Kym Valentine

Kym Valentine is an Australian actress, best known for her long-running intermittent portrayal of Libby Kennedy in the soap opera ''Neighbours.''

Early life and education

Kym Valentine was born in Blacktown, Sydney, and grew up in Granville, [New South Wales|Granville]. She began dance classes when she was two and attended her first dance school aged six. When she was five years old, Valentine began acting in television commercials and stage plays.
She studied dance, singing and drama at the Performing Arts School in Sydney.

Career

Valentine's early television appearances included guests roles in Brides of Christ, and Home and Away.
In 1994, Valentine joined the cast of Neighbours as Libby Kennedy.
In 2005, Valentine took the lead role of Baby in Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage at the Theatre Royal, Sydney.
In June 2007, Valentine rejoined Neighbours on a permanent basis. On 8 April 2009, Valentine made an appearance as herself on The Wright Stuff, a UK TV programme.
Valentine appeared as a housewife in Nine Network's miniseries Fat Tony & Co., which was broadcast in 2014. Valentine returned to Neighbours as part of a storyline to celebrate 20 years of the Kennedy family in 2014.
In 2017, Valentine was cast in Michael Wormald's independent film Choir Girl, which was released in 2019. In 2018, she appeared in a Melbourne stage production of Unsolicited Male. She also starred alongside her daughter in the short film Treetment, which was filmed in Melbourne in December 2018.
Valentine appears as the character Connie the Phlegmatic in the upcoming film titled Residence.
In addition to her stage and screen work, Valentine teaches acting classes.

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Personal life

Valentine married singer Fabio Tolli, and they have a daughter. The couple separated in 2007.
Valentine was engaged to former AFL player Trent Croad in March 2015. In November 2015, Valentine and Croad confirmed they were expecting their first child together, and a son was born in March 2016. Their relationship ended in December 2017.

Health issues

On 4 July 2008, Valentine collapsed on a flight home from New York and was diagnosed with pneumonia and pneumothorax. When she arrived in Melbourne she spent several days in hospital before recuperating at home. Valentine was told that she needed to rest for a month and she could not return to work on Neighbours. New Zealand actress Michala Banas took over the role of Libby for a month.
On 6 July 2010, Valentine was hospitalised for four days with a life-threatening blood clot on her lung. In December 2010, Valentine checked herself into a clinic as she was suffering from exhaustion.
Valentine returned to the Neighbours set in January 2011. A few months after her return to filming, Valentine took indefinite leave from Neighbours.