Xavier Austin
Encyclopedia
Xavier Austin is a fictional character
from the Australian Channel Seven
soap opera
Home and Away
, played by David Jones-Roberts
. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 20 November 2008. Jones-Roberts was cast in the role after previously auditioning for the roles of four other characters. Xavier has been portrayed as a caring character who has had to look after his family. Many of his storylines have been centered around his relationship with Ruby Buckton
.
, Drew Curtis
and Geoff Campbell and stated that receiving the role of Xavier was "all the more awesome" because he had to wait for such a long time. Whilst surfing his agent told him he had the role over a pay-phone and Jones-Roberts adds: "I got all excited and started jumping around. I ran up to a couple of people I saw that I knew and just started screaming."
Xavier starts a romance with Ruby Buckton
(Rebecca Breeds), but Ruby is seen having to impress him after Xavier initially shows her little interest. Speaking of Xavier's attitude Breeds states: "He's a challenge, she had to work for him and there is something mysterious and naughty about him but deep down she knows he is loyal and decent." He later starts dating April Scott (Rhiannon Fish
), of Fish this states: "I know April would like there to be a little romance between her and Xavier. However, there are a few obstacles she encounters along the way so it's really a question of whether he's going to man up..."
(Esther Anderson) finds drugs in his coat. His cousin Jack Holden (Paul O'Brien
) decides to send him home.
Xavier returns for Jack's funeral, along with his mother Gina Austin (Sonia Todd
) and brother Hugo Austin (Bernard Curry
). Xavier and Hugo do not get on and he reveals his resentment for him because he left the family to cope with their troubles and Brendan's condition alone. Ruby was delighted by his return and tried to pick up where they left off. He rejects her and reveals he has a girlfriend Freya Duric (Sophie Hensser). He eventually dumps Freya for Ruby, but she turns up and wins him back and then forces him to sell drugs at the school. Freya kisses Hugo in view of Xavier and plants drugs on Xavier. Ruby tries to rid of them but Charlie catches her. Belle Taylor
(Jessica Tovey
) then exposes Freya as the supplier. Ruby then borrows money from Roman Harris (Conrad Coleby
), she then gives it to Freya to leave for good, which she does. This upsets Xavier and he realises that he should be with Ruby after all. Jai Fernandez (Jordan Rodrigues
) helps the pair reconcile their relationship.
Brendan comes to stay after Gina breaks her ankle. Xavier initially hides Brendan from his friends, but they soon realise he needs help with looking after him. Hugo makes it clear he doesn't want to look after him and palms him off on Xavier. Martha MacKenzie
(Jodi Gordon
) offers to look after him, whilst in her care he runs off and hides. Xavier finds him but a startled Brendan catapults a rock through a passing blue car window. In the car is Leah Patterson-Baker
(Ada Nicodemou
) and Roman, the rock hits Roman in the head and Leah crashes the car. Xavier tries to protect Brendan but Gina hands him into the police but Roman refuses to press charges. His feud with Hugo escalates until Hugo is attacked by a shark, he tries to make things better.
Xavier accidentally injures Jai with a gun at the farm. Ruby loses her virginity to Xavier only to be caught by their family. Ruby's father Ross Buckton (David Downer) was furious and took Ruby away to stay with him. When she returned she avoided Xavier and spent more time with Geoff (Lincoln Lewis
). He became convinced they were seeing each other. Ruby goes through some more hard times and Nicole Franklin
(Tessa James
) convinces her to end things with Xavier. Ruby dumps him, he accuses her of only doing it because of Geoff. Huge gets into a fight, he tries to help but is knocked unconscious. When he comes around he cannot remember Ruby dumping him so she plays along. He gives her a false alibi for the night her real father Grant Bledcoe (Clayton Watson
) was murdered. He later remembers Ruby dumping him and is annoyed when she starts dating Geoff. He starts dating both Ali and Rosie until they find out about each other and fight.
Xavier becomes annoyed at Gina for dating John Palmer (Shane Withington
) and emotionally blackmails her to keep her distance from him. Xavier realises Hugo has been involved in the refugee scandal and Hugo is killed. He later finds out that Hugo is really still alive and finds money from him. He tries to donate it to the refugees but Gina ruins his plans. He tries to give it to Charlie to no avail and he tells Mink Carpenter (Matylda Buczko) about the money. She steal it and later has a change of heart giving it him back and kissing him. She tells Ruby about their kiss, annoying Xavier who had hoped for a chance to reconcile with Ruby. Xavier tries to ruin Gina and John's relationship after they got back together. Xavier, Gina and Martha are kidnapped and trapped in a vat filling with water, Xavier manages to save everyone. He was further annoyed when he noticed Ruby was falling for Liam Murphy (Axle Whitehead
). He fights with Romeo Smith
(Luke Mitchell
) for trying to get John and Gina back together. He then meets April whom he takes a liking too. She tries to get involved with Tony Holden's
(Jon Sivewright
) plan for boxing classes. At first Xavier is too scared to ask her out. She ends up telling him she is more interested in him than boxing and they start dating. Xavier becomes concerned for Gina after John and her split up. He decides that he makes Gina happy so tries to push them back together.
recall Xavier's most memorable moment as being: "Watching in horror as Brendan caused a horrific car accident with his catapult." Michael Idato of The Sydney Morning Herald
said as that Xavier's one of storylines was a "little rickety" because Jones-Roberts' delivery of his lines, adding he had the "tilt of the head and pout of the lip that we remember so well from a certain Fast Forward sketch."
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the Australian Channel Seven
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
, played by David Jones-Roberts
David Jones-Roberts
David Jones-Roberts is an Australian actor, best known for portraying Xavier Austin in the long running TV series Home and Away. David's father, Danny Roberts, is an actor who played Andy Green on Sons and Daughters and Jim Eagan on Underbelly 3, and his mother, actress Lindsay Neil worked with...
. The character debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 20 November 2008. Jones-Roberts was cast in the role after previously auditioning for the roles of four other characters. Xavier has been portrayed as a caring character who has had to look after his family. Many of his storylines have been centered around his relationship with Ruby Buckton
Ruby Buckton
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 6 June 2008. Ruby was created by executive producer Cameron Welsh. When she was first introduced she appeared to hide her...
.
Casting
Auditions were held and actor Jones-Roberts was cast in the role. Jones-Roberts had previously auditioned for the roles of Henry Hunter, Lucas HoldenLucas Holden
Lucas Anthony Holden is a fictional character in the Australian soap opera Home and Away, first introduced in 2005 and portrayed by actor Rhys Wakefield. Lucas was the youngest of the Holden family. He left the Bay in 2008.- Background :...
, Drew Curtis
Drew Curtis (Home and Away)
Andrew "Drew" Curtis is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Bobby Morley. He made his first on-screen appearance on 7 July 2006.-Casting:...
and Geoff Campbell and stated that receiving the role of Xavier was "all the more awesome" because he had to wait for such a long time. Whilst surfing his agent told him he had the role over a pay-phone and Jones-Roberts adds: "I got all excited and started jumping around. I ran up to a couple of people I saw that I knew and just started screaming."
Characterisation
The serial's official website describe Xavier stating: "Xavier’s not your typical teen – he’s had it tougher than most. In fact, he hasn’t really been allowed a proper childhood." Xavier has had to care for his family a lot of the time, of this they state: "The responsibility of ‘man of the house’ fell on Xavier’s shoulders and he has dutifully played that role ever since. He has a deep love and incredible patience with Brendan (Kain O'Keeffe) who is twenty, but with a mental capacity of a four year old." Xavier was seen yearning for a care-free life and started taking recreational drugs and partying, but they add that later he "matured into a caring and thoughtful young man." Jones-Roberts describes Xavier adding: "When we first met Xavier we think he is a bit of a ratbag, but when we get to know him and his family we discover his mucking about has been his release and escape from his family responsibilities."Xavier starts a romance with Ruby Buckton
Ruby Buckton
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 6 June 2008. Ruby was created by executive producer Cameron Welsh. When she was first introduced she appeared to hide her...
(Rebecca Breeds), but Ruby is seen having to impress him after Xavier initially shows her little interest. Speaking of Xavier's attitude Breeds states: "He's a challenge, she had to work for him and there is something mysterious and naughty about him but deep down she knows he is loyal and decent." He later starts dating April Scott (Rhiannon Fish
Rhiannon Fish
Rhiannon Marie Fish is an Australian actress who first appeared on television at age eleven when she starred on Neighbours. She later starred as Rocky in the Disney Channel show As the Bell Rings. As of June 2010, Fish plays April Scott on Home and Away.-Early life:Fish was born in Calgary,...
), of Fish this states: "I know April would like there to be a little romance between her and Xavier. However, there are a few obstacles she encounters along the way so it's really a question of whether he's going to man up..."
Storylines
Xavier arrives in Summer Bay at a party. He takes drugs and meets Ruby. Ruby likes Xavier and starts pursuing him. After a few dates with Ruby, her sister Charlie BucktonCharlie Buckton
Charlotte "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...
(Esther Anderson) finds drugs in his coat. His cousin Jack Holden (Paul O'Brien
Paul O'Brien
Paul O'Brien is a South-African-born Australian actor.-Biography:Paul O'Brien was born on 14 April in South Africa, and grew up in Australia. He spent several years on the Gold Coast, with his family...
) decides to send him home.
Xavier returns for Jack's funeral, along with his mother Gina Austin (Sonia Todd
Sonia Todd
Sonia Todd is an Australian actress.She studied at the National Institute of Dramatic Art and starred in Strictly Ballroom, directed by Baz Luhrmann...
) and brother Hugo Austin (Bernard Curry
Bernard Curry
Bernard Curry is a Sydney-based Australian actor, best known for his role in soap operas Neighbours and Home and Away.-Career:...
). Xavier and Hugo do not get on and he reveals his resentment for him because he left the family to cope with their troubles and Brendan's condition alone. Ruby was delighted by his return and tried to pick up where they left off. He rejects her and reveals he has a girlfriend Freya Duric (Sophie Hensser). He eventually dumps Freya for Ruby, but she turns up and wins him back and then forces him to sell drugs at the school. Freya kisses Hugo in view of Xavier and plants drugs on Xavier. Ruby tries to rid of them but Charlie catches her. Belle Taylor
Belle Taylor
Susan "Belle" Jefferies is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Jessica Tovey. She made her first on-screen appearance on 3 February 2006. Belle's storylines included finding her birth mother, a drug addiction, her relationship with Aden Jefferies and being...
(Jessica Tovey
Jessica Tovey
Jessica Tovey is an Australian actress. Tovey graduated from the Newtown High School of the Performing Arts and has made appearances for various drama companies. She is best known for her role of Belle Taylor on the long-running Australian soap opera Home and Away. Tovey joined the show in 2006...
) then exposes Freya as the supplier. Ruby then borrows money from Roman Harris (Conrad Coleby
Conrad Coleby
Conrad Julius Coleby is an Australian actor.-Biography:Coleby is the son of actor Robert Coleby and brother of actress Anja Coleby. He attended Somerset College on the Gold Coast, graduating in 1996. In the same year, he played the role of Colonel Juan Perón in the school's production of Evita...
), she then gives it to Freya to leave for good, which she does. This upsets Xavier and he realises that he should be with Ruby after all. Jai Fernandez (Jordan Rodrigues
Jordan Rodrigues
Jordan Rodrigues is an Australian actor best known for playing Jai Fernandez in Home and Away and Christian Reed in Dance Academy.-Career:...
) helps the pair reconcile their relationship.
Brendan comes to stay after Gina breaks her ankle. Xavier initially hides Brendan from his friends, but they soon realise he needs help with looking after him. Hugo makes it clear he doesn't want to look after him and palms him off on Xavier. Martha MacKenzie
Martha MacKenzie
Martha Jane MacKenzie is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Jodi Gordon. Martha made her first on-screen appearance on 8 September 1988. She was originally played by Burcin Kapkin until her departure in 1989...
(Jodi Gordon
Jodi Gordon
Jodi Lee Gordon is an Australian actress and model.-Early life:Gordon was born in Mackay to Bronwyn and Ray. She has an older brother, Ben. Her father was born in New Zealand and is of Māori descent. From the age of 8, Gordon's family moved to various locations along the coast from Mackay,...
) offers to look after him, whilst in her care he runs off and hides. Xavier finds him but a startled Brendan catapults a rock through a passing blue car window. In the car is Leah Patterson-Baker
Leah Patterson-Baker
Leah Helena Adara Patterson-Baker is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Ada Nicodemou. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 22 March 2000...
(Ada Nicodemou
Ada Nicodemou
Ada Nicodemou is a Greek Cypriot-born Australian actress, best known for her role as Leah Patterson-Baker in the soap opera Home and Away.-Early life:Nicodemou was born in Larnaca, Cyprus. She has been an Australian resident since 1987....
) and Roman, the rock hits Roman in the head and Leah crashes the car. Xavier tries to protect Brendan but Gina hands him into the police but Roman refuses to press charges. His feud with Hugo escalates until Hugo is attacked by a shark, he tries to make things better.
Xavier accidentally injures Jai with a gun at the farm. Ruby loses her virginity to Xavier only to be caught by their family. Ruby's father Ross Buckton (David Downer) was furious and took Ruby away to stay with him. When she returned she avoided Xavier and spent more time with Geoff (Lincoln Lewis
Lincoln Lewis
Lincoln Clay Lewis is an Australian actor. He is best known for playing the role of Geoff Campbell in the Australian television series, Home and Away from 2007 to 2010, and Kevin Holmes in the film Tomorrow, When the War Began....
). He became convinced they were seeing each other. Ruby goes through some more hard times and Nicole Franklin
Nicole Franklin
Nicole Franklin is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Tessa James. She debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 18 April 2008. Nicole was introduced by executive producer Cameron Welsh...
(Tessa James
Tessa James
Tessa James is an Australian actress who is best known for the role of Nicole Franklin in the Australian soap opera Home and Away.-Early and personal life:...
) convinces her to end things with Xavier. Ruby dumps him, he accuses her of only doing it because of Geoff. Huge gets into a fight, he tries to help but is knocked unconscious. When he comes around he cannot remember Ruby dumping him so she plays along. He gives her a false alibi for the night her real father Grant Bledcoe (Clayton Watson
Clayton Watson
Clayton Watson is an Australian producer, actor, writer, and director. He grew up in the Australian outback on a sheep station close to Morgan, a small town in South Australia...
) was murdered. He later remembers Ruby dumping him and is annoyed when she starts dating Geoff. He starts dating both Ali and Rosie until they find out about each other and fight.
Xavier becomes annoyed at Gina for dating John Palmer (Shane Withington
Shane Withington
Shane Withington is an Australian actor best known for his starring roles in the television series A Country Practice, as nurse Brendan Jones, and Willing and Abel, as Abel Moore...
) and emotionally blackmails her to keep her distance from him. Xavier realises Hugo has been involved in the refugee scandal and Hugo is killed. He later finds out that Hugo is really still alive and finds money from him. He tries to donate it to the refugees but Gina ruins his plans. He tries to give it to Charlie to no avail and he tells Mink Carpenter (Matylda Buczko) about the money. She steal it and later has a change of heart giving it him back and kissing him. She tells Ruby about their kiss, annoying Xavier who had hoped for a chance to reconcile with Ruby. Xavier tries to ruin Gina and John's relationship after they got back together. Xavier, Gina and Martha are kidnapped and trapped in a vat filling with water, Xavier manages to save everyone. He was further annoyed when he noticed Ruby was falling for Liam Murphy (Axle Whitehead
Axle Whitehead
Axle Whitehead is a former Australian Video Hits TV host and current singer, musician, and actor. In 2008, he released his first studio album Losing Sleep which debuted outside of the ARIA top 50...
). He fights with Romeo Smith
Romeo Smith
Todd "Romeo" Smith is a fictional character from the Australian Channel Seven soap opera Home and Away, played by Luke Mitchell. He made his first appearance on 10 September 2009. The character of Romeo is Mitchell's third acting job and he began filming his scenes in May 2009. Romeo is described...
(Luke Mitchell
Luke Mitchell (actor)
-External links:...
) for trying to get John and Gina back together. He then meets April whom he takes a liking too. She tries to get involved with Tony Holden's
Tony Holden
Tony Holden is a television producer and director. He has been involved in New Zealand television since the 1970s. In the 1970s, he directed episodes of the sketch show A Week of It. In the 1980s, he produced and directed The Billy T. James Show and episodes of the Roger Hall sitcom Gliding on...
(Jon Sivewright
Jon Sivewright
Jon Sivewright in Fremantle is an Australian actor. He is best known for portraying Tony Holden inHome and Away, a role he played from 2005–2010- Biography :...
) plan for boxing classes. At first Xavier is too scared to ask her out. She ends up telling him she is more interested in him than boxing and they start dating. Xavier becomes concerned for Gina after John and her split up. He decides that he makes Gina happy so tries to push them back together.
Reception
Soap opera reporting website Holy SoapHoly Soap
Holy Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...
recall Xavier's most memorable moment as being: "Watching in horror as Brendan caused a horrific car accident with his catapult." Michael Idato of The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
said as that Xavier's one of storylines was a "little rickety" because Jones-Roberts' delivery of his lines, adding he had the "tilt of the head and pout of the lip that we remember so well from a certain Fast Forward sketch."
External links
- Character profile at the Official Home and Away websiteYahoo!7Yahoo!7 is a 50-50 partnership between the Seven Network and Yahoo! Inc. in Australia.As part of the Yahoo! Inc. and the Seven Media Group, Yahoo!7 brings together the online assets of Yahoo! Inc. and the television and magazine content of the Seven Network and Pacific Magazines...
- Character profile at the 'Raidió Teilifís Éireann' websiteRaidió Teilifís ÉireannRaidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
- Character profile at Holy SoapHoly SoapHoly Soap is a UK television and entertainment website founded in June 2009 by the British television company Channel 5. The website is the official UK home of the Australian soap operas Home and Away and Neighbours, which are broadcast on the channel...