Jack Wilson (Home and Away)

On 1 January 1994, a reporter from TV Week announced that Amalm had joined the cast of Home and Away playing a new foster child of Michael (Dennis Coard) and Pippa Ross (Debra Lawrence). Amalm had a Japanese exchange student living with his family, an agent spotted the student Brazilian dancing in a club and took his details. The agent attempted to call the student back, but Amalm's father took the call. Amalm was a busker with no acting experience, but he impressed producers so much with his performance that he was given the role of Jack. ==Character development==

Amalm told BIG! magazine's Anthony that he was not like Jack because he has respect for Melissa George and Laura Vasquez - unlike Jack who is "persistently trying to crack onto" their characters, Angel Parrish and Sarah Thompson. Jack begins dating fellow "wild child" Selina Cook (Tempany Deckert). Deckert told Victoria Ross of Inside Soap that it comes as a "big surprise" for Selina when she realise's that she is attracted to Jack. Selina is "used to chasing anything in trousers" but finds herself falling in love. Jack and Curtis Reed (Shane Ammann) later befriend Eric Phillips (Daniel Goddard). In one storyline Jack is racially abused by Max (Rob Steele), the father of his girlfriend, Chloe Richards' (Kristy Wright). The abuse occurs because Jack's mother Maria (Kim Antonios) is Lebanese. Amalm said that he related to Jack's storyline because his parents were from ethnic backgrounds and he was mixed race. He added that his newfound fame elevated the abuse. Jack makes friends with Rad (Rudi Baker), a fellow rebellious character who leads Jack into joy riding. While taking a car on a ride, it crashes and bursts into flames. Amalm told Fiona Parker from the Daily Mirror that he was contracted for another year which he managed to get out of. In the build-up to his exit, Jack becomes "full circle" and starts acting wayward. Amalm said that Jack's final stories were his favourites because Jack returns to "being more of a rebel". The reporter added that Jack would leave "under the same dark cloud accompanied his arrival". ==Storylines==

Jack first arrives in Summer Bay to live with Pippa and Michael as their latest foster child. Jack is rude to his foster siblings and Michael at first but eventually settles after it transpires Jack's home life is chaotic due to his abusive new stepfather. Jack antagonises Shane by making a pass at his girlfriend, Angel. To teach Jack a lesson, Shane gives him false directions to Angel's bedroom. Jack climbs in through a window and attempts to crawl into bed with Angel only to find he has broken into the bedroom of local principal Donald Fisher (Norman Coburn), who Shane and Angel live with. Jack beats a hasty retreat. Jack begins seeing Selina and begins cheating on her with Angel's sister, Frankie (Lenka Kripac) and Sonia Johnson (Eva Matiuk), who he had been seeing while she was with Tug O'Neale (Tristan Bancks). The girls realise Jack has been three-timing them and get revenge by luring him to a caravan under the pretext of a foursome, but stripping him to his boxers, leaving Jack humiliated. Jack begins dating new student Chloe but has to contend with her racist father, Max. Chloe eventually moves away. Jack decides to track her down and meets Rad, a petty criminal and they steal a car. They crash, causing the car to turn over and Rad runs off into the bush leaving Jack to his doom. Nelson hears Jack's cries for help and goes to assist. Jack is pulled free but a massive bushfire is caused, leaving Nelson with severe burns and causes a number of residents to lose their homes. Jack becomes a pariah and tries to make amends. Jack soon falls for his foster sister Sally and the two become very close, but Michael is against the relationship and imposes sanctions on it. Eventually, the couple split. During a massive rainstorm, the town becomes flooded and Jack and Michael go to look for Sam Marshall (Ryan Clark) who is late home. Sam falls into a stream and Jack acts to save him, Michael then dives and Jack tries to save Michael but he is pulled away downstream by the strong current and drowns as a result. The family is left devastated and Jack and Sam blame themselves. After a visit from a careers officer to Summer Bay High, Jack decides to enlist in the navy and promptly leaves town after saying goodbye. Pippa attends his induction parade and takes a photo which remains on the mantle for many years. Jack returns to Summer Bay on the eve of Sally's wedding to Kieran and stays at the Caravan Park with several other family members who have returned for the event. Jack reminisces about old times and the trouble he caused Michael and Pippa. He also mentions he has found religion while in the navy. After the wedding is cancelled due to Kieran's infidelity, Jack and the family console a distraught Sally. Before Jack leaves he has a flashback to the night of Michael's death and tells Pippa he tried holding onto Michael and she consoles him with a hug. ==Reception==

For his portrayal of Jack, Amalm received a nomination for "Most Popular New Talent" at the 1995 Logie Awards. British broadcaster ITV cut scenes of Jack being locked in the boot of a car as a joke from episodes. While acceptable to air in Australia, the scenes were deemed too explicit for British audiences. Sue Williams of the Sun Herald said that Amalm was ''Home and Away's "young male heart-throb." While a columnist from The Courier-Mail branded Jack as a "troubled teen". Ian Hyland from the Sunday Mirror'' said that Jack was the serial's "rebel rouser". Debra Lawrence told a TV Week journalist that Jack was one of her favourite characters from Home and Away. She opined that Amalm's work was "amazing." A columnist for Inside Soap said that Jack was an "easily-led sulky trouble-maker about to join the navy". While their colleague said that Jack's life seemed to be coming together after his mother was introduced. They opined that Jack acted "cocky" about the situation. As "nothing has ever been simple in Jack's life"; it did not work out for the best. They were unsure if "poor Jack" would ever trust anyone again and said that knowing Jack, "he'll lash out at the people closest to him". A reporter from The Gold Coast Bulletin said that "Jack Wilson was the dumb but streetwise kid who breezed into Summer Bay in 1994 and propelled actor Daniel Amalm to pin-up status." Scott Ellis of The Sun-Herald said that Amalm made Jack one of Australia's "best-loved bad boys". The episode featuring the Summer Bay bushfire caused by Jack was nominated for the Avid Technology Award for "Best Episode in a Television Drama Serial" at the 1996 Australian Film Institute Awards. ==References==