Plays Xavier Austin

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The young actor has always been surrounded by acting due to his father being in the business. His dad, Danny Roberts, who played Andy Green on Sons and Daughters, and mum started up the Byron Bay Theatre Company. He admits that he’s always wanted to head in the performing arts direction. It’s no surprise then that Drama was a part of his HSC’s at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts where he just finished up school.

David takes part in acting lessons every Saturday at 9 o’clock. "It’s actually with my dad", he tells us. "We have a little acting ensemble and we do improvisations, learn technique, philosophy, stuff like that." Home and Away is his first TV job. He did a TV pilot last year called Here’s Trouble, but it didn’t end up getting taken up. He lets us know how different TV has been to his past theatre experiences. "It’s so much faster and you just have to be aware of your lighting, marking people, and all of that. I’m just learning at the moment, but it’s great. I’m having a ball."

Sean Penn and Leonardo DiCaprio are David’s favourite actors. "I really love how Sean commits to his roles and just how focused he is on his performances. It’s this real intense sort of performance when he comes on screen. And with Leo I just really like how he can transform into different characters. He was amazing in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape."

David was actually out surfing when he agent called about getting a role on Home and Away. His dad went down to the beach to tell him he better call his agent. When he got home though, his agent was in a meeting at the time. "Then I didn’t have any credit on my phone!" he laughs. So David called his agent from a pay phone and that’s where he got the good news. "I got all excited and started jumping around. I ran up to a couple of people I saw that I knew and just started screaming," he smiles. He admits to us that although learning scripts was difficult at first, he’s getting into a good routine. David reads his scripts on the weekend, then freshens his mind throughout the week before he goes on to the studio. And what about the Home and Away crew? "Oh everyone’s so welcoming," he says. "They’re really nice, cool people."

Acting isn’t the only thing David enjoys doing in the arts. He also loves playing guitar. Jack Johnson and Bob Marley are two of his favourite musicians. He told us, "It’s a hobby, just for fun. I’m not any fantastic guitarist, but I enjoy it."

We asked David where he wanted to head in the future with performing. His response? "I want to head into film hopefully. That’d be cool. Maybe go over to the States or when I finish go over to England and further my studies, something like that." When we asked him what role he’d love to play, David just grinned and said, "Peter Pan. I think that would be fun!"