Biography

April 8, 1951 · London, England, UK

Peita Margaret Toppano

1.64 m

Peta Toppano married Prisoner (1979) co-star Barry Quin and for a short time was known as Peta Quin. In the plot during filming Prisoner (1979) they ended up married and moved to Queensland. Barry Quin used their real wedding photo in the series when he returned briefly for a couple of episodes.

Daughter of Classical Musicians Enzo Toppano and the late Peggy Mortimer. The Toppano family are extremely well known in Australia for performing arts Sister of record producer Lorenzo Toppano. Is one of Australia's most versatile stage, film and television Actors. Trained at The Ensemble Theatre Studios under the tuition and guidance of renound American stage Actor Hayes Gordon.

She played Ada Nicodemou's mother in Heartbreak High and then again in Home and Away.

Resides in Sydney, Australia

[on La vengeance aux deux visages (1986)'s sexy reputation] We all loathed it. It was lots of suspender belts and we felt we were being exploited and we didn't enjoy it. It got so ridiculous, especially with my character, that we all complained. It was just titillating and I object to that It's just silly. It would be more honest for us to have done nude scenes than to run around in a pair of lace knickers. Maybe they thought that sex and naughtiness would sell 'Return to Eden,' but I think it's quite tedious.

[on La vengeance aux deux visages (1986)'s success] I've had very good feedback from the series and it has been good for my career. With the money I've earned I've been able to renovate our house in Balmain overlooking Sydney Harbour. But although a lot of people make a career out of being in soaps, I don't want to do that. I don't want to be associated with one particular character in one particular show. You can stay in one show and make a lot of money. But that's not me.

[on La vengeance aux deux visages (1986)'s superbitch Jilly Stewart] I was more than happy to play a manipulative go-getting bitch. To play Jilly I took elements of my own character that I disliked and those of bad people I knew and put them in a melting pot. I have a very possessive streak and I turned that into a jealous and predatory streak in Jilly. Jilly is very vain and acquisitive, and I'm a bit vain. But Jilly is vengeful, and that is something I don't understand.