Drew Curtis (Home and Away)

Drew Curtis
Occupation	Fictional character
Years active	2006–2008 (on Home and Away)
Known for	Home and Away

Andrew "Drew" Curtis is a fictional persona featured in the Australian soap Home and Away, brought to life by actor Bobby Morley. His first appearance was on 7 July 2006, with his departure occurring on 21 March 2008.

Casting

Bobby Morley was identified by the casting team of Home and Away during his stage performance in Angels with Dirty Faces. Although he was older than the character's intended age, Morley secured the role of Drew. To undertake this part, he moved from Melbourne to Sydney and quickly adjusted to the show's fast-moving production pace within the initial weeks.

Morley decided to leave the show by the end of 2007, citing dissatisfaction with the working environment. He acknowledged Home and Away as an important stepping stone for his career but criticized it as a demanding "machine" that could drain actors’ energy. Additionally, Morley voiced his displeasure about being frequently cast in scenes where he had to appear shirtless, feeling objectified as a "meat puppet."

Character development

Morley characterized Drew as "strong-willed and stubborn," traits he related to from his own younger days. Drew is portrayed as defensive, self-reliant, and somewhat "brooding," carrying a notable "chip on his shoulder." While he outwardly displays toughness and arrogance, internally he yearns for love and acceptance. An Inside Soap contributor described him as "a new bad boy" set to cause upheaval.

Drew's affair with Amanda Vale (Holly Brisley), the mother of his girlfriend Belle Taylor (Jessica Tovey), strains their relationship significantly. Morley commented that this plotline was intense and demanding for both performers, requiring detailed understanding of their characters’ motivations. Tovey explained Belle’s feelings of "anger and humiliation," noting she could not forgive Drew, holding both him and Amanda equally responsible.

Storylines

Drew comes to Summer Bay after being informed about the death of his father, Peter Baker (Nic Bishop), leaving boarding school to attend the funeral. His uncle Dan Baker (Tim Campbell) offers him a place to stay. Drew develops romantic feelings for Belle despite Dan’s objections, and they start dating until Drew becomes involved with her mother Amanda, causing their breakup. Following Belle’s relationship with Lucas Holden (Rhys Wakefield), she reunites briefly with Drew before another split due to secrets surrounding Amanda’s affair with Peter.

As Drew plans to leave Summer Bay, he is abducted by a masked individual who is later revealed to be his father Peter, who had faked his death while under witness protection from Dennis Gillen (Danny Adcock). Drew opts to rebuild his relationship with Peter. When Dennis attacks, Peter instructs Drew to flee; although Drew hears a gunshot, Peter survives, which strengthens their bond.

Eventually, Drew ends things with Belle and relocates to the city. Attempts by his mother Jazz Curtis (Rachel Gordon) and friend Ric Dalby (Mark Furze) to persuade him to return are unsuccessful. Subsequently, Drew resides with Amanda and Peter in the city.

Reception

For his portrayal of Drew, Morley earned a nomination for the Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent in 2007. Scott Ellis from The Sun-Herald referred to Drew as a "teenage tearaway," while Paul Kalina of The Age described him as a "bad-boy heart-throb."

External links

• Profile of Drew Curtis on the Official Home and Away site
• Drew Curtis on the Internet Movie Database