Roxy Canning (also Willis) is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Neighbours, played by Zima Anderson. Anderson secured the role two years after relocating to Melbourne in the hope that she might win a part on the show. She felt that she was able to bring her own experience of moving from a regional town to the suburbs to the role. Her future co-star Jemma Donovan also auditioned for Roxy before she was cast as Harlow Robinson. Roxy was initially billed as being a relative of established character Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou), before it was revealed that she is the daughter of Terese's former brother-in-law Adam Willis (Ian Williams) and his wife Gemma Ramsay, whose actress Beth Buchanan reprised her role to facilitate Roxy's arrival. Anderson made her first appearance as Roxy during the episode broadcast on 29 April 2019.
The character was initially portrayed as a wild, headstrong girl from the Northern Territory. Anderson called Roxy ambitious, obnoxious, and high energy, which is reflected in her introduction when she parties at the local bar. Anderson thought this would give her the chance to show different sides of Roxy's personality as she grows up and she was hopeful of the chance to explore Roxy's vulnerable side. Anderson believed Roxy was the type of character viewers would love or love to hate. Roxy is brought to Erinsborough by her mother, who hopes that Terese can help curb her rebellious ways. Roxy's older boyfriend Vance Abernethy (Conrad Coleby) is soon introduced and it emerges that he also dated Terese. Anderson thought Vance and Roxy worked well as a couple and said Roxy was besotted with him. The pair scheme to sell a stolen race horse, which Terese exposes causing Vance to flee. Anderson said Roxy is hurt when she learns about Vance and Terese's past relationship, leading her to get revenge by kissing Terese's fiancé Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis).
Roxy becomes a surprise love interest for Mark Brennan (Scott McGregor), and scenes showing how the characters got together were shown in a flashback. They establish a casual relationship, which becomes toxic. The plot allowed Anderson to show Roxy's softer side. Towards the end of the year, Roxy is brought into David Tanaka's (Takaya Honda) health storyline, when she turns out to be kidney match for him. Anderson described Roxy as being "pretty reluctant" to donate a kidney to David, as they are not blood relatives and she could face her own health issues in the future. Writers also formed a friendship between Roxy and her co-worker Shane Rebecchi (Nicholas Coghlan), after she confides in him about being a match for David. Anderson enjoyed working with Coghlan on the storyline and thought they had a similar bond to their characters. The friendship is tested when Roxy kisses Shane and then urges him not to tell his wife out of fear of being branded a homewrecker. Shane later manipulates Roxy and abuses their relationship when he develops a drug addiction. Coghlan described Shane's actions towards Roxy as brutal and cruel.
A romance develops between Roxy and Kyle Canning (Chris Milligan) in episodes broadcast in March 2020. The show's executive producer Jason Herbison said the pair had great chemistry, and both Anderson and Milligan thought Roxy and Kyle were a good match. The couple overcome several obstacles together, including family opposition and Kyle's testicular cancer diagnosis. The relationship leads to the couple's eventual marriage. Anderson admitted to being shocked that Roxy was going to be married so soon, but felt it was something her character had always dreamt of. In her final storylines, Roxy feuds with Amy Greenwood (Jacinta Stapleton) over the managers job at the Flamingo Bar, and undergoes IVF treatment in order to conceive her and Kyle's first child. Anderson was grateful for the chance to portray a couple who were struggling to conceive. After learning Roxy is pregnant, the couple decide to relocate to Darwin and their exits aired in May 2022. Anderson and Milligan's departures had been scripted before it was announced Neighbours had been cancelled. Anderson was pleased with Roxy's exit story and grateful that she and Kyle were allowed to leave together. Anderson later made a cameo appearance in June, followed by a longer guest stint in July 2022. She returned again in February 2025 for the soap's 40th anniversary, when it was revealed that she had given birth to a son, Jett. Roxy returned again in December 2025, for the show's final episode.
Casting On 14 April 2019, Susannah Alexander of Digital Spy reported that producers would be introducing Roxy Willis, a relative of established character Terese Willis (Rebekah Elmaloglou) later that month. Zima Anderson was cast in the role two years after relocating from her home town of Burnie to Melbourne, where she had hoped to secure a part on Neighbours. She believed that as a young woman who had moved from a regional area to the suburbs, she would be able to bring some of own experience to the role. Of joining the cast, Anderson said "I've been so lucky with the role of Roxy, I've already found myself in a wide range of crazy situations from virtually the first scene which has been so much fun and really challenged me, I'm constantly learning." Anderson began filming at the start of the year, and admitted to being nervous about entering the studio for the first time. She made her first appearance as Roxy during the episode broadcast on 29 April 2019.
During her appearance on co-star Takaya Honda's YouTube series Tak Talks, Jemma Donovan revealed that she had also gone up for the role of Roxy, however, she felt the character was not right for her. She said "I auditioned for Roxy, and I remember getting the scripts and I was like, 'Gosh, Neighbours is getting raunchy!' I was like, 'Oh my god, this 18-year-old, I don't know if I can play this!'" Donovan later secured the role of Harlow Robinson. Anderson said she and Donovan had formed "a beautiful friendship", after welcoming her to the cast.
Development Characterisation Roxy is established as the daughter of former characters Gemma Ramsay (Beth Buchanan) and Adam Willis (Ian Williams), Terese's former brother-in-law. She was billed as Terese's niece, but Anderson pointed out that she is not actually related to Terese by blood. Roxy was initially characterised as "a wild girl from the Northern Territory". Anderson called her character "explosive", "very fun and very naughty". She also described her as being "full of heart and she is bubbly and sporadic and does whatever she wants." Like her character, Anderson moved from a regional area to Melbourne, which allowed her to bring the experience of a "small town mindset of wanting to do bigger and better things" to the role. The character's profile on the official Neighbours website states that she is "headstrong", has "a nose for trouble" and enjoys pushing boundaries. While she comes across as "fearless", the website said Roxy has much to learn about the world. They also stated that she would be a loyal friend if you get on her right side, but if you cross her then watch out.
A few months after her arrival, Anderson called Roxy "impulsive and confident", believing that the audience "heard her loud and clear!" She also thought that Roxy was a character viewers either loved or loved to hate. She admitted that she cared about people too much to do the things that Roxy did, such as making trouble and feeling like she has upset someone. Anderson liked Roxy's style and how she allowed other people to have fun, saying "She just wants everyone to loosen up and be themselves." However, Anderson also said that if she were friends with Roxy in real life, she would want to give Roxy a talking to about some of the things she says. She did not think hating yourself was a good excuse for bullying, and hoped that her character would find more kindness within herself. She added that she would still accept Roxy for who she is, as no one is bad for no reason.
Anderson confirmed that as Roxy settles into Erinsborough, she would start to show a different side of her personality. She told Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy: "Roxy is definitely full of energy, so her introduction to the show was great. I think that gives her a lot more room to show different sides to herself in the future. Roxy has come in with such strong ambitions. She's a little bit obnoxious, she's very fun and youthful. But that's going to give her so much more of a journey." Anderson hoped the viewers would enjoy her character's journey and how much she would change while she was on the show. Anderson also wanted to explore her character's vulnerable side, pointing out that Roxy was still a child and prone to mistakes. She thought Roxy did the "wild and crazy" stuff because that is what other people expect from her, but viewers would see more than the confident girl who does what she wants. She added "It comes from such a deeper place and from other experiences she's had in life. She's just trying to find herself as a person, like the rest of us."
In December 2020, Anderson said there would be some "classic Roxy antics" coming up, and she would make some mistakes, which she always does. She hoped viewers would have fun watching her character, as she had playing her. She also said that she wanted to take part in some stunts, explaining "Roxy always gets into sticky situations – she has the best of intentions, but then she feels bad when it all goes wrong, as she didn't expect it."
Introduction and early storylines
Buchanan reprised her role for the first time since 1991 to facilitate Roxy's introduction. Gemma hopes that Terese can sort out Roxy's rebellious ways and draws on her wild past in Darwin as she persuades her into letting Roxy move in. Roxy makes an instant impression by partying at The Waterhole and tempting Leo Tanaka (Tim Kano) to drink a shot from her belly button. Of the moment, Anderson said "Roxy wants to make every moment fun. If she can party, she will! So why not drink a shot of tequila while laying across a bar?" The scene was the first Anderson filmed for the serial and she admitted that she was both nervous and excited about it. Anderson said this behaviour and the fact she does not know when to stop is why Gemma decides to uproot Roxy's life. She told Inside Soap'''s Alice Penwill that some of Roxy's past questionable actions have caught up with her and she needs a fresh start. Terese expresses sympathy for Roxy, and later explains to her daughter Imogen Willis (Ariel Kaplan) that she was in a similar situation when she was younger, after being led astray by her boyfriend at the time. Roxy gets off to a bad start with both Terese and her fiancé Paul Robinson (Stefan Dennis), but Anderson said Roxy really wants to get on with Terese as she looks up to her. She also said that while it seems her parents are pushing her away, Roxy does not necessarily see it as a bad thing, as she can learn from Terese. Roxy's cousin Ned Willis (Ben Hall) becomes suspicious about her sudden arrival and learns that she is lying about some events in her past.