Katya Kinski
Katya Kinski is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Dichen Lachman. She made her first on-screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 12 December 2005. Lachman originally auditioned for the role of Elle Robinson. But producers asked her to play Katya instead. Katya is characterised as a "bitchy nasty person" with a "dark past". She arrives in Erinsborough to visit her terminally-ill father Alex before his death. She reunites with her younger siblings Rachel and Zeke Kinski. Katya feuds with Susan Kennedy and Karl Kennedy over custody of her siblings. Lachman believed that her flawed character disliked Susan to justify her own failings as a sister.
Writers paired her with psychopath character Robert Robinson. He planned to murder her, stalked her and kidnapped her. Katya develops posttraumatic stress disorder and her neighbour Max Hoyland supports her. Katya falls in love with Max but he remains loyal to his wife. Producers introduced Guy Sykes to explore her criminal past. Katya participates in car thefts, is blackmailed and shot by Guy. He then tries to attack her with a defibrillator and later holds her hostage. Other storylines include a romance with Ned Parker and being run over. Lachman left Neighbours in 2006 and Katya's last appearance was broadcast on 7 February 2007.
Casting
Lachman originally auditioned for the role of Elle Robinson, but the producers decided to create the role of Katya for her instead.Development
Characterisation
describe Katya as being "introspective and self-sufficient" after her siblings were born. She had been given a "sheltered life" and became a "naturally curious teenager" wanting to explore the world. They state that Katya was close to her mother and dealt with her death by going off the rail because she felt so much anger and hurt inside. Katya has an extremely dark past and she often shows signs of "self-destructive behaviour". Lachman enjoyed playing the "more fun side" of her character, opposed to the "bitchy nasty person" she was often written as. Lachman said was "fatiguing" but a "good challenge".Reuniting with family
On her arrival, Katya was described as "feisty" by Jackie Brygel from TV Week and Lachman added Katya is "very complicated and full of contradictions, she may have quite a dark past." Lachman later explained that Katya ran away from home when she was sixteen and that there is a lot of "animosity" between Katya and her father. When her younger siblings, Rachel and Zeke, ask Katya to return with them to see their dying father, Katya is "too angry to think about trying to mend bridges." However, she later turns up in Ramsay Street and Karl Kennedy urges her to make up with Alex. Lachman told Jason Herbison from Inside Soap that Katya and Alex "have been estranged for several years" and that she "holds a lot of resentment towards her father" because he kicked her out following her mother's death. Upon seeing Alex again Lachman states that "It's not easy for her to do – it's very painful. Katya is retrained the first time she sees Alex, but eventually her anger spills out, and she has a huge argument with him. Katya says what she's wanted to say for years. She brands Katya's final moments with Alex as a time of "great joy and great pain."Katya's reunion with her brother and sister is "very emotional". Lachman explained that her character has convinced herself that Zeke and Rachel did not care about her. But their efforts to track her down prove otherwise. Katya and Alex try to solve their differences before he dies. She promises to help take care of her younger siblings and takes that seriously. But Katya's insistence on looking after them causes problems with Alex's widow Susan Kennedy. Susan had already raised three children of her own but Katya questions her parenting skills. Her friendship with ex-husband Karl becomes an issue for Katya, who they are about to reconcile.
Lachman later told Herbison that Katya feels as though her "territory is being encroached upon". Susan has developed a bond with Rachel and Zeke plus married her father. This makes her resent Susan and her suspicions about Karl only serve to make matters worse. The actress explained that Karl was Alex's doctor and believes he was in love with Susan while treating him. She is also angry with him involving himself with Zeke who had been suffering from traumatic mutism because of Alex's death. Katya's attitude frustrates Susan and she tries to make amends over a meal. Lachman believed that her character "lets her guard down with Susan" and Katya "forgets herself" in the moment. But Susan reveals that Karl informed her about Alex's illness against his wishes and "that progress comes undone". Katya is furious with Karl for breaking his medical oath and threatens to report his behaviour to the medical board. Writers developed the Katya and Susan feud further by introducing a custody battle over Rachel and Zeke. Susan hires lawyer and friend Toadie Rebecchi to help her win the case. But he is placed in a difficult situation because he has grown close to Katya. A writer from the Sunday Mercury revealed that Toadie "uncovers some dark secrets" about Katya. Rather than report her he deletes the information. Lachman believed that Katya did not really think Karl and Susan did wrong by her father. She explained that her character needed a reason to justify her behaviour. Katya feels guilty for abandoning her family and blaming the Kennedy's "gives her a reason to fight to get them back."
Relationship with Robert Robinson
Producers lined up a romance storyline with Robert Robinson. She begins dating him under the impression that he is his twin brother, Cameron Robinson. Katya was played as having a fear of intimacy and unsure about him. But following encouragement from Susan she agrees to accompany her new love interest on a picnic. But Robert was plotting to ruin his father Paul Robinson's life. He worries that his feelings for Katya are distracting him from his original goal. He plans to murder her and takes her to deserted bush land. But when they arrives he changes his mind. Katya slips and fall over the edge of a cliff. He rushes to her aid and saves her. Producers continued to display the character's sinister side when Sean, a "dark figure" from Katya's past arrives. Robert decides to murder Sean to prevent him from upsetting Katya. Katya is asked to do a shift at the same hospital Cameron is lay comatose in. Fearing she will discover the truth, he offers her a lift and crashes the car to prevent her from making her shift.Katya begins to suspect that Robert is pretending to be Cameron. He takes Paul hostage down a mineshaft and leaves him for dead. Dennis told Inside Soap's Herbison that Katya knows something is not right, "she realises Robert must be up to no good. For Paul's sake, lets hope she can convince others!" Katya exposes Robert's crimes and Paul is rescued. Writers added Katya to the list of characters Robert wants to seek revenge. Lachman explained that the situation is distressing for Katya because Robert is tormenting many of her fellow neighbours. Katya orders a taxi and Robert turns up in a disguise. He takes her hostage and takes her to a secluded location in a motorhome. Lachman told Herbison that had been stalking Katya and is obsessed. She believed Robert loves Katya "in his own mad way". Katya decides to play along with Robert's fantasies about them starting a new life elsewhere. Dichman said her "clever" character tells Robert she wants to spend her life with him. They read an advertisement which publicises Paul's wedding. Katya mentions that it may be the final chance he has to kill his father. She suggests they delay their departure and he visit the ceremony, hoping that it will give her time to escape.
Filming alongside Hunter proved difficult for cast members. He played both characters and Robert spent most of his time impersonating Cameron. Lachman approached the issue by only reading scenes Katya was involved in. She said that had she read the script as normal she would have been too confused. She praised "brilliant" Hunter for his professionalism and performance as two characters.
Max Hoyland
Following her kidnapping producers created a story in which Katya falls in love with Max Hoyland. But he is married to Stephanie Scully. Their story begins when Katya is involved in an accident. Katya is having an argument with Toadie while Max is on his mobile phone. Katya walks into the path of Max's car and is knocked down. He feels guilty because he knows that the accident would not have occurred if he had been concentrating on his driving. Katya blames herself for the accident and a guilty Max continues to visit her in hospital. Lachman defended her character because it starts innocently and she is not trying to steal Steph's husband. But Katya is a "lonely soul who needs someone to connect with. That's what gets her into trouble." The actress had been playing Katya as having a form of posttraumatic stress disorder. It occurs as a delayed reaction to all of the traumatic situations she had been exposed to with Robert. She added that her "vulnerable" on-screen counterpart needs someone she can trust. Max offers his friendship and she takes it, but her "motives are pure".Max cannot deal with his guilt and tells Katya the truth. She forgives him and he vows to help her move on. He encourages Katya to explore her Tibetan heritage and learn the language. Max feels obligated to help her and Lachman viewed her character as "so lost now". She felt that writers had set the scene for inevitable trouble between the two. Max agrees to attend a Tibetan language workshop with Katya. But when they arrive it turns out to be a Tibetan meditation retreat. An embarrassed Katya suggests they leave but Max convinces her to stay. They participate in a form of meditation aimed at unveiling hidden desires. Max fantasises about being a football player but Katya's fantasy shocks her. Lachman explained that Katya and Max had grown closer, she is lonely and "come to depend on his advice and friendship." But she noted that it was platonic prior to arriving at the retreat. Katya imagines her and Max kissing, which she thinks is a natural development for them. As her character accepts her feelings for Max, Lachman stated that she honestly believes he feels the same way.
Katya tells Max she loves him but he does not feel the same and rejects her advances. Lachman assessed it had been a terrible time for Katya. She has been "dealing with all the humiliation. It's also caused hearthache for Max's wife, Steph. Katya feels she's messed up everyone's lives." Steph warns Katya to stay away from Max but she ignores her. Robert sends Katya a love letter which makes her scared because he is supposed to be in a secure psychiatric unit. Lachman said Katya fears that her "nightmare" with Robert will repeat itself. So she confides in Max, "the person she craves comfort from". He also ignores his wife's wishes and promises to look after Katya. Production had lined up another dramatic storyline for Katya. It advanced when Katya accepts a lift from Cameron. Max investigates why Robert was able to send Katya a letter. But he is misled that Robert has gone missing in the facility. He telephones Katya to warn her of the potential danger. She presumes that Cameron is actually Robert and escapes from the car. Max witnesses Katya running from Cameron and believing that it is Robert, Max knocks Cameron over and kills him. Lachman warned that serious repercussions would occur following Cameron's death.