The newest member of “One Tree Hill's” cast, Mitch Ryan, moved to Wilmington in November to shoot episode 12 of the CW television drama. Now he's working on episode 21 and has settled into his new job, his new home and his new character.
Ryan plays Alexander Coyne, an Australian fashion designer of men's clothes with a quick sense of humor who is romantically involved with his boss's mother, Victoria (Daphne Zuniga).

When he talked to the StarNews The Box' (Warner Bros.)briefly before a recent autograph signing event, he seemed a little shy but excited to work on “One Tree Hill” and spend time in Wilmington.

Q: Had you ever visited Wilmington before landing the job on “One Tree Hill”?

A: I had never been, no, never before this. And it's very cool because I'm from Australia, and it's very kind of similar to back there.

Q: Really? I've never heard that before.

A: Where I was living back there was like a river town . . . This is a much smaller version but it's very similar . . . It's a big change from L.A. I enjoy it. I spend a week here, a week back in L.A. I travel back and forth, but it's been really fun.

Q: You're the new guy. What's that been like for you walking into an established cast?

A: I get along with them really well and everyone was super welcoming and stuff. It was really easy to just kind of slide on in. And the crew's nice.

Q: Being from Australia, are you a big The Box' (Warner Bros.)surfer?

A: I did surf, yeah, I surfed quite a bit back there . . . Probably more in L.A. than I did back home just because I was living out on the beach . . . And then here I've surfed a little bit as well, down at Wrightsville. It's just, the weather's been really bad lately so I haven't been out too much.


Q: It's been cold. I wouldn't want to be out there. So tell me about your character, Alexander, what do you think about him?

A: I enjoy playing the character. I like the fact that I get to keep my accent, that definitely helps. It makes it a little easier for me to do. And, yeah, I think he's very similar to me in a lot of ways. I think they've slowly been changing the writing a little bit too, you know He's kind of like the humor of the show and it's good to get a bit of comedy in there when you can.

Q: How is he similar to you?

A: He's like me because, well first off, he's Australian, he surfs. I guess the whole fashion thing is not really similar but I think just personality wise, I've just noticed a few things where the sort of stuff I'd say, that he'd say. I think that the writers are definitely writing more to tailor to my accent and stuff like that and making jokes about Australia . . . I think he's just an easy-going guy, which is like the same as me. Some of these (other) characters have a lot of emotional journeys and the drama and stuff, and that's not like what I am. So that's a similar aspect.

Q: So you're not into fashion in real life?

A: I am a little bit, but not to theThe Box' (Warner Bros.) extent that this character is. But I definitely love fashion. I would never ever want to design stuff, but I definitely enjoy buying good clothes. That's for sure.