Home and Away star Hailey Pinto has confirmed her condition is so serious that she will soon have to undergo chemotherapy. “I may have to retire from acting…”
Actor Hailey Pinto plays Home And Away’s Abigail Fowler, headstrong younger sister to Eden and Levi. Pinto, who grew up in Redlands, South East Queensland, joined the cast in 2024 and this is her first major acting role.
Growing up, did you always want to be an actor?
I didn’t really have the word for it. As a kid, I just loved to play. My sister is three years younger than me, so that kind of gave me the opportunity to play with her a little bit longer than I think you usually would maybe in childhood. But then I did competitive jump rope growing up and through that we used to put on plays to fundraise so that we could go overseas to competitions and interstate and things like that. That was my first real taste of any sort of proper acting.
Tell us more about competitive jump roping!
My older sister joined when she was quite young, so I kind of grew up around it. But I think I got involved when I was about three and then I did it until I was about 12 or 13.
There are different events. There’s freestyle, there’s Double Dutch, there’s team events, there’s individual events, there’s pair events as well, sometimes there are also trios. So yeah, you kind of get all of it.
Your mum is Swiss and your dad is Portuguese, have you spent much time in those places?
I’ve never been to Portugal, but I’ve been to Switzerland a few times. I was actually born in Switzerland.
Is it cliched to ask if you like fondue?
No, not at all. My grandmother is Swiss as well and, on our birthdays, we get to request any kind of meal we want, so we usually always say fondue or raclette or crepes, some of those real authentic Swiss dishes.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done?
I don’t know if it’s the most adventurous, but the first thing that came to mind was when I graduated high school. I wasn’t really into the whole Schoolies (Australia’s high school graduation festival) thing and going to drink and getting all crazy. So I actually went over to New Zealand, and I did a bit of a solo trip around there.
My favourite spot I went to was Lake Tekapo. I stayed in a hostel for a few nights and I took a big walk up the mountain. It was my first time travelling and being alone. It was such a great experience.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love to do Muay Thai. I just started taking some archery lessons, which has been really fun. It’s great because one of the other actors, Ethan (Browne), he also does Muay Thai. We often get caught out trying to kick each other in the head.
We know you like to read, what book would you recommend?
Oh, it’s so hard, because it depends on the genre, but for me, I love a good fantasy romance, and I’m kind of obsessed with the Fourth Wing series.
There’s a TV adaptation happening, what role would you like to play?
I would love to play Violet Sorrenghail. I identify so much with her and her character is really important to me, because she deals with a lot of physical disabilities and I have a similar struggle that I’ve had to deal with. So it was a book that I found I could really connect to.
I have hypermobility, so my joints are really weak and, growing up, I would dislocate everything. I just kind of fall apart all the time and just have a few issues with my body in that way. So for me, the only reason I can really do all the things that I do – like Muay Thai – is because I keep my body and my muscles really strong.
I was in a wheelchair for a bit, because I had a spinal injury, so I just need to really stay fit and healthy.
What’s it like being part of the Fowler family on Home And Away?
I could not have asked for a better family. Tristan (Gorey) and Steph (Panozzo) are the most gorgeous human beings. Seriously, they do feel like family to me in real life, and I’m just so privileged to be a part of it.
