When Ryan Bown and Sophea Pennington got the call to join the cast of Home And Away, they were both on the other side of the world. In separate countries, they dropped everything to come home. Upon landing, their lives had completely changed.
“I left for a holiday the day after my audition and chemistry test,” Sophea tells TV WEEK. “But as part of the [acting] process, you tend to leave the audition behind once it’s done. I woke up in Toronto [Canada] with an offer and I was on set two weeks later!”
Meanwhile, in London, Ryan was facing a crossroads. He and his partner Natalie Spence, who’s also an actor, had been “kicked out” of their apartment and were looking for a temporary place to stay. That same day, Summer Bay came calling.
“The timing was wild,” Ryan, 31, explains. “My landlord was selling our apartment, so we had to leave. The day we moved was the day of my final audition. We were in an empty apartment with a bottle of champagne and pizza waiting until midnight to do my final round over Zoom. Two days later, I got the offer.”
Having been away from family and friends for five years, the timing of the offer was somewhat serendipitous. But it wasn’t without some deliberation. Ryan, a graduate of the Howard Fine Acting Studio, had begun to find success in the UK with roles in Everything I Know About Love, among others.
“It’s a huge move,” the Sydney-born actor says. “I love London and my partner is British, so it involved her coming over as well. But she was the one who got me over the line. She said, ‘I’m keen for the adventure. Let’s go’. Three days later, I flew home.”
Despite the world at their feet, both Ryan and Sophea knew the opportunity was too good to pass up. After growing up in Singapore for six years with her family, Sophea set her sights on the screen. She went on to study at NIDA [National Institute of Dramatic Art] before taking a shot at the industry. But despite her early success at just 22, Sophea admits to experiencing “imposter syndrome” on the set of Home And Away.
“This show is iconic, everyone knows it so I’m incredibly lucky,” she says.
The actress, who makes her H&A debut in March, will bring fresh drama to Summer Bay as “wild child” Lacey, whose ties to the River Boys will cause some upheaval in the community.
“She’s a bit of a bad girl but has a good heart,” Sophea teases. “The minute I got the character breakdown for Lacey, I felt like I could play her. It’s fun to play someone who’s got an edge.”
While less dramatic than Sophea’s entrance, Ryan is thrilled to play Sonny, who comes to Summer Bay to reunite with best mate Remi (Adam Rowland).
“Sonny is a more cheeky, outlandish version of myself,” Ryan says with a laugh. “So I knew I could do something with the role. It felt like the universe had opened up.”
Ryan teases that a “few challenges” are set test Sonny’s loyalty and expose his background – all of which he can’t wait to dive into. Sophea echoes her co-star’s thoughts, adding that she’s readying herself for the next chapter.
“I haven’t quite found my feet yet,” she says with a laugh. “But I’m ready to ride the wave!”
