Finn Kelly
Finn Kelly is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Rob Mills. The actor relocated to Melbourne, where the show's studios are located, for the role of progressive high school teacher Finn. Mills began filming his first scenes in early November 2016, and he confirmed that he would be on-screen for around four to five months. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 15 March 2017. Finn was introduced as a replacement for fellow teacher Brad Willis at Erinsborough High.
Finn initially projected a charismatic, affable, easygoing persona, which concealed his true sociopathic nature. He schemes to win back his former girlfriend Elly Conway and become principal of the school, before a brain aneurysm kills him. He manipulates student Xanthe Canning into helping him by using inappropriate flattery. Finn interferes with Susan Kennedy's multiple sclerosis medication, resulting in her hospitalisation and his subsequent promotion to principal. However, this soon leads to the character's downfall, and as his crimes are exposed, he tries to flee the country. After attempting to frame Xanthe and surviving a ruptured aneurysm, Finn departed on 29 June 2017.
Mills reprised the role for another guest stint in May 2018. Finn returns to Erinsborough with Elly's sister Bea Nilsson, who believes him to be a disabled man called Patrick, in order to exact his revenge. He uses Bea to frame Elly for a hit-and-run on Xanthe, which he carries out. Finn later corners Susan, Elly, Bea and Xanthe on a cliff edge, and he is pushed over by Susan, resulting in a four-month coma. Mills was promoted to the regular cast in March 2019 and Finn was redeemed through an amnesia storyline, which saw him move in with the Kennedys and start a new relationship with Bea. Mills enjoyed playing Finn's vulnerable side and hoped viewers would sympathise with him. Mills finished filming with the show in December 2019, and his exit scenes aired on 24 March 2020. Mills later reprised the role for a guest stint in March 2021 and on 28 July 2022 for the show's final episode.
For his portrayal of Finn, Mills was longlisted for Best Daytime Star at the 2019 Inside Soap Awards. Finn was named "one of the nastiest characters Neighbours has ever seen" by Johnathon Hughes of Radio Times. Finn's redemption storyline and promotion to the regular cast has proved divisive among viewers.
Casting
On 15 November 2016, Sophie Dainty of Digital Spy reported that actor Rob Mills had been cast in the guest role of high school teacher Finn Kelly. Mills began shooting his first scenes during the same week. Of joining the cast, Mills stated: "I can't wait to get started on the show. As a youngster, I played baseball just behind where Ramsay Street is located and I thought at the time, how great it would be to be on Neighbours, and now it has happened!" He later confirmed that his character's storyline would run for around four to five months. Mills made his first appearance as Finn on 15 March 2017.Development
Characterisation and introduction
Finn is hired by Erinsborough High principal Susan Kennedy to replace teacher Brad Willis. He is described as being "charismatic and affable", as well as a "progressive and respected school teacher". Of his similarities to the character, Mills told Colin Vickey of the Herald Sun: "They told me that he was handsome and charming and I went 'yeah, I can do that'. He loves kids. He is like Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society. He wants to make a difference in this world as an educator. That is my modus operandi as well. I love helping out kids and teaching." Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy observed Finn was "warm, easygoing and friendly" upon his arrival. Claire Tonkin of Network Ten stated that Finn "brings an unexpected agenda, juicy secrets and oodles of charm." As Finn settles in, it becomes clear that there is more to him "than meets the eye", and the serial's executive producer, Jason Herbison called him "a really intriguing character". Vickery noted that Finn "has a dark side", which led Mills to describe him as "driven". He explained that Finn does not let anything get in the way of what he wants and initially only the viewers would see this side of him. He added that Finn is "quite good at charming and manipulating people to convince them of his good intentions."On-screen it emerges that Finn had a relationship with fellow teacher Elly Conway when they both lived in Sydney. Anasta said that Elly was in love with Finn, but she was unaware that he was married and lying to her at the time. Anasta called him "the ultimate charmer and heartbreaker". She also said that Finn is the former boyfriend that Elly attempted to run down in her car, which had been briefly mentioned on-screen before his arrival. Finn's introduction also led to further exploration of Elly's background and behaviour. She is "taken aback" when she sees him at the school, and viewers are given an insight into the manipulation and embarrassment she suffered while working with Finn in Sydney. Elly worries that Finn is going to cause trouble for her, while Susan is impressed by him. Anasta stated that like Elly, Finn has been through "some tough times". He has issues, and does not necessary make the right choices, which makes him seem like a bad person, but he is not "intrinsically nasty or horrible." He and Elly initially clash over their history, before she asks him to resign and leave the school, which Finn refuses to do. He later finds her at a local bar and says he wants to make amends, but Elly does not forgive him and they cause a scene. Finn begins tutoring Elly's student Xanthe Canning and shows interest in her cousin Ben Kirk's career plans. While he is talking with Xanthe, Elly confronts him about an online comment regarding the incident at the bar. She pushes him away from her and he falls down some stairs in front of Xanthe.
Career ambitions and manipulation of Xanthe Canning
Finn wants to reunite with Elly and take the principal job from Susan. A writer for TV Soap said that relocating to Erinsborough to work at the high school was all part of Finn's plan to win Elly back, after ruining their relationship with his "vindictive scheming". Having realised that he is in love with Elly, Finn does not want to waste time as he has a brain aneurysm, that could rupture at any moment. He knows that he has the perfect opportunity to fulfil his dream of becoming a school principal, and begins keeping notes on every decision Susan makes. He also convinces Xanthe to be his spy at the school, after she learns about his aneurysm. Finn "turns on the charm" with Elly and they have sex. Following their night together, Elly avoids Finn and later says that she does not want to be in a relationship with him. Adding to his frustrations, she and Susan find Xanthe a new tutor, as they realise that she has become too involved in his personal life. Finn loses his temper with Elly and receives a warning about his behaviour, leading him to step up his plan to have Susan removed from her job. Finn starts by using his relationship with Elly to undermine Susan's role as principal.Finn also finds an opportunity to continue his manipulation of Xanthe when he finds her organising a picnic at the lake on Mother's Day. He plays on her sympathetic nature by admitting that he finds the day difficult, as his mother is dead. Finn later gifts Xanthe a necklace for her birthday, and allows her to attend a hospital appointment with him. The next step in Finn's plan sees him interfere with Susan's multiple sclerosis medication, resulting in her hospitalisation and his promotion to acting principal. While shooting the medication swap scene, the director asked Mills to make it clear that Finn did not find his decision easy, showing that he was not all bad and had chosen "the darker path" as it was the quickest way to achieve his goal. Mills said that Finn has to use Susan's collapse to remind others that she is not fit to run the school, which convinces them that he is the best person for the position. He also explained that he enjoyed being "Susan's nemesis" and playing out the tension between her and Finn, saying "there was no shouting or confrontation, they hate each other but both chose to play the long game."
After Xanthe realises that he is behind Susan's condition, Finn uses "inappropriate flattery" to make sure she keeps quiet. Johnathon Hughes of Radio Times observed that Finn is "borderline grooming" Xanthe with his manipulative behaviour, and Mills admitted to being worried about how far his character was going to go with her. He said, "I spoke to the writers early on and they explained it wasn't going to be that kind of relationship. Xanthe has fallen for Finn, but it's not reciprocated romantically by him at all. She lacks a positive male role model in her life and Finn is the first person in her life who has really nurtured her." He also said that Finn needs Xanthe to keep his aneurysm a secret, and that he genuinely wants her and the other students to do well at school. Mills told Hughes that Finn does worry he has taken things with Xanthe too far. He realises that she has the information to cause his downfall, and he cannot risk her finding out that he has been using her. The actor later said that Finn will go as far as he can with Xanthe without their relationship becoming sexual, as he still loves Elly. However, he will tell Xanthe he loves her if it means she does not become suspicious about his intentions.
Downfall
The character's downfall is sparked by student protests at the changes he has made to the school, including a vertical integration teaching scheme. Mills admitted that Finn "hasn't put any logistics in place for this system to work" and called his character "an idiot". He explained that Finn just assumed the students and teachers would be ready, which adds to his frustrations because he does not have the time to implement things slowly. Mills commented that it makes Finn's behaviour "more maniacal." Piper and Ben later show Finn a petition and Piper films his reaction to send to the local newspaper. Finn then "goads" Ben over Xanthe's decision to break up with him. Finn's involvement in Susan's hospitalisation is also discovered after Nell Rebecchi swallows some of the pills and collapses. Susan's husband Karl Kennedy notices Susan tested positive for the same painkillers, and gives them to the police.With the medication swap exposed and the police wanting to question him, Finn decides to leave the country. However, Xanthe believes herself to be in love with him and books herself a ticket too, telling Finn that he needs someone to look after him. Mills told Ellis that Finn feels he cannot say no in case Xanthe tells everyone the truth about his crimes. He also revealed that they shot the plane scenes out of sequence, after he had only completed a couple of weeks filming. He called it "a good acting exercise" as he had to really think about the things Finn and Xanthe would go through to get to that point. Finn and Xanthe are found by the police and taken to the station, where Finn is questioned about poisoning Susan and having an inappropriate relationship with Xanthe. Finn tells the police that Xanthe poisoned Susan and frames her with false evidence. When faced with the accusation, Xanthe refuses to believe that Finn would do that to her, and does not cooperate with the police any further.
After he is released, Finn goes into hiding. Mills told Soaplife's Alison James that Finn is waiting for "the heat to die down" over the "furore" he has caused at the school and with Xanthe. During a showdown with Xanthe, who realises that he has used her, Finn's aneurysm bursts. Mills said it had been just a matter of time before it did, and Finn had been experiencing headaches whenever he became frustrated or angry. Finn falls into a coma and Xanthe calls an ambulance. When he wakes up, he claims to be paralysed and later claims that he was almost smothered by Elly. Mills thought Finn was on a downward spiral and struggling to get out of the mess he has made. The actor told James that Finn becomes "a compulsive liar and he turns into something of a psychopath". Finn made his exit on 29 June 2017, following a confrontation with Susan, who realises that he is not remorseful. Mills would not rule out a return for his character in the future, saying "I'd be up for returning at some point if they'll have me. I want Finn to be redeemed, if that's at all possible..."