Charlene Robinson
Charlene Robinson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours played by Kylie Minogue. Charlene was introduced to the show along with several new characters, as part of a revamp by Network Ten to increase ratings. Minogue auditioned for the role in 1985, shortly after finishing her high school exams. She attended the audition dressed as the character and casting director Jan Russ cast her in the role. Minogue was initially contracted for a week, but this was later extended through to mid-1988. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 17 April 1986.
Charlene was portrayed as a feisty, quick-tempered and outspoken tomboy. She had a difficult relationship with her mother and did not like being patronised. Minogue thought viewers liked the character as she was an average Australian teenager. Reinforcing her tomboyish image, Charlene trained as a mechanic and she often wore khaki overalls and baggy sweatshirts. Her relationship with Scott Robinson was central to many of her storylines. They became a popular couple with viewers and the relationship helped boost ratings for Neighbours. Despite breaking up several times during their first 12 months together, the couple stayed together and their relationship eventually culminated in a wedding during "Episode 523", which was first broadcast on 1 July 1987.
During her time as Charlene, Minogue also started singing and released two successful pop singles during 1987 followed by her debut album the following year. In mid-1988, Minogue decided to leave Neighbours to concentrate on her music career. She filmed her final scenes in June 1988 and Charlene made her final screen appearance on 26 July. Minogue won four Logie Awards for her portrayal of Charlene, including the Gold Logie, becoming the youngest person to do so. Critical reaction to the character has been positive. Soap Opera author Dorothy Hobson said Charlene broke stereotypes when it came to careers for women in the 1980s. In 2022, Minogue agreed to return to the role, alongside Donovan, for what was believed to be the soap's final episode.
Creation and casting
After the Seven Network dropped Neighbours in 1985, rival channel Network Ten picked the series up. It initially attracted low ratings and Ten began working hard to publicise the series. They revamped the show and added several new cast members. Kylie Minogue had had a fairly successful career as a child actress, having appeared in various television dramas, including Skyways and The Henderson Kids, but she was considering giving up acting after failing to find further work. After finishing her school exams in 1985, Minogue then auditioned for the role of Charlene. She attended the audition dressed as the character and won the role. Of hiring Minogue, Neighbours casting director Jan Russ commented Minogue "had done a couple of things before I saw her, but she was only 18 and as shy as a mouse. She really hadn't evolved into anything at that stage, but the camera loved her and I knew I had my Charlene." Minogue initially signed up to play Charlene for one week, this was then extended to 13 weeks and then through to mid-1988. She made her debut screen appearance in the episode broadcast on 17 April 1986.Development
Backstory and characterisation
In her fictional backstory, Charlene was born in Coffs Harbour on 21 October 1969. She is the youngest child of Fred and Madge Mitchell, and sister of Henry. When she was a teenager, Charlene drank alcohol, fell pregnant with her first boyfriend and had an abortion. In their 1989 book The Neighbours Factfile', Neil Wallis and Dave Hogan described Charlene's life as "one long series of scrapes and scraps". After her parents divorced, Charlene remained living with her father, but when he felt he was incapable of looking after her, Charlene followed her mother to Erinsborough. Hilary Kingsley, author of Soap Box, observed that Charlene left behind her "life as Lolita" upon moving to the suburb.Charlene was a self-described tomboy, who preferred to be known by her nickname "Lenny". She was known for her quick temper and her "heart of gold". She always stuck up for those who were considered the underdog. In her book Neighbours: The First 10 Years, Josephine Monroe wrote that Charlene did not like to be patronised and had a sharp tongue. Monroe observed that Charlene's feisty side helped endear her to viewers. In keeping with her tomboyish nature, Charlene trained as a mechanic after leaving school and got an apprenticeship with Rob Lewis. The character's style often consisted of khaki overalls, baggy sweatshirts and her hair set in a perm.
Minogue thought people liked Charlene because she was portrayed as an average Australian teenager, experiencing a difficult relationship with her mother. She continued, "She is a bit of a rebel and they probably relate to that, and while she has her problems she will always come out on top." Minogue shared some similarities with her character, but thought Charlene was far more outspoken and tomboyish than she was. Minogue liked that Charlene often said what she thought, but joked that if she were in trouble and tried to punch someone as Charlene did, she would probably get "flattened". Minogue also said Charlene was sensitive, but she was unlikely to show it and would "rather die than be caught crying."
Relationship with Scott Robinson
Charlene's first scenes were with Scott Robinson. He thought she was trying to break into the Ramsay house and confronted her, which resulted in Charlene punching him. Minogue ended up punching Donovan for real during the take. Producers soon created a story arc for the characters that saw them enter into a romantic relationship. Scott and Charlene's relationship helped boost ratings for Neighbours and the show's publicist, Brian Walsh, capitalised on Minogue and Donovan's increasing popularity with viewers and rumoured off-screen romance. Of Scott and Charlene, Minogue commented "People like Scott and Charlene being a couple. It's probably the most normal relationship in the show." Kelly Bourne from TV Week observed that Scott and Charlene struck a chord with fans, who could identify with them.Scott and Charlene had problems during their first 12 months together and they broke up several times. One such break-up occurred after Charlene's mother thought she should date other boys, while Scott had to repeat his final year of school without her. Scott was initially unsure how to win Charlene back, but after speaking with his grandmother, Helen, who mentioned that her husband gave her a friendship ring, Scott went out and bought one for Charlene. While they were enjoying a barbecue at Charlene's caravan by Lassiter's lake, the couple argued about Charlene spending time with Warren Murphy and Scott decided to leave. When Charlene started to go after Scott, she found herself trapped by a fire that had been accidentally started by Greg Davis. Greg had been storing petrol under the caravan and spilled it as he was removing the cans, causing the petrol to head towards the still burning barbecue. Scott rescued "a terrified" Charlene from the flames, but an explosion threw them both to the ground and Charlene was knocked unconscious.
Donovan commented that Scott loved Charlene, so when he saw she was in danger, he forgot to think about himself and he just went in to rescue her. Donovan added that Scott was "devastated" when he saw Charlene had been injured. At the hospital, Scott gave Charlene the friendship ring and declared that they would live together. Minogue told Bourne that Charlene was flattered by the gift, while Donovan stated that it proved that they loved each other and were not going to break up again. Minogue agreed with Donovan, saying "There is that underlying love whether they are together or not." After learning about the couple's plans to move in together, their friends and neighbours expressed their shock at how serious the couple had become. When Charlene showed the ring to Daphne Clarke and told her how she and Scott wanted to live together, Daphne was taken back. Scott's friend Mike Young also voiced his opposition, but Scott was determined that no one would stop them from moving in together. Bourne noted that Daphne's shock at the couple's plans was "the start of a major controversy, splitting apart the inhabitants of Ramsay Street."
When older Neighbours viewers expressed their concern about a young unwed couple moving in together, producers decided to have them marry instead. On-screen, neither family approved of Scott and Charlene's plan to move in together, but when Scott learned his father was only 18 when he got married, Scott found the solution to their problem and asked Charlene to marry him. Minogue said Charlene was shocked at first, but she became "very excited" about the idea of getting married. She continued, "She knows they want to live together and they have had so much trouble getting their parents' approval that I suppose getting married seems the logical thing to do. They will be together anyway, so they may as well finalise it." After getting over her initial shock, Madge gave the couple her blessing to get married. Minogue and Donovan both agreed that they would not get married so young, and Donovan thought that younger couples should live together first. He also believed that Scott was rushing into things. Scott and Charlene were married during "Episode 523", which was first broadcast on 1 July 1987 to two million Australian viewers. The episode became "a TV phenomenon" and Minogue said it was what Scott and Charlene's romance had been building up to.
After returning from their honeymoon, Scott and Charlene moved in with Madge and Henry, and they struggled financially. Just three months after their wedding, producers decided to throw temptation at the couple to keep their relationship interesting. Andrew Mercado, author of Super Aussie Soaps, quipped that "a happy soap couple is considered the kiss of death". Scott was the first to cheat when he kissed Jane Harris, while she helped him study for his HSC. After Jane confessed to Charlene, she threw Scott out and refused to talk to him. In a bid to reunite the couple, Jane told Charlene that she would steal Scott away from her unless she did something about it. The couple soon reunited. The following year, Charlene had a brief affair with her driving instructor Steve Fisher.