Luke Ryan is an indigenous actor with dyslexia who has been selected to attend an acting program in Los Angeles (LA). He speaks with Jena Carr about his journey getting into acting.
Luke Ryan said he had “always liked getting into a bit of acting” and has worked across many different jobs before deciding to start getting his “name out there”.
“I started off with radio studios, and I didn’t mind the radio studio, but I didn’t quite get into it as much,” he said.
“I used to also like working on cars; being a mechanic and fixing cars… That was quite a good job, but I wanted to get into something else.
“I thought I was going down that path where I could be an actor, and I got into looking at getting into it.
“When I first started, I was a little bit nervous and a bit shy. I just thought it’s always good to step in and try something new, and if you don’t like it then ah well.”
Luke said when he was younger, he also wanted to pursue stunt acting or rugby league but decided he wanted to be a regular actor.
“I’ve learned stunt acting is different than real acting,” he said.
“There were times when you’re young, and you do stunts, and then you break some bones, like one time when I did a back flip, I broke my arm.
“I used to play rugby league, and I thought, well, I like acting too, but sometimes you got to choose which one you like better.
“There are times when I played rugby league, and it was pretty good like sometimes, you stick up for your teammates and get into a couple of fights, but you learn from it.
“That’s what got me into acting because I thought acting is my kind of thing, it’s going to get me a long way. I still like my rugby league but acting is more of a career.”
Luke said he was inspired by other actors and actresses who also have dyslexia, which is a learning disorder that makes it hard to read, to get into acting.
“I searched up on Google and started seeing actors with disabilities like dyslexia,” he said.
“I looked into the show Friends and found Jennifer Aniston (who plays Rachel Green in the series) has dyslexia. I started watching Friends a bit, and I’m like, if she can do it, I can too.
“I started saying to myself, one day I could become an actor… and be that role model for others who want to do it.
“Some parts of it can be tricky, especially when writing down a back story or reading some of the scripts.
“Sometimes I record myself, and when I’m doing the scene, I just press the record button and listen to it, and it helps.
“If you do muck up a line you learn from it, you go back to it and just keep practising.”
Luke said he came from the New South Wales’ Wiradjuri tribe and enjoyed expressing his culture personally and professionally.
“I got into doing the indigenous dancing and helping the young ones to learn from their culture,” he said.
“I did an extra role in Angry Boys (Australian sitcom series) where I was in an indigenous scene… playing a bit of a bad boy, so playing that kind of character was pretty fun.
“I’m doing a bit of theatre too… which helps me on stage with my emotions and stuff like that. When I bring it to acting, it helps it, too, so it’s all connected.
“I’d like to do more acting roles with indigenous culture and even if I get to do other acting roles in anything really would be good.”
Luke said this was his second time applying for the Screen Actors Australia Hollywood Intensive acting program, and he was excited to go to LA.
This will be his first time overseas.
“There’s always something that happens, so I said this year is going to be the year I’m going to go,” he said.
“I’ve been saving up and trying to keep saving and budgeting some money and getting extra shifts at work (Woolworths), so just getting a bit of money on the side.
“When I do go up to LA, I’m going to look around, see what’s there and get to see a bit of the history and culture.
“There’s a couple of things I’d like to see in my spare time, like I’d like to go to the wax museum and get to see a bit of the whole of fame stars.
“The studios over there I’m looking forward to, and the scripts, and it’ll give me feedback when I come back here and practise my scenes and develop my acting a bit.
“I would have liked to see Paul Walker when he was alive, but maybe I can get to see his brother when I go as I always liked the Fast and the Furious car movies.”
Luke will work on his acting skills in LA from June 23 to July 3 as he visits the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and the Sanford Meisner Centre schools as part of the training program.
