As you've probably already read on the site in the last few days/weeks, Paul O'Brien and Sharni Vinson headed over to LA on their two week production break along with one of Home and Away's 1st assistant directors Liam. While they were in LA they met up with former cast member Chris Hemsworth.

A HUGE thanks to Janneke for sending in some wonderful photos of Paul, Chris, Sharni and Liam in LA which were taken by Paul.

Pics in the gallery include the boys in the pool on a very hot day at the Hard Rock Cafe and the guys attending a baseball game (Yankees vs Phillies). Paul was invited to the Playboy mansion and had a great time hanging in the Zoo area looking for monkeys, and checking out the scenery. He also met up with Sharni and her friend and hit the beach, hired bikes and had lunch in L.A. The rest of the photos are of Paul out and about in LA

See Paul's pics in the gallery

From Home & Away to LA
Source: Sydney Confidential

It's one of those overnight success stories you hear about in Hollywood, but for former Home & Away heartthrob Chris Hemsworth, it's the reel deal of a lifetime.

The popular TV personality has made the leap from small screen to Tinseltown in just two months, landing his first role as the leading man in a new revenge thriller.

While seasoned stars like Naomi Watts toiled for 20 years for their big break, Hemsworth hit the audition circuit just 8 weeks ago, confirming his first shot at international fame yesterday.

The talented 23-year-old will play a young man caught up in an illegal operation in The Cache, opposite actor Sean Bean slated as the bad guy.

Hemsworth, who played Kym Hyde in the Summer Bay soap for three years, only set his sights on a living in Los Angeles late last year.

His Sydney manager Mark Morrissey introduced his young charge to LA agents two months ago, with the rest quickly history.

With visas and Actors' Equity work permits given the greenlight yesterday, the young hunk is now in pre-production with the flick's director Steve Anderson.

Hemsworth's popular soap character only left our TV screens in May, leaving a trail of teenage fans heartbroken.

His ex-girlfriend and one-time castmate Isabel Lucas had also headed to La La Land, but has not attracted the same attention as her former beau.

A quick step on the Dancing With The Stars stage last year also helped to broaden his appeal nationally, before the bright lights of Hollywood beckoned.

Home and Away's youngster Indiana Evans turns 17 today! Happy Birthday from Home and Away Central. Hope you have a great day Indiana!

Rhys Wakefield and Bobby Morley attended the Sydney premiere of The Simpsons movie at the Entertainment Quarter on Tuesday evening. See pics of them at the event in the gallery here.

Kate Ritchie has played Home And Away's Sally Fletcher-Saunders on Five for the last 20 years, since she was eight years old. The Aussie soapstar reveals what it was like growing up on TV, and talks about her most demanding storylines.

When we meet, she's been in Britain for four days and despite the jetlag insists she's having a whale of a time pottering around London. Although she's sat through a whole day of interviews, Kate is still chirpy and chatty, and is getting nostalgic looking back at her two decades in Summer Bay.

"Growing up on a television show, it's important to hang out with kids at school and talk about normal things. I like to think that's why I've turned out so well balanced because I didn't give up all that stuff to be a child star."

And far from being the usual precocious child actress flaunting her fame, Kate preferred to keep a low profile at school. "I wasn't ever one of those kids who got to school and talked about it. I didn't want to show off about it, in fact I was a little bit embarrassed," she explains. "You know what it's like at school, you don't want to be different from the other kids, so I talked it down a bit."

Kate has done all of her growing up on screen - from gawky kid through insecure teenager to confident woman. It's not something many people go through.

"It's a very unique experience, but for me it was completely normal. I can't really remember what life was like before Home And Away," she chuckles, before admitting that at times it was very difficult, particularly through adolescence.

Source: Press Association Newswires – England
Press read

There is a new photoshoot of Jessica Tovey in this months InStyle magazine with Sandra Bullock on the cover.

It is one of those features like Isabel, Indiana and Jodi have done previously and Jess's one is quite a few pages! The clothes are based on the clothing from the recent Fashion Week and the photos were taken at a circus

It was the lovely Sharni Vinson's birthday yesterday. So a happy belated birthday to Sharni. Sharni is now 24, and is in LA to celebrate!

THE pilots for new shows keep coming at Channel 7. Home and Away favourite Tim Campbell recently filmed a pilot for an interactive game show. Campbell, who was a hit with viewers when a competitor on Dancing with the Stars, filmed a pilot for a show called National Bingo Night. Yes, it is a show about playing bingo.

Source: Sunday Herald Sun

Sharni Vinson is rumoured to be dating CSI:NY star A.J.Buckley who she has been hanging out with while on her production break in LA. Furthur speculation began when Sharni attended a red carpet event with him on 17th of July.

Sharni has left LA for Las Vagas to spend her 24th birthday in style!

See pics of Sharni and AJ at the opening of Ritual Nightclub and Restaurant in LA in the gallery here.

While Kate, Jodi and Mark are in the UK they completed some web chats for Channel 5. Read them by clicking the links below. The 3 cast members will head back to Australia this weekend to start filming again on Monday.

• Mark Furze Webchat
• Kate Ritchie Webchat
• Jodi Gordon Webchat