Lleyton and Bec Hewitt’s daughter Mia reveals why she became a grungy rock star and didn’t follow in her famous father’s tennis footsteps

Mia Hewitt, the daughter of tennis legend Lleyton and former Home and Away star Bec, has revealed why she didn’t follow in her famous father’s footsteps.

Instead of pursuing a life on centre court, the 20-year-old has focused on a career in music, performing alongside Chèrise Combrink in the bohemian folk duo Father’s Favourite.

Appearing on Today on Friday, Mia admitted to hosts Jayne Azzopardi and Joel Dry that she simply did not have the coordination to be a professional tennis player. 

‘You’re the singer of your own band. Why did you try to pursue music?’ Jayne asked the burgeoning rocker.  

‘I think music’s been [something] I’ve always been passionate about. I have absolutely zero hand-eye coordination, so it was never going to be tennis,’ Mia revealed.

She added that music was always something that loomed large in her life and that she decided to take the plunge after gaining the confidence to perform in front of people.  

‘I always wanted to go down the music route and I finally got a bit more confident as I got older and then I decided to pursue it,’ she said.

‘I’ve made some really beautiful friends and then we decided to start the band and it’s been going really well.’

Mia is also currently in a relationship with fellow rocker Vanda Erich, who plays in Sydney indie rock outfit Liquid Zoo.

She debuted her new beau during a day out at North Bondi in January 2024.

The pair were spotted heading into a chemist to get some sunscreen before hitting the beach’s famous grassy knoll, a favoured spot for influencers and locals.    

Mia’s band performed their first gig back in August last year, and her former Home and Away star mum Bec is reportedly keen to steer her in the right musical direction.

While she is best known for playing Home and Away fan favourite Hailey Smith Lawson from 1998 to 2005, the actress also had a brief pop career.

On the back of her television fame, Bec released an eponymous solo album in 2002, and her debut single All Seats Taken hit number 10 on the ARIA chart.

Her album, however, was met with mixed reviews and her music career effectively came to an end in 2004 when she parted ways with label Warner Music.

A source told New Idea that Bec is keen to ensure that her daughter avoids the pitfalls that can befall new and inexperienced artists.

‘Bec knows how to deal with bad people, dodgy managers, and doesn’t want Mia making some of the mistakes she made early in her career, like being too optimistic about certain jobs,’ they said.

The insider added that while music is Mia’s current consuming passion, she hasn’t ruled out a career in front of the camera, like her actress mum.

‘Mia is very savvy. She knows you can’t just be good at one thing and that entering the music industry will ultimately see her having to create social media content and putting herself forward,’ they said.

‘Ultimately, that can lead to more work like modelling, acting and even presenting.

‘Bec just wants Mia to be happy and working on a career that is going to sustain her.’

Mia’s parents, tennis champion Lleyton and singer Bec, met on the tennis court for a charity game at the Starlight Cup back in 1999.

The couple didn’t reconnect until a few years later and finally met up in person in 2005, before getting engaged after a whirlwind romance that lasted six weeks.

As well as singer Mia, they also share another daughter Ava, 15, and son Cruz, 17.