On the white-stone paradise of Mykonos, Greece, Sophie Dillman didn’t have a care in the world.
In the wake of COVID-19, the actress was soaking in the moments, the culture and the sun; the fruits of a long-awaited holiday to Europe with boyfriend and Home and Away co-star Patrick O’Connor.
But as they shared their adventures on social media, they were inundated with messages from both fans and friends who had noticed something peculiar: her left hand was rarely seen in the photos.
The media circled the story and suddenly, engagement rumours were rife.
Sophie recently celebrated her 30th birthday and is still figuring things out.
(Image: TV WEEK)But is it true?
“Oh I know!” Sophie says laughing when TV WEEK mentions the hype. “There are so many comments on our photos that [suggest] I was hiding my left hand everywhere.
“Even people at work thought we were engaged. But I promise, the hand is bare and there is no engagement! Let’s put this rumour to bed. Please. [laughs]”
In fact, the couple – whose characters Ziggy and Dean are currently expecting a baby in the long-running drama – aren’t rushing into anything yet. Sophie recently celebrated her 30th birthday and is still figuring things out.
Fans were convinced Sophie and Patrick got engaged in Europe.
(Image: Instagram)“It was a dark day,” she jokes of reaching her milestone. “It all accumulated, and I got really overwhelmed. [I thought] ‘After 29, am I dead now?’ Which of course isn’t true but leading up to it, I was nervous!
“I’m definitely having some sort of crisis, but many have gone through the same thing and suddenly there is a different mindset, things prioritise in your head. I’m in that zone now of trying to work out what the f*** is going on [laughs]!”
While Sophie turns inward, she knows she has the support of Patrick who’s in his own 30th year: “I’m ready to support his journey!” she jokes. “We’re lucky, we balance each other out.”
In 2022, Sophie marked her fifth year of playing Ziggy with a TV WEEK Logie Award nomination for Most Popular Actress.
(Image: Instagram)The same can be said of their professional life as their on screen counterparts journey into parenthood.
“Yes, speaking of jumping the gun [laughs]!” Sophie says. “Paddy and I have no plans to have children anytime soon, so it’s been really fun playing pregnant.
“You hear about things that people go through but it doesn’t register to you until you’re living it – or fake living it in my case. But it’s also been a welcome challenge.
“Hard conversations have to come into the mix when to comes to parenting and it’s important to show that on screen because young parents watch our show. It made me realise and appreciate how much work and responsibility parents have.”
In 2022, Sophie marked her fifth year of playing Ziggy with a TV WEEK Logie Award nomination for Most Popular Actress. Both the acknowledgement and the role has been an “extraordinary honour” and another step in pushing broader female roles.
“Ziggy has given me so much in five and a half years,” she says. “I often say I wish I had her confidence. She has never questioned herself or in a room full of men.
“It’s a great energy to have in my life and I try to draw on that because it can be really tough at times. But she is leading the charge and it’s awesome to be part of.”
“Hard conversations have to come into the mix when to comes to parenting.”
(Image: Instagram)As the theme of milestones continues, the question of whether Sophie is ready to move on from Home and Away springs to mind. She says her fate is “in other people’s hands.” So like the Mykonos sky, she’s taking in the here and now.
“It is quite fickle [the entertainment industry]. You’re relying on other people to want to work with you. You must be cast in a role,” she says.
“So my motto is to do as well as I can and work as hard as I can in the position I’m in. For me, focusing on the present is the way to go.”
