Hayley Rose Smith (also Lawson) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away. She was portrayed from September 1998 to September 2005 by actress Rebecca Cartwright and from September to November 2005 by Ella Scott Lynch, after Cartwright left the show for personal reasons. Casting In May 2005, Cartwright announced she would be leaving Home and Away for personal reasons. The announcement came one week after she confirmed she was pregnant with her first child. Cartwright said the decision had been hard, but she found that she could not continue in the role. She explained, "I will always remember my days on Home and Away as the best of my life. But at such an important time of my life, I need more time and flexibility away from the day to day demands of the production schedule." Cartwright filmed her final scenes in June, and remained on air until September 2005. It was also announced that the role of Hayley was set to be recast. The Seven Network's head of drama, John Holmes, said the character was "integral" to the show. Cartwright stated that she was "pleased that the character of Hayley will live on". Scott Ellis of The Sun-Herald later reported that over one hundred actresses auditioned for the role of Hayley. Producer Julie McGauran told Ellis that there had been "a couple of impressive contenders". On 5 June 2005, it was announced that actress Ella Scott Lynch had been cast as Hayley. Scott Lynch said she was both "excited and a little daunted" about joining the show as an already established character. Storylines Hayley is the daughter of Ken (Anthony Phelan) and Eve Smith (Robyn Gibbes) and the sister of Will (Zac Drayson) and Nick Smith (Matt Juarez; Chris Egan). After Eve suffers psychological problems and Ken descends into alcoholism, the children are placed in foster care. Will leaves and Hayley runs away to join him living with Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger). Hayley quickly befriends Sam Marshall (Ryan Clark) and they begin to graffiti tag various areas in the Bay. They begin dating. While out walking one day, the couple are taken hostage by a drifter named Murray (Scott Major) who held up the diner. They are eventually rescued by Will. Hayley and Sam continue tagging until their friend Brian Matthews (Scott Swalwell) dies in a fall. Shortly after, Ken reappears and Hayley is