Marilyn Chambers (also Bryant and Fisher) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Emily Symons. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 18 May 1989. When Symons auditioned for the role she created a backstory for the character and dressed in a mini dress, stilettos and put on a breathy voice. She was successful and producer Andrew Howie cast her in the role. Writers introduced her as the girlfriend of established character Lance Smart (Peter Vroom). Marilyn is characterised as a bubbly and ditsy hairdresser. She has a distinct bouffant hairstyle and unique dress sense which includes high heel shoes. Marilyn has become one of the show's most iconic characters during her tenure.
Symons departed on 23 July 1992, but she returned on 5 June 1995 and stayed for four years, making her last appearance on 1 October 1999. She made a brief return from 31 August 2001 to 4 September 2001. In 2010, it was announced that Symons would be returning to Home and Away and Marilyn returned on 19 March 2010. Marilyn's storylines have included being married twice, suffering from post-natal depression, losing her son, receiving an electric shock, and developing cancer. Her significant relationships have been with Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn), Sid Walker (Robert Mammone) and later John Palmer (Shane Withington).
Casting
Symons was nervous when she decided to audition for the role because she had previously been turned down for several parts in other shows. To prepare for her audition Symons and her acting coach created a backstory for Marilyn and they got to know her better. Symons decided to put on a "breathy voice" and purchased stiletto shoes for the character. This left Symons feeling like she knew exactly how the character should be portrayed.
Symons travelled to Kings Cross area of Sydney for her audition and was accompanied by her mother. She made her parent wait in a nearby coffee shop and had to climb over a drunk sleeper obstructing the audition building doorway. Symons was pessimistic about gaining the role because so many actresses turned up to audition. She entered the audition dressed in a mini dress, stilettos and a face full of "big eighties make-up". She was successful and invited back to the subsequent stages of the audition. Symons felt that she impressed the casting department and producer Andrew Howie offered her the role and she began filming her first scenes is March 1989. Dannii Minogue also auditioned for the role of Marilyn, before she was given the role of Emma Jackson. Symons made her first screen appearance as Marilyn in 1989. Within months of joining Home and Away, Symons had lost a stone in weight which concerned producers. They considered recasting the role but Symons soon sought help. She later told a reporter from TVTimes that "Marilyn's clothes began to hang on me like rags."
In December 1991, David Brown from TV Week reported that Symons had decided to leave Home and Away. He revealed that she would film her final scenes in March 1992 and that Marilyn's departure scenes would air in July. The actress decided to leave to marry Nick Lipscombe. Discussing her departure, Symons told a reporter from TVTimes that "I'd been in Home and Away for three years and even though I loved it, it was definitely time for a change. If I hadn't of met Nick I might have stayed longer." Three years after separating from Lipscombe, Symons returned to the soap. She stayed for another four years, before announcing her departure in 1999, so she could move to England to be with her then fiancé. She filmed her last scenes towards the end of the year. In 2001, Home and Away came to the United Kingdom to film some special episodes to help celebrate the show's return to British screens. Symons re-joined the cast as Marilyn for the London filming. On her return Symons said "When I left Home and Away two years ago I actually asked for my character Marilyn to be killed off. Now I'm glad they didn't."
Character development
Characterisation
When Marilyn is introduced into the series she lives in the neighbouring town of Yabbie Creek and works as a hairdresser and beautician. Symons told Jason Smith from the official Home and Away podcast that she was "very ditsy, she was an orphan and she hadn't completed her education. She used to get quite muddled and all her words mixed up, full of life but not very smart." Symons chose three words to describe her as "kind, funny and warm". The show's producer Lucy Addario described her as "beautiful, kind and a girls best friend", adding that she is a "nurturing" character.