▁while ▁studying ▁at ▁University . ▁While ▁film ing ▁with ▁co - star ▁Z ac ▁D ray son , ▁Wood ▁was ▁approached ▁by ▁some ▁fans . ▁" I ▁was ▁film ing ▁on ▁location ▁when ▁I ▁first ▁started ▁on ▁Home ▁and ▁A way ▁and ▁there ▁were ▁some ▁English ▁tour ists ▁asking ▁Z ac ▁for ▁aut ograph s . ▁They ▁then ▁turned ▁to ▁me ▁and ▁they ▁all ▁asked ▁me ▁for ▁my ▁aut ograph ; ▁I ▁had ▁no ▁idea ▁what ▁to ▁do ▁or ▁write . ▁I ▁actually ▁think ▁I ▁was ▁more ▁nerv ous ▁than ▁they ▁were ". ▁Series ▁Produ cer ▁Russell ▁Web b ▁chose ▁Wood ▁for ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁P eta ▁due ▁to ▁her ▁" f resh - fac ed " ▁look . ▁For ▁her ▁port ray al ▁of ▁P eta , ▁Wood ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁a ▁" M ost ▁Popular ▁New ▁Fem ale ▁Tal ent " ▁award ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁Mitch ▁Mc Coll ▁ ▁Mitch ▁Mc Coll , ▁played ▁by ▁Camer on ▁Wel sh ▁deb uted ▁on - screen ▁during ▁the ▁episode ▁air ing ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁Wel sh ▁aud ition ed ▁for ▁the ▁role ▁with ▁the ▁predicate ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁only ▁be ▁a ▁guest ▁role . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁Wel sh ▁was ▁diagn osed ▁with ▁a ▁h erni ated ▁disc ▁in ▁his ▁back ▁and ▁was ▁ordered ▁to ▁take ▁bed ▁rest . ▁Produ cers ▁granted ▁Wel sh ▁a ▁six - week ▁break ▁but ▁decided ▁to ▁h ire ▁Mitchell