“For us to be working together all these years later, I was stoked.”
It was in the ballroom of the TV WEEK Logie Awards in 2022 that Home and Away stars Ethan Browne and Stephen Peacocke met for the first time.
Despite their shared history, they had never spent time together or shared the screen. Stephen, who played his role as Darryl ‘Brax’ Braxton, left Home and Away in 2016, while Ethan, who plays Tane Parata, began in 2020.
Ethan Browne and Stephen Peacocke on their Logies meeting
Years later, Stephen and Ethan aren’t just acting alongside each other, but in Summer Bay!
“I’ve always been a massive fan of Steve, and we finally met at the Logies,” Ethan recalls. “We spoke for a good hour at the afterparty as I was trying to pick his brain. I’ve always looked up to him as an actor and I said something like, ‘I hope we get to work together one day.’”
Stephen echoes the sentiment, recalling the advice he gave him on the night.
“I do remember that conversation. Ethan was kind of new to the show and wanted to know what my experience had been like,” Stephen says. “I’m always happy to talk to people about the best way to approach things, which is to knuckle down and get stuck in – I think that’s exactly what he’s done. He’s a top bloke.”
Ethan Browne and Stephen Peacocke on bringing Tane and Brax together
Their bond was further cemented when they began filming scenes in Western Australia. Their reunion was the first day on set, which also happened to be Ethan’s birthday.
“For it [the duo working together] to actually happen all these years later, I was stoked,” Ethan says. “It was an awesome day. I was a bit anxious [in the lead up] and I was really trying to learn my lines and get this right, because I wanted to do a good job and do a good job with Steve.
“But Steve was just such a lovely, generous guy. He doesn’t try to tell you what to do and is just encouraging. We built a great working relationship throughout the day.”
While their characters appeared on the show at separate times, they actors believe they’re both familiar.
“No one will ever be Brax but there is a similarity between Brax and Tane; they are alike,” Ethan says.
Stephen adds: “The audience clearly love what he brings to the show and I was happy he was there with us. A lot of what Tane values resonates in Brax.”
On screen, Tane is currently fighting for his freedom in jail. Production took place inside a real prison, an experience Ethan will never forget.
“I really enjoyed it to be honest,” Ethan says with a small laugh. “It’s different from being at Salt or the gym, where Tane usually is, and you get to play that bad boy kind of role. I’ve never been to prison personally! But you get the feeling for what’s it like [being there].”
Ethan Browne and Stephen Peacocke discuss their on-screen drama
Meanwhile Brax is back and deliberating what life could look like if they stayed in Summer Bay. While the experience of filming in Western Australia was an enticing drawcard to return to Home and Away, coming back to where it all began was a sweet moment of nostalgia.
“I used to love driving up to Palm Beach [where Home and Away is filmed] to film,” Stephen, who starred on the show from 2011-2016, recalls of his former years.
“It was great to see Ada [Nicodemou], Emily [Symons], Ray Meagher and the old gang. Audiences love them and the crew loves working with them. Home and Away was such an incredible start to my career…”
“You know, I had no plan of anything,” Stephen adds of his career. “I just knew I wanted to be an actor, and this job allowed me to play with this character who people really enjoyed. It’s such a gift.”
