Actor Reece Milne is Home and Away’s latest bad boy Tank

JUST when you thought it was safe to go into the water, another bad boy washes up on the beach in Seven’s hit drama Home and Away.

Man of mystery: Home and Away’s new arrival Reece Milne. Picture: Supplied

NOBODY could quite work out Reece Milne at school. The sporty crowd thought he was arty. The arts crowd thought he was sporty.

That’s what happens when you’re a bloke who plays rugby, rows, studies drama, writes poetry and ships off the occasional song lyrics to a musical mate.

The 23-year-old Milne laughs off the tag of man of mystery — although that’s exactly what he’ll be playing when he wanders up the beach and into Home and Awaythis week.

Milne’s first scenes as Wayne ‘Tank’ Snelgrove air on Wednesday — five months after he won the role and started shooting scenes.

Intrigue: Philippa Northeast’s character Evie is the first to meet Milne’s alter ego. Picture: Supplied

“I’m looking forward to it actually going to air rather than standing around and nobody knowing who you are,” Milne laughs, of his biggest TV gig since graduating from acting studies at Queensland University of Technology and relocating to Sydney in early 2014.

That first year in Sydney was a lean one, he admits: “I was very poor, as most first-year actors out of university are”.

He used some of the time to write — as well as acting appearances in short-lived teen drama Lightning Point and as Ben in Australian feature film Rise — he has also written two stage plays and is working on two new scripts; and reignited his rugby union career.

The face of trouble and a head full of secrets. Meet Summer Bay’s new bad boy, Tank. Picture: Channel Seven

“I’ve always been a massive rugby fan, but hadn’t played since high school and thought I’ll give it a go,” he says.

“Then I remembered how massive everyone is compared to me — and remembered why I stopped.”

The Home and Away breakthrough came early this year after he auditioned for the role of Hunter on the show — a role he lost to Scott Lee. A month later he was offered the role of Tank.

“He’s every bad boy cliche rolled into one really,” Milne says. “He’s cunning. Nobody knows where he comes from, he’s full of secrets.”

Scott Lee, pictured at Coogee Pavilion, beat Reece for the role of Hunter. Picture: Tim Hunter

All of which proves enticing for Evie (Philippa Northeast) who is first to meet the new arrival when they bump into each other the beach.

“He’s full of secrets and Evie quite likes how mysterious he is,” Milne says.

Brisbane-born Milne spent some of his early years living in Scotland with his family — there is a faint clip in his voice thanks to his Scottish parentage.

Fully aware of the big breaks Home and Away has offered actors before him, he has relished the steep learning curve and speed of the show.

“You have to work so quickly. I was surprised by the pace — everything at uni was do a take and reshoot — you rapidly realise when you’re doing the real thing ‘no, you have to be ready now’.”

HOME AND AWAY, MONDAY to THURSDAY, 7PM, SEVEN