Star of Home and Away Lynne McGranger has been up about how she initially met co-star and current close friend Johnny Ruffo.
When Ruffo, who is currently battling terminal cancer, joined the cast of the popular Channel 7 soap in 2013 after becoming famous on The X Factor, the two met there.
In the singing competition, Lynne, a Silver Logie nominee this year, remembers watching Ruffo and “thinking he was such a talent.”
“I do remember him coming onto the show and, to be honest, probably rolling my eyes and thinking, b* reality television star,” Lynne says to 7Life.
“I did watch him on X Factor, and I remember thinking he was a handsome, intelligent, humorous, and brilliant guy.
When I realised he wasn’t an actor, I rolled my eyes and said, “Well, what the heck is he doing here? I thought he was such a talent.
Despite Lynne’s doubts on his first day on set, she claims they hit it off immediately.
“Those initial thoughts of mine were so, so wrong,” she acknowledges.
It was untrue to the fullest extent possible because of his diligence and intense desire to succeed and advance his acting knowledge.
Lynne recalls Ruffo as “fun to be around and naughty” during his three years on the programme.
We simply clicked right away, and I’m like his elder sister or what he calls his “East Coast Mama” since his real mother lives on the west coast.
Ruffo was born and reared in Western Australia, and when he moved to Sydney after becoming famous, his family stayed behind.
Despite having a 35-year age difference, Lynne thinks the two are still great friends mostly because they “have the same sense of humour.”
He is the most irreverent person you will ever meet, but he gets away with murder because he is witty and cheeky, she chuckles.
“I’m referring to his talks, jokes, and all of those other things.
He used to be like a 60-year-old man instead of a 35-year-old man when we first met.
“I suppose what I loved about him was just how mischievous and irrepressible and all those things he was.
“Johnny doesn’t take himself too seriously, you know, for a young, handsome, and talented man – he must have had women falling over him.”
Lynne attributes Ruffo’s ability to stay grounded despite the attention he drew to his prior work as a concreter before he applied for the talent competition.
“Getting to the point where he is in the public eye was not an easy journey. He put a lot of effort into it, she continued.
“I think all of those things drew me to him, and we’ve just gotten along great and laughed a lot,” she said.
They have a “unusual” age difference, Lynne has acknowledged.
You know those crazy, oddball things that happen to you when you meet individuals and somehow wind up having a lifetime bond with them? She divulges.
“You just pick up where you left off,” the speaker said, “you don’t have to live in each other’s pockets or talk to each other every week.”
The pals have a lot to be happy about after Lynne’s recent win for Most Popular Actress in a TV WEEK Silver Logie for her portrayal of Irene.
According to her, “I still feel like it’s not real,” she tells 7Life.
It’s quite bizarre; I’m at a loss for words.
All popular award categories are now open for voting, and it will be open until the conclusion of the red carpet presentation on July 30 at 7.30 p.m. AEST.
The prestigious TV WEEK Gold Logie Award is the sole exemption, and it will now, for the first time, remain open throughout the show before closing at 10.30pm AEST.
On www.tvweeklogies.com.au, you can cast your vote for your fave nominees from the shortlist right now.
