OC Backstory - Ryan Hamilton

[iluvroadrunner6]

Actual Person: Brett Claywell, Actor

Age: 27
Parents: Albert and Veronica Hamilton
Siblings: Jesse and Claire Hamilton

Ryan was a middle child as well, but he was in the middle of a brother and a sister. He was always closer to Claire, who was younger, rather than his older brother, Jesse. Jesse was a too much older than them to really be involved in their lives. Jesse was always closer to their cousin, Blair Martin. Ryan became used to women abusing the men in their life from an early age, as Claire was more likely to beat up on him for things he did wrong than just yell at him. Regardless, Ryan still considers her like a best friend, even though they don’t always get along. He also gets along rather well with his parents, so long as they don’t talk about certain topics in his life. His parents tend to be very conservative, so he tries to avoid topics like his job, Darius (and later, Will), and his lack of a need to start a family.

When Ryan started out being a generally decent guy to date, but after suffering a slight head injury caused by an American History textbook in high school, he decided that it wasn’t worth it trying to be the nice guy, when the girls were only going to think the worst of you anyway. This mindset still carries on to this day, and even though it’s earned him more slaps than he can count, he figures it at least makes him interesting. He got bit by the acting bug in high school, joining the drama club his freshman year of high school. Jesse had been in the drama club himself, and had made a bit of a name for himself, which meant Ryan was supposed to follow in his footsteps. Once he got on that stage, though, he knew that that was where he was meant to be. He wanted to study acting when he got to college, but his parents put their foot down, saying that they wouldn’t pay a dime for his education unless he picked a more logical major. He caved and majored in business instead.

College was where he first met John Benson, who was his roommate freshman year. They were roommates for every year after that, and Ryan dragged John with him to ever audition he went to, getting his friend bit by the acting bug as well. They did almost every show together, and made a lot of connections in the acting community there, including their friend and future roommate, Darius McDowell, who worked on the costuming for some of their shows. After graduation, Darius got a job doing public relations for a company in the fashion district. He landed a nice three bedroom, but he needed roommates to help cover the rent, so he offered the spots to Ryan and John before anyone else. The other two happily came, getting jobs in a local diner while hunting down auditions in their spare time with the help of their agent, Ethel Harper.

Ryan and Eva Patterson met when she, Chelsea Carlson and Will Richards did a production of Once Upon a Mattress when the three first came to the city. They all had chorus roles, with the exception of Will, who was the court jester, but they all became fast friends, despite Ryan’s insistent come-ons. Once he learned that it wasn’t going to happen, he stopped for the most part, but there are still times where he will take an opportunity to make a leering comment. Will was crashing at Eva and Chelsea’s until he could find a place of his own, but once he and Darius really hit it off, he wound up spending more time at Ryan and John’s anyway.

Despite the fact that Ryan will hit on anything with tits, he generally is a pretty likeable person. He’ll stick up for you in two seconds if you need it, and would do anything for his friends. It just takes him a while to dig that deep. On first impression he’s sleazy, lazy and loud, and that tend to be the way he likes it. He’s a very heavy smoker, often to the point where Eva will say that he would rather smoke than eat, and when money’s running low, it’s more often that he will. He’ll mooch food off those around him, instead of going without his smokes.

Also, while he seems like he’s up for anything, he has his hang ups when it comes to choosing the women he sleeps with. He has issues with dating sisters—the whole twin thing? Not for him—and when he’s been friends with someone for too long, he has a hard time just doing things no strings attached, because in a sense he’s already attached to the person. Otherwise, anything goes and he’s always been open to trying new things.

Ryan and his cousin Blair have a very—strange—relationship. While Blair loves her cousin dearly, she can’t stand to be around him. However, when he’s broke, he will go to the bodega she owns to be fed, and Blair will most often feed the actors during the tech weeks of a show he’s doing. She likes his friends more than she likes him, and through taking care of them, takes care of him.