Selina Cook

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Selina Cook
Home and Away character
Dawn Cook
BrothersWayne Cook
HusbandSteven Matheson

Selina Cook (also Roberts) is a fictional character from the Australian

Ironbridge, Shropshire, as part of the serial's first ever overseas location filming. Selina's last appearance to date was on 30 March 1998
, where she agreed to marry Steven.

Selina was introduced to the show after she developed a crush on her teacher. Selina was portrayed as a tearaway, who had a reputation for being the "town tramp." She often went off the rails, due to arguments with her parents, but she was a good person deep inside.

Doc Martens. Deckert revealed that Selina was supposed to be a clichéd bimbo, so she decided to introduce biker boots to the wardrobe department. Selina later decides to clean up her act and she begins dating Jack Wilson, who she believes is her soul mate. Selina has been central to many "bizarre" storylines such as having a miscarriage at school, being sexually harassed, stalked and entering a relationship with her school teacher Steven Matheson. The character has received mixed reviews from critics. Deckert earned a nomination for "Most Popular Actress" at the Logie Awards
, for her portrayal of Selina.

Casting

Deckert auditioned for Home and Away three times in Melbourne.[1] Following her third audition, she was asked to fly to Sydney for a screen test and was told she had the part of Selina.[1] She was asked to return the following day to begin filming and Deckert had to leave her school in order to join the show.[1] In 1996, Deckert fell ill and actress Louise Crawford played Selina during Deckert's temporary absence.[2] In mid-1997, speculation grew around Deckert and whether she had quit the serial, though the Home and Away publicity department did not confirm nor deny her departure.[3] However, Deckert did leave the serial in 1997. She made a brief return to filming in 1998.[4]

Character development

Upon her arrival, Selina was described as being a tearaway with an attitude.[5] Selina also had a reputation for being the "town tramp" and Deckert explained that while it was a pretty true description, it was not exactly Selina's fault. She said "She's a good person deep down even if she is a bit of a slut."[5] Selina had lived in the Bay with her family all her life. She and her parents spent their time arguing rather than discussing their problems, which led to Selina going off the rails.[5]

Deckert told

Luke Cunningham (John Adam).[5] Selina chases after Luke at the debutante ball, but Luke is not interested in her. Her attempts to seduce him, makes her a household name and reputation falls even further.[5] Selina decides to clean up her act following the fiasco with Luke and she turns out to be a "tart with a heart who's simply misunderstood."[5] Selina begins dating fellow wild child Jack Wilson (Daniel Amalm) and Deckert said that the relationship allowed her to portray Selina's softer side.[5] Of this, she said "It comes as a big surprise to Selina when she realises that she really does like Jack. She's used to chasing anything in trousers! In fact, she finds herself falling in love, especially when she discovers Jack doesn't have any parents - she warms to him and sees him as a real soul mate."[5] While interviewed by the Daily Mirror Deckert said "Selina has always been into boys, in fact, they're her only real interest."[6]

Selina regularly dressed in leather jackets, tartan shirts and Doc Martens. Victoria Ross of Inside Soap opined that Selina had a "passion for dodgy fashion" and was not likely to blend into the background.[5] Deckert said her character was not supposed to be a "real grunge chick" and explained that Selina was going to be a clichéd bimbo.[5] The actress introduced the wardrobe department to biker boots and Selina became a real tomboy.[5] Deckert told The Sun-Herald that some viewers were shocked at her real appearance as they thought Selina looked "like such a dog" in the show.[7]

Selina develops a relationship with

Shane Ammann).[8] Ammann fell ill in real life so producers forced Deckert to have a blood test following kissing scenes. Although it turned out to be minor, changes to filming were made so their characters would not share many kissing scenes.[8] In one storyline Selina discovers she is pregnant after a fling with Damian Roberts (Matt Doran). Deckert said it was a hard storyline and she was shocked because she had no idea what would happen to Selina.[7] When producers informed her that Selina would miscarry, she was happy she would not have to act the birth scenes out. Selina miscarries in the school corridor and Deckert said it was a surprising element, but disliked having twenty extras watching her perform.[7] Deckert later told a reporter from What's on TV that "she's always been a failure, but being a mum was something she was determined to do well."[9]

Selina had a complicated relationship with her teacher

Ironbridge, Shropshire.[12] This was the first occasion the serial had filmed an episode overseas.[10] The storyline saw Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger) arrive to help Selina recover from malaria. She also reunited Selina with Steven, who arrived pledging his love for her.[4]

Storylines

Selina develops a crush on her teacher Luke Cunningham and is known for an allegedly promiscuous nature. Jack Wilson is attracted to her and they begin dating and attend the school formal together. While sharing a kiss at the dance, they accidentally end up tipping paint over principal

Lenka Kripac
). When the girls discover Jack's three-timing, they concoct a revenge plan which leaves Jack humiliated in the caravan park but nothing but his boxers.

Selina begins looking for a new boyfriend and sets her sights on Curtis.

Nelson McFarlane (Laurence Bruels). Irene's son Damian arrives for Shane Parrish (Dieter Brummer) and Angel Brooks' (Melissa George
) wedding and Selina is attracted to him. They sleep together and Selina later discovers she is pregnant. Neither are ready for parenthood, so Selina decides to put the baby up for adoption and call her Maddie upon birth. However, Selina later suffers a miscarriage.

Curtis and Selina begin dating. On a school trip, Selina stops classmate

Brian "Dodge" Forbes
(Kelly Dingwall) fighting and falling over a cliff ledge. Selina later ends things with Curtis after this incident, because Curtis found her story to be too unbelievable.

Jeremy Riggs (David Stanley), until she discovered he had been her stalker. When Jeremy finds out about her and Steven, he tries to blackmail her into going out with him and when Selina rejects him he makes a suicide attempt by hanging himself in the school toilet. Not long after, Irene also finds out about Selina and Steven and makes a complaint. After an investigation Steven is forced to resign and leaves the area. Selina begins dating former criminal Jesse McGregor (Ben Unwin) and he agrees to change his ways. Selina later bonds with Jesse's daughter Rachel (Kelly Glaister). When Jesse kisses Chloe Richards (Kristy Wright
), she refuses to forgive them at first but later resumes her relationship with Jesse and friendship with Chloe.

Irene's grandson, Paul is kidnapped, so Selina and

Geoffrey Burns (Ben Price) to convalesce. Irene and Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons
) fly over to help care for her and Irene calls Steven. He and Selina rekindle their relationship and she agrees to marry him and let him travel with her.

Reception

For her portrayal of Selina, Deckert was nominated for "Most Popular Actress" at the 1997

The Newcastle Herald included the 1998 episode of Home and Away, in which Selina and Steven returned in their "TV Highlights" feature.[16]

Simon Hughes writing for The Age said the serial was like a "pedophile's paradise" and that Selina's storyline with Murdoch highlighted this. He opined that Selina's predicament should not be underestimated, and observed Selina as being a "typical adolescent" because she "rolls her eyes, sneers and pouts and purses her lips." He concluded that Home and Away's make-up department made her look like a "Puerto Rican whore in a school dress."[17] In Dr. Glyn Davis and Kay Dickinson's book Teen TV: genre, consumption, identity, they said teenage oriented television in the 1990s portrayed many characters appearing to snub university, using Selina as one of their examples.[18] A writer from What's on TV stated that Selina losing her baby was one of her most heart-breaking moments; adding "Selina Cook has suffered her fair share of knocks."[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Cook, Margaret (27 February 1996). "School Days - Tempany Deckert". The Age. Fairfax Media. p. 4. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  2. ^ Matthewman, Scott (8 April 2009). "They say she's the same, but she's not the same". The Stage. The Stage Newspaper Ltd. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  3. ^ Browne, Rachel (28 June 1997). "Leon loses in life and art". The Sun-Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  4. ^ a b Everton, Denise (30 March 1998). "Television". Illawarra Mercury. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  5. ^
    Hachette Filipacchi UK
    : 12.
  6. Trinity Mirror
    ). Retrieved 16 December 2011.
  7. ^ a b c d e Browne, Rachel (29 July 1995). "Coffee on the quiet". The Sun-Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  8. ^ a b Browne, Rachel (15 July 1995). "Stars escape kiss of death". The Sun-Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  9. ^
    IPC Media
    ): 3. 19–25 August 1995.
  10. ^
    Trinity Mirror
    . 13 January 1998. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  11. ^ Deckert, Tempany (20 November 1997). Light Lunch (Interview). Interviewed by Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. Channel 4.
  12. Trinity Mirror
    . 10 January 1998. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  13. ^ Browne, Rachel (17 May 1997). "A bolt from the Blue". The Sun-Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 32. Retrieved 18 July 2011.
  14. ^ "The 1997 Inside Soap Awards". Inside Soap (76). Attic Futura (UK) Ltd: 48, 49. 31 May – 13 June 1997.
  15. Trinity Mirror
    . Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  16. The Newcastle Herald. Fairfax Media
    . 27 March 1998. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  17. ^ Hughes, Simon (9 August 1995). "Ah, those lazy, crazy days of Summer Bay". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  18. ISBN 0-85170-999-0
    .
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