fictional character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, ...
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
Home and Away
''Home and Away'' (often abbreviated as ''H&A'') is an Australian television soap opera. It was created by Alan Bateman and commenced broadcast on the Seven Network on 17 January 1988. Bateman came up with the concept of the show during a trip ...
'', played by
Matt Doran
Matthew James Doran (born 30 March 1976) is an Australian television and film actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Damian Roberts in the Australian soap '' Home and Away'' from 1991 to 1996, "Mouse" in the 1999 film ''The Matrix'', ...
. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 6 November 1991, and departed on 15 March 1996. Ben Hamilton played a young Damian in flashbacks in 1997.
Casting
Damian was Doran's first "big" television role. He told a writer from ''
Inside Soap
''Inside Soap'' is a weekly magazine published in the United Kingdom, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas in the United Kingdom, including '' Coronation Street'', ''Doctors'', ''EastEnders'', ''Emmerdal ...
'' that he was given no time to prepare and he was attending school one day and the next filming for the show. His teachers attempted to convince him to stay at school instead, but he thought that the role too much of a "wonderful opportunity" to give up. He was also signed to a "long contract" with the show. In September 1994, Justine Cullen from ''
Inside Soap
''Inside Soap'' is a weekly magazine published in the United Kingdom, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas in the United Kingdom, including '' Coronation Street'', ''Doctors'', ''EastEnders'', ''Emmerdal ...
'' announced that Doran had quit the show in order to pursue other projects. Doran told Cullen that "I'm to make horror movies". In September 1995, Jason Herbison from ''Inside Soap'' reported that Doran had reprised his role. He added that upon Damian's return he has "thrown off his clean cut image" by having his hair in dreadlocks.
Development
Damian is characterised as a wayward teenager who keeps his problems to himself. Doran believed that this made Damian his own worst enemy at times. He had a troubled upbringing which lead him to become wayward. Doran told a ''
TVTimes
''TV Times'' is a British television listings magazine published by Future plc. It was originally published by Independent Television Publications, owned by the participating ITV companies. The magazine was acquired by IPC Media in 1989, which ...
'' reporter that he bottles up all his problems, whenever something happens to him he keeps it to himself." Damian is the son of Irene Roberts (Jacqui Phillips) and the younger brother of
Finlay
Finlay is a masculine given name, and also a surname. The given name is represented in Scottish Gaelic as Fionnlagh.
Given name Finlay
* Finlay Mickel, Scottish skier
*Finlay Currie (1878–1968), Scottish actor
* Finlay Calder, Scottish rugby pl ...
(
Tina Thomsen
Tina Thomsen is a Denmark-born Australian actress whose roles include Finlay Roberts in the soap opera ''Home and Away'' and Tanga on ''Farscape''.
Filmography
*''Farscape'' (TV series) 1999
*''Big Sky (Australian TV series), Big Sky'' (TV ...
) and
Nathan
Nathan or Natan may refer to:
People
*Nathan (given name), including a list of people and characters with this name
*Nathan (surname)
*Nathan (prophet), a person in the Hebrew Bible
* Nathan (son of David), biblical figure, son of King David an ...
(David Dixon). In ''The Official Home and Away Annual'' John Kercher describes the Roberts children's backstory as their suffering Irene's continuous gambling and their alcoholic father,
Murdoch
Murdoch ( , ) is an Irish/Scottish given name, as well as a surname. The name is derived from old Gaelic words ''mur'', meaning "sea" and ''murchadh'', meaning "sea warrior". The following is a list of notable people or entities with the name.
...
( Tom Richards) walked out and left them "to fend for themselves". As Irene was "rarely around", Finlay decided to help bring Damian and Nathan up.Kercher 1993, p.16.
Playing a character whose mother suffers from alcoholism was a challenge for Doran. He told ''Inside Soap's'' that he had never seen his own mother drunk. So Doran "absolutely no idea what it must be like to be in Damian's shoes". He did not find it easy imagining how Damian should react to Irene's behavior. In is "hard" for character and he is in a constant dilemma because "at the same time as being treated so badly by his mother, he really loves her". He finds himself stuck between "loving her and wanting to support her and protecting himself and his own life". Doran revealed that he and Phillips had built a good rapport while working on the storyline. He also praised her acting abilities because she would transform into Damian's "nightmare of a mother" during filming. In the ''Home and Away – Official Collector’s Edition'', Andrea Black detailed Damian's early development. In one of the Roberts siblings first storylines with their alcoholic mother, Irene falls down the stairs and claims that Damian and Finlay pushed her. Irene later wants Damian to leave with her, but Finlay manages to convince Damian to live his life in Summer Bay. Finlay's influence on Damian helped the "troubled" character "stay on the right track".
In 1992, Richard Norton who plays Simon Fitzgerald was told that his character was being written out of the series. Norton told Josephine Monroe from ''
Inside Soap
''Inside Soap'' is a weekly magazine published in the United Kingdom, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas in the United Kingdom, including '' Coronation Street'', ''Doctors'', ''EastEnders'', ''Emmerdal ...
'' that producers informed him that they were more interested in "pushing" Doran and
Dieter Brummer
Dieter Kirk Brummer (5 May 1976 – 24 July 2021) was an Australian actor. He was best known for his roles in television soap operas, including playing Shane Parrish in ''Home and Away'' from 1992 to 1996 and Troy Miller in ''Neighbours'' from 20 ...
(who plays
Shane Parrish
Shane Parrish is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Dieter Brummer. He made his first on-screen appearance on 28 May 1992 and he departed on 13 March 1996.
Casting
In 1992, actor Dieter Brummer su ...
) to develop their characters instead of Simon. Black stated that Doran and Brummer "became teen idol pin-ups as soon as they arrived in Summer Bay".
Writers developed a friendship between Damian and Shane, which an ''Inside Soap'' writer called "an unholy alliance". Damian went along with Shane's dubious scams and they often had scrapes with the law, but they always stuck up for each other.
In another story, Damian and Shane are accused of committing a robbery at the Kiosk store. Damian was grounded by his foster parents
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name "Michael"
* Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
(Dennis Coard) and
Pippa Ross
Philippa "Pippa" Ross (also Fletcher) is a fictional character from the Australian television soap opera ''Home and Away''. Actress Vanessa Downing originated the role and made her debut during the pilot episode broadcast on 17 January 1988. Dow ...
(
Debra Lawrance
Debra Lawrance (born 1 January 1957) is an Australian actress.
She is best known for her role on '' Home and Away'', as Pippa Ross, which she played from 1990 to 1998, and has made a number of return appearances as the character, the most re ...
). Damian is found alone and wandering around in the middle of the night, when the crime took place. Michael is furious with Damian for disobeying his punishment and considers returning him to live with Irene. Shane's brother
Nick Parrish
Nicholas Jasper "Nick" Parrish is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Bruce Roberts. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 4 March 1991 and departed on 10 June 1994.
Casting
R ...
(Bruce Roberts), a serving police officer also defends them. Despite this the remained of Summer Bay residents are quick to accuse them of committing the robbery. Doran told a ''TVTimes'' writer that "Damien's lead astray because he's never really had a close friend and doesn't want to let Shane down." He added that both Damian and Shane had troubled childhoods but Shane had emerged stronger than him. He concluded that "together they spell trouble."
However, when Kelly Chan (Theresa Wong) enrolled at Summer Bay High both boys fell for her and things turned nasty. Brummer commented "There's certainly a lot of tension in the air." Kelly became more interested in Shane, but when she learned that he had lied about his court appearances, she turned to Damian and they went on a date. The magazine writer revealed "But things turn sour for the teenagers after Damien lies about what they got up to on their first date! Like most boys, he tries to impress the lads with tales of kissing and midnight fumbles - which of course aren't true." Kelly decided she was better off being single and Shane and Damian fell out with each other. Doran told a writer from ''
Look-in
''Look-in'' was a children's magazine centred on ITV's television programmes in the United Kingdom, and subtitled "The Junior ''TVTimes''". It ran from 9 January 1971 to 12 March 1994.
Summer Bay
Summer Bay is the fictional coastal town featured in the Australian soap opera, '' Home and Away''. Palm Beach, the most Northern beach of Sydney, is used for the show's exterior scenes in order to depict the Bay. Between 2010 and 2014, the ...
by his alcoholic mother Irene in order to use him to emotionally blackmail his sister Finlay, who ran away and is living with Michael and Pippa, into going home. The plan backfires when Damian tells Finlay he is happy she has escaped Irene, convincing her to stay. A few months later, Damian contacts Finlay and reveals he has run away too. Finlay and her friend
Sophie Simpson
Sophie Dean (also Simpson) is a character (arts), fictional character from the Australian Seven Network, Channel Seven soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Rebekah Elmaloglou. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 23 January 1990 ...
(
Rebekah Elmaloglou
Rebekah Sophie Elmaloglou (born 23 January 1974) is an Australian actress, known for her roles as teenage tearaway Sophie Simpson on ''Home and Away'' and Terese Willis on ''Neighbours''. She also made guest appearances in ''E Street (television ...
) hide him in the bush while Irene searches the town for him but when Pippa learns the truth she says they have to inform Irene. However, when Irene attempts to take him home, Damian reveals that he is scared of being beaten by Irene, showing the bruise she gave him, and Pippa refuses to let him go with her. Irene attempts to take him back by force, then tries to blackmail him and Finlay by threatening to charge them with assault. She eventually accepts they are better off where they are and Finlay and Damian are officially fostered by Pippa and Michael.
Damian quickly runs afoul of school bully
Tug O'Neale
Peter "Tug" O'Neale is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Tristan Bancks. The actor was selected from 200 people who had auditioned for the role and was contracted to appear for one mo ...
(
Tristan Bancks
Tristan Bancks (21 December 1974) is an Australian children's and teen's author, with a background in filmmaking and acting. As an actor, he is known for his role as Tug O'Neale on ''Home and Away'' between 1992-1994.
Biography
Bancks trained ...
Les Hill
Les Hill (born 1 August 1973) is an Australian actor who has appeared in many Australian television productions including '' Rescue: Special Ops,'' ''Home and Away'' and ''Underbelly.''
Early life
Hill was born in the Royal Hospital for Women ...
) and Simon Fitzgerald attempt to help him out by threatening Tug and forcing him to let Damian beat him in a fight. However, when Damian begins using the victory to stop Tug picking on others, he ends up agreeing to a rematch and Fin admits the truth to Damian. Damian is reluctant to fight Tug again but after he goads Damian, Damian knocks him to the ground. Damian gains a friend in classmate Shane Parrish, who soon gets him into trouble by stealing headmaster Donald Fisher's (
Norman Coburn
Norman Coburn (born 6 March 1937) is an Australian former actor best known for his television serial and soap opera roles. He started his early career in theatre, film and television in the United Kingdom in the late 1950s.
Coburn became famous ...
) car. Damian attempts to impress Shane by putting red paint into Donald's golf bag and Michael and Pippa are shocked he'd acted alone. Damian balks, however, when Shane robs the surf club kiosk and threatens to say Damian was in it with him if he tells anyone. Damian is threatened by
Adam Cameron
Adam Cameron is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Mat Stevenson. Stevenson had previously filmed a guest role on a rival soap opera when he was cast. Adam first appeared on-screen 28 ...
(
Mat Stevenson
Mat Stevenson (born 15 April 1969) credited variously as Matthew Stevenson and Matt Stevenson, is an Australian actor, known for his TV roles in soap opera's and miniseries. He is best known for his role as Adam Cameron in TV soap opera '' Ho ...
), who is being blamed for the robbery, and when he and Fin tell Adam the truth, Adam forces Shane to return the money anonymously.
Damian helps Shane in his revenge campaign against Ryan Lee (Alistair McDougall), who has been having an affair with Lucinda Croft (
Dee Smart
Dierdre Claire Smart (born 9 July 1966) is an Australian actress, model, singer, dancer and painter. After giving up on being a dancer, she rose to prominence portraying Lucinda Croft in the popular soap opera ''Home and Away'' from 1991 to 199 ...
), the fiancé of Shane's brother Nick. The pair's friendship is tested when they are both attracted to new student Kelly Chan. Shane steps aside but when Damian tries to kiss her Kelly make it clear she only sees him as a friend. Damian feels betrayed when Shane then starts dating Kelly and punches him in the Diner but they make up after Kelly leaves town.
Damian supports Shane when Tug frames him for burglary and hides him when he escapes from
juvenile detention
In criminal justice systems, a youth detention center, known as a juvenile detention center (JDC),Stahl, Dean, Karen Kerchelich, and Ralph De Sola. ''Abbreviations Dictionary''. CRC Press, 20011202. Retrieved 23 August 2010. , . juvenile det ...
until his name is cleared. He also befriends two other new arrivals in town, Sarah Thompson (Laura Vasquez) and
Angel Brooks
Angel Parrish (also Brooks) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera '' Home and Away'', portrayed by Melissa George. She made her first on-screen appearance on 30 March 1993, arriving as a teenage runaway. The character became pop ...
(
Melissa George
Melissa George (born 6 August 1976) is an Australian actress and entrepreneur. A former national artistic rollerskating champion and model, George began her acting career playing Angel Parrish in the Australian soap opera Home and Away (1993– ...
), and helps set the latter up with Shane. He and Fin are shocked when Irene (now played by Lynne McGranger) returns, having turned over a new leaf, and have difficulty trusting her. Damian learns that Laura Brennan ( Kris McQuade), a reclusive woman living in the area, is a former professional runner and manages to convince her to train him, as well as helping her go into business with Alf Stewart (
Ray Meagher
Raymond Francis Meagher (born 4 July 1944) is an Australian actor, who has appeared in Australian film and television since the mid-1970s. He is notable as the longest continuing performer in an Australian television role, portraying Alf Stewa ...
) selling organic vegetables. Damian is mortified when
Sally Fletcher
Sally Louise Fletcher (also Copeland and Keating) is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away'', played by Kate Ritchie. She made her first screen appearance during the serial's pilot episode, which was broadcast on 17 ...
(
Kate Ritchie
Katherine Leigh Ritchie is an Australian actress, radio presenter and children's author, she remains best known for her long-running role as original character Sally Fletcher on the television soap opera '' Home and Away'', for which she won tw ...
), his foster sister, develops a crush on him and kisses him when he is asleep and even more so when Shane reveals the fact to the whole school.
When Shane and Angel go through a rough patch, Damian realises he has feelings for her but Angel gently tells him she does not see him like that. She does agree to accompany him to a presentation as his date when he wins a writing award but has to pull out when Shane arranged a date for the same night, although Sarah attends in Angel's place. Damian begins taking French language lessons and finds himself attracted to his tutor
Cathy
''Cathy'' is an American gag-a-day comic strip, drawn by Cathy Guisewite from 1976 until 2010. The comic follows Cathy, a woman who struggles through the "four basic guilt groups" of life—food, love, family, and work. The strip gently pokes ...
(
Joy Smithers
Joy Smithers (born 15 July 1963) is an Australian actress, best known for her acting performances on television, and her role as a television news presenter, such as with MTV Australia in the late 1980s.
Her credits include: ''All The Way'', ' ...
), a married woman whose husband works away as a lorry driver. Shane encourages him and Damian is on the verge of telling her how he feels when her husband walks in. Angel and Sarah, who mistakenly believe Shane is having an affair with Cathy, inadvertently save his blushes by bursting into the house at that moment.
After failing to revise the correct material for his exams, Damian steals Donald's exam papers. Shane, Angel and Tug are blamed for cheating until he admits the truth. Damian's brother Nathan is released from prison and arrives in Summer Bay. Nathan, who beat Damian when they were younger, claims to be a reformed character and Damian decides to give him a chance until he commits a robbery at the school. Damian keeps it a secret until he is forced to step in when Sarah is being threatened by Nathan, who is then arrested for his crimes. Damian leaves for University but returns to be the best man at Shane and Angel's wedding. He sleeps with Irene's lodger
Selina Cook
Selina Cook (also Roberts) is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera '' Home and Away'', played by Tempany Deckert. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 5 May 1994. Deckert was given the role o ...
(
Tempany Deckert
Tempany Deckert (born 2 March 1978) is an Australian actress and author, who now resides in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is perhaps best known for her role as Selina Roberts on popular soap opera ''Home and Away'' from 1994 to 1997, and br ...
) who becomes pregnant and feels unable to support her. He feels guilty when she miscarries and apologises. When Damian learns that his father Murdoch had harassed Selina, he tells Nathan; Murdoch is then murdered when Nathan sends his cellmate Brian "Dodge" Forbes ( Kelly Dingwall) after him. Damian is left feeling somewhat lost and, after a talk with Selina, before he finally decides to become a priest. He last appears when he visits Angel to help her get over Shane's death.
Reception
A reporter from ''BIG!'' wrote that through playing Damian, Doran had become "one of the world's most popular soap stars" and gained many "girl fans" who "adored him". A columnist from '' Shout'' said that "poor old Damian" filled his on-screen time with a hobby of jogging but there was "no sign of a girlie". They said that the character needed a relationship storyline, adding "when will Matt Doran finally get to have a major on-screen smooch, that's what were asking".
A writer from ''Inside Soap'' said that Damian was in for more "ridicule" when Shane sets him up on a blind date. They added that "naturally it’s a complete disaster, just like everything else Damian's life. And unfortunately for Damian things are never going to get better, because the sad fact is, he's just another soap wimp." They also opined that the character "is always going to be a loser". While a fellow writer added that he lacked confidence, but Laura (Kris McQuade) did a "brilliant job" of boosting Damian's self-esteem and proved to be a "great mate".
Kate Langbroek
Katherine Langbroek (born 8 August 1965) is an Australian comedian, radio and television presenter.
Langbroek has previously hosted ''Hughesy & Kate'' with Dave Hughes on the HIT Network.
Career
Langbroek has a degree in journalism and has app ...
from ''
The Age
''The Age'' is a daily newspaper in Melbourne, Australia, that has been published since 1854. Owned and published by Nine Entertainment, ''The Age'' primarily serves Victoria (Australia), Victoria, but copies also sell in Tasmania, the Austral ...
'' branded Damian as the show's "residential intellectual" and joked that he was also "smart enough to leave Summer Bay".
Internet Movie Database
IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...