Hunter King is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Home and Away, played by Scott Lee. The actor did not think he would win the role, as he believed that he had performed badly in the audition. However, after receiving a callback, Lee was cast as Hunter and he began filming the following week. His casting was revealed when he attended the 57th Logie Awards alongside other Home and Away cast members. The role marks Lee's television acting debut. Reece Milne, who went on to play Tank Snelgrove in the show, also auditioned for the part. Lee made his first appearance as Hunter during the episode broadcast on 27 July 2015.
Hunter is portrayed as brooding, moody, and misunderstood. Hunter had a tough upbringing and was left without a male role model in his life upon his grandfather's death. His bad actions stem from his desire to have a family and be loved. Lee enjoyed exploring the similarities between himself and his character. Hunter's attitude began to change as he settled into Summer Bay, as he realised that his attitude was pushing people away. Hunter was introduced as the secret son of Zac MacGuire (Charlie Clausen). His presence caused Zac's relationship with Leah Patterson-Baker (Ada Nicodemou) to become strained, as he wanted his father all to himself.
Hunter's later storylines saw him kidnapped and drugged by Trystan Powell (Ben Mingay), and named as a suspect in his mother Charlotte King's (Erika Heynatz) murder. Lee said Hunter loved his mother, despite the many bad things she did. Hunter formed a romantic relationship with Olivia Fraser Richards (Raechelle Banno), as she helped him deal with his grief and bond with his family. The relationship was tested by Hunter's failure to plan for his future and an unplanned pregnancy. When they broke up in 2016, Lee hoped they would eventually reconcile, as he thought the pair were soulmates. In late 2016, Lee announced his intentions to leave Home and Away to pursue other roles. His character departed on 10 September 2018.
Casting Scott Lee's casting was revealed when he appeared alongside the Home and Away cast at the Logie Awards in May 2015. He had been filming with the show for around three months prior to his appearance. Two months later, Lee's casting as Hunter was officially announced. Lee told his agent that he did not think he would win the role, as he believed that he had performed badly in his audition. He later received a callback and started filming the following week. Actor Reece Milne also auditioned for the role of Hunter, before he was cast as Tank Snelgrove a month later. The role marks Lee's television acting debut. Lee commented that joining the cast was "very exciting", and he told Kaylee Martin of The West Australian: "It's Home and Away, you grow up watching it and I just thought 'if I'd ever get on that show, it would be so out of this world'. It was really bizarre and strange walking past Ray Meagher and all the people who have been on there that you grow up watching, I'm over the moon." Lee made his first appearance as Hunter during the episode broadcast on 27 July 2015.
Development Characterisation Ahead of his first appearance, Lee described Hunter as being "angsty, brooding and moody". Lee told Stephen Downie of TV Week that Hunter's actions stem from his desire to have a family and be loved by them. His grandfather's death left him without a "solid" male role model in his life, and Lee thought Hunter was "searching for support." Lee also thought Hunter was misunderstood, saying "he may seem very disrespectful, but at the end of the day he is a hurt soul..." The actor also said Hunter had "a bit of a temper" and that his issue stem from his tough upbringing. Lee found Hunter's "bad guy" persona fun to play, as he was nothing like that in real life. He explained, "Hunter is very misunderstood and treads on people's toes in a big way, when you get the chance to do something different that's away from yourself it's really cool."
Lee also enjoyed exploring the similarities between himself and his character, especially with Hunter's background being quite different to his own. As he settled into the Bay, Hunter's attitude started to change. Lee explained that Hunter realised that he cannot continue to act in the same manner, as he was pushing those around him away. Since Hunter just wanted to be loved and have a good life, he knew that he had to change what he was doing to make that happen. Lee told Kerry Harvey of Stuff.co.nz that Hunter's emotions often took over and he forgot to stop and look at what he had. He also advised his character to stop being "so aggressive" and relax.
Introduction
Lee told Peter Way of the Macarthur Chronicle Wollondilly that Hunter's arrival would cause trouble between some of the established couples within the show. After following his mother, Charlotte King (Erika Heynatz), to Summer Bay, Hunter burns down Leah Patterson-Baker's (Ada Nicodemou) house and assaults Josh Barrett (Jackson Gallagher) after breaking into Summer Bay House. Hunter then asks to meet his father Zac MacGuire (Charlie Clausen), who resides in the town. Hunter later shows up to a community fundraising banquet for Zac and his fiancée Leah, and he reveals that he is Zac's son. Lee explained that Hunter had begun to feel invisible and was no longer able to stand by and watch Zac with his "other family". He also said Hunter was often impulsive and did not think about the consequences of his actions. Zac is shocked by Hunter's revelation and demands answers from Charlotte, who confirms that Hunter is telling the truth. As Zac struggles to understand why Charlotte kept Hunter a secret from him, he ends up rejecting his son. Lee called Zac's bad reaction "a massive slap in the face" for Hunter, and added, "he's waited his whole life to meet his father – he just wants to be a normal kid with a loving family."
Hunter's presence causes strain in Zac and Leah's relationship, as he makes it clear to Leah that he wants his father all to himself. Nicodemou explained that Leah does not trust Hunter and although she feels that she should be more accepting, she is uncomfortable around him. Leah also believes that Hunter is trying to get between her and Zac. After voicing her concerns to Zac, he refuses to believe his son is deliberately causing trouble for them. However, Hunter soon "makes a spectacle" by pretending to drown in the sea, leading Zac to miss a meeting with Leah. Nicodemou commented, "After Leah hears that Hunter didn't want to go to hospital, she thinks it was just a plot to get his mum and dad back together. Of course Zac is very upset when she suggests this – she's accused Hunter of things before, and Zac feels she should trust him by now." Leah comes to realise that Zac may be forced to choose between her and Hunter in the future, so she decides to end their engagement, believing that it the best thing for her family. Hunter eventually starts to see Zac and Leah as his second family instead of something that he has to break up.
Kidnap and Charlotte's murder In November 2015, Hunter was involved in his mother's blackmail storyline. Charlotte was being threatened by Trystan Powell (Ben Mingay), who wanted her to find evidence that Darryl Braxton (Steve Peacocke) was still alive. When Charlotte fails to find out any information, Trystan has Hunter kidnapped. Lee told Stephen Downie of TV Week that Hunter goes out to clear his head when he is grabbed by two men. He knows something weird is going on with his mother, and thinks that this has something to do with it. Hunter is dragged into a waiting car and drugged. His stepbrother VJ Patterson (Matt Little) witnesses everything and tries to chase the car, but it pulls away. VJ then alerts Zac and Leah to Hunter's kidnapping and they contact the police. Meanwhile, Hunter wakes up alone in the bush and suffering with the effects of the chloroform used to knock him out. Lee explained, "He is disorientated, confused, and he doesn't know where he is. Waking up in the middle of the bush is a terrifying thing to happen to someone." Hunter manages to stumble through the bush until he is within sight of the road, and when he thinks he hears a car approaching he tries to walk towards the sound. But still suffering from being drugged, Hunter collapses. Downie noted that things did not look good for Hunter, as he needed medical attention and was at risk of exposure after spending a night in the bush. Constable Kat Chapman (Pia Miller) eventually finds Hunter.
After Charlotte dies from being shot by a mystery assailant, a whodunnit storyline began and Hunter was named as one of ten suspects. When Kat comes to Summer Bay House with news of Charlotte's death, Hunter is not there as he has briefly left town. When he returns home, he learns of his mother's death and "shuts down and goes numb". Lee continued, "In time these feelings that he's suppressed will comes out, but I think his first stage of grieving is to not deal with it – it's too much to handle." The actor pointed out that Hunter did love Charlotte, explaining that she was his only parent for a large part of his life and while they had some "challenging times" before her death, she was still his mother. Producers introduced Detective Dylan Carter (Jeremy Lindsay Taylor) for the plot, and he immediately begins questioning anyone who had a reason to want Charlotte dead. Hunter is at the top of his list, and Carter thinks that Hunter is capable of killing his mother. Lee thought that there were plenty of things linking Hunter to Charlotte's murder, as they had "a close but turbulent relationship". Zac and Leah also suspect that Hunter could be responsible, having witnessed him losing his temper with Charlotte at their wedding. When asked by Sarah Ellis of Inside Soap if his character was a killer, Lee replied that Hunter easily loses control and was capable of doing some "extreme stuff without thinking of the consequences". He added that many viewers thought that Hunter was guilty and joked that his feelings were hurt by the speculation.
After Hunter learns Andy Barrett (Tai Hara) has confessed to murdering Charlotte, he plans to get revenge. Lee quipped, "Nothing is going to stop him." Hunter goes to the police station and demands to speak with Andy, but his request is refused. Downie (TV Week) observed that Hunter was a "ticking time bomb", while Lee said that his character suppressed his emotions in the wake of his mother's death. He also feels guilty that many of the bad things she did – such as killing his cousin Denny Miller (Jessica Grace Smith) – were done to protect him. Struggling to control his emotions, Hunter waits outside the station. When he sees Andy being led from his cell, Hunter grabs a pair of scissors and stabs him.
Relationship with Olivia Fraser Richards
Lee hoped Hunter would get a love interest at some point during his tenure, commenting "everyone wants a girlfriend!" Producers later established a friendship between Hunter and Olivia Fraser Richards (Raechelle Banno) following her return to the Bay two months later. While they are spending time together at the beach pool, Olivia asks Hunter not to look at her when she gets out of the water. However, Hunter "can't resist a peek" and is shocked when he notices Olivia's thighs are covered in scars. Hunter realises that Olivia is hiding something, and he later tells VJ about the scars, as he feels that he cannot talk to Olivia about it. VJ, who is competing with Hunter for Olivia's affections, takes the opportunity to tell Olivia that Hunter saw her scars and says he will be there for her. Olivia helps Hunter to deal with his mother's death and bond with his new family. Their relationship is tested by Hunter's failure to plan for the future, and the arrival of Lindsay Ford (Georgia Flood), who wants Hunter for herself.