# Rebekah Elmaloglou
**Rebekah Elmaloglou** (Rebekah Sophie Elmaloglou Baker, born 1974) is an Australian actress best known for playing Sophie Simpson on *Home and Away* from 1990 to 1993 and Terese Willis on *Neighbours* from 2013 to 2022 and again from 2023 until the show's final end in 2025.[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou) • [2](https://www.nowtolove.com.au/entertainment/rebekah-elmaloglou-career-plans/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1974, Paddington, New South Wales[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou) |
| Signature roles | Sophie Simpson, *Home and Away* (1990–1993, guest returns 2002, 2003, 2005); Terese Willis, *Neighbours* (2013–2022, 2023–2025)[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou) • [3](https://fremantle.com/news/new-cast-announced-for-neighbours-new-chapter) |
| Family background | Father born in France to Greek parents, a cellist in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra; mother an English kindergarten teacher[4](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm) |
| Training | Left school at 15; studied acting, singing, and dancing at the Keane Kids studios in Sydney[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou) • [4](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm) |
| Personal life | Son Kai born 2008; married Kai's father Kane Baker in Byron Bay in 2009[4](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm) |
| Health disclosures | Panic attacks and exhaustion during *Home and Away*; later diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, managed with relaxation exercises[4](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm) |
| Recent television | Contestant on *I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!* Australia (season 12), supporting SANE Australia[5](https://10.com.au/im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here/celebrities/season-12/rebekah-elmaloglou/pa260116tpibl) • [2](https://www.nowtolove.com.au/entertainment/rebekah-elmaloglou-career-plans/) |
## Early life and training
Elmaloglou was born in [Paddington](https://www.edgepedia.org/paddington), New South Wales, and raised in Sydney. Her father was born in France to Greek parents and played cello with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra; her mother was an English-born kindergarten teacher.[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou) • [4](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm) She began performing at age eight as Marta in a production of *The Sound of Music* for the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust.[5](https://10.com.au/im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here/celebrities/season-12/rebekah-elmaloglou/pa260116tpibl) After roles including *Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome* and *A Country Practice*, she left school at 15 and trained at the Keane Kids studios in Sydney.[4](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm)
Her early screen work included substantial roles in the children's series *Five Times Dizzy* and *Adventures on Kythera*, the miniseries *Emma: Queen of the South Seas* (as Young Emma, 1988), a two-week guest part as an asthmatic homeless girl named Simone in *E Street* in 1989, and Jocelyn Moorhouse's debut short film *The Siege of Barton's Bathroom*.[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou) • [5](https://10.com.au/im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here/celebrities/season-12/rebekah-elmaloglou/pa260116tpibl)
## Home and Away, 1990 to 1993
Elmaloglou first appeared on *Home and Away* in January 1990 as Sophie Simpson, the last teenager fostered by Tom and Pippa Fletcher, and became one of the show's core young cast members.[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou) Her most discussed storyline was Sophie's relationship with David Croft, played by [Guy Pearce](https://www.edgepedia.org/guy-pearce), a character ten years older; David was killed in a car accident and Sophie then discovered she was pregnant. Her final scenes aired in January 1993, with Sophie leaving for Perth with her baby daughter.[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou)
She later said the workload brought exhaustion and panic attacks, and that she was subsequently diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder, which she managed with relaxation exercises.[4](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm)
## Between the soaps
After leaving *Home and Away*, Elmaloglou appeared in a UK pantomime of *Aladdin* and took guest roles in Australian dramas including *A Country Practice*, *G.P.*, *Paradise Beach*, *Pacific Drive*, *Water Rats*, and *[All Saints](https://www.edgepedia.org/all-saints-tv-series)*, and played a role in the 1994 film *The Sum of Us*.[4](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm) • [5](https://10.com.au/im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here/celebrities/season-12/rebekah-elmaloglou/pa260116tpibl) She returned to *Home and Away* as a guest in 2002 and 2003, making 17 appearances, with 3 more in 2005, in episodes centered on Sophie's rekindled relationship with Blake Dean.[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou)
In interviews she has described long stretches between jobs during this period, including cleaning houses, waitressing, and working in homewares.[6](https://www.nowtolove.com.au/entertainment/tv/neighbours-rebecca-elmaloglou-is-mavournee-hazels-mentor-46367/)
## Neighbours and Terese Willis
In 2013, after a break from acting, Elmaloglou joined *Neighbours* as Terese Willis, first appearing on screen in May 2013.[4](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm) The casting reunited her with actors from her *Home and Away* past: her on-screen husband Brad was played by Kip Gamblin, and her father-in-law Doug by [Terence Donovan](https://www.edgepedia.org/terence-donovan), who had played her on-screen father Al Simpson decades earlier.[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou) Terese's on-off relationship with [Paul Robinson](https://www.edgepedia.org/paul-robinson-neighbours), played by [Stefan Dennis](https://www.edgepedia.org/stefan-dennis), became one of the show's central stories.[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou)
When *Neighbours* was canceled in 2022, Elmaloglou and her husband sold their house to move closer to her family, then had to reverse course when the show was revived.[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou) Producer Fremantle announced in February 2023 that she would reprise Terese as a series regular in the new chapter of the show, which premiered on [Amazon Freevee](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-freevee) and Prime Video.[3](https://fremantle.com/news/new-cast-announced-for-neighbours-new-chapter) The revived series ran until a second finale in December 2025, in which Paul and Terese married for the second time.[7](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-12/neighbours-finale-recap/106133684)
## Recent work
Elmaloglou was a contestant on the twelfth Australian season of *I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!*, where she spoke publicly about her history of anxiety and supported the mental health charity SANE Australia.[5](https://10.com.au/im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here/celebrities/season-12/rebekah-elmaloglou/pa260116tpibl) • [8](https://www.nowtolove.com.au/entertainment/rebekah-elmaloglou-im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here/) After the show she said she wanted to move into comedy, presenting, and radio, and had secured a UK talent agent, while noting she had long been pigeonholed as a soap actress.[2](https://www.nowtolove.com.au/entertainment/rebekah-elmaloglou-career-plans/) • [9](https://www.newidea.com.au/entertainment/neighbours-spin-off/)
## Family
Elmaloglou married Kane Baker, the father of her son Kai, in Byron Bay in 2009.[4](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm) Her younger brother Sebastian Elmaloglou, born 1989, also appeared in *Home and Away*, playing Max, a relative of the Sutherlands.[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou) Through her English-born mother she is reported to be related to the actress [Judi Dench](https://www.edgepedia.org/judi-dench).[1](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou)
## References
1. [Rebekah Elmaloglou, Home and Away Soap Opera Wiki (Fandom)](https://home-and-away-soap-opera.fandom.com/wiki/Rebekah_Elmaloglou)
2. ['I'm not just a soap actress': After I'm A Celeb, Rebekah Elmaloglou is ready for something new, Now To Love (TV WEEK)](https://www.nowtolove.com.au/entertainment/rebekah-elmaloglou-career-plans/)
3. [New cast announced for Neighbours' new chapter, Fremantle (28 February 2023)](https://fremantle.com/news/new-cast-announced-for-neighbours-new-chapter)
4. [Rebekah Elmaloglou profile, Neighbours: The Perfect Blend](https://www.perfectblend.net/neighbourhood/pro/elmaloglou-rebekah.htm)
5. [Rebekah Elmaloglou, I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! Season 12, Network Ten](https://10.com.au/im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here/celebrities/season-12/rebekah-elmaloglou/pa260116tpibl)
6. [Neighbours' co-stars Rebekah Elmaloglou and Mavournee Hazel gush over their working relationship, Now To Love](https://www.nowtolove.com.au/entertainment/tv/neighbours-rebecca-elmaloglou-is-mavournee-hazels-mentor-46367/)
7. [After 40 years of plot twists and drama, Neighbours wraps up for the last time — again, ABC News (12 December 2025)](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-12/neighbours-finale-recap/106133684)
8. [I'm A Celeb's Rebekah Elmaloglou opens up about her mental health battle, Now To Love (19 January 2026)](https://www.nowtolove.com.au/entertainment/rebekah-elmaloglou-im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-of-here/)
9. [EXCLUSIVE: Rebekah Elmaloglou breaks silence on Neighbours spin-off, New Idea (20 February 2026)](https://www.newidea.com.au/entertainment/neighbours-spin-off/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Soap operas and continuing serials › British and Australasian soaps and characters › Australasian soap actors and production people*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license