Trans Activist Georgie Stone Will Become ‘Neighbours’ Series Regular In 2020
She joined the long-running soap in March this year.
Long-running Aussie soap Neighbours has announced that 19-year-old trans activist and actor Georgie Stone will be a series regular in 2020.
Stone joined as a guest star in March this year, playing the show’s first-ever transgender character, Mackenzie Hargreaves. Neighbours has been running since 1985.
Since joining the show, Stone has collaborated with the writing team and producers on Mackenzie’s storyline to ensure it is true to her experience as a trans woman.
Exciting news! Georgie Stone will be joining the cast as a series regular in 2020! #WatchThisSpace #Neighbours @georgiestone16 pic.twitter.com/ERtoQFWB4I
— Neighbours (@neighbours) October 19, 2019
Taking to Instagram earlier today, the fan favourite gushed about the exciting news. “It has been so hard to keep this a secret the past two months… I’m so excited to be returning to Neighbours as a permanent cast member!!! I can’t wait to get back on set with these lovely humans.
“I love Mackenzie so much – I’m grateful I get the opportunity to play her again. There is so much yet to come!”
Speaking to Digital Spy, Stone said: “I am so excited to be joining Neighbours full-time. I love the character of Mackenzie so much and to have the opportunity to go back and continue her story is a dream come true.”
Executive producer Jason Herbison said: “I think with most people who are marginalised in society, everyone just wants to be visible and treated the same as everyone else. And that’s what you will see with Mackenzie.
“I look forward to the day when the fact that she is transgender doesn’t even warrant the batting of an eyelid. That day will come very soon in Erinsborough, and that alone is very powerful for anyone going through the experience in real life.”
So proud and pleased to see @georgiestone16 will be returning to Neighbours as a permanent cast member!
What a great antidote to conspiracy theories and stigma around trans youth. How great that so many families are embracing the story of a trans teen in their living rooms. 🌈 pic.twitter.com/43JIChuGVy
— Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) October 19, 2019
Earlier this week, Stone posted about “Mackenzie’s last episode for a while”, ahead of her return in November on five-part spin-off Erinsborough High. “I could not be happier with the story we’ve told – and I could not be prouder of the people who made it happen.”
She went on to speak about how important it was for her younger self, who, at ten years old, became the youngest person in Australia to receive hormone blocker treatment.
Through her teens, Stone has worked tirelessly to remove the involvement of the Family Court in gender dysphoria treatment for children, where the parents, child and doctors all agree on its necessity.
“10-year-old Georgie would not believe the amount of support this story has been receiving,” Stone wrote. “I always thought I would have to hide who I am from the world for the rest of my life. I never could have dreamed that I would be playing a trans character on NEIGHBOURS!!!!!”