Home and Away newcomer Ryan Johnson has bagged a coveted role on the hit Australian series and it seems he and his wife Tamara are no strangers to being on screen
As one of Australia’s biggest soap stars, he’s dominated the airwaves, starring in some of the country’s most popular programmes.
After five years as the good guy Matt Knight on the Australian soap Doctor Doctor, actor Ryan Johnson is relishing his new bad boy role as PK in Home and Away.
He and his wife Tamara Asmar, who has her own celebrity, are currently raising their eight-year-old daughter Alia.
Let’s take a look at the Home and Away star’s life, from his hidden soap role to embracing his role as a villain, as he continues to dominate the airways.
Former soap role
Eagle-eyed fans may recognise Ryan from a previous role on the soap when he played Paulie Rosetta, the brother of Angelo Rosetta, in the television soap opera in 2010.
He returned in April 2022, re-joining the cast as wealthy gambler and villain Peter “PK” King.
Paulie’s character was portrayed as a starry-eyed dreamer but often had to be bailed out by his brother.
Fans may recall Paulie starting a fire at his parents’ restaurant, for which Angelo took responsibility and was fired from the family business.
Ryan also starred as Matt Knight on the Australian medical drama Doctor Doctor for five years, for which he was nominated for a Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2017.
City Loop, The Wannabes, and Guardians of the Tomb are among his other TV credits.
Villain Role
When he called his character PK in Home and Away a “bit of a sociopath,” the actor seemed to relish his nasty role.
About his bad boy part, he told Stuff: “He sees an opportunity to come in and create havoc, and he gets a kick out of it.
He treats these individuals like toys, and I believe he basically goes from place to place screwing people off.”
Johnson also discussed fan theories that his character is actually an undercover policeman looking to bust illegal gambling rings.
“I’m enjoying the speculation but I can neither confirm nor deny that,” he said.
“I think he’s a bit of a sociopath!”
Famous Wife
Actor Ryan may steal the show on the big screen, but he shares the spotlight with his famous wife, Tamara Asmar.
Tamara is a dramatist who worked as a scriptwriter for Ryan’s current show, Doctor Doctor, when the two met.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Ryan said: “We met in my acting agent’s building in Surry Hills, Sydney, in 2001.
“Tamara worked in the office downstairs and was a hottie. I’d go down to say hello, tell jokes, and see if I could make her feel better.
“With her jet-black hair and large blue eyes, I thought she was stunning.
“I hadn’t seen Tamara in a few years when I went out drinking with a friend at a pub and there she was.
“I was completely smitten.”
Ryan also opened up on the struggles they faced when he had to perform kissing scenes.
He said: “In the early days, it was a bit confronting for Tamara to see me in kissing scenes.
She said all I needed to do was to tell her that it was horrible and technical and bland and that I didn’t like it.”
The pair share eight-year-old daughter, Alia.
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