”Love transcends the physical.”
Since making his debut as Tane Parata at the beginning of 2020, Ethan Browne’s Summer Bay journey has been closely watched by Home And Away viewers.
The 30-year-old is far from an eyesore and has rapidly become one of the programme’s most adored heartthrobs, so when we say eager eyes, we definitely mean it.
While Ethan keeps his personal life much more under wraps, his Summer Bay character Tane has had a very turbulent first year on screen and, unsurprisingly, similarly turbulent romantic storylines.
Fans might have been shocked to discover that the New Zealander’s daughter, Aaylah, is 14 years old.
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Over the 2020 holiday season, Ethan posted stunning video to Instagram of the moment he reconnected with Aaylah, who was completely unaware of his arrival.
“Surprising my daughter after being apart for almost a year. A moment I have long fantasised and dreamed about,” Ethan wrote as the description to his photo.
“I struggle to express how difficult this period has been. It’s unfathomable and beyond description. Our freedom to travel and bodily be with our loved ones has been taken away by COVID.
With Aaylah seemingly living in New Zealand and Ethan working in Australia on the Home And Away set, the actor shared his gratitude for finally being able to reunite with his child.
“But love transcends the physical, and the distance and lost time has only strengthened our bond. We’re here and now, and our hearts are full again ,” he wrote in the touching reunion video.
“To the parents who have been separated from their children because of this year’s events, and to those who can’t see their loved ones at Christmas, I send you all my love and strength. To my daughter, you are my entire heart. #Myangel #mylove #mylife.”
Ethan was just 16 years old when he welcomed his daughter Aaylah, which his NIDA profile describes as a “dramatic turning point” in his life.
While Ethan rarely speaks publicly about his daughter, in September 2022, the young dad posted a sweet tribute to Aaylah, whose 14th birthday fell on Father’s Day.
“Happy 14th birthday to my amazing daughter, Aaylah truly blessed to have spent both Father’s Day and her birthday together heart is full ,” he penned alongside a series of father/daughter snaps taken in his native New Zealand.Shop This Image
He turned his attention away from performing. Ethan decided to pursue a career in civil engineering instead because he wanted to provide for his family. This decision ultimately led him to a job in Brisbane and back to his acting ambition.
Ethan earlier acknowledged that people in his New Zealand hometown of Wairoa “frowned upon” acting.
“Rugby culture was prevalent in the tiny country town where I grew up. A guy wouldn’t act, he said, according to an interview he gave to the Daily Telegraph last year.
In high school, I wanted to do it, but the guys didn’t approve; in that culture, it wasn’t the tough, manly thing to do. I didn’t truly try it out until I was in Australia and nobody knew who I was, he continued.