Home and Away returns to Channel 7 and 7plus on Monday, January 31 for a new season that promises to be full of surprises.
Ryder Jackson, who was buried alive – with his destiny still unknown – had to be one of the most gripping storylines of the year.
Lukas Radovich, who plays Ryder, spoke with 7Entertainment about his most difficult sequence to shoot and the cast member who has surprised him the most.
The programme will begin up where the season finale left off, with Ryder being buried alive in a coffin for a video challenge.
As the character started live streaming the five-hour video challenge, his pal Theo, whose job it was to keep an eye on Ryder’s grave, went to fetch lunch, stumbling over and knocking himself out.
“When I saw that the call sheet just had my name on it for the entire day, I knew it was going to be enormous,” Lukas continued, calling this subplot the “most hardest sequence to film.”
“Learning and being covered in dirt for such a long time was difficult. Lukas remembered, “But it was also the most fulfilling.”
The trailer for the season debut this week has been released, and it shows Ryder continuing to live stream and reacting to user comments.
Ryder will run out of air in 90 minutes, according to one observer who claimed to be an expert.
Lukas’ character Ryder is Quinn Jackson’s son and Alf Stewart’s grandson, who is the show’s longest-running character, having appeared on television for 33 years.
When asked which member of the cast has surprised him the most, Lukas responded Ray Meagher, the man behind Alf Stewart.
“I suppose Ray,” Lukas remarked of the iconic actor, “because he’s the polar opposite of his character [Alf].”
On the sitcom, the character of Alf is noted for his gloomy demeanour and colourful language.
Lukas drew parallels between himself and his character Ryder as well.
“I believe Ryder is more of a softie than I am. I’m a lot more obstinate! “However, we both place a high value on family,” Lukas remarked.
Life on the set of Home and Away
Lukas also recounted the most humiliating incident that occurred on site.
“I miss the white ball every time Ryder is in a pool table scene and I have to break – which is literally every time.”
“You’d think I’d know how to play after all these years on the show,” Lukas added.
Fortunately for the young actor, his most embarrassing anecdote is not the product of an on-set joke, which is common on the set of Home and Away.
Lukas did, however, reveal the show’s biggest prankster: “the Art Department, which handles with props and the set.”
He replied, “They always seem to be having the most fun.”
