Main Characters
Geoffrey Douglas
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| Portrayed by Scott Eastwood |
Born on 21 March 1984 and raised in Los Angeles, Geoffrey is thoughtful, athletic, and quietly intelligent. Down-to-earth and low-key, he avoids attention and speaks only when it matters. Early betrayal and loss have made him deeply private and slow to trust, yet once earned, his loyalty is absolute. He values discipline, routine, and fairness, carrying a calm authority that emerges naturally in moments of responsibility.
Geoffrey Douglas aged 11 years
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| Portrayed by Kameron Brummer |
Geoffrey Douglas aged 15-18 and 20's (in university)
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| Portrayed by Oliver Bell |
Geoffrey had just enrolled into The Scots College senior school and he met up with Embong aged 15 years, and they also attend the same university in Sydney.
Embong Awan
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| Portrayed by Henry Golding |
Embong was also born on 21 March 1984, and he was raised in Kuching before moving to Sydney at the age of 11. Warm, observant, and emotionally intuitive, he is outwardly expressive yet inwardly disciplined, shaped by firm expectations and cultural responsibility. Approachable and good-humoured, he often bridges silence with empathy, responding to others’ needs before they are spoken.
Embong Awan aged 11-12
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| Portrayed by Euwell Mikaell |
This is Embong when he was new to The Scots College preparatory school, and when he met Geoffrey.
Embong Awan when he was in his teens and early to mid-twenties
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| Portrayed by Bailey May |
Embong when he was in the The Scots College senior school aged 15-18 years and in university in his early to mid-20's.
Embong's family
Four members of Embong's family.
Tan Sri Awan anak Megat / Bapak
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| Portrayed by Lou Diamond Phillips |
Awan is the father of Hijau and Embong and the husband of Delima; to his children he is Bapak, and to his wife he is affectionately known as Ayang. Sarawakian by origin, he was born in Miri on 12 December 1949, and raised between Kuching and KualaLumpur, learning early to adapt without spectacle. A graduate of St John’s University with an MBA, Awan began his career as a banking clerk in the 1970s, developing a pragmatic, risk-aware approach to finance. Through decades of discipline and financial acumen, he built a successful private holding company in Kuala Lumpur. Reserved but deeply dependable, he anchors his family not through display or authority, but through steadiness, presence, and quiet work done consistently over time.
Puan Sri Delima Ganang / Ibu
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| Portrayed by Deanna Yusoff |
Born in Malacca on 13 March 1950 and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Delima is the mother of Embong and Hijau and the wife of Awan. To her children, she is Ibu, while to her husband she is simply Delima—direct, familiar, and unembellished. Strong-willed and outspoken, she governs her household with clarity, discipline, and firm authority. Formerly a company secretary and company director, Delima brings organisational intelligence and decisive leadership into family life. She is deeply involved in her children’s upbringing, holds them to high standards, and does not shy away from confrontation when principles are at stake. Beneath her formidable exterior lies a steady, practical care—expressed through structure, responsibility, and unwavering presence rather than sentimentality.
Hijau Awan / Kak Hijau
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| Portrayed by Sarimah Ibrahim |
Born 18 December 1979 in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, but she grew up in Kuching, Singapore and Sydney. Embong’s elder sister, Hijau is articulate, confident, and outspoken, much like her mother. Educated at Kambala, she later redirected her studies from accounting at the University of New South Wales to complete a graduate qualification in Real Estate and Property Management at Oxford Brookes University. Professionally astute and entrepreneurial, she owns several properties in the United Kingdom. Despite an international life, she remains closely tied to Malaysia, regularly returning to family and business matters at Sinar Mata Holdings Sdn Bhd. Married to Lachlan Sullivan, Hijau represents the next generation of strong, self-assured women in the Awan family.
The Sullivans
The Sullivans are a middle class Canadian family based in Toronto.
Ronald Sullivan
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| Portrayed by Gary Oldman |
Ronald Sullivan is a quietly solid, deeply decent man—Manchester-born, Toronto-settled, and shaped by a life that moved through discipline, labour, and care. Ronald carries the calm authority of a former soldier and the patience of a working man, having been a professional tennis player, a bus driver, and for many years a mortician—work that left him unafraid of silence, grief, or responsibility. He speaks with a softened Mancunian accent, values respect without demanding obedience, and shows love through action rather than words: fixing what’s broken, staying present, reading alongside his children instead of lecturing them. Gentle, practical, and emotionally restrained, Ronald is a father who rarely raises his voice but is impossible to ignore, earning loyalty not through fear or force, but through steadiness, fairness, and an unshakeable sense of care.
Maria Sullivan (néé Maria Da Costa)
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| Portrayed by Monica Bellucci |
Maria Sullivan (née Da Costa) is Ronald Sullivan’s second wife and stepmother to Lachlan, Maggie, and Nick. Born in Toronto to Portuguese immigrant parents, she works as a hospital receptionist and is known for her patience, diligence, and accommodating nature. She meets Ronald while he is working as a bus driver, and their relationship develops through shared routine and reliability.
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| Digambarkan oleh Christopher Masterson |
Born on 15 May 1979. Husband to Hijau and Embong’s brother-in-law, Lachlan is a down-to-earth and outgoing man originally from Toronto, Ontario. Good-natured and occasionally mischievous, he is socially adept and naturally skilled at making and maintaining friendships across cultures. A gifted networker, he moves easily between professional and personal circles, maintaining strong ties in both Canada and Malaysia. Academically, he holds a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of New South Wales and later completed a second master’s degree in Project Management at Oxford Brookes University. Outside work, Lachlan values quiet routines: reading, walking his dogs, and spending reflective time—most often in Oxford, England. His easy warmth and adaptability make him a steady and complementary presence within the Awan family.
Margaret "Maggie" Sullivan
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| Portrayed by Emily VanCamp |
Margaret “Maggie” Sullivan (b. 1983) is the middle child and only daughter of the Sullivan family. Once interested in becoming a police officer, she later works as a beautician before moving into a clerical role at a post office. Responsible and reliable despite an outwardly disorganised manner, Maggie provides quiet stability within the family.
Nick Sullivan
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| Portrayed by Sterling Knight |
Nick (born 1986) is friendly and confident in conversation, often speaking about future plans as if their fulfilment were a matter of intention rather than time or circumstance. He tends to discuss ambitions—professional breaks, property, or lifestyle—as though they were immediately attainable, a habit that can leave others quietly strained by the gap between his expectations and practical reality.
The Kennedys
Josie Kennedy
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| Portrayed by Diane Keaton |
Josie Kennedy is the biological mother of Lachlan, Maggie, and Nick Sullivan—a composed, socially fluent woman who values stability, discretion, and order. Formerly married to Ronald Sullivan and once a legal secretary, she learned to manage life through organisation rather than emotional confrontation. After remarrying James Keller, a wealthy chartered accountant, she moved from Canada to Naples, Florida, where she settled comfortably into quiet affluence. As a mother, Josie is sincere but emotionally restrained, offering good intentions and politeness in place of closeness, and believing she did right by her children even as her distance lingers.
James Kennedy
James Kennedy is a wealthy chartered accountant whose life is defined by structure, foresight, and financial certainty. Practical, disciplined, and emotionally reserved, he values order and predictability over sentiment, approaching relationships with the same careful calculation he applies to his work. Settled in Naples, Florida, James enjoys the quiet assurance of affluence and social respectability, preferring comfort and control to risk or emotional complexity. As Josie’s second husband, he provides stability and status rather than warmth, believing that security is the truest form of care—and rarely questioning what that definition might leave unfulfilled. He has two daughters from a previous marriage.
The Douglas Family
George Douglas
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| Portrayed by David Wenham |
George Douglas was a quietly principled man whose
steadiness anchored both his family and his work. A filmmaker by profession, he
believed deeply in craft, patience, and telling the truth without spectacle.
George was thoughtful rather than demonstrative, preferring long conversations,
careful listening, and the discipline of showing up consistently for the people
he loved. As a father, he led by example—instilling in Geoffrey a sense of
integrity, resilience, and self-respect—never forcing ambition, but nurturing
curiosity and moral clarity. Even in moments of hardship, George carried himself
with dignity, valuing responsibility over ego and legacy over recognition.
Elaine Kline-Douglas
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| Portrayed by Laura Linney |
Elaine Douglas née Kline was warm, perceptive, and quietly formidable, combining emotional intelligence with practical resolve. She was originally from Texas and she moved to Los Angeles as an adult for work. Working in marketing, she understood people instinctively and navigated social spaces with ease, yet her greatest strength lay at home, where she created stability, encouragement, and a sense of belonging. Elaine was attentive without being indulgent, supportive without being overbearing, and deeply protective of her son’s emotional well-being. She believed in kindness as a form of strength and structure as an expression of love. Her presence balanced George’s reserve, forming a partnership defined by mutual respect, shared values, and an unwavering commitment to their child.
Jennifer “Jenny” Douglas
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| Portrayed by Katherine Langford |
Jennifer is better known as “Jenny” to Geoffrey and Embong. She is Geoffrey’s cousin of the same age and one of the few members of his extended family he genuinely trusts. Calm, perceptive, and emotionally grounded, Jenny possesses a quiet integrity that sets her apart from the more self-interested relatives who emerge after Geoffrey’s parents’ deaths. She is neither naïve nor confrontational by nature; instead, she listens carefully, reads people well, and chooses her moments with care. Jenny understands Geoffrey’s grief without prying, offering steadiness rather than false comfort, and she respects the bond he forms with Embong and his family. While she does not involve herself in inheritance disputes for personal gain, she is morally firm when lines are crossed, making it clear where she stands. In Geoffrey’s life, Jenny represents continuity, conscience, and the reassurance that not all blood ties are transactional—some are anchored in genuine loyalty and empathy.
Rusaldi family
Rusaldi Rusmadi
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| Portrayed by Jalaluddin Hassan |
Rusaldi is Nuryani’s husband and an former member of the Malaysian air force. He has lived with Nuryani and their kids in Sydney along with Delima, Hijau and Embong.
Nuryani Ganang
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| Portrayed by Joanna Bessey |
Nuryani has lived in Sydney with her family, as well as with her elder sister, Delima, niece Hijau and nephew, Embong. She was a schoolteacher before she moved to Sydney. She had been taking both MBA and Advanced Diploma in Hotel Management. She got distinctions since she is academically bright. She now runs a boutique hotel as a general manager. She is also a good cook.
Mendung Ganang Rusaldi
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| Portrayed by Meerqeen |
Mendung Ganang is Embong’s younger cousin by six years and the eldest of four siblings. Within the family, almost everyone calls him Ganang—a name that sits easily on the tongue—except for Delima, who insists on calling him Mendung, unable to bring herself to use her own father’s name for him. Independent by temperament and effortlessly sociable, Ganang is a natural connector: a social butterfly with an instinctive ability to move between circles, build friendships, and maintain wide-ranging personal and professional networks. He trained formally as both a personal trainer and a registered nurse, combining physical discipline with clinical competence, and carries himself with the quiet confidence of someone accustomed to responsibility. During his years at The Scots College, he distinguished himself as a rowing champion, where his leadership, endurance, and team-first mentality first became evident—traits that continue to define him well into adulthood.
Fayrani Suri Rusaldi
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| Portrayed by Alya Iman |
Fayrani is Mendung’s younger sister. Like her mother, Nuryani, she is academically bright and she has a good sense of humour and strict when needed. She is also bold like her father, Rusaldi. Nevertheless, she is generally nice.
Surihani Rusaldi
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| Portrayed by Xia Vigor |
Surihani is the older twin sister. She has a gentle character as she is calm and understanding. She is more agreeable and easier to befriend (more likeable) as compared to Faryana.
Faryana Juwita Rusaldi
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| Portrayed by Xia Vigor |
Faryana is Surihani's twin sister. She is feistier compared to Surihani. Otherwise, she is an alright person.
The Khans
Mahboob Khan
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| Portrayed by Faran Tahir |
Mahboob Khan is a Pakistani-born doctor who migrated to Australia as an adult and never felt the need to soften either his accent or his sense of self. Calm, precise, and quietly generous, he carries authority without stiffness and faith without severity, practising Islam as something lived rather than enforced. His English retains a gentle Pakistani cadence, unremarked upon within his family and never treated as a liability. Mahboob values decency over doctrine, hospitality over display, and believes belonging is built through consistency rather than conformity. In Embong’s presence, he is unfailingly warm, extending welcome without interrogation or expectation.
Debby Khan
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| Portrayed by Cate Blanchett |
Debby Khan is an Australian woman whose warmth and emotional fluency anchor the Khan household. Social, observant, and unpretentious, she moves easily between cultures, smoothing transitions without ever announcing that she is doing so. Her approach to faith is pragmatic and compassionate, shaped by choice rather than obligation, and she treats difference as something to accommodate rather than explain. Debby’s hospitality is instinctive—food offered generously, conversation widened to include everyone—and her ease sets the tone for the family’s openness. With Embong and Geoffrey, she offers the same uncomplicated acceptance she gives her own children, making inclusion feel natural rather than earned.
Hassan Khan
aaaaaa
Adeel Khan
aaaaaa
Imran Khan
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| Portrayed by Josh Heuston |
Imran Khan is the son of a Pakistani doctor and an Australian mother, raised in a liberal Muslim household that values faith without rigidity. A steady, observant presence during his years at The Scots College, he becomes one of Embong’s close friends—quietly loyal, socially adaptable, and at ease moving between cultures. Comfortable in secular Sydney life (dogs included), Imran grows into adulthood without dramatic rupture, later working in real estate, where his calm manner and ability to read people serve him well. He remains a familiar thread in Embong’s life, even as their paths diverge.
Imran Khan in present day
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| Portrayed by Shazad Latif |
The Scots College headmasters named in this novel blog are real. Their names are given merely to show reference of who the headmasters that led The Scots College.
Dr. Robert Iles (1994 – 2006)
Dr Robert Iles was the headmaster in The Scots College senior school when Geoffrey and Embong commenced their secondary school education there.
Dr. Ian PM Lambert (2007 – present)
Dr. Ian PM Lambert is a headmaster after Geoffrey and Embong finished Year 12, which was the final year in Australian secondary schools. Since he became a professor, there have been several new changes at The Scots College.
Anggun Megat
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| Portrayed by Victor Meutelet |
Grégoire is a good friend of Embong’s and they met while Embong was in university. He has a charming personality despite being quiet at first.
Ludovic Fang
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| Portrayed by Tony Giroux |
Ludovic is Grégoire’s close friend, and they are travelling together in Australia. He gets along with Embong as well. He likes culture, food, and travelling amongst other things.
Leif Bauer
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| Portrayed by Louis Hofmann |
Leif met Embong while they were in the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS). He was studying a Bachelor's Degree in International Business while Embong studied Hotel Management. Despite his initial German reservedness, they became close friends quite quickly. Embong was rather swayed by his unexpected charming personality.
Older Leif Bauer (in his 30's)
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| Portrayed by Johannes Huth |
This is when he and Embong meet again. He is glad they are reunited. This time around, he is visiting Sydney as a German tourist.
Please note: Except for the headmasters, the characters in this story are all designed even though the places in this novel blog are all true. Any incident similar to the character is true is purely coincidental.
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