Gabby is the thumping heart and much-adored lynchpin of her close-knit group of friends. She's vibrant, grounded and strong and although she's just turned 30 she's just as energetic and physical as she was at school.
Gabby doesn't hesitate to give herself and has a strong sense of right and wrong. So, on those rare occasions when she does mess up, she doesn't let herself off the hook easily. This means she carries guilt (whether warranted or not) with a heavy heart.
Being so open and forthcoming, Gabby can sometimes get burned, but she's certainly not one to let herself get trampled over, or not learn from her mistakes. Gabby is the one who tried to keep in touch with all her friends when they disbanded and drifted apart nine years ago. She's also the one who got her friends back together and organised the fateful school reunion in their old stomping ground of Manly.
It was at Gabby's 21st birthday party that another of the group – Jason Connors – died falling overboard on a Sydney Harbour boat cruise.
Gabby lives in a small apartment close to the beach in Manly with her friends Poppy and Peta, and she is in a secret relationship with 19-year-old Paul O'Donnell, the younger brother of her best friend, Jarrod.
Sophie Katinis plays Gabby West
Sophie Katinis graduated from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2002 with a BA in Music Theatre.
Since graduating, Sophie's singing and acting highlights have varied. She has fronted the popular Sydney bands The Family Vonn Trap and Baby Loves To Cha Cha and, in December 2005, she performed live at the Carols In The Domain. In 2007, Sophie played the role of Ellen in Cameron Mackintosh's production of Miss Saigon.
Sophie has enjoyed considerable success across film and television. She has worked on various feature films and has appeared in many television commercials. Sophie's television credits include Hi-5 (as a puppeteer and understudy), which also involved tours to Singapore, Malaysia and the UK, and she was part of the main cast in the television series Headland.
Sophie's most recent acting adventure is playing the role of Tina in the new Australian comedy Stupid Stupid Man.
Image and text © BBC
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