Sindi Watts

Sindi Watts
Neighbours character
Portrayed by Marisa Warrington
Duration 2002, 2003, 2004–05
First appearance 19 July 2002
Last appearance 26 August 2005
Introduced by Stanley Walsh (2002)
Ric Pellizeri (2003, 2004)
Classification Former; regular
Profile
Occupation Travel agency worker
Legal Secretary
Television Presenter
Exotic Dancer
Astrologer
Magazine Columnist
Barmaid
Home Oakey

Sindi Parker (née Watts) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Marisa Warrington. She made her first on-screen appearance on 19 July 2002. Sindi was initially a recurring character, before she was promoted to regular. The character was axed in May 2005 and she departed on 26 August 2005.

Casting

Warrington joined the cast in 2002 and she described her character as "one-part stalker, one-part lunatic."[1]

In May 2005, it was announced that three of the show's actors had been axed in a "surprise shake-up" of the cast.[2] Warrington was one of the three actors axed in favour of new cast members, the other two were Kevin Harrington (David Bishop) and Marcella Russo (Liljana Bishop).[2] Warrington left when her contract expired.[2]

Character development

Warrington told the BBC that she enjoyed playing the "evil" Sindi that tried to break up Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney and Dee Bliss (Madeleine West).[3] She said that the writers then changed Sindi and made her more "dippy." She added "The current Sindi character is incredibly sweet and honest, she has a lot of good points."[3]

Jack Scully (Jay Bunyan) become interested in Sindi and he goes to Toadie for advice on how to win her over.[4] However, Toadie is resentful of Jack as he likes Sindi too. Toadie has not admitted his feelings for her to himself because he is mourning his late wife, Dee.[4] Warrington explained the situation "This is the point at which Toadie starts to become interested in Sindi, but just because he's not ready to reveal his feelings, he doesn't want anyone else to go after her either. There's a nice little love triangle that develops."[4] She and Toadie begin a brief relationship, but they break up because Toadie still loves Dee.

Sindi leaves town for a while, but when she returns she tells Lyn Scully (Janet Andrewartha) that she is seeing a married man.[5] She explains that she has been trying to stop it, but she has trouble going through with it. Lyn disapproves, but she supports Sindi.[5] When Sindi's feelings for Toadie surface again she decides to end her relationship with the man she calls "Tiny."[5] It is then revealed that Sindi is having an affair with Rocco Cammeniti (Robert Forza). Warrington admitted that Sindi's friends would be shocked to learn who she is dating.[5] Toadie realises that he cares deeply for Sindi and she tries again to break off her relationship with Rocco. However, she is left stunned when Rocco tells her that he has left his wife and gives her an engagement ring.[6] Warrington said "Sindi can't admit to Rocco that she's in love with someone else, and she's also worried that something will happen to Toadie if she tells Rocco who she is in love with. So she uses the excuse that she doesn't want to be Rocco's secret 'other woman' anymore." However, Rocco then chooses that moment to give Sindi an engagement ring, which she has to accept.[6] She later tells Toadie that she loves him and they agree to start their relationship again.[6] Sindi finally manages to end things with Rocco and she starts a new life with Toadie, but she is unaware that Rocco has hired someone to spy on her.[7] Rocco is not happy when he is given photos of Sindi and Toadie together and Warrington said that he "goes a bit crazy" as he believes Sindi is his girl.[7] When she was asked what it was like to date someone like Rocco, who is nearly twice her age, Warrington said "Robert, who plays Rocco is a lovely guy, so it was fine. However, I must confess, when I was about 24 I briefly dated a man who was in his 40s and I have to say that it did look a bit wrong! He looked like my uncle!"[3]

When her boyfriend, Stuart Parker (Blair McDonough), is left blind following a fire, Sindi turns to stripping to raise money for an operation to restore his sight.[8] She decides to keep her decision a secret from Stuart. Of the situation, Warrington said "Sindi lies to Stu about where she's going and stripping off is horrible."[8] However, Stuart discovers what she is doing and asks her to stop, but then he starts to see colours. Sindi's manager offers her some higher paid work, where she would have to sleep with men for money and Sindi accepts.[8] Warrington explained "She hates the idea of sleeping with a man for money, but if it will give Stu his sight back she'll do it."[8] Stuart and Sindi become engaged in 2005 and they begin planning for their wedding.[9] However, Toadie becomes suspicious that something is wrong with Sindi and that she "may not be all she's cracked up to be."[9] He confronts her at the wedding ceremony, but Stuart punches him and he and Sindi marry.[9]

Storylines

Sindi meets Darcy Tyler (Mark Raffety) at Lassiter's and there is an attraction between them. Darcy later treats Sindi's hurt ankle, but does not pursue anything further as he is dating her sister Penny (Andrea McEwan). Sindi seizes the opportunity to blackmail Darcy by threatening to tell Penny about his flirting with her unless he gives into her demands which include paying for clothes and shoes. Penny sees the pair together one day and as revenge reports Darcy to the medical board for having an affair with a patient. Sindi soon leaves Erinsborough. The following year, Sindi crosses paths with Darcy again and is used as a pawn in his game to drive a wedge between Toadie and Dee, in order for Darcy to win Dee back. Sindi goes through with the plan by flirting with Toadie, but ends up falling for him for real. Darcy is annoyed, but Sindi threatens to expose his dubious dealings. When Sindi leaves an earring behind and goes to retrieve it from Toadie's house, she meets Dee, who assumes Sindi has moved in. Sindi tries to explain, but Dee leaves before she can.

Several months later, Sindi returns when Tim Collins (Ben Anderson), Toadie's colleague, hires her to work at their legal practice. Things are awkward at first, but Sindi settles in the job and she and Toadie remain amicable. As the amount of time they spend together increases, Sindi reveals she still loves Toadie, but he is not over Dee who drowned several months previously in a car crash on their wedding day. Sindi leaves once again.

Sindi returns to Ramsay Street as the director, producer and host of Making Mansions, a home make over show. She chooses number 26, the Scully family's house as the venue to be redesigned. Things do not work out as Sindi manages to insult her crew, prompting them to walk out on her. Luckily, several friends and neighbours help her and the work is eventually completed. Toadie and Sindi begin a relationship, which goes through many twists and turns including the revelation of Sindi's affair with Rocco Cammeniti and his refusal to let her go, which results in Toadie being kidnapped and ending up comatose. Sindi shares a kiss with Toadie's friend and housemate Stuart Parker and is consumed with guilt and confesses all to Toadie after he asks her to move into Number 30.

Lou's Place is set on fire and Sindi becomes trapped inside. Stuart runs in to save her, but they both become trapped and pass out due to smoke inhalation. The firefighters are about to give up looking for them, until Sindi manages to call Toadie. She and Stuart are rescued, but Stuart is left blind. They discover that an operation to restore his sight will cost $50,000 and Sindi raises the money by stripping and selling her body. Her only client, Gary Evans (Ian Scott) gives her the money after he loses a coin toss. Stuart refuses to accept the money due to how Sindi got it and she gives it to Harold Bishop (Ian Smith) for the Salvation Army. Stuart changes his mind, but it is too late. Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis) later offers to pay for the operation from his charity, the Helen Daniels Trust fund.

Sindi loses her job at All Her Magazine and then she is snubbed at a school reunion by her old classmates. Several of her neighbours suffer mysterious accidents. Sindi later proposes to Stuart, which he accepts, but Sindi's behaviour becomes more and more unhinged. Sindi runs over Trent Hoffa, one of Stuart's police colleagues in order to help Stuart get a promotion. Toadie does some detective work and on the day of the wedding, he tries to stop the ceremony with his explanations of Sindi's behaviour only to be punched by Stuart for his trouble. Stuart finally realises the truth when Sindi pushes Toadie down some stairs after he confronts her on their honeymoon.

It emerges that Sindi has been suffering from paranoid delusions and was briefly hospitalised during her teens after pushing schoolmate Kelly Weaver (Simone Ray) down some stairs leaving her paralysed. Sindi asks for an annulment, which Stuart refuses and she is transferred to a clinic in New South Wales. She promises she will return one day when she is better. In 2006, Stuart calls Sindi and asks her to join him in Oakey, which she agrees to do.

Reception

When Sindi's cousin, Lana (Bridget Neval), came out to her, the Sydney Star Observer called Sindi "sympathetic" and said her nice reaction to Lana's news was "good to see."[10] The BBC said Sindi's most notable moments were "Dating Toadie for money. Acting like a bogan to put Rocco off. The Making Mansions fiasco."[11] Fergus Sheil of The Age said: "Sindi Watts knows that dishonesty, a meditation tape and a lavender wheat bag should be an integral part of any intimate relationship, and that's why we love her to bits."[12]

References

  1. ↑ Usher, Robin (18 December 2002). "Dream run for endless night". The Age (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Wilkes, Neil (8 May 2005). "Three top 'Neighbours' stars axed". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi (UK) Ltd. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Actor: Marisa Warrington". BBC. Archived from the original on 17 August 2004. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "A new love?". TV Week (ACP Magazines) (10): 29. 6–12 March 2004.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Brygel, Jackie (13–19 March 2004). "Tiny's big secret". TV Week (ACP Magazines) (11): 29.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Brygel, Jackie (27 March – 2 April 2004). "Sindi's love dilemma". TV Week (ACP Magazines) (13): 32.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Brygel, Jackie (10–16 April 2004). "Spy games". TV Week (ACP Magazines) (15): 29.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Guide to the soaps". The Sun (News International). 20 May 2005. Archived from the original on 22 March 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Green, Kris; Wilkes, Neil (16 October 2005). "Issue #7: The Perfect Blend". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  10. ↑ "Neighbours". Sydney Star Observer (Gay & Lesbian Community Publishing Limited). 20 April 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  11. ↑ "Character: Sindi Watts". BBC. Archived from the original on 4 July 2004. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  12. ↑ Sheil, Fergus (21 April 2005). "Critic's view - Monday". The Age (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 11 May 2011.