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Home and Away’s Sophie Dillman Opens Up About 10-Year Struggle with ‘Invisible’ Illness

BBG News

Actress Sophie Dillman, once known for her role on Home and Away, has shared insights into a 10-year health struggle that resulted in lasting marks on her body.

The 31-year-old Australian actress, known for her role as Ziggy Astoni in an Australian soap opera, disclosed that she has dealt with endometriosis for a long time. This medical condition involves tissue similar to the lining of the uterus growing in places outside of the uterus.

The ailment may manifest symptoms such as severe discomfort, swelling, tiredness, excessive bleeding, and potential issues with fertility.

In an interview with 7News, Sophie shared that the pain she experienced during the show was quite severe, and she frequently required a heated water bottle just to manage a day’s filming.

During those times, standing for long periods, constantly moving, swapping outfits, and wearing clothes that become uncomfortable during a flare-up are quite challenging for me, she explained.

In simpler terms, during that moment, I’d extract the heated water bottle from my pocket, toss it aside, and one of the camera helpers would catch it when we were not filming.

Sophie continued by explaining that she had endured lasting scars on certain areas of her abdomen due to prolonged use of the hot water bottle.

The actress, experiencing pain since her initial menstruation, suspected it might be endometriosis and pressed medical professionals to evaluate her for the condition, even though they were firm in their belief it wasn’t necessary.

She initially suspected the discovery to be merely scar tissue, but insisted they perform further testing. Her instincts proved correct, as the results confirmed it was indeed endometriosis, she shared.

This relatively hidden health issue, experienced by approximately one out of every seven Australian women, may require as long as six years to identify, making it frequently mistaken for other conditions.

In 2023, Sophie revealed some surprising behind-the-scenes secrets about the beloved soap. 

The Australian actress, who spent six years on the show, revealed that several of her past cast members conceal tattoos beneath their skin and feign passionate scenes with fake kisses.

Additionally, Sophie mentioned that the creators behind the popular series cleverly employ “television enchantment” to construct the small-town ambiance of Summer Bay on screen, giving the impression of a quaint village.

In her post on Yahoo Lifestyle, Sophie mentioned that walking from the caravan park to the beach would only take about five minutes, and the farmhouses were located nearby.

Actually, Sophie disclosed that the iconic spots from the series, such as the Farm House, the Surf Club, the beach, and the caravan park, are located hours away from each other.

Much loved by fans for its ‘hot’ scenes of intimate kissing, Sophie said the passion is all acting.

‘I hate to tell you but a lot of kisses that you see on-screen aren’t entirely real,’ she said.

Sophie explained that most actors usually opt for a ‘stage kiss’ as a means to maintain some distance from their fellow cast members,” or more casually, “Sophie pointed out that most actors go for the ‘stage kiss’ to keep a bit of space with their co-stars.

‘Essentially, the French part of the French kiss is taken out, if you catch my drift.’

On the show, Sophie was romantically involved with her actual partner, Patrick O’Connor, portraying the character of Dean as their on-screen love interest.

‘Luckily, Dean and Ziggy didn’t have to do much faking on set,’ she cheekily added.

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2025-05-19 10:07

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