TV Week
20th June 1992
Kristian scores a role in an international sci-fi series.
Kristian Schmid has landed a major international role.
The 17-year-old, who filmed his final scenes for Neighbours last week, has been signed to star in a remake of the Seventies sci-fi series The Tomorrow People.
Co-produced by Thames TV and the American production company Nickelodeon, the Tomorrow people starts filming in the US and Europe in August.
Kristian decided to quit Neighbours after 4 and a half years playing Todd Landers.
“I didn’t have itchy feet to leave Neighbours, just itchy feet to do other things,” he says.
“The workload didn’t give me the opportunity to do that.”
After the seven-week shoot for The Tomorrow People, Kristian will make London his home base.
“I want to stay there for about two years,” he says. “My goat is to get theatre work there.
“I’d like to come back to Australia, like Peter O’Brien has done, with some credits to my name.
“I haven’t done any professional theatre work here. It’s obviously easier to get the work in the UK because of Neighbours.
“I’m setting my sights high, but I think you have to.”
There will be plenty of drama before Kristian makes his on-screen exit next month.
Before he leaves Ramsay Street in dramatic episodes, Todd and girlfriend Phoebe Bright (Simone Robertson) must face the reality of becoming teenage parents.
Kristian joined Neighbours at the peak of its popularity, working with Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue.
“I remember how huge it was back then,” he says.
“We did some amazing personal appearances. Neighbours doesn’t have the hype it had then because its not a new show any more.
“But people still watch and are interested.”
Kristian laughs at the observation his teenage years have been documented through the series.
“I’ve grown up before everybody’s eyes in Neighbours,” he says. “Because I started so young, there’s a lot of me in Todd.
“I’ll miss the show terribly, especially the family atmosphere.
“I particularly miss the people I’m used to working with every day, such as Alan Dale, Anne Haddy, Maggie Dence and Simone.”
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