Steven Matheson
| Steven Matheson | |||||||||
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| Home and Away character | |||||||||
| Portrayed by | Adam Willits | ||||||||
| Duration | 1988–91, 1995–98, 2000, 2002-03, 2008 | ||||||||
| First appearance | 17 January 1988 | ||||||||
| Last appearance | 3 April 2008 | ||||||||
| Introduced by | Alan Bateman (1988) John Holmes (1995, 2000) Julie McGauran (2002, 2003) Cameron Welsh (2008) |
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| Book appearances |
The Steven Matheson Story Summer Bay Blues Scandal at Summer Bay |
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| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||
| Occupation | Student at Summer Bay High (1988–90) Teacher at Summer Bay High (1995–96) Computer Technician (1997–) |
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| Father | Brett Matheson |
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| Mother | Martha Matheson |
| Wife | Selina Roberts |
| Uncles | Philip Matheson |
Steven "Stevo" Matheson is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Adam Willits. Steven was created by Alan Bateman as one of the serial's original characters and he first appeared in the pilot episode. Willits received the role after being one of over three hundred actors to audition for the roles of the serial's foster children. He was a regular cast member from 1988 to 1991 and again between 1995 and 1996. He has continued to make guest appearances in from 1997 until 2008. Steven is characterised in his early years by his quiet and studious persona, he later becomes problematic as he grows older. His main storylines have focused on his early tragedies in which his family die, bullying, his first kiss with Narelle Smart (Amanda Newman-Phillips) and his on/off relationship with Selina Roberts (Tempany Deckert). Critics of the serial have favoured his appearance and have subsequently branded him a "heart-throb" because of his good looks. Others have commented that he grew up quickly on-screen and eventually become a problematic character.
In 1987 over three hundred actors auditioned for the roles of the Fletcher's foster children. Eventually sixteen-year-old Adam Willits was offered the part of Steven. Prior to the role Willits had gained a fair amount of experience as a child actor. In 1989 Willits confirmed in the "Home and Away Annual" that he was happy to stay with the serial and watch Steven develop. In 1990, Willits decided to leave the serial to pursue other projects but remained on-screen until the following year.
Willits returned to Home and Away in 1995-1996, and returned for an additional stint in 1997. In 1998 Willits filmed a conclusion to Steven's storyline on location in the UK. In 2002 Willits returned alongside numerous ex-cast members to film a special storyline for the "150th anniversary" of Summer Bay.
In the 1989 edition of the "Home and Away Annual", Steven is described in his years as being "quiet and studious, but with an inventive mind. When he came to the Flectchers, he was disturbed, and was having terrible nightmares about his parents' death." They also add "Steven is liable to become a wonderfully caring and informed person, or a pompous brat." In the "Home and Away Annual" he is described as having the life of any average teenager. Willits described Steven stating: "A nice guy, not very trendy though". Willits has also stated it's a challenge to play Steven because he is so different from him, so much so he did not relate to him, he also branded Steven as "not very outgoing". After two years of playing the role, Willits said that Steven "started off as a bit of a bookworm but as he has grown up he has found distractions more engaging than academia!" Willits added that Steven is "not the trendiest guy in the world, but thankfully as time passes he gets a bit more wayward." In another interview he states: "I love to get out of his character when shooting is finished, and to ruffle up my hair which is all brushed like Steven's." While interviewed by Clive Hopwood for the book Home and Away Special, Willits said that Steven's development was slow because he remained "a bit of a dork". He added that Steven was destined for "exciting things".
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