Neighbours star Coco-Jacinta Cherian’s racism claims emerge in Pauline Hanson court case

A former Neighbours star has revealed in Pauline Hanson’s court case how racism has affected her acting career and blasted the soap’s producers.

Former Neighbours star Coco-Jacinta Cherian has told a court she quit acting because of racism and blasted the soap’s producers for using “Indian stereotypes”.

The former actor, who now works for a refugee support organisation, made the statements as part of evidence in support of Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi, who has accused Pauline Hanson of racial discrimination in a Federal Court lawsuit.

Cherian, who is now 26, says she now has anxiety and depression linked to racism she experienced during her stint on Neighbours and while working as a waitress.

As a 14-year-old she appeared on Neighbours in 2012 and 2013 in the role of Rani, the youngest member of the Kapoor family – the first non-white family to move into Ramsay Street.

Coco-Jacinta Cherian in her Neighbours days.

In an affidavit filed with the court, she said racist comments were made about her and other actors playing the Kapoors even before they appeared on air.

“Once episodes I had acted in went to air, I recall seeing tweets which used words to the effect of ‘I should go back to where I came from”, that I “didn’t belong [on Neighbours]” and that Neighbours should only be using actors who were “real Australians”.

She said she believed the tweets have since been deleted but she remembered them because they “had a very powerful impact on me” and made her question whether she belonged in Australia or on Neighbours.

Cherian on set with Neighbours co-star Harley Bonner. Picture: Network Ten

“I also started to hate my race and hate the part of me that is Indian,” she said.

“I recall not liking my skin and not feeling comfortable in it. I also recall comparing myself to my peers on Neighbours and recall feeling very different from my co-stars who were white.

“I felt as though I was not as important or deserving of time on screen when compared to my co-stars, who were the typical, backyard cricket playing white Australians.”

She said she noticed that the show’s writers “were using Indian stereotypes in their portrayal of the Kapoor family”.

“As an Australian, I did not relate to the character and because of the hate I was seeing online, I wanted to move away from the character that I was playing (for example, celebrating Hindu traditions or wearing Saris),” she said.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi arrives at the Federal Court in Sydney during her racial discrimination trial against Pauline Hanson this week. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers.

Because of the stereotyping and “the racist comments I saw whilst acting on Neighbours, I made the decision to quit acting in 2013,” she said.

Neighbours producer Fremantle has been contacted for comment.

Cherian said that after walking away from her acting career she continued to receive racist comments while working as a waitress.

“In my late teens, when I would go out to bars or nightclubs, I recall having the same sorts of questions about ‘where I am really from’ being asked of me by people I met on a night out,” she said.

“I can recall being asked words to the effect of, ‘do you smell like curry?’

“I now suffer from anxiety and depression, which I believe is linked to these experiences.”

Senator Pauline Hanson arriving at the Federal Court this week. Picture: Nikki Short

Cherian came forward to give evidence after filling out an online survey set up last year to support Senator Faruqi’s case against Senator Hanson.

Her affidavit was read into evidence during a hearing this week.

Senator Faruqi has accused Senator Hanson of racism for a tweet in which the One Nation leader demanded she “pack your bags and piss off back to Pakistan”.

In court this week, Senator Hanson’s barrister, Kieran Smark SC, said the tweet was “not nice” or “polite” but denied it was racist.

Justice Angus Stewart will hand down his judgment at a later date.