Nick Smith (Home and Away)

Last updated

Nick Smith
Home and Away character
Portrayed byMatt Juarez (1999)
Chris Egan (2000–03)
Aaron Puckeridge (2003 flashback)
Duration1999–2003
First appearance18 March 1999
Last appearance12 September 2003
Classification Former; regular
Introduced byJohn Holmes
Spin-off
appearances		 Home and Away: Secrets and the City
In-universe information
OccupationStudent
Actor
Father Ken Smith
Mother Eve Smith
Brothers Will Smith
Sisters Hayley Smith
NephewsNoah Smith
Nieces Lily Smith

Nicholas Smith is a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Home and Away . He first appeared during the episode airing on 18 March 1999, played by Matt Juarez in a guest role and then returned as a regular character on 26 April 2000, now played by Chris Egan, and departed on 12 September 2003. [1] Aaron Puckeridge also played Nick in flashbacks in 2003.

Contents

Casting

In a live chat session on the official Home and Away website, Egan answered several questions from fans. He spoke of his experiences of being cast as Nick. "It's great, I have a lot of fun, it's like a big family, I learn a lot from them." When asked about working with co-star Kate Garven, who played Jade Sutherland, Egan said "She's great, we have a lot of fun together, a lot of fun playing boyfriend and girlfriend, hard not to have a laugh between scenes. We have a lot of fun." Egan also praised co-stars Brett Hicks-Maitland and Zac Drayson, who plays Nick's on-screen brother, Will. Egan stated he would like to appear in films after leaving the serial and mentioned that filming overseas in London and shooting scenes for Home and Away video spinoff Home and Away: Secrets and the City were among his favorite experiences. [2]

Storylines

Nick is the younger brother of Will (Zac Drayson) and Hayley Smith (Bec Cartwright). Like Hayley, he was taken into care and showed little interest in Will's plan for them all to settle in Summer Bay, choosing to stay with foster parents even after Hayley had gone to join Will.

Nick is first seen when he is fleeing from Johnno, a drug dealer and the leader of a biker gang, whom he owes a large sum of money to. Nick runs to get help from his siblings and is beaten up by Johnno, who considers the debt paid. Nick's foster parents are initially reluctant to take him back following the revelation but after Will and Hayley coax them, Nick returns home. Nick's father Ken (Anthony Phelan) returns after fighting an alcohol problem, he petitions for Nick to return home to reunite the family. Nick is not very keen on the idea. He meets Irene Roberts (Lynne McGranger), Will and Hayley's foster mother and Ken's new partner. He feels that Ken is trying to replace his mother Eve (Robyn Gibbes) and Nick is upset further when he learns Ken and Irene are to be engaged after Ken proposes.

Nick soon befriends Duncan Stewart (Brendan McKensy) and they begin causing havoc together. When Nick is accused of throwing stones at Duncan's aunt, Celia (Fiona Spence), they get into a fight but later reconcile their friendship and focus their attentions on the newly arrived Sutherland twins Jade (Kate Garven) and Kirsty (Christie Hayes), who are in their year at school. Duncan dates Jade while Nick dates Kirsty.

After Nick saves Irene from being attacked by Eve, who has since left a mental hospital, he gives her and Ken his blessing. Ken is later killed when a car he is working on crushes him, leaving Nick and the family devastated. Nick feels isolated and things are not helped when Irene becomes distant and Will takes an authoritarian role. He becomes worried that Irene will not want him, Will and Hayley now Ken has died but she reassures him otherwise.

When Nick runs away one night and he hides out at Ken's garage, which is about to be sold and destroyed, he is visited his father in a dream who tells him that the garage would probably have had to close due to its location and if he returned home, everything would work out. Nick wakes up and returns home to reconcile. Nick's friendship with Duncan comes to an end when Duncan's bad behaviour spirals out of control. Nick soon becomes closer to Jade and she feels the same but rejects him when he offers to break up with Kirsty to be with her as she feels it will damage her own relationship with he sister. Kirsty, however, ends things first as she has feelings for Seb Miller (Mitch Firth). Nick briefly dates Simone Harris but it fizzles out when Simone insults Jade. After Nick returns from a visit to London, he and Jade finally get together.

When Will asks Nick to be his best man at his wedding to Gypsy Nash (Kimberley Cooper), he is pleased but panics when he realises he has lost the ring. In order to fund a replacement, he sells his games console and is annoyed when it emerges Will has taken the ring to have engraved. Will suggests that Nick gives the replacement ring to Jade. Shortly after Will and Gypsy leave, Nick clashes with Irene's son Nathan Roberts (Craig Ball) who has recently been released from prison. During a Year 10 class trip, The bus crashes and Nick is left with his legs trapped. Nathan assists the search party in rescuing the passengers and is able to save them before the bus explodes into flames.

Following the death of local doctor, Charlotte Adams (Stephanie Chaves-Jacobsen), Nick finds Jade's phase of Living for the moment hard to take and is somewhat reluctant when she seems to want to elevate their relationship to a more physical level. Nick then gently informs her he is not ready for that step.

Angie Russell (Laurie Foell), the new deputy principal at Summer Bay High begins playing mind games after Nick is found arguing with her son, Dylan. She begins flirting with Nick, causing him to obsess over her. Nick's behaviour becomes erratic when he tries to get Jade to take suggestive photos of herself. Social services are called and Irene is initially accused of abusing Nick. When Nick stands up to Angie one day in class, she begins tearing at her clothes and screaming, claiming that Nick has sexually assaulted her. Nick is then charged and vilified in town. Nick flees and hides out on a hippy farm where Jade finds him high on "magic mushrooms", and she is only just able to get him to attend court. In spite of Dylan's testimony, Nick is found guilty and expelled from Summer Bay High. Nick then begins community service at a retirement home and is forced to attend Yabbie Creek High. Jade, Kirsty and Seb work together on a video which exposes Angie's behaviour and she is fired by Principal Paris Burnett (Rhett Giles) and Nick is reinstated. Several weeks later, Angie is killed and many people, including Nick and the Sutherlands are in the frame for murder. It is later revealed Dylan killed Angie.

Nick auditions for "The Dorm", a reality television show and is successful. Nick quickly discovers that one of the other contestants, Courtney (Emily Sexton), is a plant aiming to cause trouble. Courtney climbs into bed to silence Nick but the sequence is edited to make it look like they have slept together. Jade sees the footage and begins making multiple phone calls in order to vote Nick out of the show and he returns home in disgrace. Nick tells his side of the story in a newspaper interview but has a hard time convincing people that he was the innocent party. After learning of Irene's relationship with Paris, Nick steals a car and tries to leave town. Jesse McGregor (Ben Unwin) catches him but is arrested for the crime himself. He confesses once Jesse is facing a return to prison. A major American producer offers Nick a role in a film and he accepts. Nick leaves for Los Angeles after a last gathering of family and friends at the diner.

Reception

For his portrayal of Nick, Egan was nominated for "Best New Male Talent" at the Logie Awards in 2001. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiz Brown</span> Fictional character from Coronation Street

Fiz Dobbs is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street. Portrayed by Jennie McAlpine, the character first appeared on screen on 20 April 2001. Initially appearing for five episodes, McAlpine's contract was soon extended and Fiz became a regular character. In May 2014, it was announced that McAlpine was expecting her first child and Fiz temporarily departed on 14 November 2014, returning on 19 June 2015. In November 2017, McAlpine took a break from filming to take part in the 17th series of the ITV reality show I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and her exit aired on 18 December 2017, she returned on 2 March 2018. In April 2018, McAlpine announced that she is expecting her second child; she took maternity leave from the show on 5 December 2018 and returned on 30 August 2019.

Hayley Smith (<i>Home and Away</i>) Soap opera character

Hayley Rose Smith is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away. She was portrayed from September 1998 to September 2005 by actress Rebecca Cartwright and from September to November 2005 by Ella Scott Lynch, after Cartwright left the show for personal reasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zac Drayson</span> Australian actor

Zac Drayson is an Australian actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhys Sutherland</span> Soap opera character

Rhys Sutherland is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, portrayed by actor Michael Beckley from 2000 to late 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shelley Sutherland</span> Soap opera character

Michelle "Shelley" Sutherland is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, portrayed by actress Paula Forrest. She first appeared in the episode airing on from 19 June 2000 and departed in the finale of 2002. She made sporadic returns in 2003 and 2004. She made her final appearance on 28 October 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jade Sutherland</span> Soap opera character

Jade Sutherland is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Kate Garven. She appeared in the series from 19 June 2000 until 3 June 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angie Russell</span> Soap opera character

Angie Russell is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Laurie Foell. She made her first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 26 September 2002. Foell departed on 21 March 2003, but her character subsequently appeared as a ghost in her daughter's dreams on 24 May 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kane Phillips</span> Soap opera character

Kane Phillips is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Sam Atwell. He first appeared during the episode airing on 9 April 2001 and made his final appearance on 5 March 2009.

Donald Fisher (<i>Home and Away</i>) Soap opera character

Donald Fisher is a fictional character in the Australian television soap opera Home and Away played by actor Norman Coburn as a regular character, from the soap's inception in 1988 to 2003. He acts as the main antagonist in the show's pilot episode, willing to go to any lengths to ensure local teen Bobby Simpson is locked up, however his character soon softens. He spends almost his entire tenure on the show as the Principal of Summer Bay, where he is stern but fair to all the students. Although departing as a main character in 2003, Coburn has since returned for brief appearances in 2004, 2005 and 2007. Coburn's long-running portrayal of Fisher earned him a place in the 2002 Guinness World Records alongside castmates Ray Meagher and Kate Ritchie as the longest serving cast member of an Australian soap opera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbie Hunter (Home and Away)</span> Soap opera character

Robert George "Robbie" Hunter is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Jason Smith. He made his first on screen appearance on 25 November 2003. Robbie's storylines have included adjusting to a new stepfamily, an HIV scare, his relationship with and subsequent marriage to Tasha Andrews, standing trial for the murder of his grandfather and becoming a father. Robbie departed on 10 October 2006.

Duncan Stewart (<i>Home and Away</i>) Soap opera character

Duncan Stewart is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 14 June 1989. He was initially portrayed by Allana Ellis, with actor Lewis Devaney taking over the role from 1990 to 1998. Brendan McKensy assumed the role in 1998 until Duncan's departure in 2001. McKensy later reprised the role in 2004 and 2005 and made his last appearance on 13 July 2005. The character was reintroduced on 19 July 2016, with Benedict Wall cast in the role. Duncan is the son of Ailsa and Alf Stewart. His 2016 reappearance marked the first time in 27 years that he, Alf and his half-sister Roo Stewart had been on-screen together. During his time in Summer Bay, Duncan befriends Tori Morgan, becoming a love rival for Nate Cooper.

Sebastian "Seb" Miller is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Mitch Firth. He first appeared on 21 June 2001 and departed on 28 April 2004.

Will Smith (<i>Home and Away</i>) Home and Away character

William Smith is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Zac Drayson. He made his first on-screen appearance on 13 February 1998. Will was a regular on the show from 1998 to 2002. He continued to make frequent guest appearances until 2005. In 2010, it was announced that the character and Drayson would be returning to the show. Will returned to the series as a guest with his daughter on 14 October 2010. On 7 February 2011, Will was finally revealed to have been the murderer of Penn Graham after a long running storyline. He left the series on 8 February 2011.

Ken Smith is a fictional character on the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Anthony Phelan. made his first appearance on 26 April 1999 and departed on 28 July 2000 following the character's death. Phelan reprised the role when the character reappeared as a ghost until 2004.

<i>Home and Away: Secrets and the City</i> Season of television series

Home and Away: Secrets and the City is an exclusive-to-video and DVD special of Australia's most popular soap opera Home and Away. In 2002, it was only released on video and a year later it received a DVD release. It is hosted by Home and Away star Tammin Sursok — in character as Dani Sutherland, not as herself — and contains three episodes, two of which were aired on TV: Shattered Hearts and Broken Dreams, from the fifteenth season of Home and Away, while the third episode, Secrets and the City will never be aired on TV; it is only to be seen on the video and DVD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirsty Sutherland</span> Soap opera character

Kirsty Sutherland is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Christie Hayes between 2000 and 2005 and again from 2008 to 2009. Kirsty first appeared on-screen during the episode airing on 19 June 2000 and has been involved in one of the serial's most controversial storylines in which she knowingly started a relationship with a man who sexually assaulted her sister. Other notable plots include a baby swap plot, two miscarriages and a string of relationships including one with her supposed half-brother. Actress Hayes began playing the role at age thirteen and has quit the serial on two occasions, she made her original departure on 23 February 2005.

<i>Home and Away: Romances</i> Season of television series

Home and Away: Romances is an exclusive-to-DVD special of Australia's most popular soap Home and Away. It was released on 2 November 2005 and unlike it previous two DVD releases, Secrets and the City and Hearts Divided which only contained three episodes each, this release is completely different, this takes a look back at all the classic Home and Away relationships over the past 17 years of the show from 1988 to 2005. It is hosted by Home and Away star Beau Brady and has everything from first meetings to good and bad dates, first kisses to love triangles and proposals to happy endings. The DVD also contains the movie length pilot episode, which is a rare chance for fans to go back to where it all began.

References

  1. ↑ "Episode 3595". Home and Away: Back to the Bay. 2003. Retrieved 18 November 2014.
  2. ↑ "Chris Egan's chat transcript". homeandaway.com.au. (Seven Network). Archived from the original on 8 December 2002. Retrieved 29 December 2011.
  3. ↑ "Lisa McCune still Logies darling". Illawarra Mercury . Fairfax Media. 3 April 2001. p. 5. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.