Rebecca Gibney and Kerry Armstrong are powerhouses within the Australian TV industry. Both women are veteran performers who have had illustrious careers and a slew of impressive credits to their names.
But what people may not know is that Rebecca and Kerry are also lifelong best friends.
Rebecca and Kerry (who often affectionately refer to one another on social media by the nickname, ‘Boofy’) were first introduced after being cast in the 1990 ABC adaptation of Come in Spinner.
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The pair starred alongside Lisa Harrow in the series about three Sydney beauty shop attendants during a fateful week in World War II.
Rebecca, 57, recently shared an Instagram throwback post about the miniseries, revealing that it remains a high point of her career.
“The scripts were spectacular and working with these two phenomenal actresses taught me so much. One of my fave jobs ever,” Rebecca wrote in the caption.
In the social media post, Bec also explained that “one of the best things” to come out of the show was her “deep and lasting friendship” with co-star, Kerry.
According to Kerry, 64, the pair hit it off from the get-go, becoming “great friends” almost instantly.
“We shared hotels, meals and ghost stories, and laughed ourselves silly,” Kerry once recalled. In an insight to their dynamic, Kerry explained: “Bec makes me want to be really naughty. It’s quite dangerous. She eggs me on.”
From then onwards, Kerry and Rebecca became permanent fixtures in one another’s lives. Together they’ve enjoyed dazzling career highs. Kerry even appeared as Bec’s sister in a 1996 episode of Halifax f.p.!
They’ve also each been a shoulder to lean on during trying times, both personally and professionally.
“I remember Bec would stay with me sometimes when she was going through a rough patch,” Kerry told The Australian Women’s Weekly in an interview.
“Then when I was going through a financial rough patch, every now and then there’d be a hundred dollars in my letterbox.
“She’d swear black and blue it wasn’t her, but what she didn’t realise was that I knew what her envelopes looked like. She’d leave the money in a really nice ‘Rebecca Gibney envelope’ because she likes good stationery.”
When Rebecca welcomed a son, Zachary, it came as no surprise that Kerry was named as godmother. It’s an honour the SeaChange actress, who’s mum to three boys of her own, still feels “blessed” about.
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Through tough times and triumphs and even when they were physically apart, Kerry says the enduring nature of their friendship bolstered them through their respective life journeys.
“Bec’s been beside me for over 30 years. Because our lives have been so full of adventures, many highs and lows, I think during many of those times our friendship literally kept us afloat,” Kerry reflected.
The feeling is clearly mutual, with Bec recalling in a separate interview how she views her female friendships – like the special one she has with Kerry.
“My friendships mean everything to me because they can hold up a mirror to you.”
The latest issue of New Idea is out now.
