When fans spot Ada Nicodemou and Lynne McGranger together outside of Home And Away, usually one thing happens.
“People freak out,” Ada, 45, laughs to Woman’s Day. “Wherever we are, people are like, ‘Argh, it’s Irene and Leah!’ and cause such a scene.”
However, fans could be forgiven for losing their minds when they see that two of Summer Bay’s most beloved and long-serving characters are actually best friends in real life. But they really are!
“We’re really blessed to know each other,” says Lynne, 69. “We know how to have a laugh and we share so much common ground after being on the show for so long, but we never take any of it, or ourselves, too seriously.”
Such beautiful best friends.
BAY BESTIES
Their closeness is palpable as they rattle off inside jokes and favourite anecdotes from working together, while recommending books they want to read next for their book club and films they want to see together.
“It’s an unusual friendship,” admits Ada, who points out that Lynne is only a couple of years younger than her mother, “but we are very similar”.
“We both love food, exercise, books… I think we’d still be friends had we not met on Home And Away.”
They have bonded over their love for books.
Their paths first crossed when Ada started on the Seven drama in 1999, and while Lynne admits to not really taking Ada in, due to “so many comings and goings” at the time, Ada on the other hand remembers it clearly.
“I was worried because I thought I was going to call everyone by their character’s names,” she laughs.
“And I had grown up as a fan of hers so of course I was nervous.”
But the nerves would soon subside and a deep connection would reveal itself a couple of years later during a press trip to the UK.
Their friendship is so lovely.
“It was the first time I ever went overseas by myself,” says Ada. “And we ended up sharing a room because something was wrong with mine.”
“It was the size of a pencil case,” Lynne giggles.
“So, I moved into her room and from there, we just started having dinners and that’s where we really built up a connection,” Ada continues.
Fast forward more than two decades and nearly 50 years on the show between them, and the self-described “Summer Bay besties” are never far from each other. “It’s actually strange that we never get sick of each other,” says Ada.
Books, books, books!
“We work with each other in the diner [on the show], we share a dressing room, we’ll go for a walk at lunchtime, and then on the weekends we’ll have dinners. I’m surprised we don’t get annoyed with each other. I mean if I was giving Lynne the sh*ts she’d tell me, and I’d do the same, because we’re both quite blunt,” she laughs.
Lynne agrees, “Neither of us have any real subtlety.”
CLOSE CONFIDANTES
Ada and Lynne see so much of each other that Ada’s son Johnas even calls her co-star “Aunty Lynne” and Ada will play a vital role at Lynne’s daughter’s upcoming wedding.
“We are family, and there probably aren’t too many relationships like that on set,” acknowledges Lynne, adding that they both know when to step in when the other is having a rough time filming an emotionally charged scene.
We can’t wait to see more of them on Home and Away.
“No one else is reading the room and they’re all laughing but I think we can suss whether one or the other is needing a bit of time and space,” she adds.
It’s not just on set that they know when to comfort one another either.
“I think if something was to go horribly awry, I probably would call Ada before I’d call my friends my own age,” Lynne admits. “There’s just that healthy difference.”
And when broached about what would happen if one left Home And Away before the other, Ada admits it would be “strange”. “We’ve become very reliant on each other being there. Lynne’s been away these past couple of weeks and it’s so weird when she’s not there.
“I’m not sure who’s going to go first,” she laughs, realising how it sounds.
“Maybe at the same time?” Lynne suggests. “In it together until the end.”
