Ada Nicodemou is an Australian actress. She began her acting career in 1994 playing Katerina Ioannou in Heartbreak High. She also starred in Police Rescue and Breakers. In 2000, Nicodemou began playing Leah Patterson in the soap operaHome and Away. She won the 3rd season of Dancing with the Stars and hosted reality series Please Marry My Boy in 2012.
Early life
Nicodemou was born on 14 May 1977 in Carlton. Nicodemou's parents were both migrants, who met in Australia. Her Greek Cypriot family come fromLimassol. Nicodemou grew up in Minto along with her younger brother. Nicodemou attended The Grange Public School, and the Johnny Young Talent School, where she learned to sing, dance and act.
Career
Nicodemou began her acting career in 1994 when she was cast as Katerina Ioannou in ABC1's Heartbreak High. Nicodemou was sixteen when she successfully auditioned for the role. She was originally contracted to play the part for 12 weeks, but this was later extended. Nicodemou also had starring roles on Police Rescue, and Network Ten's Breakers. In 1999, she played Dujour in the science fiction filmThe Matrix. The following year, she appeared in an episode of children's seriesBeastMaster. Nicodemou has played the role of Leah Patterson in the television soap opera Home and Away since 22 March 2000. Nicodemou originally auditioned for the role of Sarah Thompson in 1992, but Laura Vasquez was cast. She was later approached by the show's producers about the role of Leah. She was not asked to audition and was offered a six-month contract, which was soon extended. As of 2019, Nicodemou is one of the show's longest serving actors. In 2005, Nicodemou competed on and won the 3rd season of Dancing with the Stars with partner Aric Yegudkin. From 2012, Nicodemou hosted Channel Seven's reality series Please Marry My Boy. Nicodemou made a guest appearance in an episode of Drop Dead Weird in 2018.
Personal life
Nicodemou married Chrys Xipolitas in 2007. They separated in 2010, but reconciled the following month. On 22 August 2012, Nicodemou gave birth to the couple's first child, a son. In March 2014, it was announced that the couple were expecting their second child. On 7 August, Nicodemou revealed that their second son had been stillborn. Nicodemou and Xipolitas separated in late 2015. Nicodemou has been in a relationship with businessman Adam Rigby since 2016. Since 2005 Nicodemou has been an ambassador of the PixiFoto Foundation that raises funds for a Childhood Blindness Prevention program in Africa. She is also an ambassador for Save our Sons, a charity supporting Duchenne muscular dystrophy and the National Breast Cancer Foundation. She is also a supporter of the Starlight Children's Foundation and Make-A-Wish Foundation Australia.
