Since Neighbours returned a year ago, Mackenzie Hargreaves has shown an interest in her housemate, Haz Devkar.
Their relationship hasn’t been without some ups and downs.
Mack had a lot of internal struggles getting back on the dating scene after the death of her first husband Hendrix, shortly after their wedding. The first time she dipped her toe back into the dating pool she ended up spending time with “Ed”, who turned out to actually be bad boy, Eden.
She started to open up to the idea of dating Haz, but he started seeing firefighter Billie and then jumped into a relationship with Mack’s friend, Holly Hoyland.
Just as Mack and Haz found their way to each other, Haz’s murky past as a criminal computer hacker was exposed, threatening their relationship. This part of the saga ended in Mackenzie accidentally running Haz over, resulting in him spending time in a coma.
As with many relationships in Erinsborough, the dramas were overcome and the couple managed to eventually realise they were meant to be together. All it took was them flying to the outback and Mackenzie fighting for her life after being shot.
Georgie Stone, who has played Mackenzie since 2019, sat down to talk about her time on the show as it is confirmed she will be departing Erinsborough for a new life in Paris. She also talks about her character’s relationship with Haz and the prospect of a second on-screen wedding.
Q: This is now Mackenzie’s second Neighbours wedding. What’s the best part of being the one walking down the aisle?
A: “I think the best part for me is getting to wear the beautiful dresses that our head of costume, Nick Wakerly, designs. Both times he worked so hard to create a beautiful wedding gown and I felt incredibly honoured to wear them! I especially love the dress he designed for Mackenzie and Haz’s wedding, it is stunning.”
Q: Mackenzie and Haz’s engagement was a bit unexpected. Were you surprised that Mack would want to get married again?
A: “I was definitely surprised by the engagement! Mack already got married at a young age so I was not expecting her to do it again only a few years later. But I think after everything she has been through Mack wants to hold on tight to what she has. Also, I did ask the producers to give Mackenzie a happy ending, and a wedding is such a classic Neighbours happy ending!”
Q: Harold walks Mack down the aisle. Do you feel like that was the right fit for her?
A: “Harold supported Mackenzie when she was grieving Hendrix, so it feels full circle that he walks her into this next chapter of happiness and joy. I loved it!”
Q: Your character is officially saying goodbye to Ramsay St. What will you miss most about being part of the Neighbours family?
A: “As cliche as it sounds, I will miss the people the most. I have met so many lifelong friends on that set, and I will miss seeing them all every day. It is a very special place. I will also miss Mackenzie – I was 19 when I first played her, and it was such a pleasure to play her the last 5 years.”
Q: What’s one thing you’ve learned from Mackenzie over the past few years? Are there any qualities of hers you hope to incorporate into your own life?
A: “Mackenzie never compromised her integrity. With all the trauma she experienced – losing her mum and her husband, almost dying like 4 times! – I’m surprised she never went off the rails. But Mackenzie always held on to her empathy, her kindness and her strong sense of justice. I think that is incredibly inspiring!”
Hari Devkar was one of the new faces on Ramsay Street when Neighbours was resurrected by Amazon in 2023. Meek and mild-mannered, he appeared to only have two obsessions in his life, coffee and his dog, Trevor. Of course, we eventually found out that Haz was keeping a dark history secret, which almost ended his friendships on Ramsay Street as well as the blossoming relationship with Mackenzie.
Now, a year one, he is set to bid farewell to Erinsborough. As he prepares to marry Mackenzie, we see reconciliation with his parents who had disowned him following his criminal activities as well as a reconnection with his sister, Amira. On her last visit to Erinsborough she was overprotective of her brother and dismissive of his relationship with Mack, so will she give her blessing?
Shiv Palekar, who plays Haz, talked about his time on Neighbours and what the future holds for Mack and Haz.
Q: The wedding episode is extra emotional as Haz is reunited with his estranged parents. What were your thoughts when you found out they’d be making a surprise appearance?
A: “Haz was over the moon to see his parents show up. I think he was heartbroken at first when he found out that they weren’t actually going to show up. They still have a lot to work through but I think coming to the wedding is an amazing first step for their future as a family.”
Q: Susan Kennedy is always a great officiant. Were you excited she would be the one to officiate Haz and Mack’s wedding?
A: “Who better to legitimise a beautiful union than the Queen of Ramsay Street herself? It was such an honour to leave the show with Jackie’s/Susan’s guidance and blessings!”
Q: We know Mack and Haz are heading to Paris. What do you think is next for the couple?
A: “I think a wonderful life awaits them – they’re going to love living in Paris. Mack is definitely going to pull big moves at the UN and Haz will no doubt have a great run in cybersecurity, it’s mighty lucrative for an ex-hacker!”
Q: Your character is officially saying goodbye to Ramsay St. What will you miss most about being part of the Neighbours family?
A: “I’ll miss everything, the wonderful cast, the incredible crew, the great storylines. The early starts, the late finishes, literally everything – I wouldn’t take anything back or change anything. It’s been such a wonderful experience and I’ll miss all of it. I’ll especially miss the sharehouse gang – we really got close during filming, and it hurt to say goodbye.”
Q: What’s one thing you’ve learned from Haz over the past year? Are there any qualities of his you hope to incorporate into your own life?
A: “I’ve learnt from Haz that the pursuit of goodness and redemption is not an easy road, but it’s possible. Everyone makes mistakes, but they’re also deserving of a second chance. Haz wears his heart on his sleeve and I’d like to do some more of that in my life – it’s a vulnerable thing to do and it doesn’t always go well, but I feel like Haz is true to himself despite it all!”
So, it is time to say goodbye to Mackenzie and Haz, it has been a wild ride, but there’s plenty of time for more unmissable drama before they say “I do”!
The Neighbours wedding airs on September 17th and you can catch new episodes of Neighbours streaming on Amazon Freevee and Amazon Prime Video from 7am, Monday-Thursday.