Jamie Forrest
Encyclopedia
Jamie Forrest was a fictional character on the New Zealand
soap opera
Shortland Street
. The character was portrayed by Karl Urban
for a guest stint in mid 1993 before returning later in the year for a 6 month recurring stint. The character is remembered as the first openly gay character on the show.
to be gay fell through, producers introduced Jamie in mid 1993 as the first gay character. Karl Urban
was in the middle of studying for university when he was offered the role. The character was such a success he was reintroduced later in the year.
also suspects this and tries to set them up. To their dismay, Jamie reveals that he is gay and has a boyfriend named Isaac. He gets a job as a paramedic alongside Sam Aleni
. When Sam realizes he is gay, he makes Jamie's social and work life difficult which results in Jamie giving Sam a lecture on how gays should not be discriminated against. However, Jamie leaves Shortland Street due to his work contract expiring and he goes to work as a temporary ambulance officer at another hospital.
Jamie returns later that year and instantly makes friends with Jo Jordan. He also gets his job back and gets on better with Sam. He and Jo start to go nightclubbing and soon are joined by teen Jonathon McKenna. Jamie soon becomes aware of Jonathon's obsession with him and Jonathon reveals he is gay and has a crush on Jamie. Jamie declines his dating offer and moves into the Nurse's flat with Sam and Steve Mills
. Sam falls in love with TP and Jamie helps bring them together. This love story influences Jamie and after Isaac breaks up with him, he goes for Jonathon. After objection from Jonathon's parents, Michael and Alex, Jonathon and Jamie finally end up together.
In 1994, Jonathon's parents continue to show unease at their son's new found sexuality but fortunately, Michael manages to save Jonathon and Jamie from a gang of dangerous homophobes. Jamie starts to want commitment in his relationship, but Jonathon continues to want to just have fun. Jamie breaks up with him and the two don't speak for a while. A friend of Jamie's who is dying of AIDS shows up at Shortland Street and eventually passes away, during which time Jamie and Jonathan make up. Jamie is offered a job down in Christchurch, but decides to do a spot of world travel beforehand to brush up on his medical knowledge. Jonathon decides he wants to go too but eventually passes up on the idea. The two both leave Ferndale separately, Jonathon returns later while Jamie does not.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
. The character was portrayed by Karl Urban
Karl Urban
Karl-Heinz Urban is a New Zealand actor.He is known for playing Éomer in the second and third installments of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the 2009 film Star Trek and Julius Caesar on Xena: Warrior Princess...
for a guest stint in mid 1993 before returning later in the year for a 6 month recurring stint. The character is remembered as the first openly gay character on the show.
Creation
After the plans for teenage character Stuart NeilsonStuart Neilson
Stuart Neilson was a fictional character in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Martin Henderson and was part of the original cast, with a lot of the first episode focusing around him....
to be gay fell through, producers introduced Jamie in mid 1993 as the first gay character. Karl Urban
Karl Urban
Karl-Heinz Urban is a New Zealand actor.He is known for playing Éomer in the second and third installments of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in the 2009 film Star Trek and Julius Caesar on Xena: Warrior Princess...
was in the middle of studying for university when he was offered the role. The character was such a success he was reintroduced later in the year.
1993-1994
Jamie is introduced in 1993 as a child hood friend of Kirsty. Kirsty enjoys his company very much and even hopes for a possible romance. GinaGina Rossi
Gina Rossi-Dodds was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She was portrayed by Josephine Davison and was part of the original cast.-1992-1995:...
also suspects this and tries to set them up. To their dismay, Jamie reveals that he is gay and has a boyfriend named Isaac. He gets a job as a paramedic alongside Sam Aleni
Sam Aleni
Sam Aleni was a fictional character on the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Rene Naufahu and was part of the original cast.-1992-1993:...
. When Sam realizes he is gay, he makes Jamie's social and work life difficult which results in Jamie giving Sam a lecture on how gays should not be discriminated against. However, Jamie leaves Shortland Street due to his work contract expiring and he goes to work as a temporary ambulance officer at another hospital.
Jamie returns later that year and instantly makes friends with Jo Jordan. He also gets his job back and gets on better with Sam. He and Jo start to go nightclubbing and soon are joined by teen Jonathon McKenna. Jamie soon becomes aware of Jonathon's obsession with him and Jonathon reveals he is gay and has a crush on Jamie. Jamie declines his dating offer and moves into the Nurse's flat with Sam and Steve Mills
Steve Mills (Character)
Steve Mills was a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Andrew Binns and was part of the original core cast....
. Sam falls in love with TP and Jamie helps bring them together. This love story influences Jamie and after Isaac breaks up with him, he goes for Jonathon. After objection from Jonathon's parents, Michael and Alex, Jonathon and Jamie finally end up together.
In 1994, Jonathon's parents continue to show unease at their son's new found sexuality but fortunately, Michael manages to save Jonathon and Jamie from a gang of dangerous homophobes. Jamie starts to want commitment in his relationship, but Jonathon continues to want to just have fun. Jamie breaks up with him and the two don't speak for a while. A friend of Jamie's who is dying of AIDS shows up at Shortland Street and eventually passes away, during which time Jamie and Jonathan make up. Jamie is offered a job down in Christchurch, but decides to do a spot of world travel beforehand to brush up on his medical knowledge. Jonathon decides he wants to go too but eventually passes up on the idea. The two both leave Ferndale separately, Jonathon returns later while Jamie does not.