Sydney Andrews
Encyclopedia
Sydney Andrews is a fictional character
in the American
television series Melrose Place and the 2009 series of the same name
, portrayed by Laura Leighton
.
Initially presented as an easy-going young woman with questionable priorities, Sydney would gradually be developed into one of the series' most multi-faceted characters. During her introduction in the first and second seasons, Sydney is prone to making rash and irresponsible decisions, such as getting involved with her sister's ex, and having a brush with the law. Though she often appears carefree and detached, she displays a sensitive side while enduring the consequences of her actions, and while sharing comforting moments with others. Later during the second season, Sydney reveals an opportunistic nature during her first blackmail scheme. Following this story, the character gained a reputation for having a playful and uninhibited side.
Throughout a good deal of the third season, Sydney is more often presented as a victim, being subjected to much mistreatment and stress. While continuing to endure, she finds support from unexpected people, and later attempts to help others during a chaotic event. The series' fourth season returns the character to her clever and scheming ways, though she is presented more as comedic relief during a period of rather serious story lines, and continues to display a compassionate side. In the fifth season, following years of romantic interests, she appears to finally obtain a fulfilling but short-lived relationship. Afterward, she is seemingly killed after being hit by a car, but reappears alive in the spin-off. In the latter series, Sydney is revealed to have a daughter named Violet.
The character's impact is generally held in high regard. In its biographical article on Leighton, Yahoo!
labels Sydney a "begrudgingly beloved" character. While reporting on the original series in 1994, Rolling Stone
, Entertainment Weekly
, and People
magazine all featured Leighton on their covers. Additionally, she earned a Golden Globe
nomination for the role in 1995.
) in the Melrose Place apartment complex. Sydney has a turbulent relationship with Jane's husband Michael (Thomas Calabro
), and ultimately returns to Chicago after she and Jane are unable to work out their differences.
After Jane leaves Michael over his adultery with Kimberly Shaw (Marcia Cross
), Sydney returns in the second season, living with Jane and offering her comfort. Soon Sydney displays a secret attraction toward Michael. Desperate for money, she temporarily becomes a prostitute and begins an affair with Michael, who she later blackmails into marriage when it appears that he had been responsible for Kimberly's death via drunk driving. The marriage with Michael is successful until Kimberly reappears alive. Forced out of her home, Sydney soon begins plotting Michael's death with Kimberly. Sydney backs out of the plan, and Kimberly successfully frames Jane for Michael's attempted murder.
In the third season, Jane is cleared of the charges but Sydney is arrested. She is later freed due to questions about her sanity and sent to a mental institution. Upon her release, Sydney returns to the apartment complex and works as a waitress and bookkeeper for fellow tenant Jake Hanson (Grant Show
), with the two eventually beginning a brief romantic relationship. Later, Sydney discovers that an unstable Kimberly is planning to set off explosions in the apartment complex, and she and Michael manage to warn the other tenants in time.
In season four, Sydney recovers from the explosion and reunites with Michael, but he quickly pursues an affair with Jane and ends his relationship with Sydney. Sydney's scheming nature begins to reemerge, though she continues to display a compassionate side. Sydney eventually moves on to dating Bobby Parezi (John Enos III
), Amanda Woodward's (Heather Locklear
) former brother-in-law, who later dies. After Jane is raped by her ex-boyfriend Richard Hart (Patrick Muldoon
), Jane plans to shoot him in vengeance, while Sydney tries to dissuade her from going through with it. Confronting Richard, Jane hesitates to pull the trigger, doing so only when he advances on her. She then realizes that Sydney had secretly removed the bullets from her gun. As Richard moves in on Jane, Sydney knocks him unconscious with a shovel. Thinking he is dead, they bury him; he crawls out of his grave to stalk them, and is later killed in a shoot-out with the police. Jane later moves back to Chicago, the sisters acknowledging their bond and parting on good terms.
Sydney finds happiness with Craig Field (David Charvet
). Together, they usurp Amanda and form their own advertising agency, Sky High, raiding most of her staff and effectively putting an end to D&D. The on-and-off couple are married in the fifth season finale, but at the wedding reception Sydney is hit by a car, forcibly driven by her one-time business partner Samantha Reilly (Brooke Langton
). Sydney is seemingly killed, and a distraught Craig later commits suicide.
Sydney is revealed to be alive in the 2009 series, her death faked with Michael's assistance. She is now the landlady of 4616 Melrose Place, and a central figure in the lives of its current tenants. In the opening scenes of the pilot, Sydney is found murdered, floating in the pool. Several of the building's residents become suspects, their backstories with Sydney revealed in flashbacks. It is revealed in flashbacks how Michael helped Sydney faked her death (that would have taken place during the time of the original series off-screen). Sydney believed that someone from her past was the one who ran her down (it was in fact Samantha and her father). Believing her husband was at risk, Sydney convinced Michael to help her. She disappeared, and later returned and did time for faking her death. Because of the injuries she sustained in the accident, Sydney developed a nasty drug and alcohol problem.
Sydney is shown to have had brief intimate relationships with Michael, his estranged son David and Auggie Kirkpatrick. She is revealed to be the mother of new resident Violet Foster (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz
). Initially rejecting Violet and claiming to have never given birth to a child, Sydney later tells Violet she wants to get to know her, only to be murdered soon after. Sydney's death brings Jane to town as the new owner of the building. Threatening to use evidence from Sydney to implicate Ella in the murder, Jane blackmails Ella into getting a celebrity client to wear Jane's designs. The return of Amanda Woodward to Los Angeles is also connected to Sydney, who had been selling stolen paintings for Amanda but had kept one for herself and hidden it before her death. In episode 12 it is revealed that Michael's wife Vanessa had visited Sydney to confront her about the affair with Michael. Sydney's taunts about Vanessa and Michael's son Noah actually being fathered by David had driven Vanessa to attack and ultimately kill Sydney. Suspecting Vanessa, David leaves Noah with Violet to keep Vanessa from leaving town with her son; confronting her mother's killer, Violet wrestles a gun-toting Vanessa into the pool and drowns her.
In episode 18, she reappears as a ghost in Amanda's imagination.
for her role on Melrose Place. When announcing her return for the 2009 spin-off, The Hollywood Reporter recognized Sydney as "one of the most popular characters" from the original show. When the follow-up series premiered, Entertainment Weekly placed Leighton's portrayal of Sydney as number one on their weekly "Must List", calling her "the same bitchy, unhinged instigator we adored."
Amy Amatangelo of Zap2it
criticized the decision to kill the character in the 2009 series, labeling it a mistake. Alan Sepinwall of NJ.com called the move "a poor way to use one of the more memorable vixens of '90s Melrose." In a 2009 interview, producer Todd Slavkin claimed that the show had not ruled out the possibility of bringing back Sydney, stating, "We would never close the door officially."
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television series Melrose Place and the 2009 series of the same name
Melrose Place (2009 TV series)
Melrose Place is an American television series broadcast on The CW Television Network from September 8, 2009 to April 13, 2010. The fifth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise, it is an updated version of the 1990s Fox prime time drama of the same name, featuring a group of young adults...
, portrayed by Laura Leighton
Laura Leighton
Laura Leighton is an American actress. She is best-known for the role of Sydney Andrews, introduced in the 1990s television series Melrose Place. She reprised the role in the 2009 series of the same name...
.
Initially presented as an easy-going young woman with questionable priorities, Sydney would gradually be developed into one of the series' most multi-faceted characters. During her introduction in the first and second seasons, Sydney is prone to making rash and irresponsible decisions, such as getting involved with her sister's ex, and having a brush with the law. Though she often appears carefree and detached, she displays a sensitive side while enduring the consequences of her actions, and while sharing comforting moments with others. Later during the second season, Sydney reveals an opportunistic nature during her first blackmail scheme. Following this story, the character gained a reputation for having a playful and uninhibited side.
Throughout a good deal of the third season, Sydney is more often presented as a victim, being subjected to much mistreatment and stress. While continuing to endure, she finds support from unexpected people, and later attempts to help others during a chaotic event. The series' fourth season returns the character to her clever and scheming ways, though she is presented more as comedic relief during a period of rather serious story lines, and continues to display a compassionate side. In the fifth season, following years of romantic interests, she appears to finally obtain a fulfilling but short-lived relationship. Afterward, she is seemingly killed after being hit by a car, but reappears alive in the spin-off. In the latter series, Sydney is revealed to have a daughter named Violet.
The character's impact is generally held in high regard. In its biographical article on Leighton, Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
labels Sydney a "begrudgingly beloved" character. While reporting on the original series in 1994, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, and People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine all featured Leighton on their covers. Additionally, she earned a Golden Globe
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
nomination for the role in 1995.
Melrose Place
Sydney comes to Los Angeles in the first season to visit her older sister Jane Mancini (Josie BissettJosie Bissett
Josie Bissett is the stage name of Jolyn Christine Heutmaker , an American actress best known for her role as Jane Mancini on the television series Melrose Place.-Early life :...
) in the Melrose Place apartment complex. Sydney has a turbulent relationship with Jane's husband Michael (Thomas Calabro
Thomas Calabro
Thomas F. Calabro is an American actor and director.-Biography:Calabro graduated from Fordham University in New York City.Calabro began his acting career in theatre with various roles in New York...
), and ultimately returns to Chicago after she and Jane are unable to work out their differences.
After Jane leaves Michael over his adultery with Kimberly Shaw (Marcia Cross
Marcia Cross
Marcia Anne Cross is an American actress. She is known for her television roles as Bree Van de Kamp on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives, and as Dr...
), Sydney returns in the second season, living with Jane and offering her comfort. Soon Sydney displays a secret attraction toward Michael. Desperate for money, she temporarily becomes a prostitute and begins an affair with Michael, who she later blackmails into marriage when it appears that he had been responsible for Kimberly's death via drunk driving. The marriage with Michael is successful until Kimberly reappears alive. Forced out of her home, Sydney soon begins plotting Michael's death with Kimberly. Sydney backs out of the plan, and Kimberly successfully frames Jane for Michael's attempted murder.
In the third season, Jane is cleared of the charges but Sydney is arrested. She is later freed due to questions about her sanity and sent to a mental institution. Upon her release, Sydney returns to the apartment complex and works as a waitress and bookkeeper for fellow tenant Jake Hanson (Grant Show
Grant Show
Grant Alan Show is an American actor best known for his role on Melrose Place as Jake Hanson, which he played from 1992 to 1997.-Early life:...
), with the two eventually beginning a brief romantic relationship. Later, Sydney discovers that an unstable Kimberly is planning to set off explosions in the apartment complex, and she and Michael manage to warn the other tenants in time.
In season four, Sydney recovers from the explosion and reunites with Michael, but he quickly pursues an affair with Jane and ends his relationship with Sydney. Sydney's scheming nature begins to reemerge, though she continues to display a compassionate side. Sydney eventually moves on to dating Bobby Parezi (John Enos III
John Enos III
John Enos III is an American actor, known for the role of Bobby Marsino in the soap opera The Young and the Restless from 2003 to 2005. Enos' other screen credits include guest roles on NYPD Blue, Sex and the City , Melrose Place and Murder, She Wrote...
), Amanda Woodward's (Heather Locklear
Heather Locklear
Heather Deen Locklear is an American actress best known for her television roles as Sammy Jo Carrington on Dynasty, Officer Stacy Sheridan on T.J...
) former brother-in-law, who later dies. After Jane is raped by her ex-boyfriend Richard Hart (Patrick Muldoon
Patrick Muldoon
Patrick Muldoon is an American actor.-Early life:Muldoon was born in San Pedro, California, the son of Deanna, a homemaker, and William Patrick Muldoon II, a personal injury lawyer. He is of Irish descent on his father's side and of Croatian descent on his mother's side...
), Jane plans to shoot him in vengeance, while Sydney tries to dissuade her from going through with it. Confronting Richard, Jane hesitates to pull the trigger, doing so only when he advances on her. She then realizes that Sydney had secretly removed the bullets from her gun. As Richard moves in on Jane, Sydney knocks him unconscious with a shovel. Thinking he is dead, they bury him; he crawls out of his grave to stalk them, and is later killed in a shoot-out with the police. Jane later moves back to Chicago, the sisters acknowledging their bond and parting on good terms.
Sydney finds happiness with Craig Field (David Charvet
David Charvet
David Charvet is a French singer and actor.-Personal life:Charvet was born in Lyon, France. His father is the Tunisian Jewish businessman Paul Guez. David Charvet's mother, Christiane Charvet, is French. He and his siblings speak French as their first language. He won a green card through the...
). Together, they usurp Amanda and form their own advertising agency, Sky High, raiding most of her staff and effectively putting an end to D&D. The on-and-off couple are married in the fifth season finale, but at the wedding reception Sydney is hit by a car, forcibly driven by her one-time business partner Samantha Reilly (Brooke Langton
Brooke Langton
Brooke Langton is an American actress. She is best known for the role of Samantha Reilly on the original Melrose Place.-Personal life:...
). Sydney is seemingly killed, and a distraught Craig later commits suicide.
Melrose Place (2009)
Sydney is shown to have had brief intimate relationships with Michael, his estranged son David and Auggie Kirkpatrick. She is revealed to be the mother of new resident Violet Foster (Ashlee Simpson-Wentz
Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Nicole Simpson is an American singer and actress. In 2004, she rose to prominence with the success of her number-one debut album Autobiography and the reality series, The Ashlee Simpson Show. In October 2005, following a North American concert tour and a film appearance, Simpson released...
). Initially rejecting Violet and claiming to have never given birth to a child, Sydney later tells Violet she wants to get to know her, only to be murdered soon after. Sydney's death brings Jane to town as the new owner of the building. Threatening to use evidence from Sydney to implicate Ella in the murder, Jane blackmails Ella into getting a celebrity client to wear Jane's designs. The return of Amanda Woodward to Los Angeles is also connected to Sydney, who had been selling stolen paintings for Amanda but had kept one for herself and hidden it before her death. In episode 12 it is revealed that Michael's wife Vanessa had visited Sydney to confront her about the affair with Michael. Sydney's taunts about Vanessa and Michael's son Noah actually being fathered by David had driven Vanessa to attack and ultimately kill Sydney. Suspecting Vanessa, David leaves Noah with Violet to keep Vanessa from leaving town with her son; confronting her mother's killer, Violet wrestles a gun-toting Vanessa into the pool and drowns her.
In episode 18, she reappears as a ghost in Amanda's imagination.
Reception
In its biographical article on Leighton, Yahoo! states that she gave the character "expressive facial movements, fiery intensity, and a surprising likable quality." The article goes on to say that "despite all her misdeeds, Sydney invariably became sympathetic when the show's treacherous tide turned against her." As the original series gained popularity, the show received attention from Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and People magazine, with Leighton being featured on every cover. In 1995, the actress was nominated for a Golden Globe AwardGolden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign...
for her role on Melrose Place. When announcing her return for the 2009 spin-off, The Hollywood Reporter recognized Sydney as "one of the most popular characters" from the original show. When the follow-up series premiered, Entertainment Weekly placed Leighton's portrayal of Sydney as number one on their weekly "Must List", calling her "the same bitchy, unhinged instigator we adored."
Amy Amatangelo of Zap2it
Zap2it
Zap2it is an American website and affiliate network that provides news, photos and video, local TV listings and movie showtimes. The site is produced by Tribune Media Services , part of the publishing division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
criticized the decision to kill the character in the 2009 series, labeling it a mistake. Alan Sepinwall of NJ.com called the move "a poor way to use one of the more memorable vixens of '90s Melrose." In a 2009 interview, producer Todd Slavkin claimed that the show had not ruled out the possibility of bringing back Sydney, stating, "We would never close the door officially."