Nate Kinski is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Meyne Wyatt. The actor sent a taped audition to the show's casting agent and was invited to the studios for a call-back, before learning he had won the role. Wyatt relocated to Melbourne for filming and became the first indigenous actor to join the regular cast of Neighbours since the show began in 1985. Wyatt made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 18 August 2014. The character departed on 2 June 2016.
Nate was introduced through a loose connection to Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodburne), who was once married to his uncle. Nate is a former soldier, who was initially portrayed as being mysterious and closed-off. Wyatt branded Nate "a complex character" and said that his heart was in the right place. Nate's storylines have often focused on his struggle with posttraumatic stress disorder and how it affects his relationships with other people. The character is openly gay and had relationships with Chris Pappas (James Mason) and Aaron Brennan (Matt Wilson). He has also been at the centre of a storyline concerning the bike-versus-car debate, which was a prominent news story in Australia at the time. Nate has received mostly positive attention from viewers and critics. He was named Favourite Newcomer at the 2014 Soap Extra Awards.
Creation and casting Nate's arrival was first teased by executive producer Jason Herbison in late June 2014. Herbison confirmed that Chris Pappas (James Mason) would be getting a new love interest, who would also be a regular cast member, unlike his previous partners who had only been recurring. On 20 July, it was announced that Meyne Wyatt had joined the cast of Neighbours as Nate Kinski. Wyatt sent a taped audition to the show's casting agent and was later asked to provide another, which helped to show his range as an actor. Wyatt was then flown to Melbourne for a call-back, where he acted out a scene alongside Mason. He learned that he had won the part a week later. Wyatt relocated to Melbourne where the Neighbours studios are located, and he began filming two and a half months before his casting announcement.
Wyatt is the first indigenous actor to join the regular cast since the show began in 1985. Executive producer Jason Herbison told Elissa Blake from The Sydney Morning Herald that the decision to cast an indigenous actor was "unintentional" and Wyatt had stood out as the best actor for the role following his audition. Herbison explained, "[The role] was not written as an Aboriginal character, however as the character is not a blood relative of existing characters, there were no ethnicity limitations. We could craft the character's background story if necessary to suit the actor cast in the role." Wyatt's casting came shortly after a Fairfax Media report about indigenous actors was published, in which they branded the Australian television industry "whitebread" and asked for casting calls to be "colour-blind". Wyatt made his debut appearance as Nate on 18 August 2014.
Development Introduction and characterisation Wyatt explained that Nate comes to Erinsborough to attend the funeral of a friend. He has a connection to long-term character Susan Kennedy (Jackie Woodburne) as she was married to his late uncle Alex Kinski (Andrew Clarke). Wyatt said Nate was "very lucky" that Susan and her husband Karl (Alan Fletcher) welcomed him into their house with open arms. Wyatt also confirmed that Susan would become "a mother figure" to Nate and they would form a friendship. In his fictional backstory, Nate is originally from Karratha. He enrolled in the Australian infantry and completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan. After quitting the army, Nate travelled around the world.
Wyatt called Nate "a complex character" and said he would initially be "closed-off", as well as being an "unpredictable element" within the cast. Wyatt stated, "he could be misunderstood, but once some secrets are revealed about his background, you can gain an understanding of why he does the things he does. But before that, he's definitely a man of mystery." Wyatt also said Nate's heart would be in the right place, but his behaviour would be weird. Nate's profile on the show's official website states that he is an "alpha male", "super polite" and occasionally comes across as being dull. Nate is openly gay, having known from an early age. Wyatt explained that as a heterosexual actor, this was a "new layer to explore" and a reason that he found the character so interesting. He confirmed that Nate's lighter side would be seen, promising that it was not all "doom and gloom" with him.
In 2015, Wyatt explained that Nate had changed a lot since his first appearance and was "definitely more relaxed". He had developed new connections and friendships with other characters like Tyler Brennan (Travis Burns), which brought out new sides to his character. Wyatt added that Nate's "lighter side" had started to come out and was not "as insane" as he had once been.
Post-traumatic stress Wyatt told Claire Crick from All About Soap that some of the things Nate experienced during his tours of Afghanistan had left him in "a dark place" and struggling to adapt to life away from the army. His aggressive behaviour is a result of posttraumatic stress disorder and Wyatt explained, "he doesn't intentionally mean to be violent – it's just that his experiences in the army have really affected him." After Nate pinned Chris Pappas against a wall, he confided in Susan and told her about his past. Wyatt said it was a huge relief to Nate when Susan was understanding of his condition. When she later asked him to give a talk at the local high school, with the intention of trying to help, Nate was scared and things became too much for him. Wyatt commented that Nate was not ready for normal life yet. He also explained that Nate's PTSD was "a cool challenging storyline" for him and he researched the subject thoroughly to do it justice. Speaking to Shannon Molloy of news.com.au, Wyatt commented that Nate's PTSD was interesting to him and made the character stand out.
While out with Susan, Nate lost his temper at an obnoxious driver. Susan was shocked by Nate's sudden outburst, but she was also sympathetic as she realised where it was coming from. Woodburne explained, "Nate is suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, which manifests itself in sudden bursts of anger triggered by loud noises and people arguing. There are also nightmares, which are pretty awful for him." When Karl learned of the incident, he told Susan that Nate could no longer stay with them and she agreed. Nate was also in agreement, but he then opened up to Susan about his experiences in Afghanistan, causing her to soften towards him. Nate told Susan "a terrible" story about a young girl, which she found difficulty comprehending as events like that do not happen in Australia. Realising that Nate needed her, she agreed to act as his "sounding board".
Nate later sought help from a professional counsellor and initially made some progress, but then went back to being "emotionally explosive". Susan offered to listen to Nate as an "informal therapist" again. Woodburne commented, "He's also not sleeping, and Chris tells Susan that Nate had been having nightmares again." Susan became worried about Nate's suspicious behaviour and when she saw him leave the house with a shovel, she followed him and saw Nate digging a large hole in the ground. Susan found it odd, as it looked like Nate was digging a grave. When Nate heard a noise, he left the hole to investigate. Susan then went over for a closer look, but slipped and knocked herself out when she hit the ground. When Nate returned, he began filling in the hole, unaware that Susan was lying unconscious at the bottom. Woodburne said the storyline was true to life, as digging holes is a form of discipline for Australian soldiers. She told Inside Soap's Sarah Ellis that Nate remembered getting a good night's sleep after digging holes due to being exhausted. She said that she liked the idea of the storyline and joked that Susan had been through many things, but had never fallen in a hole before.
Relationship with Chris Pappas
A reporter for Channel 5 said Nate would develop a romance with one of Ramsay Street's established residents. It was later confirmed that Nate's love interest would be Chris Pappas (Mason). Wyatt stated there would be "an instant connection" between Chris and Nate. But while Chris is very open, Nate is the opposite and although he let Chris know that he was interested, he did not allow himself to show much emotion. Chris and Nate's relationship got off to a bad start when Chris witnessed Nate assaulting a stranger during a picnic with their friends, but Georgia Brooks (Saskia Hampele) encouraged him to give Nate another chance and Chris agreed. While out for a drink, Chris became worried about Nate's "erratic behaviour" and when Karl and Susan later found a knife in Nate's bag, he decided to leave town. But during his goodbye with Chris, they shared their first kiss and Chris convinced Nate to stay.
When Chris tried to get Nate to open up about his life in the army, Nate shoved him against a wall, leaving Chris shaken. Chris told Nate that he would not stand for him being violent again, which Nate accepted. Mason said, "I think it's a really good sign that Nate does listen to that. It's a hurdle in their relationship which they've jumped over." Mason also confirmed that Nate would open up to Chris about his past and viewers would get to see them having fun as a couple. Chris and Nate's relationship was tested when Chris was attacked during Georgia and Kyle Canning (Chris Milligan) bucks and hens party. During the party, Chris "curtly dismisses" Nate and has to throw Josh Willis (Harley Bonner) out for starting a fight. Josh later returned and punched Chris, leaving him with serious injuries. However, Nate was the initial suspect due to his "aloof" behaviour and past incidents.
Nate later drove Josh out to the bush, intending to hurt him, but when Josh expressed his remorse, Nate let him leave. Realising that Chris would have a difficult road to recovery, Nate was "daunted" about their future and confessed to an unconscious Chris that their relationship was so new "he feels disconnected from his life". Nate's anxiety increased due to Chris's injuries, which made him forgetful and moody. Nate later suffered a panic attack and questioned whether he would be able to care for Chris. This was not helped by Chris's mother, Patricia (Katerina Kotsonis), who questioned Nate's commitment to her son. When Chris collapsed after a seizure, he was kept in the hospital overnight putting his plans with Nate on hold. Nate decided to sneak into the hospital to spend time with him, making Chris realise that their relationship was serious. Nate then declared his love for Chris and Mason said, "Chris has had trouble reading Nate, because he's been so guarded about his past. But now they both seem to be on the same page at last."