Episodes of Australian soap opera ‘Neighbours’ featuring Margot Robbie are being repackaged into vertical microdramas for mobile viewers. According to The Guardian, RoseBerry Media is preparing the short-form series for its Epis platform, using an AI-assisted tool called RedSnapper to rework footage from the original programme. The project has triggered objections from former cast members over how their performances and images are being reused.The first instalment will focus on Donna Freedman, the character Margot Robbie played between 2008 and 2011. Two of Donna’s storylines are being adapted into short, vertically formatted episodes, with a combined runtime of approximately 150 minutes.
Margot Robbie’s storylines lead the adaptation
The decision to centre the launch on Donna Freedman places Margot Robbie’s early television work at the heart of the new project. The actor later moved into American productions and became a Hollywood star. Her earlier role is now being used to introduce the classic soap to audiences through a mobile-first format.
Stefan Dennis calls project invasive
Stefan Dennis, who played Paul Robinson in ‘Neighbours’, has strongly objected to the initiative. In an interaction with the Herald Sun, he described the move as “unbelievably invasive, morally and legally wrong and somehow it appears we can’t do anything about it”.“I’ve got my agent [on it],” Dennis told. “I imagine everyone else on Neighbours is doing the same thing, as well as the MEAA [Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance] and Australian Writers’ Guild. Whether they can stop it is another thing. We’re dealing with a very big machine.”
Matthew Werkmeister raises consent concerns
Matthew Werkmeister, who played Zeke Kinski, said he learned about the adaptation only after journalists contacted him for comment. He had appeared alongside Robbie in a storyline involving a love triangle.“I find it extremely concerning,” Matthew Werkmeister told The Guardian Australia. “Not from any money-making point of view, but from my image being used through AI and a platform I did not consent to.”Werkmeister also said he had not received information from Fremantle, the show’s producer, or RoseBerry Media about residual payments for actors appearing in the vertical series. Guardian Australia reported that payments to writers and actors would follow their existing contractual agreements.
Former child actor questions original contracts
Matthew Werkmeister said his age when he signed his original agreement made the situation particularly difficult to assess. “When I signed my original contracts, I was 13. In all honestly I can’t remember exactly every line point, but AI and streaming platforms, let alone vertical streaming platforms, didn’t exist and was not a consideration.”He also rejected the argument that the format would necessarily attract younger viewers, calling the venture a “money grab for Fremantle”.“They’re just trying to dump their existing library to make a quick buck,” he said. “I’d be intrigued to know if they reached out to the wonderful Margot Robbie, since her star power is likely a main motivator for this venture.”
‘Neighbours’ legacy meets new technology
Created by Reg Watson, ‘Neighbours’ premiered in 1985 and concluded its original run in 2025. The long-running Australian soap followed residents of Ramsay Street in the fictional Melbourne suburb of Erinsborough, exploring family tensions, relationships and everyday domestic life.Margot Robbie played Donna Freedman. Its other casts included Kylie Minogue as Charlene Robinson, Jason Donovan as Scott Robinson, Delta Goodrem as Nina Tucker, Alan Dale as Jim Robinson and Anne Haddy as Helen Daniels.
