Ryan builds bridges with Charity
EMMERDALE NEWCOMER JAMES MOORE TELLS INSIDE SOAP THAT THE PART OF RYAN WAS MADE FOR HIM…
To be honest, I’d never really watched soaps before!” declares Dales star James Moore (Ryan), as we meet him at the soap’s studios in Leeds for our first face-to-face chat.
“So when I got the audition for Ryan, I thought, ‘Right, I’d better start watching Emmerdale’! I was instantly blown away by how good everyone was – the acting is amazing, the storylines are incredibly well-written, and there’s so much going on all the time!”
While we sit nattering on the set of Debbie’s house, it’s clear to see that James is well and truly an Emmerdale convert. He arrived on our screens as Charity’s long-lost son Ryan back in May, and although things didn’t go well between mother and son initially, Ryan arrives back in the village this week in the hope of getting to know his mum.
“Ryan has wanted a relationship from the beginning – that’s why he comes back,” explains James. “There’s a ‘willthey-won’t-they?’ aspect to the story, but they do really want to get to know each other and have this family. There are so many obstacles, such as Charity’s past and Ryan’s mum Irene – all these conflicting issues are getting in the way of them properly connecting.”
While Charity’s delighted to see her son back in the village, Ryan is upset to discover that she still hasn’t told her family about him. Worst still, he ends up befriending Ross in the Woolpack – a move which we reckon could have dire consequences for Charity!
“They click immediately, because they have a similar sense of humour,” grins James. “It’s quite like the relationship between Ryan and Charity in the way that they just bounce off each other. I don’t want to give too much away, though it’s a very interesting dynamic – and Charity has her own thoughts about it!”
It’s a big moment for Ryan as he ingratiates himself with Charity’s friends and family in the village, although they are still unaware of his real identity. But James reports that his own transition into Dales life has been a lot smoother.
“People asked if I was nervous coming into Emmerdale, and in a sense I was, because it’s a big TV role,” he reveals. “But I was less nervous as I recognised Emma Atkins [aka Charity] in the audition, and that helped me bring out more of myself. She’s fantastic to work with, and every time we’re on set together, there’s real chemistry.
We’re not that different off screen to how we are on – there’s plenty of laughs.”
Just like his alter ego, James has cerebral palsy – and he tells us that the Emmerdale writers have been keen to have his input into the character.
“They were open to learning more about me, which I liked,” shares the star. “They asked me lots of questions about my disability and my early life – they really did a deep dive. It’s so cool because I’d never really gone back that far and thought about it.
“I’d love to see more disabled people being represented on TV, but I think we’ve already progressed so quickly,” adds James. “It’s fantastic that Emmerdale is hiring disabled actors to play disabled characters, and trans actors to play trans characters. It really helps us bring the most to our roles, because we have lived through that whole experience.”
There are many issues getting in the way of Ryan and Charity