Hannah Ryan: Australian Angel with Much More Below the Surface

You might intuit that being a successful actor is a matter of predestination; talent meets timing. The truth is that it’s much more complicated and a matter of careful design. Australian born Hannah Ryan certainly has the skill and charisma of a leading actress; add to that a resume which includes plays and film productions that span different countries and continents with respected theater and film companies. Her upcoming appearance in Van Alden Studio’s Science Fiction film Brixton bears witness to her greatness as well as reinforces a lesson the actress learned long ago, you’ve got to know exactly who you want to be in this industry. Her admirers range from Indie filmmakers to Disney execs; confirming that this young actress has the chops and versatility to stand out in the age of modern filmmaking. From Sci-Fi to the theater stage, Ryan’s magnetism is undeniable. It’s often said that if you’re not moving forward you’re falling behind; Hannah’s foresight and dedication to growth is proof that she constantly finds herself in the former group.

Hollywood is where actors come to be noticed. Director/producer James Van Alden (founder of Van Alden studios, writer/director of A Numbers Game, Identified, and Star Power) immediately recognized the charisma and star potential of Ryan and struck up a conversation with the actress at the famous Chateau Marmont. Alden was so impressed by her that he wrote a part for Hannah in his upcoming film [Brixton] as the Angel of Death. Also starring Tom Bull and Becca Burg, the film follows a famed female psychiatrist who possesses the supernatural power of seeing someone’s life story (including their secrets) from just a glance. Her patients have no idea of this ability and the psychiatrist malignantly uses it to toy with their lives. Sophia may be a truly metaphysical presence or a hallucination of these patients; only those who view the film will be able to surmise.

Though she’s more visible in films these days, Ryan has an impressive resume of theater credits throughout her native Australia, the UK, and even Hollywood. She remarks on her affinity for the live aspect a play affords as well as her respect for the titans in this industry. Referring to her work with David Schrader who served as Vice President of Disney Theatrical Productions for more than twenty years, Hannah relates, “David Schrader was one of the most integral mentors of my whole career. He was the first person who presented the idea to me that I must have a very specific plan and set a course for getting there. He helped me to realize that I must pursue relentlessly. I clearly remember him telling me ‘You’ve got to know exactly where you want you to be. Be specific. Is it doing this Broadway show working with this director or is it doing this TV show with this network? You have pinpoint, visualize, and research everything about everything and everyone. Who are your idols? How did they get there? Who do they work with? BE SPECIFIC.’ That clarity is vital in this industry.” Proven by Schrader’s two decades of work cultivating the first Broadway runs of “Beauty and the Beast”, “The Lion King”, and top-grossing shows “Aladdin” and “Frozen”, David’s deep insight helped Hannah to steer her path to its current successful form in a variety of films.

Following in the footsteps of Australian actresses before her like Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, Toni Collette, and Naomi Watts; Hannah Ryan is fully cognizant that aesthetics can sometimes open the door but it’s talent that keeps you in the room. She stipulates, “I understand that some people have a very specific look which may be perfect for a role. The presentation and appearance of a character can be just as important as how they perform it. It’s similar to type casting, it’s very important for the character to look the way you want them to be seen. I don’t get too caught up in that as long as they have the right motive and it’s driven by an ideal and mood that I completely agree with. It’s always talent over appearance, just as it should be. If someone notices me when I’m out, I’m happy to prove that I’ve got ample skills to back up that appearance.”

Written by Patrick Wilson