Fifth time lucky: The Home And Away actor who didn’t take no for an answer.

‘If at first you don’t succeed’ could well be the motto of Home And Away actress Sam Barrett (above). Kerry Harvey reports.

Home And Away newcomer Sam Barrett is no quitter. The 21-year-old actor auditioned four times for the drama before hitting the jackpot on her fifth attempt when she was cast as feisty teen Chloe Anderson.

Barrett, who moved to Sydney from Perth for the role, has no regrets about those unsuccessful auditions.

“Honestly, I’m so grateful that I ended up with the role of Chloe. I feel like she’s the best possible character I could have played,” she says, admitting becoming part of Summer Bay’s Parata family was an added bonus.

The Paratas – Tane (Ethan Browne), Ari (Rob Kipa-Williams), and Nikau (Kawakawa Fox-Reo) – are Summer Bay’s first M ori family and since their arrival early in 2020 have become strong fan favourites.

“Oh, man, they’re just absolutely beautiful. I’m so grateful to work with the boys,” Barrett says. “They were so welcoming to me when I got here.”

Chloe arrived in the bay looking for Ari who, while not her father, raised her for several years. Her mum, Mia (Anna Samson), follows her soon after and it is revealed Ari went off the rails after their baby died and, when he ended up in prison, she cut all ties to him.

However, Chloe is hell-bent on reuniting the family and – despite some big obstacles – appears to have achieved her goal.

Mia is now back with Ari while Chloe is happily – some would say sickeningly – in love with Alf Stewart’s grandson Ryder (Lukas Radovich).

The pair work together at the local restaurant Salt, owned by Ari’s ex-girlfriend Mac (Emily Weir). But happiness is fleeting in Summer Bay and when Mac decides to fire Chloe, the teen is left heartbroken.

While Chloe might be down she is unlikely to be out as Barrett warns that the sassy teen has plenty more surprises in store for viewers.

Born in America, Barrett moved to Perth when she was four and, in 2018, graduated from the Western Australian Academy Of Performing Arts.

She made her television debut in The Heights, an Australian drama about the relationships between the residents of a social housing apartment block.

Home And Way, her second major job, is a big tick on her acting bucket list.

“It’s a dream job really. It’s so great to be a part of the Summer Bay family and experience. Every day I have fun,” says Barrett, who grew up watching Home And Away.

“I used to sit down with my dinner in front of the TV to watch quite regularly.”

She is now relishing the chance to make her own mark on the show and says there are several qualities she shares with her character.

“I love that she always speaks her mind and stands up for herself, but also I really love that she is very loyal to her family,” Barrett says.

“For her, family is the most important thing – she is like, ‘I will protect my family at all costs’ and I feel like that is such an amazing quality to have. I’m from Perth, so I live away from home working on this show and I definitely feel like in those family scenes I kind of draw from my love of my own family.”

She has also quickly built a rapport with her screen mum Samson who is, at 31, only a decade older than her.

“We always say the characters are a lot like Lorelei and Rory (Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel) in the Gilmore Girls,” Barrett says. “Yes, they’re mother and daughter, but they’re also like sisters who have grown up together.” While Barrett admits she’s having fun, she hasn’t lost sight of the great learning opportunity Home And Away provides for its cast, both in Australia and internationally.

“A lot of what is great about this job is how much I do learn about the craft as I go along.

“I find all the drama that happens is just so useful as an actor, because I’m constantly having to learn and think on my feet,” she says, adding she has already thought about pursuing her career in the United States at some stage.

“But right now I’m really happy working on this show. It really is kind of like a dream to me. And just the way I’m constantly learning and being challenged is exactly where I want to be right now.”

“It’s so great to be a part of the Summer Bay family and experience. Every day I have fun.”

– Sam Barrett, pictured with Lukas Radovich