IF YOU don’t know Chai Hansen (formerly Romruen) by name – you would at least know the 27-year-old actor by his somewhat familiar Hollywood fable: country boy turned break-dancer turned aspiring actor.
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He’s a teen heartthrob and a fast-rising one at that, thanks to his break-through lead role as Zac Blakely in the international hit series Mako Mermaids.
After his life-changing debut, Chai starred in 69 episodes between 2013 and early 2016 – the most by any character in the series.
Chai had planned to take a step back from acting and the bright lights of the big city to regather and regroup, spending his days back in his picturesque hometown of Nambucca Heads.
“I moved back to live with my mum,” he said. “And her cooking is amazing so I get fed well, free rent, she does my washing, has a great café, so I went there most days and read.
“It gave me a lot of spare time to do my own research on characters and different productions and watch movies – that’s all part of it.”
However plans soon changed when he landed a role in a “huge tv show” – The 100, an American post-apocalyptic drama television series.
It was a quick turnaround too, Chai received the exciting news on a Thursday and by Monday he was on a jet to Vancouver.
“Has been a bit of a whirlwind,” Chai said. “They flew me business class to Vancouver and put me in a really nice hotel smack bang in the middle of the city.
“We started filming on August 4.”
Chai is mid-way through filming for a recurring role in the upcoming fourth season of the CW’s The 100. He will play Ilan, a Grounder haunted by the horrors he committed while under Alie’s control.
While details are limited, as to not spoil the plot, Chai said it’s been one of the best experiences of his life.
“Can't really say anything at this point as it's super secret … but I will say I absolutely love Vancouver.”
Chai’s road to the silver screen was a long one, but now it’s paid dividends. Through his dedication to dance he won a scholarship to study in Brisbane, and the school gave him an insight into all areas of the performing arts – including acting.
“After Mako, and before The 100, I’d had quite a few auditions and had 10 really close calls on productions … but I was always the runner up – mostly because I’m an Australian citizen and waiting for a visa work over in America is a lengthy process,” he said.
“But my agent said that even being second choice is a major win for myself and the agency because if you are getting to that stage in the casting process, the producers and casting directors are really looking at you for the next thing and you get onto their radar.
“And pushing through, being positive and persisting with auditions has paid off.”
For the 27-year-old he feels that story-line, camera and the acting are the three main things that make for a good show.
“So many different factors that come into play. The story line is the most important thing – it’s imperative,” he said.
“The director behind the scenes and camera operator play a major, major part in telling the story. If the story is great, and the way they tell the story is great, you can even get away with bad acting.
“But the way an actor understands the script and understands the story and being able to kind of translate that and portray it in a very cryptic way when there’s hidden meanings, there’s always value in that and it ties it all together.”
And while some might think it strange to hear their own voice back, let alone watch themselves on tv, Chai said it’s helped him improve and become a better actor.
“I used to hate watching myself … some major actors don’t like to, they just do their job and hand it on but I think that’s silly.
“I think it’s really important to watch yourself back and critique yourself in a positive, constructive way. So you can improve. It’s just getting over the fear of embarrassment and the judgement.
“I mean, it’s all part of the industry and the pressures associated with it.”
Chai’s number one supporter, and major fan of The 100, his mum Sam Hansen, said she wasn’t surprised by the quick turn-around for the role.