Like a lot of former Home And Away stars, Tai Hara has his eye on a career in the United States. He already has a few American shows, including Madam Secretary, on his CV. But Tai and his wife, singer Fely Irvine, aren’t packing up and moving to LA just yet.
“We’ll definitely get back over there,” Tai, 32, tells TV WEEK. “It’s just there are a few more moving pieces now, with a baby and a dog.”
Tai and Fely will soon have another “moving piece”: a second baby, a little sibling for two-year-old Chi. And Tai couldn’t be happier.
The gorgeous family of three.
(Image: Instagram)“Seeing Chi grow up and learn new things every day is the most beautiful thing and I’m so excited to see her step into her big-sister shoes,” he says. “She’s such a beautiful little ball of love, so Fely and I are just over the moon.”
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Tai is currently on screens in the comedy series Colin From Accounts, created by husband-and-wife team Patrick Brammall and Harriet Dyer. Tai plays James, a doctor who recently split with Harriet’s medical student character, Ashley.
“It was such a different role to step into, especially coming from playing something so serious, an ASIC investigator for Underbelly [Vanishing Act],” he says. “But it was so refreshing. I just didn’t stop laughing on and off camera.
Tai stars in Binge’s Colin From Accounts.
(Image: Instagram)“I’d love to do more comedy. That was what I focused on when I was growing up, and I just happened to fall more into the serious stuff, which I love as well.”
Tai had plenty of serious storylines in his role as Andy Barrett in Home And Away between 2013 and 2016 – as well as plenty of storylines that called for him to be shirtless on the beach.
“It’s a different experience to be topless on national TV!” he admits with a laugh. “But I grew up by the beach and used to walk around the shopping centre with my mates when we were little grommets with no shirt or shoes, so it wasn’t too different, other than we were being filmed.”
On set of Colin From Accounts.
(Image: Instagram)Tai has occasionally been seen on social media with a guitar in his hand, but says he has “nothing on the cards right now” when it comes to singing. Although he did audition for children’s musical group Hi-5 more than a decade ago – which is where he met Fely, who did get into the group – he has no regrets that he missed out.
“I don’t think I have the skills to have ended up as a musician – hence, probably, why I didn’t get the job,” he explains. “But I think that one worked out for the best. I didn’t get the gig, but I did get the girl!”
It looks like the love of music has been passed down from mother to daughter.
Tai says Chi is currently “obsessed” with The Lion King and insists on hearing it every time they’re in the car.
“Chi loves to dance, loves to sing, and I think – without putting it out there too much – we probably have a little performer on our hands,” he adds proudly.
This family is too cute!
(Image: Instagram)As for what viewers can see Tai in next, he recently shot an Australian-Indian movie called Knot (“a really beautiful coming-of-age story”) and also has a few projects on the go with his own production company. He also wouldn’t rule out doing another reality show, “like a MasterChef“, having enjoyed his experience on Dancing With The Stars in 2014.
“Dancing was so much fun,” he says. “I’m still really close with lots of people on that show as well, especially my dance partner, Jorja [Freeman], who just got married.”
And of course, there’s that move to the US.
“The States is an incredible place,” Tai enthuses. “There’s so much opportunity and it’s definitely somewhere I’ll continue to keep going back to, if not move over there, at some point.”
