Rebecca June Hewitt (née Cartwright; born 23 July 1983) is an Australian actress, television presenter and singer. From 1998 to 2005, Hewitt played Hayley Smith Lawson on the soap opera Home and Away. As Bec Cartwright, Hewitt released an eponymous pop music album in 2002. In 2005, she married professional tennis player Lleyton Hewitt.
Bec Hewitt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Rebecca June Cartwright 23 July 1983 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Other names | Bec Cartwright |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1988–2006, 2018–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres |
|
| Labels | Warner Music Australia |
Career
editCartwright began her acting career at age 5 for television commercials. In 1992, she made her mainstream television debut on an episode of Police Rescue.[1] She has also guest starred in Water Rats and Roar.
She won her breakout role and best-known role to date in 1998, portraying Hayley Smith Lawson on Home and Away. Cartwright became a series fan favourite and earned herself numerous Logie Award nominations until 2005. In the same year, Cartwright earned a Most Popular Actress win.[1] She coincidentally fell pregnant within months of her 'Home and Away' character, and then left the series to become a full-time mother. For a short period of time, Ella Scott Lynch replaced her as Hayley before the character departed the series in the 2005 season finale.
In 2002, Cartwright signed a recording contract with Warner Music Australia and East West Records. Her debut single "All Seats Taken" was released 18 November 2002 and peaked at 10 on the ARIA Music Charts. Her follow-up singles "On the Borderline" and "A Matter of Time" both failed to match the same success, both charting only the Top 30. Her self-titled debut album was released on 16 June 2003 and, despite high expectations, charted only at 21 and was certified Gold. The album was met with mixed reviews, with Smash Hits giving the album two out of five stars. In 2004, Cartwright ended her partnership with Warner Music.
Cartwright was announced as a contestant in the first season of Dancing with the Stars. She and her partner Michael Miziner won the first season on 23 November 2004. The couple returned in an opening performance in a dance routine during the second-season premiere.
She hosted Abba Mania, which premiered in November 2006 on Nine Network. The special was met with controversy surrounding the fact that the only celebrity performers were Nine Network personalities. Hewitt's performance was met with largely negative reviews.
In 2018, Hewitt announced her return to television, 13 years since she left Home and Away, with the new Nine Network travel series Helloworld.[2] The series premiered on 7 October with Hewitt hosting in Episode 1 in Queensland – Hamilton Island.[3]
Personal life
editCartwright was born in Sydney on 23 July 1983 the youngest child of Darrel and Michelle Cartwright. She has an older brother and sister.[1] After a four-year relationship with fellow Home and Away co-star Beau Brady, Cartwright and Brady were briefly engaged.[4]
Soon after the end of her engagement, Cartwright began a relationship with tennis player Lleyton Hewitt. On 5 May 2005, the couple announced they were expecting their first child. The pair married on 21 July 2005; the wedding was at the Sydney Opera House, and their reception took place at Taronga Zoo. The event attracted much media attention, with Bec and Lleyton selling exclusive coverage of the day to magazine New Idea.[5] Fellow actresses and friends Ada Nicodemou and Kate Ritchie were bridesmaids. Commemorative stubby holders were given as gifts to all guests.
On 29 November 2005, Cartwright gave birth to daughter at Sydney's North Shore Private Hospital. Before her birth, a contract was made with women's magazine Woman's Day involving regular diaries from Bec and exclusive photos and interviews of the family for the first two years of Mia's life. The couple attracted much criticism for the observation that they had effectively "sold" their daughter to the highest bidder. On 11 December 2008, Hewitt gave birth to a baby boy whom the couple named Cruz Lleyton Hewitt.[6] Their third child, a daughter, was born on 19 October 2010.[7] Her name was announced via a text message subscription service for the cost of $2, a move that attracted much criticism of Bec and Lleyton.
In February 2009, after revelations about Hewitt's previously unknown offshore income and bank accounts were revealed during a legal battle with his former management company, Octagon Sports Marketing, the couple relocated to a $3.8 million home at the Old Fort Bay estate in Nassau, Bahamas.[8]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Police Rescue | Emma | Season 2, episode 9 |
| 1997 | Water Rats | School Girl | Season 2, episode 8 |
| 1997 | Roar | Young Caitlin | Season 1, episode 9 |
| 1998–2005 | Home and Away | Hayley Smith/Lawson | Season 11–18 (main role) |
| 2002 | Home and Away: Secrets and the City | Video special | |
| 2002 | Carols in Domain | Herself | TV special |
| 2003 | Saturday Disney | Herself | Season 14 (guest, 1 episode) |
| 2003 | The Saturday Show | Herself | Season 1, episode 101 |
| 2004–05, 2021 | Dancing with the Stars | Herself – contestant | Season 1–2, 18 |
| 2004 | Home and Away: Hearts Divided | Herself – host | Video special |
| 2004 | Carols in Domain | Herself | TV special |
| 2004 | Sn:TV | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2005 | Today Tonight | Herself | 4 February 2005 |
| 2005 | Home and Away: Romances | Herself | Video special |
| 2015 | Aegon Championships | Herself – Spectator | Day 1 |
| 2016 | Wimbledon | Herself – Spectator | Day 8, Part 2 |
| 2018 | Wimbledon | Herself – Spectator | Day 6, Parts 1 & 2 |
| 2018 | Endless Summer: 30 Years of Home and Away | Herself | TV special |
| 2018 | Helloworld | Herself – presenter | Season 1, episode 1 |
| 2022 | This Is Your Life: Ray Meagher | Herself | 11 October 2022 |
| TBA | Time & Place | Kylie | TV series |
| TBA | 13 Summers | Kate | Post-production |
Discography
editAlbums
edit| Title | album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Bec Cartwright |
|
21 |
Singles
edit| Year | Song | Peak Positions | Certifications | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS[9] | ||||
| 2002 | "All Seats Taken" | 10 |
|
Bec Cartwright |
| 2003 | "On the Borderline" | 29 | ||
| "A Matter of Time" | 26 |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Logie Awards | Most Popular Actress | Home and Away (Season 13) | Nominated | [10] |
| 2004 | Most Popular Actress | Home and Away (Season 16) | Nominated | [11] | |
| 2005 | Most Popular Actress | Home and Away (Season 17) | Won | [12] | |
| Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Nominated | [12] | |||
| 2006 | Most Popular Actress | Home and Away (Season 18) | Nominated | [13] | |
| Most Popular Personality on Australian Television | Nominated | [13] |
References
edit- General
- Hewitts' engagement announcement by Sydney Morning Herald
- Reports from ABC (Australia) and Reuters[dead link] regarding her marriage to Lleyton
- On the Borderline peak position
- Specific
- ^ a b c "Rebecca (Bec) Hewitt". Lleyton & Bec Hewitt. Archived from the original on 10 February 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
- ^ "Bec Hewitt confirms huge news". New Idea Magazine. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ "Bec Hewitt's stress ahead of TV return". New Idea Magazine. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ Maley, Jacqueline; McKenny, Leesha (5 October 2010). "Bec's Beau tells why they split". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 9 October 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
- ^ "Game, set and match for Bec and Lleyton". ABC News. 21 July 2005. Archived from the original on 7 April 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
- ^ "Bec and Lleyton Welcome Baby Boy". New Idea. 2009. Archived from the original on 18 December 2008.
- ^ "Lleyton Hewitt and Bec Hewitt confirm they are expecting third child". Herald Sun. 24 May 2010.
- ^ "Lleyton and Bec Hewitt buy $3.8m home in Bahamas". The Daily Telegraph. 10 June 2009. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
- ^ a b Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 50.
- ^ "Logie Awards (2001)". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ "Logie Awards (2004)". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Logie Awards (2005)". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Logie Awards (2006)". australiantelevision.net. Retrieved 30 August 2023.
External links
edit