Heath Braxton | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Home and Away character | |||||||||||||||||||||
Portrayed by | Dan Ewing | ||||||||||||||||||||
Duration | 2011–2014, 2016–2017, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||
First appearance | 16 February 2011 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Last appearance | 3 February 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||||||||
Introduced by | Cameron Welsh (2011) Lucy Addario (2016, 2021) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Book appearances | Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye | ||||||||||||||||||||
Spin-off appearances |
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Heath Braxton is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away , played by Dan Ewing. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 16 February 2011. Ewing confirmed his departure in December 2013 and Heath made his on-screen exit on 29 July 2014, but made a brief appearance on 23 September 2014 for his brother Casey Braxton's (Lincoln Younes) funeral. Heath and his wife Bianca Scott (Lisa Gormley) made a return in 2016 and departed on 3 February 2017. Ewing reprised the role for one episode on 3 February 2021.
In late 2010, Network Seven began running teaser trailers for a new trio of characters known as "The River Boys". [1] Said to be a "bad-boy surf gang with dodgy reputations", The River Boys consist of three brothers – Heath, Darryl Braxton (Steve Peacocke) and Casey (Lincoln Younes). [1] Koby Abberton's Bra Boys were the inspiration for The River Boys. [2] Heath made his on screen debut in February 2011. [3]
Heath was the first of The River Boys to be announced, with Ewing's casting revealed on 24 September 2010. [4] Heath is Ewing's second role with Home and Away, having appeared as Reuben Humphries in 2007. [4] For his role, Ewing had to get fit and he joked "I don't think they would cast overweight guys to play surfers, so yeah, I'm sure it was a factor for the producers." [5] He added that he cannot surf well and was relieved that the producers did not test his surfing skills at his audition. [5] Initially, Ewing was employed as a member of the guest cast. He told Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy that Heath was originally planned to be a part of the series for six months, but revealed that he had since joined the regular cast. [6]
There's no messing with Heath Braxton. Famed for his short fuse, hot temper and powerful left hook, police, Mangrove River locals and even his fellow surfers would do well to keep their distance. Brawn over brain, action man Heath is quick to let his fists do the talking, and has earned himself a reputation with gang members and cops alike. He's proud of and loyal to his River Boy connection, valuing the respect that comes with being a member; for him there's no stronger bond.
Heath is the second oldest of the Braxton brothers and was initially described as being "feared by cops and the residents of his home town of Mangrove River" and having a short fuse. [1] The character of Heath is described as "Mad, bad and dangerous to know." [8] Out of The River Boys, Heath is the most volatile and he is feared by everyone from the police to the Mangrove River residents. Darryl is the only person Heath listens to and he follows his guidance. [8] Channel Seven say Heath "loves the camaraderie and sense of family, not to mention the respect that comes with being a member. It's a privilege to be a River Boy and the worst thing anyone could do ever do is be one and then betray the group." [8] Heath does not back down over anything and he feels that the River Boys are always being blamed for things they have not done. [8] Heath was ten when his father left and his mother loves him "extravagantly, but has a volatile relationship with him." Heath has always found his younger brother, Casey (Lincoln Younes), weird for his love of reading. [8]
Ewing said that Heath is "there to stir things up – a human hand grenade as they say. I’m there for trouble-making purposes." [9] Ewing told Digital Spy that Heath does have a soft side and he promised that viewers will see Heath start to change and more vulnerable aspects to his personality will come out. [10] Of this change, he said "I think even the toughest guys in the Bay have a soft side. It's actually very interesting to watch it unfold and I love finding out why these guys have become who they are." [10] Ewing added that he shares some similarities to his character, they both like to party and stay in shape. [10] Younes told Holy Soap that in comparison to his character Casey - Heath "shows hints of sensitivity or insecurity at a slower pace, and these are usually revealed around crises." [11]
On 9 December 2013, Ewing confirmed that he would be leaving Home and Away. [12] Rumours about Ewing's exit began when it was announced that he had signed up with a US talent management company. [12] Of his decision to leave, Ewing said "I will say I do go, but I am not sure about the exact date yet. It will be fun – and scary." [12] In February 2014, Ewing told Jenny Brown from New Idea that he would be filming until early March. [13] He said that while he loved working on the show, he felt that it was easy to "get in the groove and suddenly 10 years have passed..." [13] Ewing also believed that he had accomplished all he wanted to with Home and Away. [13] He added that it felt right to leave just as his contract came up and he had signed with the US management company. [13] Heath departed in July 2014. [12]
Ewing later reprised the role for the feature length spin-off called Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye broadcast in late 2015. He told Shannon Molloy of news.com.au that he was open to a return to Home and Away if the storyline was right for him. [14] He said, "I wouldn't want to play the same old Heath for another three years though – I'd want it to be fresh and him to have evolved." [14] In June 2016, it was announced that Ewing had agreed to reprise the role, alongside Gormley as Bianca, for a short guest stint to be broadcast later in the year. Ewing called the couple's return storyline "a great, fun opportunity". [15]
In early August 2020, Erin Doyle of New Idea reported that Ewing could be returning to Home and Away, after he was pictured alongside actors Ethan Browne and Rob Kipa-Williams, who play Tane Parata and Ari Parata, at an outdoor filming location. [16] Ewing's return was later confirmed as he was pictured filming scenes alongside Browne, Kipa-Williams and Patrick O'Connor (Dean Thompson) in Riverstone while dressed in Heath's clothing. [17] His scenes will air in early 2021. [17] In January 2021, Ewing said Heath would not be back for long, but "he's certainly there for a good time." [18] He called his return "a great opportunity", but he admitted that he had to learn and understand the events that Heath has been involved in off-screen from the other cast members. [18] The show's executive producer Lucy Addario later confirmed that Heath was only back for a cameo appearance. The character's scenes aired on 3 February 2021, as he and the River Boys come to the aid of the Parata family. [19]
Heath arrives in Summer Bay along with his brothers; Darryl and Casey. Heath earns a reputation as a troublemaker and he harasses Colleen Smart (Lyn Collingwood) in the Diner. When Heath notices Dexter Walker (Charles Cottier) filming him and friends, he puts him in the boot of his car and dumps him in the bush. Heath causes a lot of trouble with the police for dealing drugs and loitering on the beach. He makes an enemy out of local policewoman Charlie Buckton (Esther Anderson). Heath develops an interest in Bianca Scott (Lisa Gormley) and they have sex, even though Bianca is dating Liam Murphy (Axle Whitehead). Bianca tells Heath that it was a mistake. Heath learns that he has a daughter, Darcy (Alea O'Shea), and starts to bond with her. When Bianca is raped at a party, Heath becomes the prime suspect. However, he is later cleared. Heath stops a man from harassing Bianca and her friends, and she starts to respect him. Bianca and Heath have sex again. On the way home from a trip, Charlie and Brax crash into Liam. Bianca realises that she still loves Liam and ends her relationship with Heath. Heath begins dating Bianca's younger sister, April (Rhiannon Fish). Bianca gets angry at Heath and warns him to stay away from April. Heath cheats on April with Henrietta Brown (Emma Leonard) and she breaks up with him.
Bianca marries Liam and finds out that she is pregnant. She initially tells Heath that the baby cannot be his, but later discovers her pregnancy is too far along for the baby to be Liam's. April tells Heath that he is the father and he is furious with Bianca and Liam for not telling him. When he learns that the couple are planning to leave the Bay, Heath hires Hayley O'Connor (Alyssa McClelland) to help him get joint custody. Liam and Bianca split up and Heath drops the court case. Heath goes to visit his father, Danny (Andy McPhee), in prison and decides to help get him released. Bianca develops pre-eclampsia and tells Heath that if anything happens, he must tell the doctors to save the baby. Bianca gives birth prematurely to a boy. She develops postnatal psychosis and thinks her baby is dead. Heath supports Bianca and visits their son. Bianca eventually recovers and she and Heath name their son Rocco. Heath and Bianca start dating again. Heath becomes angry with Casey when he shoots their father dead and refuses to talk to him for a while. Bianca comes to stay with Heath and briefly clashes with his mother. Rocco dies from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, devastating Heath. Bianca pulls away from him and he later breaks down in front of Brax. Bianca asks Heath to restrict the funeral to family only and they say goodbye to their son. Heath later places a wreath in the ocean and joins the River Boys for an all night memorial at the beach.
Heath proposes to Bianca and she accepts. During a trip to Melbourne for his stag party, Heath has a one-night stand with Jess Lockwood (Georgia Chara). During his wedding, Heath confesses to Bianca and she punches him. Heath decides to leave the Bay, but Bianca stops him. Heath and Bianca get married. When Jade Montgomery (Tasma Walton) comes to the Bay after Mangrove River High is burnt down, she tries to frame Heath with an assault claim, but is thwarted by Tamara Kingsley (Kelly Paterniti). While Heath is visiting Brax's girlfriend, Ricky Sharpe (Bonnie Sveen), in the hospital, a bomb explodes. Heath is okay, but Bianca suffers a serious head injury, which causes some memory loss. A heavily pregnant Jess comes to the Bay to tell Heath that he is going to be a father. Heath helps deliver his son, Harley, on the beach and he spends time with Jess and Harley in Melbourne, causing a strain on his marriage. Heath soon learns that Jess has terminal cancer and when she dies, he brings Harley to live with him and Bianca. Bianca struggles to cope with Harley's presence and she and Heath break up. They eventually get back together, but Bianca soon learns that her transfer request to the city has been accepted. Heath encourages her to go, saying he will join her soon. Darcy's grandmother, Connie (Celia Ireland), initially refuses to let Darcy live with Heath and Bianca in the city, but later relents. After one final surf with his brothers, Heath says goodbye to his family. Bianca returns to collect Heath, Darcy and Harley and take them to their new place in the city. Heath attends Casey's funeral weeks later. Brax refuses to let him seek revenge on Jake Pirovic (Fletcher Humphrys) and Heath replies that he does not want to bury Brax the following week.
Two years later, Heath follows Bianca to the Bay despite her asking him to give her some space. Bianca asks him to leave, but he stays in the Bay. Bianca invites him over to talk and it emerges that Heath killed Trevor Gunson (Diarmid Heidenreich).
For his portrayal of Heath, Ewing received a nomination for Most Popular New Male Talent at the 2012 Logie Awards. [20] At the 2012 Inside Soap Awards, Ewing was nominated for Best Daytime Star. [21] At the 2014 Logie Awards, Ewing earned a nomination for Most Popular Actor. [22] In March 2011, Inside Soap ran a poll vote to determine who was the most liked of the Braxton brothers. Heath and Casey both received twenty-eight percent of the vote indicating that Brax was their favourite. [23] Bree Hoskin of Gaydar Radio said that Heath is the "volatile middle Braxton boy". [24]
Since their inception, the Braxton brothers have been well received. Claire Crick of All About Soap said the publications staff were happy with their arrival. Crick added that they liked "a new bad boy", but three being introcued at once and all being attractive was much better. [25] British broadcaster Channel 5 aired a series titled "Top 20 Aussie Soap Moments of 2011". This was to determine viewers favourite moments from both Home and Away and Neighbours . [26] The arrival of the Braxtons was voted viewers fourth favourite moment on 2011. [27] The arrival of the River Boys was featured in the Inside Soap Yearbook 2012, as part of their "best bits" of March 2011. Their reporter noted that viewers were "aquiver" at the prospect of three attractive males arriving; despite the residents of Summer Bay not sharing their enthusiasm. [28] With Heath's rise in popularity, came false Facebook accounts in Ewing's name and girls "lining up" to meet him. [29] [30] While interviewed by Jason Herbison of Inside Soap, series producer Lucy Addario said that the response from fans, concerning the River Boys had been "utterly overwhelming". She added that their inclusion meant the series could "explore many different storylines and play out lots of great plots." [31]
Erin Miller of TV Week said that Heath and Bianca shared a "sizzling" romance. [32] While Miller's colleague Carolyn Stewart said that she was happy when Heath gets "the flick" because in her opinion Bianca was better suited to Liam. [33] Andrew Mercado writing for TV Week said that Home and Away was ignoring its core value of foster children in favour of the "much older River Boys". He said that he wanted to see less of them on-screen. While they were a success story and ratings wise, he noted that there were viewer concerns about the accompanying violence. He also predicted that the "tattooed surfie boys" will not be around forever because the actors will "try their luck in Hollywood". [34] Laura Morgan from All About Soap said that "Heath's not fussy - he'll go for anything in a short skirt", due to his romance with April. [35]
Charlie Buckton is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Esther Anderson. Anderson was added to the cast in a bid to add more "sex appeal" to the show. She said it was her dream job and relocated to Sydney immediately to accommodate filming. The character made her on-screen debut during the episode airing on 6 June 2008. Charlie was billed as having a "warm heart" and being "family oriented"; however, her actions are often misunderstood and her persona has been perceived as "brash". She is described as being "passionate about her work" and often neglects her daughter, Ruby's needs.
Liam Murphy is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Axle Whitehead. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 5 March 2009. Whitehead auditioned for the role and stated it would help improve his acting skill. Liam was created by executive producer Cameron Welsh and is described as a "badboy minor rockstar" who comes to Summer Bay to start a new life. His storylines have focused on his addiction to drugs and many relationships. Liam has also been involved in controversial scenes in which it featured "sexually charged content" with fellow character Martha MacKenzie. Whitehead's departure was announced in November 2012. He made his final appearance as Liam on 3 April 2013.
Leah Patterson is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Ada Nicodemou. She made her screen debut during the episode broadcast on 22 March 2000. Leah is one of the longest featured characters in the serial's history and has been involved in storylines including the deaths of her husbands, her many relationships, surrogacy, suffering anxiety and the victim of racism. Nicodemou took a temporary break from Home and Away in late 2012, following the birth of her first child. She returned from her break on 19 June 2013.
Ruby Buckton is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Rebecca Breeds. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 20 June 2008. Ruby was created by executive producer Cameron Welsh. When she was first introduced she appeared to hide her problems and pretends to be strong. She was characterised as a free spirited and independent girl. Her storylines have consistently followed themes such as romance, unrequited love and rejection. In what has been described as a "shock storyline" Ruby discovered her sister Charlie Buckton was in fact her mother. This had subsequent effects in her character development. She became out of place and confused about her life. It destroyed her trust in Charlie and their relationship never recovered. Ruby went on a journey of self-discovery and used men to redefine herself. Her relationship with Xavier Austin was characterised through their mutual friendship, which ended through lack of passion. She controversially fell in love with her music teacher Liam Murphy, the pair shared an emotional and creative connection through music. Yet, her advances were unrequited and it created problems with her state of mind and began binge drinking. Breeds felt the storyline differed to her romance with Xavier, as it showed Ruby "headstrong and unconfined". Breeds felt they were ill-suited to one another.
Angelo Rosetta is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera Home and Away, played by Luke Jacobz. He made his debut during the episode broadcast on 8 July 2008. He has been central to many notable storylines including shooting dead Jack Holden, his time working as a Sergeant of Summer Bay's police force and his relationship with Charlie Buckton. In 2011, it was revealed that Jacobz had been written out of the serial as producers felt there was "nowhere else to go" with Angelo. The character departed on 21 June 2011. In February 2020, it was announced that Jacobz had agreed to reprise the role and he returned as Angelo on 13 August 2020. Angelo comes back to the Bay to investigate a murder, having been reinstated to the police force. Actress Annabelle Stephenson was cast as Angelo's wife Taylor Rosetta. His final appearance aired on 26 November 2020.
Indigo "Indi" Walker is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Samara Weaving. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 30 July 2009. Weaving and her on-screen family initially appeared in 2009 for a guest stint, in 2010 they were written back into the serial on a permanent basis. Indi's storylines have often focused on her relationship with Romeo Smith. Weaving announced her departure from Home and Away in July 2013 and Indi departed on 13 November 2013
Darryl "Brax" Braxton is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Steve Peacocke. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 16 February 2011. The character was created and introduced along with his two brothers; Heath and Casey. The trio were nicknamed The River Boys and were inspired by the real life Bra Boys group. When Peacocke learnt about the role of Brax, he initially thought he would not suit the part as he is from the country. However, after learning more about the character, Peacocke successfully auditioned for the role. Peacocke's departure was announced on 1 February 2015 and Brax made a temporary exit on 10 June 2015, before returning on 9 December. He made his final appearance on 7 June 2016.
April Scott is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Rhiannon Fish. The actress successfully auditioned for the role of April and she described the process as quick. Fish's role in the soap was announced in May 2010 and she made her first on screen appearance as April on 15 June 2010. In April 2013, it was announced that Fish had decided to leave Home and Away and April departed on 13 November 2013.
Bianca Scott is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Lisa Gormley. Gormley had recently graduated from NIDA when she secured the role of Bianca, who was introduced as the sister of fellow new character April Scott. Bianca debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 9 July 2010. Bianca is the daughter of an Italian father and Australian mother. She retains certain Italian traits as she is characterised as a "fiery, opinionated, beautiful, sophisticated" female. Gormley has said that Bianca puts up a feisty attitude to hide her "softer side". Bianca's vice has often been powerful men who break her heart. She arrives in Summer Bay to "nurse a broken heart" after her fiancé, Prince Vittorio Seca is unfaithful to her.
The Great Storm is a group of four episodes of the Australian soap opera Home and Away, broadcast between 5 and 8 September 2011 on Network Seven, during the show's twenty-fourth season. The episodes focused on a severe storm which crosses over the fictional town of Summer Bay and leaves several of the serial's characters in danger. Home and Away's producer Cameron Welsh first announced intention to screen the storyline in June 2011. It was self-described to be the "biggest stunt/disaster storyline" to ever feature in the serial. In the months prior to its screening, the cast filmed a series of stunts for the episodes on a shoot lasting eleven days. It marked the first time that Home and Away used a wide combination of special effects such as FX, green screen, wind machines and rain machines. Along with more time than usual spent filming the block of episodes, the storyline became Home and Away's most expensive to date. Welsh said that the use of machinery became problematic during filming so additional dialogue recordings were added to the scenes during post-production.
Casey Braxton is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Lincoln Younes. Casey made his first on-screen appearance on 17 February 2011. Younes was about to go travelling when he auditioned for the role of Casey. He changed his plans upon winning the role. In late 2010 the Seven Network began airing trailers for a new trio of characters known as "The River Boys". The trio consist of Casey and his older half-brothers Darryl and Heath Braxton. The River Boys arrive in Summer Bay from neighbouring town Mangrove River. Casey is characterised as being a "modern day Rebel Without a Cause"; who is intelligent and unsure about what he wants out of life. Younes has described him as the "epitome of teenage angst". The River Boys cause trouble in Summer Bay and producers were inspired by Koby Abberton's Bra Boys in the creation process. Casey is portrayed as wanting to distance himself from their bad reputation; but his anger issues often mar his attempts.
Kyle Braxton was a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Nic Westaway. Kyle debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 8 August 2012. The actor was nervous about joining the established Braxton family because of their popularity with viewers. Kyle is a "damaged individual" who grew up without much love. His father, Danny Braxton walked out on him and his mother died. He was placed into foster care. Kyle developed a vendetta against his half-brothers and when Casey Braxton kills Danny, Kyle kidnaps Casey and leaves him for dead in the Australian desert. Kyle moves to Summer Bay to begin a new life and seeks his brother's acceptance. But he falls in love with Casey's girlfriend Tamara Kingsley. Westaway has revealed that he developed a unique "death stare" for Kyle to give other characters.
Zac MacGuire is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Charlie Clausen. The actor successfully auditioned for the role in 2012 and was told he had won the role on his birthday. Clausen began filming almost immediately and was initially contracted for three years. Clausen had to give up recording his podcast TOFOP at Seven Network's request, as it was deemed a conflict of interest. He made his first screen appearance on 22 January 2013.
Ricky Sharpe is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Bonnie Sveen. The actress previously made a guest appearance in the show as Hayley Doven in 2010. She also auditioned for the role of Bianca Scott, before she was cast as Ricky in early 2013. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 2 April 2013. In April 2016, it was announced Sveen had left Home and Away after three years to pursue new acting roles, and she made her screen exit on 7 June 2016.
Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye is a television film and spin-off of the Australian soap opera Home and Away. It was written by Sarah Walker and directed by Arnie Custo. It premiered on 9 December 2015 on streaming service Presto, following the season finale of Home and Away. An Eye for an Eye was the first local production commissioned for Presto. The idea for a special was suggested during talks about a joint venture between Presto and the Seven Network. The network's CEO hoped An Eye for an Eye would keep regular viewers of Home and Away interested while the show was off air, while also attracting a new audience to Presto.
Josh Barrett is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Jackson Gallagher. The actor was initially hesitant about auditioning for the role, as he believed he was too old to portray a 16-year-old. However, three days after attending the audition, he learnt he was successful. Gallagher relocated to Sydney for filming. His character was introduced along with his on-screen brother Andy Barrett through a series of online webisodes titled Home and Away Extras. He then made his debut appearance in Home and Away during the episode broadcast on 27 August 2013. Gallagher's departure from Home and Away was announced in May 2016, and Josh's last scenes aired on 5 July 2016.
Home and Away: Revenge is a television film and spin-off of the Australian soap opera Home and Away. It was co-written by Dan Bennett and Brooke Wilson, and directed by Arnie Custo. Revenge premiered on 19 December 2016 on Foxtel on Demand, Foxtel Play and Presto, shortly after the season finale of Home and Away aired on Seven Network. It was commissioned along with Home and Away: All or Nothing following the success of the 2015 telefilm Home and Away: An Eye for an Eye, which broke Presto streaming records. Revenge serves as a sequel to An Eye for an Eye and also features current and returning Home and Away cast members.