Matt Robinson (Neighbours)
| Matt Robinson | |||||||||||
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.JPG) |
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| Neighbours character | |||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Ashley Paske | ||||||||||
| Duration | 1989–91 | ||||||||||
| First appearance | 22 May 1989 | ||||||||||
| Last appearance | 19 March 1991 | ||||||||||
| Introduced by | Don Battye | ||||||||||
| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||
| Other names | Matt Williams | ||||||||||
| Occupation | Student Mechanic Barman |
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| Home | Perth | ||||||||||
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| Family | Robinson |
|---|---|
| Father | Barry Dwyer |
| Mother | Hilary Robinson |
| Adoptive mother | Margaret Williams |
| Other relatives |
Jim Robinson Paul Robinson Scott Robinson Glen Donnelly Lucy Robinson |
Matthew "Matt" Robinson (né Williams) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Ashley Paske. He made his first on-screen appearance on 22 May 1989 and departed the show on 19 March 1991.
On 8 May 1989, the serial's producer Mark Callan told Jackie Cockburn of Evening Times that the former Richmond Hill actor Ashley Paske had been cast in the role of Matt. Callan said that they were introducing new characters to test the relationships with their established ones. Network Ten had placed Paske on a developmental retainer which lasted for eight months. He was promised a role in a drama that the network aired at the end of his retainer contract. The drama role turned out to be the part of Matt. When Paske was given the role, he relocated from his home in Wollongong to Melbourne for filming. Paske said that it helped him in approach to playing his character, because he could relate to Matt having to move to a new area. Paske's first scenes aired in May 1989.
In 1997, Ashley Paske spoke to Lizzy Gardiner about his time in the show and leaving to pursue further endeavours in the UK, spurred on by his popularity. Paske then mentioned that he had difficulty securing acting work on his return to Australia.
Storyliners created a detailed backstory for the character in which he was adopted by the Williams family. He enjoyed a good childhood and loved his parents. But Matt had the need to seek-out his birth parents, which led him to Ramsay Street. Callan said that when Matt arrives in Erinsborough, he would be hiding a "dark secret". Matt shocks the residents with the announcement that he is the son of Hilary Robinson (Anne Scott-Pendlebury). Paske told Ian Morrison in Neighbours: The Official Annual that "maybe Matt is a bit too like Ashley Paske" Matt is disappointed when Hilary rejects him because she fears being shamed for having an illegitimate child resulting from a short lived romance. He did not give up his quest to acquaint himself with the Robinson family and forced Hilary to reveal his true identity. With the truth revealed Matt and Hilary forge a steady relationship.
Matt is characterised as a troubled teenager and has issues with his parents. Paske told Darren Devlyn from TV Week that Matt is hard to categorise, adding "he's not good or bad but has a lot of personal problems." He is new to Erinsborough and does not know the local residents. Having moved from interstate to accept the role, Paske believed this helped him to better play Matt as they were going through similar experiences. In one of his first storylines the character upsets his neighbour Mike Young (Guy Pearce) when he uses his bike without consent. Paske explained "He doesn't exactly get off on the right foot because he later finds out that Mike is his maths teacher."
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