TV Soap, Volume 3, No 5

At last! Actor Rowena Wallace has found a role that will shake off the "Pat the Rat" tag forever. She hopes. In 1991 she made headlines when she spoke out again soaps and, within hours, was sacked from Home and Away and lost out on other Seven shows.

Although she picked up guest roles on a few rival dramas, Pacific Drive is her first long-running part since the infamous incident.

Six years later Rowena is still at a loss as to why the network reacted so strongly. "Oh, I find it very hard to figure out why you're not allowed to say anything in this industry," she says. "You can't have an opinion on anything. And I think after more than 30 years at the one of the better people to talk about what's going on in Australian showbusiness.

"Soaps are what they are -nothing more, nothing less. For heaven's sake, they're not award-winning drama. You can hardly call them Shakespeare. But they do have a role to play.

"I don't understand why we aren't allowed to tell the truth. But, like a lot of things which are written about me, it was blown out of proportion. I've realised that the media don't want to say anything unless it's sensationalised."

And Rowena would know. Late last year it was reported in the tabloids that the veteran actor had tried to commit suicide after years of chronic back pain and depression.

The notorious headlines included: "My overdose nightmare" and " Rowena's drug overdose!" But, again, they got the story wrong.

"News of my death was, er, greatly exaggerated! Oh, I can laugh about it now. I had an operation last Christmas to repair some painful damage to my back, and now I'm feeling the best I have in years.

"And working on Pacific Drive is a added bonus. I love living up here in the tropics. The chance to play Mara was very enticing indeed."

The character of Mara is an older woman who blows into town, finding herself at the centre of controversy as soon as she sets foot on the Drive.

She seduces a man young enough to be her son, Rick (Andre Eikmeier), before becoming one of the main players in the spicy and convoluted Kingsley dramas.

"When Mara first arrived in town I thought the story lines were a bit overwritten, so Andre and I played them down a bit. After all, it would get very boring if all she did was seduce young men! And you soon discover there's more to her than first meets the eye ...

"But, I must admit, working with Andre is fun! He's got tremendous energy. And, yes, He's also quite gorgeous as well!"