TV Week
November 27th 1999
On and off the Summer Bay set, Ryan Clark is just your average teenager.
WITH his sun-kissed blond hair and freckles, Ryan Clark doesn’t exactly look like a veteran or Australian television.
But at the tender age of 16, Ryan is in his ninth year of playing Sam Marshall in Home And Away – and he has no Intention or stopping yet, even if it does interfere with his school work!
“I’ve been with the show for nearly nine years now, and I’m pretty used to that,” he explains. “I do school by correspondence and Mum helps me. It’s not too bad.”
Approaching his HSC year, Ryan knows that the pressure will soon be on. However, unlike many of his friends, he won’t have a long summer holiday to recharge his batteries before the next school term. He’ll be busy filming Home And Away!
Fortunately, he has a professional attitude when it comes to the workload. “It’s a bit disappointing, but it’s our job,” he says. “We get other breaks.”
Ryan is also lucky that he enjoys the support or friends who nave grown accustomed to his fame.
“They’re used to it by now,” he says. “It would probably be weird if I wasn’t on the snow. I’ve got a good bunch of friends.”
No doubt they’re quick to tease him on occasions about being a heart-throb, too. Friends are friends, after all. How does Ryan cope with that sort of recognition?
“It’s a bit weird,” he admits. “I certainly don’t see myself as a heart-throb, and it does make me feel a bit nervous.”
With the start of next year’s filming not too far away, Ryan is looking forward to new and exciting storylines for his character.
“I’d like to see Sam have lots of fun, maybe some romance,” he laughs. “It’s all just part of the job.”
Holly Valance
Plays Felicity Scully in Neighbours
Age: 16
Star sign: Taurus
Favourite colour: Red
Favourite food: Chicken risotto
Ambition: To be happy and financially stable, no matter what I’m doing or where I am!
Favourite movie: Stealing Beauty
Favourite actor: Liv Tyler
Cat or dog? Cat – I have a cat named Max.
Favourite TV Show: Seinfeld
Easygoing or stubborn?: Stubborn, shockingly stubborn! I can’t bring myself to back down once my mind is made up!
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