Yahoo Finance Former Home and Away star Jake Ryan discusses new movie role in Savage
Note: The following article contains discussion of sexual misconduct that some readers may find upsetting.
Former Home and Away star Jake Ryan has opened up his new movie role as a violent gang leader in Savage.
The star left Summer Bay as Robbo early last year, with his soap character killed off after being involved in a huge car crash.
However, Jake wasted no time in working away from soapland, taking on the role of Danny in Savage, the movie following the gang leader from childhood to adulthood.
Related: Home and Away boss promises wedding and pregnancies in 2021 storylines
Exploring the serious themes of New Zealand gangs and abuse suffered in the care system, Jake opened up to 9Entertainment about taking on the role.
"To see these grown men – you wouldn't look sideways at these guys – but to see them shedding a tear and talking about their childhood, which no-one's asked them about before, was really powerful," he said.
"In no way does the film glorify the gang violence or justify what they get up to but to get an understanding of what makes a young boy, an innocent young child who wants to be at home with his mum and family, fast forward to brutal enforcer of a gang, to see that process.
"Any kid in the world that suffers the abuse that these guys did, society's going to have some repercussions down the track."
Related: 13 huge Home and Away spoilers for next week
To prepare for the part of Damage, Jake spent time in a shopping mall in costume, adorned with his character's face tattoo and mullet. I didn't have to do anything and people were parting ways, and people looked terrified, they wouldn't make eye contact," he said.
"At first I was quite scared to do it and then you start resenting people for judging you and then you're craving connection... it was amazing what a couple of stickers on your face and a haircut [can do], how you can be perceived by society."
Jake also filmed the part alongside work on Home and Away, recalling: "Usually you get those post-shoot blues... I didn't have time because I was back into the sunny, loving happy world of Summer Bay. It was a blessing because you just had to roll into the next one."
Savage is available to stream on Stan in Australia.
Readers who are affected by the issues raised by this storyline can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by email via help@nspcc.org.uk.
Young people can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or via 1-2-1 chat on www.childline.org.uk
The SurvivorsUK National Online Helpline for Male Survivors can be reached from 12pm – 8pm every day via http://survivorsuk.org, by text (020 3322 1860) and by email (help@survivorsuk.org).
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