amber's.[9] Rosenow told an Inside Soap journalist that while Lauren put on a calm façade, inside she was hysterical. The pregnancy scare led to Amber revealing the truth about her relationship with Robbo, which then led to other family secrets being revealed, leaving Lauren devastated.[9]
Robbo returned to Erinsborough a few months later and soon began causing trouble for the Turner family. Despite swearing to her family that she would stay away from Robbo and thinking that she was over him, Amber could not resist his charms.[11] Rosenow told an Inside Soap columnist, "Robbo is a charmer, and he knows how to play her. He spins her the usual lines about how he never stopped loving her, he wants to get a job and save money to set them up – exactly what she wants to hear."[11] Amber was spotted with Robbo by her younger brother Bailey, forcing her to deny anything was going on between them. Amber returned to see Robbo the next day and he seduced her.[11] However, Amber was not as invested in the relationship because of her recent break-up. The Inside Soap columnist said that it was obvious Robbo was using Amber to get back at Mason and wondered what his "wicked scheme" would be.[11] Robbo later tried to blackmail Amber by threatening to release footage of them together online. When he was involved in a hit-and-run, Amber was one of eight suspects.[12]
Cyberbullying and crush on Chris Pappas
[edit]
On 18 April 2013, Kilkelly reported that Amber would develop "a surprising crush" on her friend Chris Pappas (James Mason).[13] Chris, who is gay, befriended Amber after she started having "a tough time" at school following a falling out with Cassie Nicholls (Lisa Marie Shaw).[13] When Amber and Cassie began feuding, Chris invited Amber out on "a friendly date" to help cheer her up and they had a good night.[13] Amber soon got the wrong idea about their friendship and Kilkelly wrote that Chris may regret his gesture as Amber starts seeing him differently.[13] During this time, Amber and Cassie's feud continued with them each posting a series of "catty remarks" on the social networking website Twitter.[13] The situation took "a potentially dark turn" when Cassie briefly went missing, leaving Amber worried that she had done something drastic.[13]
The storyline led Mason and Rosenow to speak out about the subject of cyberbullying in a video released by Neighbours. Rosenow commented that cyberbullying could be very damaging to those involved and everyone had a role to play in stopping it from happening.[14] Amber's crush on Chris came to a conclusion during "Episode 6646". A "lovesick" Amber was told by Georgia Brooks (Saskia Hampele) that she was "totally barking up the wrong tree" as Chris was gay and would not return her affections.[15] Despite the advice, Amber declared her feelings for Chris. They then shared "a sweet moment" in which Chris explained that he was gay, but if he was not, then he would want Amber to be his girlfriend.[15] Chris and Amber continued to remain friends.[15]
Relationship with Josh Willis
[edit]In May 2013, Josh Willis (Harley Bonner) was introduced to Neighbours and promotional pictures showed him with Amber. When asked if a romance would develop between the two characters, Bonner said "Hmmm, there's not a lot I can say now but there is a bit of a connection, but I'm not sure where it will go!"[16] Amber immediately fell for Josh when he moved into Ramsay Street with his family, but her "subtle attempts at flirtation" initially went unnoticed.[17] Amber resorted to following Josh to the local pool and watching him swim, but he was too busy training for the Commonwealth Games to notice her. Amber later let slip to Josh that she had been watching him swim, but he did not seem to mind.[17] But when a "highly embarrassed" Amber asked him out on a date, Josh had to turn her down as he had a meeting with the school principal. Believing that she had messed things up, Amber was left heartbroken and assumed Josh was not romantically interested in her.[17]
Josh and Amber eventually became closer when she helped him with his homework and after sharing a kiss, they began dating.[18] However, the couple broke up a few weeks later.[19] When Amber's friend and Josh's sister, Imogen (Ariel Kaplan), learned of a party down at Lassiter's Lake, she managed to convince Amber to come along. Upon arriving at the party, Amber went looking for Josh, but she found him chatting to another girl and decided to get even.[19] Imogen introduced Amber to "a cute guy" called Clay (Charlie Terrier). Amber and Clay get talking and Josh later saw them kissing, leaving him devastated.[19] Amber was unaware that Josh had seen the kiss, but Imogen did and found herself stuck in the middle of her best friend and brother. Rosenow explained "Imogen is upset because this is exactly what she wanted to avoid. She knows Josh doesn't have a good track record and she doesn't want her friend Amber to get hurt. But, now they're both in a bad position."[19] Amber later agreed to go on a date with Clay, leaving Josh convinced that they would not get back together.[19]
After Amber admitted to having sex with Robbo, she and Josh struggled to get things back to normal.[20] They were then banned from seeing each other by their parents, after they believed the couple were spending too much time together, forcing Amber and Josh to sneak around.[20] Amber and Josh were divided by their different hopes for their relationship, especially when Josh thought they were ready to have sex.[20] Instead, Amber asked him to wait at least six months.[20] Bonner later admitted that he did not think Amber and Josh made a good couple, as they often fought and broke up, but he did believe that they genuinely loved each other.[21]
Relationship with Daniel Robinson
[edit]Following the introduction of Daniel Robinson in May 2014, his portrayer Tim Phillipps said he and Amber would begin spending time together due to a shared love of photography.[22] Phillips said "There is a really nice friendship going on there and a really nice bond."[22] The friendship initially caused tension between Daniel and Josh, but Daniel managed to put Josh's fears about his intentions towards Amber at ease.[22] Amber became "drawn" to Daniel and they shared a "sexual chemistry" that Amber tried to ignore, as she loved Josh.[23] Amber eventually began an affair with Daniel, but failed to find a way to break up with Josh.[24] When Paige Smith (Olympia Valance) suspected that Amber and Daniel had feelings for each other, she kissed Daniel to cause a reaction. Amber was "gutted" to witness the kiss, but it prompted her to commit to Daniel.[24]
Two weeks after the affair began, an increasingly suspicious Josh walked in on Amber and Daniel kissing.[25] Rosenow believed that the storyline would always see somebody getting hurt, but she thought Josh only had himself to blame.