Melissa George has spoken publicly for the first time in depth about the death of her former "Home and Away" co-star Dieter Brummer, who passed away in 2021. George, who played Angel Brooks opposite Brummer's Shane Parrish in the popular Australian soap opera, described his death as a "devastation beyond comprehension."
"I do watch often because Dieter is no longer with us, which is just a devastation beyond comprehension," George told Stellar magazine. "That's just too many years of him suffering that was overlooked. It really breaks my heart because he was a beautiful man. It's very sad."
George and Brummer became household names in the 1990s for their on-screen romance. Their characters' wedding and Shane's eventual death were among the most memorable storylines in the show's history. George admitted she recently rewatched the scene where Shane dies from sepsis after cutting himself. "Shane and Angel was everything," she said. "I did rewatch the scene when he passed away on the rock, the final scene of Shane, and it was absolutely heartbreaking."
The actress also shared that the Hunters & Collectors song "Throw Your Arms Around Me," which played during Shane's farewell, still evokes strong emotions. "Oh my God, that song. I just got goosebumps all over my body. I'm gonna cry now," she recalled. "If I listen to that song, I'm a mess. I think about him, I think about the past, I think about being grateful for the opportunity to have had such a great part."
George acknowledged the sadness now attached to those memories but remains thankful for the role that launched her international career. "To be that young, to have that role and to be financially independent from such a young age, that's a true gift," she added.
Her comments mark a notable shift from 2021, when George remained publicly silent following Brummer's death. At the time, many of Brummer's former castmates shared tributes, but George did not post publicly and declined to comment. This silence fueled renewed interest in past reports that their behind-the-scenes relationship had been strained, despite their on-screen chemistry. Brummer himself had previously stated they were not close off-camera, telling Woman's Day in 2019 that their on-screen chemistry "was far from real!" and that they had not spoken since leaving the show.
Despite any reported past tensions, George's latest interview indicates a softened perspective, focusing instead on Brummer's personal struggles and their shared on-screen legacy.
Elsewhere in the interview, George reflected on her rise to fame as a teenager and her brief flirtation with a music career. She recalled being pursued by record labels eager to make her the "next Kylie Minogue" but ultimately confessed she could not sing. "Guys, you understand that I can't sing, like, at all? Have you even asked if I could sing after this fifth, first-class trip to sign up to be the next pop star?" she asked executives. When they insisted her vocal talent could be worked around, George remained firm, stating, "I don't think you understand. I wanna be an actress."
George, who now lives in France with her three sons, is preparing to return to screens in the new crime drama "Ms. X," set to premiere on Binge and Foxtel On Demand.