“I was overwhelmed. I didn’t speak for a few minutes.”

On the night of the TV WEEK Logie Awards in 2024, Hailey Pinto had only just made her on-screen debut in Home And Away. Her foray into acting had also begun just a few months earlier when she was cast as Abigail Fowler, a battling drug addict who comes to Summer Bay for a fresh start.

She was a newcomer to the industry and the glitzy event quickly became “a blur” with the pandemonium of fans, talent and glamour. But as the ceremony rolls around again this August, Hailey will not only be a more seasoned professional but will return as a first-time nominee for the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent.

“It’s wild,” Hailey, 24, says with a smile. “The nomination was so unexpected but it’s amazing. It took me a while to process everything that was happening the first time I attended the Logies. This time, I want to soak it in.”
“I started crying,” Hailey says of her Logie nomination. (Credit: Instagram)
With zero expectations for her name to be in the mix, Hailey says the announcement came as a complete shock.

“I was called into our producer’s office, and at first, I thought I was in trouble,” she recalls. “Then I was told [I’d been nominated] and I became overwhelmed. I didn’t speak a word for a few minutes. Then I started crying.”

In a year of firsts, Hailey, who was born in Switzerland and has two sisters and a brother, says much has changed since she stepped onto the sands of Summer Bay. The actress has had to adapt to a fast-moving schedule, the depths of her character and the pressures of life in the public eye.

“I’ve definitely changed since I started. I think I’ve found a calm strength and an assurance in myself. There’s no time to really stop and appreciate the work you’ve done, so this nomination has given me that. It allowed me to appreciate what I’m part of, too.”
Hailey on set with Emily Weir (left) and Juliet Godwin. (Credit: Instagram)
Hailey credits her co-stars for keeping her upright, particularly Tristan Gorey and Stephanie Panozzo, who play her siblings, and Emily Weir. In an emotional moment, Hailey pauses before explaining how much their bond means to her.

“This is going to make me cry…” she begins. “When they found out [I was nominated], Emily sent me a beautiful video from overseas, Steph texted me straight away and Tristan called me. I felt so much love and support from them.

“Everyone in the cast has treated me like a little sister when I arrived on the show and I’ve learnt so much,” she adds. “I put a lot of pressure on myself and it’s a double-edged sword because it can go to an unhealthy place, so I have to keep it in check. But those three, in particular, have supported me and shown me the way of the industry. They remind me that acting is a team sport 
and you’re not on your own, even if the industry can feel like that sometimes.”
The actress took on a huge challenge in the role of Abigail. (Credit: Channel Seven)
A perfectionist she might be, but it’s paid dividends in her performance as Abigail, who grapples with heavy themes such as drug abuse, mental illness and family. But Hailey was determined to show Abigail in layers, from despair and anger to the sheer desperation to thrive.

“I wanted it to feel honest and give her a lot of colours. She’s not just a heroin addict, she’s many things,” Hailey says.

While overcoming drug abuse isn’t in Hailey’s realm of relatability, overcoming obstacles is. When she was young, she was diagnosed with hypermobility, which causes joint instability. This went against her active mindset and she eventually found herself battling a spinal injury after pushing herself too far.
Hailey with her partner, Rhett. (Credit: Instagram)
“I can dislocate things on a whim and 
I got myself in trouble a few times when I pushed myself,” she says, adding that it helped steer her course into acting. “But it’s so important to keep my muscles strong because I don’t want it to limit me. The thought of acting was always there, but after that, it really helped my motivation. I just went for it!”

Now she’s got the world at her feet, a pipedream to star in film overseas and a potential Logie Award looming. So is Hailey ready for what may come?

“The over-preparer in me will have a speech on the night but it certainly won’t be rehearsed!” she laughs. “I’m just happy to be nominated. I still can’t believe it.”