just tak

Miah Madden joins Tak to talk growing up in the acting industry, studying law alongside a successful career and learning to live without needing everyone’s approval. She reflects on losing her father at a young age, the influence of her Aboriginal family and community, and starting work at just eight years old. What we get into: * Juggling a law degree with a successful acting career * Growing up...

Tak goes rogue. And by rogue, we mean live. For Only Tak 2 , Tak takes over the show completely, leaving Producer Tom with absolutely no way to edit him, cut around him or quietly remove anything he probably shouldn’t have said. No guest. No safety net. No edit. What could possibly go wrong? Note: This was recorded LIVE on YouTube two weeks ago, normal pod releases have now resumed. just tak. is a...

Kate Connick joins Tak for a chat about Neighbours, starting over in Australia, ambition, nepotism and learning to define success on her own terms. She talks about landing her first acting job as Fallon Morell, growing up with Harry Connick Jr. and Jill Goodacre, leaving LA, dating, entrepreneurship and launching Acre Wellness in Melbourne. What we get into: * Joining Neighbours as Fallon Morell i...

Broadcaster, writer and podcaster Rachel Corbett joins Tak for a conversation about dementia, caring for both of her parents, family, career and finding contentment. Rachel spent almost two decades with dementia as a major part of her life, first with her mum and then, almost immediately afterwards, with her dad. She opens up about how her mum’s Alzheimer’s unexpectedly helped heal their complicat...

Jessica Redmayne joins Tak for a deeply personal conversation about Home and Away, acting, grief and dementia. Fresh from her final episode as Harper Matheson, Jessica reflects on leaving Summer Bay, tackling a domestic violence storyline, losing her mum to younger onset dementia and the family history that continues to shape her life. What we get into: · Leaving Home and Away after three years as...

Ben Hall joins Takaya Honda to talk Pretty Woman: The Musical, Neighbours, Better Man and the relentless drive to keep improving. He opens up about life on tour, building chemistry with Samantha Jade, surviving live theatre disasters and the sacrifices required to make a living as an Australian actor. What we get into: · Playing Edward Lewis in Pretty Woman: The Musical · Married life and travelli...

Georgie Stone joins Tak for an honest and moving conversation about Neighbours, acting, trans representation and life after Mackenzie. She reflects on online abuse, advocacy, Harry Potter, finding her identity beyond the show and her upcoming move to London. What we get into: · Playing Mackenzie Hargreaves on Neighbours · Pitching a trans character directly to Jason Herbison · Being cast on Neighb...

Shuang Hu joins Tak for a huge conversation about going from The Family Law to building a global audience of millions, generating more than 8 BILLION YouTube views , and taking control of her own career. What we get into: · Growing up Chinese-Australian in Townsville · Meeting Takaya on The Family Law · Going from painfully shy to wanting to perform · Moving to LA and starting again · Starting Tik...

Scott Major joins Tak for a funny, candid and wide-ranging chat about Heartbreak High, 17 years on Neighbours, acting, directing, indie filmmaking and what comes next for Australia’s creative industry. What we get into: Returning to Heartbreak High and playing Rivers again Why both generations of Heartbreak High connected around the world Becoming drama coach on the reboot Saying goodbye to Neighb...

Madeleine West joins Tak for a raw, funny and wide-ranging conversation about Neighbours, surviving a near-fatal accident, rebuilding her identity, stand-up comedy, advocacy and the landmark Survivors Law. What we get into: * Motherhood and embracing the chaos * The landmark Survivors Law and why it matters * Speaking publicly about childhood sexual abuse and confronting her perpetrator * Landing...

Something a little different from Just Tak this week… No guest. No edit. Just Takaya, live on YouTube and answering your questions. In this special live episode, Tak takes questions from viewers around the world and chats all things Neighbours, Play School, acting and the realities of working in the Australian screen industry - with plenty of stories and tangents along the way. We get into: · Neig...

Debra Lawrance joins Tak for a warm, candid and deeply personal conversation about Home and Away, Neighbours, Please Like Me, nearly 50 years in acting, learning to listen to her body, surviving the industry and the moment she finally became Debra rather than simply Pippa. What we get into: · Stepping away from the Steel Magnolias tour · Why actors push through illness and exhaustion · Learning to...

George Zhao joins Takaya Honda for a funny, open and vulnerable chat about Ghosts Australia, The Family Law, acting, ego, imposter syndrome, identity, clown doctoring, almost quitting the industry and learning that casting is not a competition. What we get into: · George’s Logie nomination for Ghosts Australia · Meeting Takaya on The Family Law · Moving from Sydney to Melbourne · Growing up betwee...

Matthew Backer joins Takaya Honda for a funny, thoughtful and honest chat about Neighbours, Play School, acting, identity, bullying, coming out, casting, resilience and what it really means to bring yourself to the work. What we get into: · Playing Logan on Neighbours · Being labelled “the gay stalker” · Aaron, David and fan reaction · Working together on Play School · School musicals, bullying an...

Nathan Borg was told more than once that acting probably wasn’t going to happen for him. He didn’t accept that. In this episode, Nathan talks to Takaya about growing up profoundly deaf, being bullied at school, landing Neighbours during COVID, and becoming the show’s first recurring actor with a cochlear implant. What we get into: · Growing up profoundly deaf in Bacchus Marsh · Meningitis, cochlea...

Shane Isheev joins Takaya Honda for a proper behind-the-scenes deep dive into the Neighbours writers’ room, life as a script producer, fan backlash, storylines that changed direction, and the wild plots that never made it to air. What we get into: · Going from Neighbours superfan to script producer · How a script department actually works · NCIS Sydney and the difference between soap and crime dra...

Riley Bryant joins Takaya Honda for a funny, thoughtful and emotional chat about Neighbours, school, anxiety, growing up through lockdowns, surviving one of the fastest sets in television and figuring out whether acting is still the life he wants. What we get into: · Playing JJ Varga-Murphy on Neighbours · Meeting Takaya on Surviving Summer and running the Neighbours callback · Balancing Year 11 a...

Tim Robards joins Takaya Honda for a funny, honest and surprisingly revealing chat about Neighbours, SAS Australia, Peloton, fatherhood, fitness, wine, acting and what success really looks like when life changes. What we get into: · Tim’s work with Peloton as an Australian guest instructor · Building Elle Wines and the story behind Elle Rosé · The pressure of balancing family, business and creativ...

Andrea McLean joins Takaya Honda for a raw, generous and deeply honest conversation about leaving Loose Women , losing professional identity, financial collapse, shame, resilience and building a life after public failure. What we get into: Growing up in Trinidad and Tobago and returning to the UK GMTV, live TV and becoming the long-serving anchor of Loose Women The art of holding a panel together...

Rob Mills joins Takaya Honda for a warm, funny and refreshingly honest chat about fame, theatre, Neighbours, music, ageing, resilience and what it really takes to keep showing up in the creative industry. What we get into: Australian Idol and early fame Rob’s Neighbours era as Finn Kelly Waitress, Wicked, Ghost and the eight-show-week grind Taking on Bon Jovi live Vocal discipline, fitness and rec...

Charlotte Nicdao joins Takaya Honda for a funny, honest and beautifully chaotic conversation about acting, ambition, friendship, motherhood, fame and Mythic Quest. Best known as Poppy Li in Apple TV’s Mythic Quest, Charlotte also reflects on voice work, upcoming film projects, her podcast At The Movies with Charlotte and Bron, and finding joy in making things without needing to prove yourself. Wha...

Travis Jeffery joins Takaya Honda for a raw, funny and deeply honest conversation about acting, ambition, grief, body transformation and learning that “making it” does not mean losing yourself. Best known for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Unbroken, Pirates of the Caribbean and Gallipoli, Travis reflects on dream jobs, self-worth, motion capture, pottery, Australian film and building a life be...

Olivia Junkeer joins Takaya Honda for the first official episode of just tak , as the podcast steps into its new era. Best known to Neighbours fans as Yashvi Rebecchi, Olivia talks about life after Ramsay Street, moving to London, the chaos and heartbreak of growing up on set, the work that shaped her, and why she is now more interested in truth, comedy and creative freedom than chasing fame. Funn...

Takaya Honda steps out from behind the microphone as Lucinda Cowden takes over hosting duties for a funny, revealing and fan-led chat about Neighbours, David Tanaka, fatherhood, representation, auditions, and what comes next for the podcast. What we get into: · Growing up in a high-achieving sporting family, from gymnastics and baseball to the moment acting started to feel like a real possibility....

Takaya Honda returns for the first Bin Night since Matt’s departure, opening up about the future of the podcast, what happens next, and whether Bin Night can really continue without one half of the original duo. Joined by producer Tom Sage, Tak puts it all on the table and calls on the Bin Chickens to help shape what comes next. Sponsors: BeautyBoat.com : use code BIN25 for 25% off your entire ord...