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Neighbours Is Being Recut Into AI-Assisted Margot Robbie Microdrama; Ex-Cast Member Says He Only Learned of It When Approached

Bot Mutiny | October 25, 2026

Fremantle, the producer of the Australian soap Neighbours, is working with RoseBerry Media to recut old episodes into a phone-format "microdrama" using an AI-assisted tool, and former cast member Matthew Werkmeister says he learned of the deal only when the Guardian approached him for comment, the Guardian reported. The Guardian's standfirst says Margot Robbie's fellow cast members say they have not been consulted. Fremantle says the tool does not generate new scenes or performances, alter actors' faces or likenesses, or use synthetic voices. Werkmeister says he signed his original contracts at 13, before AI or vertical streaming platforms existed.

What is being made

According to the Guardian, RoseBerry Media, which specialises in "vertical television" for phones, has repurposed original Neighbours episodes for its Epis platform using an AI-assisted production tool called RedSnapper. The microdrama will initially focus on Margot Robbie's character, Donna Freedman, whom she played from 2008 to 2011. Two of Robbie's storylines will be recut into vertical micro-episodes, creating about 150 minutes of content, the Guardian reported.

Neighbours broadcast more than 9,300 episodes between 1985 and 2025, the Guardian said. The paper reported that the microdrama market, which originated in China, was estimated to be worth up to $15bn (A$21.4bn) globally last year.

In comments reported by Variety last month, Fremantle's commercial and international chief executive, Jens Richter, described the project as "an exciting example of how technology and creative thinking can unlock new value from our diverse catalog and content library," according to the Guardian.

What the cast say

Neighbours star Stefan Dennis told the Herald Sun the project was "unbelievably invasive, morally and legally wrong and somehow it appears we can't do anything about it," the Guardian reported. He said he had his agent looking into it and expected others on the show to do the same, along with the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and the Australian Writers' Guild. "Whether they can stop it is another thing. We're dealing with a very big machine," he said. His agent told Guardian Australia he would not comment further.

Matthew Werkmeister, who played Zeke Kinski from 2005 to 2011 and appeared alongside Robbie in a love-triangle storyline, told Guardian Australia he learned about the deal only when the paper approached him for comment. "I find it extremely concerning," he said. "Not from any money-making point of view, but from my image being used through AI and a platform I did not consent to."

Werkmeister said he had received no notification from Fremantle or RoseBerry Media about whether residuals would be paid to actors in the vertical series. Guardian Australia understands that any residuals will be paid to writers and actors based on their agreements for the series, as per the normal process. Werkmeister said he signed his original contracts at age 13, and that "AI and streaming platforms, let alone vertical streaming platforms, didn't exist and was not a consideration." He called the venture a "money grab for Fremantle" and said: "They're just trying to dump their existing library to make a quick buck."

Mattie Webb, the agent for actor Sam Clark, who played Donna's partner Ringo Brown, said Clark was waiting to hear from the US actors' union Sag-Aftra before commenting.

Fremantle's response

When contacted by Guardian Australia, Fremantle defended the microdrama and said it would use only "original, previously broadcast footage, dialogue and performances." A Fremantle spokesperson said RedSnapper "does not generate new scenes or performances, alter actors' faces or likenesses, or use synthetic voices." The spokesperson said the tool was used to help with "catalogue analysis, editing and vertical reframing, with a human editor reviewing and approving every stage of the editing process."

A RoseBerry Media spokesperson said the company was aligned with Fremantle's response and had "nothing further to add," the Guardian reported.

Union and cast push for regulation

The MEAA, which the Guardian described as Australia's largest union for actors, confirmed it is assisting Neighbours cast members and their representatives after the announcement. Its acting chief executive said anyone involved in Neighbours could contact the union "to ensure their work is not exploited without their knowledge, consent or fair compensation." The union called on the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and parliament to legislate so that workers "are fairly and directly compensated when their work is exploited by AI."

A spokesperson for the Australian Writers' Guild told Guardian Australia it was "in discussions with Fremantle and hopes to reach a fair resolution soon."

Werkmeister also backed legislative intervention. "Converting existing work via AI without proper consultation or fair compensation sets a concerning precedent," he said.

What is not yet established

The Guardian's account leaves several questions open. It does not report the terms of the original actor contracts or whether they cover AI-assisted reuse in a new format. The standfirst says co-stars have not been consulted, but the body quotes only Werkmeister on that point and does not report whether other cast members, including Dennis and Sam Clark, were notified or consulted, and it reports no response from Fremantle or RoseBerry to the consultation claims. It says Robbie had been contacted for comment, and her response had not been reported. Fremantle's description of the tool as editing-only is the company's own account; the Guardian does not say it was independently tested.

This article is based on the Guardian's reporting.