The ‘H2O: Just Add Water’ Cast Then and Now—See What the Mermaids Are Doing Today
Two of the stars went on to work together again on the CW show ‘The Vampire Diaries’
The H20: Just Add Water cast is definitely not a group of ordinary girls from a deep blue underworld, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t just as magical as the mermaids they play on TV. Yes, you read that right: Mermaids. In the hit early 2000s Australian show, three teenage girls are magically transformed into mermaids and must find a way to harness their powers before it’s too late.
These adventures lasted for three seasons, and since the show ended in 2010, several of the stars have traded their fins for things like fangs and families. Below, we discover what exactly the mermaids have been up to since they left Mako Island and what they really thought about their time on the show. Read on for more.
Cariba Heine as Ricki Chadwick
Ricki Chadwick was seen as the “rebel” of the group. She was sassy, had heat powers and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, making Cariba Heine the perfect person to play her. Born in 1988 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the actress’ other credits include Blue Water High (2008), Dance Academy (2010 to 2013), Designated Survivor (2017), Adopted (2018), The Secret She Keeps (2020 to 2022) and Everyone is Doing Great (2021 to 2023). She was also the only original cast member to reprise her role in the 2016 spinoff show Mako Mermaids.
“It is so meaningful being part of a series where a character really helped people through childhood and teen years,” the actress told Now to Love in August 2021. “But it does put a lot of pressure on you as well to maintain that sort of image!”
Heine is now 36 years old and has been married to husband Matt Pong since 2024. They also just welcomed their first child together in May.
Phoebe Tonkin as Cleo Sertori
Phoebe Tonkin is an Australian actress who people most likely know from either H20: Just Add Water, The Vampire Diaries (2012 to 2013) and The Originals (2013 to 2018). However, she has also been in The Secret Circle (2011 to 2012), Bloom (2019 to 2020), Night Shift (2012) and The 8th Day (2025).
“I have seen a lot of the TikToks online where everyone endearingly makes fun of my accent,” the actress said in a February 2024 interview with W Magazine. “In particular, the way I say the words ‘water’ and ‘oh no.’”
Tonkin is 35 years old and got married to her husband, Bernard Lagrange, earlier this year.
Claire Holt as Emma Gilbert
Rounding out the original Mako Mermaids trio is none other than Claire Holt, an Australian-born actress who brought Emma Gilbert to life. The actress’s other titles include things like Mean Girls 2 (2011), Pretty Little Liars (2011), The Vampire Diaries (2011 to 2014), The Originals (2013 to 2018), Aquarius (2015 to 2016), 47 Meters Down (2017) and Legacies (2021 to 2022).
“It [H20: Just Add Water] definitely helped me feel comfortable in the water,” Holt told E! News Australia in 2017. “When we were doing H20, we were swimming a lot with these big heavy tails and we were holding our breath. I thought that that would be harder, but it wasn’t.”
The actress is currently 37 years old and has been married to Andrew Joblon since 2018, with whom she has three children. Before that, she was married to film producer Matt Kaplan for a year. He is now married to Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper.
Indiana Evans as Bella Hartley
Indiana Evans might not have joined the show until the last season, but her character Bella quickly became a fan favorite thanks to her quick wit and singing ability. Aside from her work on the show, a lot of people know Evans from projects such as Snobs (2003), Home and Away (2004 to 2008), Cronies (2011), Blue Lagoon: The Awakening (2012), Secrets and Lies (2015) and Thor: Love and Thunder (2022).
“What really surprises me is when someone quite young recognizes me,” Evans said of H20: Just Add Water, per Honey. “I’m thinking, ‘You’re way too young to have watched the show when it aired’. I guess it must live on via streaming and people continue to find it.”
Evans is now 34 years old and doesn’t have any public social media accounts.
Angus McLaren as Lewis McCartney
In H20: Just Add Water, Angus McLaren was the only male cast member to appear in the opening credits. The actor’s other projects include Silversun (2004), Packed to the Rafters (2008 to 2013), Home and Away (2018 to 2019) and Back to the Rafters (2021).
McLaren is now 36 years old and is originally from Wonthaggi, Australia.
Burgess Abernethy as Zane Bennett
Everyone loves a bad boy, and in H20: Just Add Water, that came in the form of Zane Bennett, who Burgess Abernethy played. The actor has also been in Home and Away (2007 to 2008), Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance (2018), iZombie (2018) and Nautilus (2024).
The actor is now 38 years old and still remains really good friends with his onscreen love interest, Heine.
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