Roo Stewart

Ruth Martha "Roo" Stewart (previously Morgan) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Justine Clarke
 from 1988 to 1989. The character made her first screen appearance 
during the episode broadcast on 20 January 1988. Clarke quit the role in
 1989 and the character was written out. In August 2010, it was 
announced that Roo would return to Home and Away with Georgie Parker in the role. The character returned on 29 October 2010.
== Casting ==
In 1987, Clarke auditioned for the roles of Carly Morris, Lynn Davenport and Bobby Simpson;
 but was unsuccessful each time. After the series had finished filming 
their pilot episode, producers changed their minds and invited Clarke to
 audition for the role of Roo, which she won. Clarke told a reporter 
from TV Life that she was "really pleased" because she thought Roo was a "great character".[1]
== Character development ==
=== Characterisation ===
“	Roo is
 the much-hated character who attempts to sabotage her father's marriage
 to Ailsa and who nearly fools Frank into marrying her by claiming that 
she is carrying his baby. There are two sides to her personality; to the
 adults she is charming and personable. To people her own age she is 
boy-crazy and scheming.	”
 		
Roo's personality gained an unwelcome reception amongst viewers. 
Clarke said that "everyone" hated Roo and revealed that people would 
"boo" at her while attending promotional appearances.[3] On one occasion Clarke had to leave a shopping centre because females were shouting "slut" at her.[4] Clarke said that Roo is "a cow" but defended her because Roo ultimately ends up suffering.[5]
=== Teenage pregnancy ===
In the serial's first season, Alan Bateman wanted Home and Away to tackle serious social issues and a few months later Roo became the first character to have a teenage pregnancy.[6] The production team felt that Roo's pregnancy was "risque" because Home and Away
 was aired in an early evening time-slot. Clarke said she did not know 
what it was like to be pregnant and had to carry out research. While 
filming the storyline, Clarke was required to wear a bag filled with 
lentils beneath her clothing. This was to give the impression that Roo 
was pregnant, and as her pregnancy progressed more lentils were added to
 the bag to maintain continuity.[7]
 Clarke remained unaware of how to portray a convincing birth scene. The
 wife of the episode's director had previously given birth during a 
complicated labour. She helped Clarke with her research, which also 
included watching child birth videos. Clarke said that while she had 
learned most aspects of labour, not experiencing the actual pain of 
birth resulted in her feeling unprepared for the scenes. The birth 
scenes were filmed over the period of one day, consisting of more than 
fifteen shoots. Clarke said the dramatic breathing left her "dizzy" and 
even caused her to hyperventilate.[7]
=== Departure and return ===
Clarke played the role of Roo from 1988, until the character was written out a year later after Clarke quit the show.[8][9] Clarke has been asked to return to the show and reprise her role as Roo many times, but she has never agreed.[10]
In August 2010, it was announced that Roo would be returning to Home and Away.[8]
 Producers decided to recast the role after Clarke became busy with 
other television shows and her career as a children's singer.[10] Former All Saints actress, Georgie Parker was given the role and she began filming her first scenes in the same month.[8][11] Of her casting, Parker said "I'm thrilled to be back at Channel Seven and to be part of Home and Away. Working with Ray is a joy. We are having a fantastic time together. The whole cast and crew have been wonderful".[8]
 Of the decision to bring the character back, series producer Cameron 
Welsh said "We had such a positive reaction to Emily Symons's return as 
Marilyn; we trust the fans will love having an original character such 
as Roo back in the Bay. Securing Georgie Parker to bring her back to our
 screens is a real coup for the show".[8]
Parker called her "a colourful character who has a strong history with the origin of the show".[10]
 Parker has said the grown up Roo is very different from the teenager. 
She said "She was a colourful character when she left. She lost her 
mother when she was very young, and I think that when girls lose their 
mothers, they can go off the rails - and that's exactly what Roo did".[10] Parker added that she gets to play the adult who may have learned from past mistakes.[10]
 During an interview, Meagher said the adult Roo is "still full of 
energy, bluff and bravado. She's had a few financial problems and is 
possibly running away from a bloke."[12] He added that Alf has trouble getting her to tell him the truth, but he is "pleased to see her back in the Bay."[12]
=== Meningitis ===
In July 2014, the character was diagnosed with meningitis.[13] After returning from an extended trip to Las Vegas to look after her injured aunt Colleen Smart (Lyn Collingwood), Roo was very secretive about her times away. Within a day, Roo started showing symptoms of an illness.[13]
 Parker explained "This illness hits her fast and hard. She's lethargic,
 but thinks it's just jetlag. She also has a splitting headache that 
affects her eyes, and she's low on energy. It's all very out of 
character."[13]
 Roo's decision to keep quiet about her trip meant that nobody had any 
idea what was wrong with her. Roo fell unconscious at home and the 
situation became very serious.[13] Roo was eventually diagnosed with meningitis. Her condition later took a turn for the worse and she suffered a seizure.[14] In order to treat her, the doctors needed to know about her trip and her foster-daughter Maddy Osborne (Kassandra Clementi)
 found her passport, which revealed that she had been to Peru. With the 
information, the doctors were able to treat Roo and save her life.[14]
== Storylines ==
=== 1988–89 ===
Roo begins to resent her father's relationship with Ailsa Hogan (Judy Nunn) out of loyalty to her late mother, Martha (Alison Mulvaney). Roo begins dating Frank Morgan (Alex Papps) and they start a band with Lance Smart (Peter Vroom) and Martin Dibble
 (Craig Thompson). Roo's continued obsession with Ailsa drives a rift 
between her and Frank, despite nearly sleeping with him as an act of 
rebellion over Ailsa staying over. Roo contacts her aunt, Morag Bellingham (Cornelia Frances),
 who is a judge and asks her to do a background check on Ailsa. At Alf 
and Ailsa's engagement party, Roo reveals Ailsa went to prison for 
killing her abusive father. However, Ailsa's friends and Frank, side 
with her. Roo begins a feud with Bobby Simpson (Nicolle Dickson), Ailsa's friend. Tired of her behaviour, Alf sends Roo to boarding school in Sydney.
Roo begins dating Brett Macklin (Gerry Sont) and she gets pregnant. Brett's reaction to this to book an abortion for her. Roo returns to Summer Bay
 and tries convincing Frank that he is the baby's father. She pretends 
to accept Alf and Ailsa's relationship so she will be allowed to stay. 
Roo sleeps with Frank and arranges for Alf to catch them together. She 
tells her aunt, Celia Stewart (Fiona Spence),
 that she is pregnant with Frank's baby. Frank agrees to marry her and 
Roo tries to accept Alf and Ailsa's marriage. Brett turns up and tells 
Roo the mumps
 has left him infertile and that he now wants the baby. She refuses to 
let him back into her life, so Brett goes to Morag, who tries to talk 
Roo into changing her mind. In the middle of her wedding, she reveals 
that Frank is not the father of her baby. Frank drives off in anger and 
swerves off the road to avoid Bobby and the car falls into a ditch, 
almost killing him.
The incident leaves Roo an outcast within the town. Morag tries to 
persuade her to move to the city with her, but Celia talks her out of 
it. Brett applies for custody, but Roo suggests they sort it out between
 themselves. She begins helping Brett's family as they set up a business
 in the Bay. She is pleased when Alf and Ailsa's differences over the 
development causes them to split up. With Ailsa returning to town to be Christopher Fletcher's
 (Ashleigh Bell-Weir) godmother, Roo fakes stomach pains to stop Alf 
attending the christening. However, by hyperventilating she sends 
herself into premature labour and gives birth to a baby girl, who she 
names, Martha
 (Burcin Kapkin). She is pleased when Frank seems to take an interest, 
until she learns that he is dating Bobby. Brett tries to force Roo into 
giving him custody of Martha. He kidnaps the baby and Roo considered 
suicide, before she is informed that Brett had returned Martha. Roo 
refuses to press charges and the couple realise that they cannot raise 
Martha, so they give her up for adoption. Roo then begins to accept 
Ailsa, when she and Alf reconcile.
Roo decides to take a break from the Bay and when she returns, she reveals that she has a new boyfriend, David Lee (Anthony Wong).
 Alf and Celia are slightly shocked as David is Chinese and they are 
uncomfortable with Roo being in a mixed race relationship. Alf 
eventually gives the pair his blessing, but David later leaves town. 
Frank and Bobby marry and Roo is stunned to learn Bobby is Morag's 
daughter and thus her cousin. Roo takes a job at the Macklin 
Corporation. Her manager, Nicholas Walsh (Robert Taylor),
 sends nasty letters to Ailsa and frames Roo, with help from Morag. With
 Alf and Ailsa believing the letters are from her, Roo moves in with 
Celia and then with Morag. When Alf discovers the truth, he apologises 
and Roo moves back in. She then starts dating Simon Yates (Christopher Saunders).
Ailsa becomes pregnant, which pleases Roo. Alf and Tom Fletcher (Roger Oakley) go missing on a fishing trip and Ailsa goes into premature labour. Roo stays as her half-brother Duncan
 (Allana Ellis) is born, shortly before Alf is found. Roo finds herself 
working closely with Frank and when he is offered a promotion in the 
city, he celebrates by kissing Roo. She feels guilty about the kiss and 
when Frank goes to the city without Bobby, everyone assumes he and Roo 
had an affair. Roo is upset when Sally Fletcher (Katie Ritchie)
 blames her for the break-up. Bobby tells her that she and Frank would 
have broken up anyway and gives them her blessing. Roo then goes to the 
city to meet Frank and tells him she wants to give their relationship 
another go. Frank and Roo marry, but they split by the time Frank 
returns to town. Roo later moves to New York,
 where she is joined for a time by both Martha and Duncan. In 2005, Roo 
has a near fatal car-accident and Alf and Morag fly to New York to be 
with her while she recovers.
=== 2010– ===
Five
 years later, Roo returns to Summer Bay. Alf is shocked to see her and 
Roo tells him that she has come for a visit as a job fell through and 
she had some frequent-flyer miles
 to use up. Roo starts receiving texts and calls from her boyfriend, 
Tim, and her bank manager. Colleen Smart is also shocked to see Roo and 
starts mentioning all the bad things she did in the past, until Alf 
tells her to stop. Robert Robertson (Socratis Otto) questions Roo about Martha and Hugo Austin (Bernard Curry) for the Federal Police and she states that she has not been in contact with them. Roo later tries to persuade Hugo's mother, Gina (Sonia Todd),
 to give them the money Hugo left behind, but Gina is reluctant. Gina 
runs a credit check on Roo and discovers that she is broke. Roo denies 
wanting the money for herself. Roo advises Alf to get a lawyer when 
rumours begin to circulate that he killed Penn Graham (Christian Clark). Gina gets Roo to take a job with John Palmer (Shane Withington), who pays her with Hugo's money. Roo attends Bianca Scott's (Lisa Gormley) bridal shower and wedding, before leaving for the States.
On her return, Roo finds Alf has gone travelling and her aunt Morag 
has been placed in charge of the caravan park. Roo goes to the relaunch 
of Angelo Rosetta's (Luke Jacobz) restaurant where she gets drunk and wakes up in bed with Miles Copeland (Josh Quong Tart).
 Angelo offers Roo a room at his place and tries to make a pass at her. 
John hires Roo to organise sponsorship for the upcoming surf carnival. 
Roo becomes close friends with Nicole Franklin (Tessa James) and Marilyn Chambers (Emily Symons). She also gets on well with Marilyn's partner, Sid Walker (Robert Mammone). Roo supports Nicole during her pregnancy and she asks her to be present at the birth. Roo also supports Romeo Smith's (Luke Mitchell) attempts to start a charter business. Laura Carmody
 (Roxanne Wilson) arrives in the Bay and reveals she and Roo are old 
friends. Roo invites Laura to stay with her and they work together on a 
hospital fundraiser. Roo invites Romeo to accompany her on a business 
trip to Hawaii and he brings Indigo Walker (Samara Weaving)
 with them. When they announce that they are getting married, Roo calls 
Sid and he flies over. Sid kisses Roo, but she rejects him because he is
 with Marilyn. However, she runs after his taxi, but fails to stop him 
leaving.
When she returns home, Roo is shocked to learn Marilyn and Sid have 
broken up. She and Sid kiss again and agree to be a couple. Roo and 
Laura organise a ball at Sid's farm and Roo tries to make peace with 
Marilyn. Bianca is raped at the ball and Roo criticises Laura for 
selling tickets to the River Boys. Alf disapproves of Roo's relationship
 with Sid, as he is worried about how he will treat her. Roo and Marilyn
 eventually become friends again and Roo breaks up with Sid when she 
realises his family will always be a priority over her. Roo takes over 
the running of the Diner due to staff shortages and she starts dating Harvey Ryan (Marcus Graham),
 despite being warned not to by Romeo, Indi and Sid. Roo and Harvey 
break up when she learns he sabotaged Alf's boat. Roo is disgusted when 
Harvey tries to blackmail John and she persuades Alf to stand against 
him during the council elections. Roo later takes a job alongside Harvey
 and becomes jealous of him and his girlfriend, Fleur Simpson (Alys Daroy). Roo and Harvey later get back together and she is surprised when his ex-wife, Mel (Allison Cratchley), and daughter, Lottie (Morgan Weaving), arrive in Summer Bay.
Sid tells Roo that Harvey had a young son who drowned and she becomes
 upset that Harvey did not tell her. Harvey admits to Roo that he and 
the Mayor rigged the election, so he would win. Harvey is arrested and 
Roo stands by him. She later tells Harvey that she loves him. Roo bonds 
with Lottie and agrees that she can move in with her and Harvey, when 
Mel goes to the city. Lottie and Mel eventually leave the Bay and Harvey
 asks Roo to marry him. Roo's ex-boyfriend, Tim (Jonny Pasvolsky), comes to the Bay and tries to win Roo back. Harvey and Roo marry and they take in teen runaways Maddy Osborne and Spencer Harrington (Andrew Morley). Harvey sails around the world with his best friend, Winston Markman (John Batchelor).
 Winston returns a few months later to tell Roo that he lost Harvey. Roo
 holds a memorial service for Harvey and says goodbye. Roo is delighted 
when Harvey eventually returns. However, he cannot cope being back in 
the Bay, causing problems with his marriage. Roo decides the best thing 
for them to do is get divorced. Harvey agrees and leaves the Bay.
When Colleen has an accident, Roo flies to Las Vegas to care for her.
 On her return, she becomes ill and collapses. She is diagnosed with 
meningitis and has to have fluid removed from her brain, but she shows 
no improvement. Nate Cooper (Kyle Pryor)
 discovers growths on her brain and her family learn that Roo went to 
Peru, where she had suffered a reaction to her inoculations. Roo is 
given antiviral drugs
 and recovers. Roo plans Marilyn and John's wedding. At the reception, 
she is informed that Maddy has stolen her credit card to buy clothes. 
Maddy is later fired from the gym for stealing and Roo pays off her 
debt, preferring that Maddy owes her instead. When Maddy learns that she
 has ovarian cancer, Roo supports her through her treatment. Alf collapses during a school field trip to a war memorial and he is diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. He experiences mood swings and Roo encourages him to speak to a therapist. James Edmunds (Myles Pollard)
 returns to the Bay and offers Roo a job as a lecturer at the 
university. She and James get on well and begin dating. Roo and Maddy 
then move in with James. He later proposes to her and she accepts. James
 and Roo try to get married quickly, but their wedding is stopped by Alf
 who thinks James lied about where he used to work. James and Roo then 
decide to put the wedding on hold. Roo later discovers James is already 
married with children, and has been lying to her all along. She calls 
off their engagement, but continues her relationship with him. After 
James confesses to Roo that he also lied to her about his parents being 
alive, she finally breaks up with him.
Category:In Love
Category:Female
Category:TV Show Heroes
Category:Live Action Heroes
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