Amy Greenwood is a fictional character from the Australian soap Neighbours, played by Jacinta Stapleton. She made her first on-screen appearance on 10 July 1997. Amy is characterised as flirtatious and ditzy, especially interested in fashion and gossip. During her original duration in the series, writers created a long-running on/off relationship with Lance Wilkinson (Andrew Bibby). Amy later begins relationship with flight attendant Damien Smith (John Ridley) and elopes with him after discovering she is pregnant. Amy departed on 21 March 2000. Five years later, Stapleton reprised her role for the show's 20th anniversary episode in July 2005. She reprised the role again in December 2020 and later re-joined the regular cast. Her final regular appearance was on 28 July 2022 during the serial's finale, although she returned on 13 November 2023 for two flashback episodes, which showed why Amy had left Ramsay Street.
Development Characterisation Stapleton said she shared her character's "fun-loving nature", but she was not as "sneaky" as Amy and did not play around like she does. Stapleton also said she was not as "mischievous" as Amy, but they both liked to party and tried not to take things too seriously. Annette Dasey from Inside Soap described Amy as "sassy". In 2021, following her return, Stapleton thought her character's personality had not changed all that much, explaining "What I will say is that Amy is not shy! She's not a troublemaker, but she gets up to a bit of mischief, even though I don't think she means to. Amy just runs on a high frequency." Stapleton also described Amy as "excitable" and called her "a bit of a firecracker", a personality trait she found fun to play.
Relationship with Lance Wilkinson
Amy was introduced as a love interest for Lance Wilkinson (Andrew Bibby). Dasey (Inside Soap) thought "nerdy" Lance was not the type of boy people would expect someone like Amy to date, but Stapleton disagreed saying he was everything Amy wanted in a boyfriend. She explained: "Lance may be a real dork, but she loves him for who he is. But he can't see this and tries to be something he's not." Lance's insecurities about the relationship come out when he tries to compete with mechanic Drew Kirk (Dan Paris) to be the main subject of Amy's school photography assignment. Stapleton said that when Lance strips off, he is really pale and "scrawny", unlike Drew. Lance is not the ideal subject for the assignment, so he gets jealous when Amy continues to photograph Drew. In a bid to compete with Drew, Lance covers himself in fake tan, leaving him bright orange. Stapleton said Amy finds it "hilarious" and decides that his unusual skin colour will make for more interesting photos, so she asks him to strip to his boxers and pose for her. The pair are embarrassed when their neighbour Harold Bishop (Ian Smith) walks in on them, but Stapleton said that it actually helps their relationship. She explained "Lance's modesty only endears him further to Amy and she becomes more determined to have her wicked way with him."
In October 1998, producer Peter Dodds said Amy and Lance would continue to become "an ever more bizarre couple", but they would be tested when Lance has a dramatic problem which he has to navigate his way through. Lance develops a gambling addiction, which he tries hard to conceal from his family and friends. Bibby said that his character only realises he has a problem when Amy learns what is going on. Bibby stated, "She finds out he's been lying to her and has lost a lot of money. What started out as a bit of fun has become very dangerous." Amy ends their relationship as Lance's addiction proves too much for her. Stapleton thought that Amy and Lance should stop being "pig-headed" and make up with each other. She told an All About Soap reporter: "They are both very headstrong and strong-willed. Each doesn't want to be the first to say what they truly feel. I can understand how that is; nobody wants to open themselves up to rejection and getting hurt." Bibby thought that there had been a strong attraction between the characters from the start and that they meant the world to each other. He also said that they worked well together "in their funny way."
Writers paired Lance with fellow blonde character Megan Townsend (Allison Byrne). Amy begins interfering in their relationship because she wants to protect Lance. Writers portrayed the pair embroiled in a jealous mind game. Bibby told Belinda Young from TV Week that Amy dislikes Megan and begins following them. He added that Amy continually turns up where he goes which makes Lance believe Amy is stalking him. Lance enjoys making Amy jealous but is annoyed when she sabotages a romantic evening with Megan. Bibby explained that "Amy thinks that Megan is not the type of girl that Lance should be dating, so she decides to keep an eye on him." Amy's suspicions were correct because Megan was just "stringing him along" and they break-up. Lance is forced to apologise but Amy "rubs it in" and continue to play mind games. He concluded that he would like the pair to reunite and added "I think deep down there's an attraction between them both."
Amy and Lance later reconcile, but she soon begins an affair with Damien Smith (John Ridley) and becomes pregnant with his child. Bibby said that Lance only finds out about Damien, after his sister Anne Wilkinson (Brooke Satchwell) tips him off. He explained "Hearing that your girlfriend is seeing someone else is bad enough, then Amy says, 'Well, there's nothing you can do about it because I'm pregnant'. Lance feels like he's been hit by a bus." The situation is more upsetting for Lance because he and Amy never had sex. Bibby told All About Soap'''s Jason Herbison that Lance always thought that Amy wanted their first time to be special, so they waited. Then he finds out that she had sex with Damien and it feels like "a big slap in the face." Bibby told Herbison that there was very little chance of Amy and Lance getting back together, as he is heartbroken and confused. He also admitted that the storyline was an unexpected development and a surprise to him, saying "You don't hear much about sex in Neighbours, then all of a sudden a regular character gets pregnant."
Departure and cameo appearance In November 1999, Herbison, writing for Inside Soap, reported that Stapleton had filmed her final scenes as Amy and she had already flown to Sydney to audition for a new sitcom. Stapleton confirmed that she had chosen to leave Neighbours to pursue other roles. The actress stated: "Leaving Neighbours was scary because for three years I knew what I was going to doing every day. It was my decision, so if something goes wrong it's my fault, which is daunting. I get bored easily, so having something new to do is a good thing and I know I've made the right decision." In the build up to Amy's exit, scenes feature her refusing Damien's marriage proposal because she is afraid to tell him about her pregnancy. Lance then tells Damien the news and the couple reunite. Bibby said that Lance just wants Amy to be happy, so he puts her relationship with Damien above his own feelings. Amy then leaves for a new life with Damien in Fiji. Bibby added that the scenes in which Lance says goodbye to Amy, he was also saying goodbye to Stapleton, and it was only then that the fact Stapleton was leaving really hit him.
On 14 April 2005, Kris Green from Digital Spy reported that Stapleton had agreed to reprise her role for the show's 20th anniversary episode. The Neighbours producers contacted Stapleton's agent about a possible return and she agreed to come back as she was already in Melbourne. On her decision to return to Neighbours, Stapleton said "I was really happy to come back. I wanted to do it for some closure for the character. I really enjoyed playing the character of Amy, and it would be nice for people who remember her to be able to know how she turned out!" Stapleton added that Neighbours was the "best training ground" for her acting career.
Reintroduction Stapleton reprised the role for a guest appearance from December 2020. Calling Amy "a heritage character", series producer Jason Herbison admitted that he had wanted to bring her back for a while. Of her return, Stapleton said "As Amy Greenwood has always held a fond place in my heart, to reprise her 20 years later feels like a gift that rarely happens in one's career. She's effusive and flamboyant and joyous to play. Her time back in Erinsborough will see her experience everything from friendship to drama, to romance and heartbreak. It's quite the ride." Amy returns to Erinsborough to help design a new uniform for Lassiters Hotel staff, having established a career in the fashion industry during her time away. Amy also becomes a love interest for a newly separated Shane Rebecchi (Nicholas Coghlan), however, when she realises that he still loves his wife Dipi Rebecchi (Sharon Johal), Amy decides to leave Erinsborough and return to Queensland. Stapleton later told Sam Warner and Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy that her guest stint was only supposed to be for six weeks, but it was later extended to eleven. In May 2021, it was confirmed that Stapleton would be re-joining the regular cast. She admitted that she was not expecting to return as a regular while filming her guest appearance, saying "I never in a million years – or 20 to be exact – thought I'd be back on Neighbours at all."
Character conclusion The Neighbours finale left Amy's character with an unresolved story, as she revealed that she had found an unnamed donor to proceed with her desired pregnancy. On-screen, Toadie Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) asks Amy if the donor is someone they know, and Amy responds ambiguously. Viewers speculated that the donor may be Joel Samuels (Daniel MacPherson), who was seen to interact with Amy while she was away from Erinsborough, or Lance. Herbinson commented that "I felt we should include a small mystery or two [in the finale]. I loved the way Jacinta performed that. For the record, I don't know the answer!"
Storylines Amy is the only daughter of Tony and Josie Greenwood (Sally Keil) and has one older brother Jeff (Brad Flynn), and one younger, Patrick (Matthew Barnes). Amy comes to the Coffee Shop after Lance Wilkinson arranges to meet her there. They go on a date and Lance falls into the Lassister's Lake while trying to impress Amy. In spite of this, Amy agrees to see him again. Lance and Amy begin dating, but Amy's friends begin teasing Lance and generally making fun of him.
When Jacinta Myers (Caroline Morgan), one of Amy's friends, frames Lance for putting a caricature of Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodburne) in the school paper, resulting in Lance being suspended, Amy and Toadfish Rebecchi (Ryan Moloney) come up with a plan to clear Lance's name by tricking Jacinta into confessing. Amy and Lance stage a public break-up which Jacinta ultimately falls for and Toadie records her confession via video camera after two prior failed recordings and they present the tape to Susan. After Amy reveals that she and Lance are still together, Jacinta is forced to concede defeat. Amy and Lance have a tumultuous relationship and have a number of instances where they are made to feel jealous. Amy runs for school captain alongside Lance's sister, Anne, but both are tied when Lance votes twice, one vote each. Anne and Amy eventually share the responsibility.