Bea Nilsson
Bea Nilsson is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by singer-songwriter Bonnie Anderson. Anderson had auditioned for the serial numerous times, and after impressing producers, they created the role of Beatrix "Bea" Nilsson just for her. She was given a two-year contract and she began filming in February 2018. Bea marks Anderson's first major acting role and she called it "the best thing" that had ever happened to her. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 18 May 2018. The character was introduced as the estranged half-sister of Elly Conway and niece of Susan Kennedy.
Bea is characterised as fierce, strong, and independent. She keeps her guard up and hides behind a "tough exterior". However, she is loyal and willing to do anything to protect her loved ones. Anderson liked that her character had "rough edges", but thought there was also an innocence about her. She was also surprised by the positive response to Bea's early scenes as the character was "quite bitchy". It emerges through her early scenes that Bea fought with Elly and then spent five years living on the streets. Anderson hoped that the sisters would be able to rebuild their relationship. Her singing career was later incorporated into the show, as Bea is shown to be a singer-songwriter. Anderson released her track "Sorry" via Bea's storyline.
The character's introduction and early storylines were intertwined with the return of villain Finn Kelly, who manipulates and uses her to gain revenge on those he feels have wronged him, including Elly and Susan. Anderson felt sorry for her character because she had loved Finn. Bea and Elly's relationship remains strained in the aftermath, which allows their mother Liz Conway, whom Anderson branded selfish, to play them off against one another. Liz's introduction also helps explore Bea's fictional backstory further, as it emerges that Liz wanted Bea to leave home because she reminded Liz too much of her father.
Bea's romantic relationships have been central to her storylines. Writers paired Bea with her second love interest Ned Willis in August 2018. He and Bea form a close bond during a series of night time walks and Anderson thought that he made Bea feel safe. Ned and Bea's relationship is badly affected by Finn's return to Ramsay Street, as Ned becomes controlling and possessive of Bea. He deliberately fails to stop a chemical attack in which Bea is poisoned, so that Finn will get the blame. Anderson found the chemical attack scenes to be some of the hardest she had to film. She also agreed with Bea and Ned's subsequent break-up. A romantic relationship is soon re-established between Bea and Finn, who is suffering from amnesia as a result of a fall. Anderson believed that Bea initially feel sadness for Finn, before the "spark" between them returns. During the show's 35th anniversary week, Finn regains his memories and attempts to kill Bea by pushing her into a mineshaft, so he can be with Elly.
The character has a short-lived relationship with Levi Canning. The pair develop a strong friendship, however, before they can act on their growing feelings, Bea becomes the centre of a love triangle as she begins dating guest character Nathan Packard. It soon emerges that Nathan was part of a gang who attacked Levi when he was younger and he and Bea eventually part ways. Anderson enjoyed working with Morris and Gallagher on the storyline, and reiterated that Levi was the man for Bea. The pair become a couple during the serial's Christmas episodes. As part of a storyline exploring the danger of picking wild mushrooms, Bea is poisoned after she consumes toxic mushrooms in a pie made by Roxy Willis and Kyle Canning. Bea chooses to keep their involvement a secret, which leaves Levi feeling betrayed when he learns the truth. It also exposes a lack of communication between him and Bea. Further issues between them, including Levi getting Bea fired from her job, lead to their break-up.
Anderson decided to leave Neighbours in early 2021 in order to concentrate on her music career and pursue other acting roles. She wanted a dramatic exit, but instead Bea leaves Erinsborough for a road trip around Australia after breaking up with Levi. Anderson filmed her exit scenes on 4 March 2021 and they were broadcast on 24 May 2021. When Neighbours was cancelled in 2022, Anderson reprised the role for its then-finale and for a couple of episodes following its revival. Her final appearance aired on 14 November 2023. The character and Anderson's performance were well received by critics. In 2019, Anderson received a nomination for the Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent. Digital Spy's Conor McMullan observed that Bea's arrival had "really livened up the lives of the Kennedy-Conways", while Sarah Ellis of Inside Soap thought Anderson had done well making the change from singing to acting.
Casting
On 5 May 2018, it was announced that singer Bonnie Anderson had joined the main cast of Neighbours as Beatrix "Bea" Nilsson, the estranged half-sister of Elly Conway. Fiona Bryne of the Herald Sun reported that Anderson had been given a two-year contract with the show, which marked her first major acting role. The serial's executive producer Jason Herbison said the character of Bea was created especially for Anderson, after she impressed producers when she met with them. He called her "a true talent and a perfect fit for Neighbours." Anderson later revealed that she had auditioned for the show a number of times, while April Rose Pengilly confirmed that Anderson originally auditioned for her character Chloe Brennan, before producers wrote the role of Bea for her. Of her casting, Anderson stated "I do pinch myself, this is an amazing job to have, even though I started filming in February, it still feels surreal being on set, seeing how it all happens and being a part of it." Anderson later admitted that Neighbours was "the best thing" that ever happened to her as she felt that it gave her back a sense of self-worth. She relished the structure and the platform it gave her. Anderson made her debut appearance as Bea on 18 May 2018.Development
Characterisation
The character's profile on the official Neighbours website describes her as being fierce, "prickly" and having a "tough exterior", which she uses to hide a "troubled heart." However, she will "go to the ends of the earth" to protect those she loves. Bea wants "unconditional love", especially from her half-sister. A writer for 10Play called Bea "a strong independent woman, who's incredibly creative and hard-working". Speaking of what she likes about her character, Anderson stated: "I love her, she has depth and when she loves she loves deeply. She has some rough edges and she's done it tough yet there is an innocence and purity about her."The character's fictional backstory explains that she was raised by her "no hoper dad" until she went to live with her mother and sister. However, Bea and Elly did not get on and after a fight, Bea left home and lived on the streets. Bea resents her sister's seemingly "easy ride through life." Anderson had an understanding of her character's backstory after working with a charity that raises funds for homeless people. Upon her introduction, it emerges that Bea and Elly have been estranged for a long time. Megan Davies of Digital Spy said the sisters have "a tempestuous history", and Elly worries that Bea will turn her life upside down, especially as she has "a dark past". Bea is also the niece of the show's stalwart Susan Kennedy. Anderson was excited about being part of the Kennedy family, saying "to be playing Susan Kennedy's niece is pretty amazing."
Anderson thought the early positive response to Bea was interesting because her initial scenes had her acting "very guarded, and quite bitchy". Anderson thought Bea's behaviour was understandable because life had been tough for her, explaining: "She's been homeless for five years, and she's always felt like an outsider. She has so much envy towards her sister Elly." Anderson hoped that Bea would be able to rebuild her relationship with Elly, and pointed out that they were sisters and they did love each other. She told Sarah Ellis of Inside Soap that what happened between them would make more sense upon the introduction of their mother.
In April 2020, Anderson called for Bea's father to be introduced, as she thought it would be "cool" to explore more of her character's past and their relationship. She commented "He is out there somewhere – he's this Swedish guy, I believe his name is Lars. I'm not sure if I look Swedish but there you go!" Johnathon Hughes from the Radio Times speculated that introducing Lars to an "already-fractured family" could bring even more drama for Bea, whose relationship with her mother Liz Conway was so bad that she had to leave home and live on the streets. Anderson also wanted Liz to return and said that there would be plenty of things for Bea to do following Elly's departure.
Singing career
Producers decided to incorporate Anderson's singing career into the show, starting with Bea performing at a local Christmas carol concert in December 2018. Anderson confirmed that producers had not planned for her character to be singing in the show, and she herself wanted her music and acting careers separated at the beginning. She believed the development had been "quite organic", as Bea was shown to be a songwriter with a singing background, instead of emerging as a "superstar" overnight. During the episode, Bea is "a bundle of nerves" about performing and the arrival of her mother worsens her anxiety, as she recalls a childhood recital that went badly. Anderson admitted that she did not realise how big the Christmas episode would be until an editor allowed her to watch it back. She told Kilkelly: "This is Bea's big moment where she shows her voice after hiding it away for so long. It was really nice to see it come to life and how they put it all together. I'm forever grateful to be part of such a beautiful episode for Christmas Day."Anderson later released a single "Sorry" via Bea's storyline. She received immediate comparisons to Delta Goodrem, who also launched her early singles during her time playing Nina Tucker in the serial. Anderson wrote the song two years prior to its use in Neighbours and felt that she was "putting myself out there in an authentic way." "Sorry" was released as Anderson's first UK single, after her character performed the song in scenes broadcast in April 2019. The song is about Anderson's experiences with a toxic relationship, which tied into Bea's storyline with Finn. Anderson said the opportunity to tie the two together was "a bizarre but great feeling". Talking about "Sorry" within the show, Anderson explained "The song is designed to help Bea overcome her fears and take back her power. She has a clear message to get across to Finn, which is important for her to have him know."
In 2020, as part of the serial's 35th anniversary, Anderson became the eighth person to record a version of the theme song.