Cameron Mathison

Date of birth: August 25, 1969
Place of birth: Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
AMC character: Ryan Lavery

Other appearances/credits: "The Job", "The Defenders: Choice of Evils", "Any Mother's Son", "Longshot", "Washed Up", "54"

Awards & Acclaim: Daytime Emmys Nominee, Outstanding Supporting Actor (2002, 2005)

Official Website: http://www.cameronmathison.net/

ABC.com actor bio:

Cameron Mathison joined the cast of All My Children in January 1989 as Ryan Lavery. After leaving Pine Valley for over a year, this beloved character and actor returned in 2003.

Born and raised in Canada, Mr. Mathison attended McGill University in Montreal and graduated with a Bachelor of civil engineering degree with a 3.7 GPA. He was also captain of the Red Men Basketball team (tied Terrell Owens in the celebrity slam-dunk competition at the NBA All Starr weekend). A member of the Celebrity Players Tour, which travels to over 16 cities across the USA, fans may catch a glimpse Mr. Mathison on their local golf courses and on the Golf Channel, carrying an average handicap of five.

Mr. Mathison made his feature film debut in the 1998 Miramax release, 54, as well as the Canadian independent film, Washed Up. His television credits include The Drew Cary Show, CSI, JAG, What I Like About You, F/X -- The Series, the television movie, Any Mother's Son, with Bonnie Bedelia and on August 16th can been seen on the ABC Family Channel's See Jane Date. He hosted ABC's live world premiere of Walt Disney's animated feature, Tarzan, Soap Nets 2001 daytime Emmy red carpet special, and E! Wild On! specials. Most recently, Mr. Mathison guest starred on ABC's Hope & Faith.

In 1999, the actor received the Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Male Newcomer and a daytime Emmy nomination Outstanding Supporting Actor in 2002.

Mr. Mathison recently moved back to New York with his wife and their baby boy, Lucas.
 

ABC.com character bio:

Ryan Lavery arrived in Pine Valley in 1998 as a con man seeking riches. After being hired at WRCW, Ryan began a scheme involving kickback funds. Station manager Liza Colby discovered this and threatened jail time unless Ryan married Gillian Andrassy, who was about to wed Liza's nephew Scott Chandler. Gillian was only after Scott for his money and because she needed a green card to stay in the country. Liza told Gillian that Ryan was worth millions, while Liza also told Ryan that Gillian was worth a fortune (when she was penniless). Ryan's eyes lit up at the prospect of marrying into money (it didn't hurt that he was attracted to her). Ryan married Gillian and both were shocked that neither had any money. After months of fighting, Gillian finally admitted her love for Ryan, but he was unsure of his feelings. Gillian reacted by falling into an affair with David Hayward. The night Ryan went to profess his love for Gillian, he found her in bed with David, causing Ryan to bolt and flirt with Christine "Kit" Montgomery at a bar.

Kit was raped that same night and believed the rapist to be Ryan. A blood test was taken and it was a 70% match with Ryan. At the Crystal Ball, Ryan was arrested in front of the entire town. After fleeing the cops with the help of Gillian, who was determined to prove Ryan's innocence, Ryan was found and arrested. During the trial, Ryan realized that his older brother, Braden (who had, unknown to Ryan, been in town for months) was the rapist. Out of a sense of loyalty over Braden's childhood protection from their abusive father, Ryan confessed to cover for his brother. Braden eventually told the truth and Ryan was cleared of all charges. Dealing with Braden took an emotional toll on Ryan. He forgave Gillian for sleeping with David, but needed to be alone. The two filed for divorce. Ryan developed a close bond with his best friend, Hayley Vaughan Santos, and the two embarked on a slow, cautious relationship.
 

With Hayley returning to her husband and Gillian dating Dr. Jake Martin, Ryan turned to Greenlee Smythe. Ryan and Greenlee began sleeping together, but his heart was with Gillian. Ryan decided to open up a business, IncredibleDreams.com, where he attempted to make people's dreams come true. Greenlee began working with Ryan and secretly had her grandfather invest in the startup. Greenlee was determined to win Ryan for herself, and fed Gillian lies about her relationship with Ryan to keep the former couple apart. Gillian planned to marry Jake, and Ryan even interrupted the ceremony, but was unable to stop the nuptials. Eventually Gillian and Ryan reunited and began meeting secretly while Jake was abroad, all unbeknownst to Greenlee. Wanting to put an end to their secrecy and with news that Jake had gone missing in Chechnya, Ryan used funds from ID.com to find Jake and rescue him, so that Gillian could file for divorce. A vengeful Greenlee, having found out Gillian and Ryan were together for months, reported the embezzled funds Ryan took from his own company and pressed charges against him.

Ryan was eventually released from jail, and Gillian left Jake for Ryan. Ryan payed off Greenlee's grandfather and became sole owner of ID.com, eventually selling it to Adam Chandler. Ryan and Gillian planned their wedding, but Gillian found out she was pregnant with Jake's baby. Gillian lost the baby and got her divorce from Jake finalized. Ryan and Gillian were finally married, and looked forward to the future together. Later that year, Gillian was shot (the target was Anna Devane), leaving her brain dead. Ryan donated her heart to Laura Kirk English.

Grief stricken over losing Gillian, Ryan went on a downward spiral. Ryan began to come in "contact" with Gillian via psychic Opal Cortlandt. After unsuccessfully trying to make Opal contact Gillian from the great beyond, distraught Ryan burned his and Gillian's special place, the Wildwind turret. He slept with Liza, causing her to get pregnant. Ryan met Mia Saunders during a card game and the two quickly became involved. Mia and Ryan grew closer when Mia confided that she and Liza were sisters and that she never knew her father. In the end, things faded between Mia and Ryan. In an accident, Liza fell down some steps and lost Ryan's baby.

When Ryan's mother died, a ghostly Gillian orchestrated Ryan to meet newcomer Chris Stamp. Chris confessed to Ryan that he killed his abusive father, Patrick Lavery, a long time ago, leading Ryan to be wary of Chris.

Ryan met Kendall Hart while staying at the Pine Cone Motel. They clashed, but a strong attraction permeated all their interactions. Slowly the two began dating. Ryan got a hold of a disc with information about Proteus, the new drug lord in Pine Valley, and hid it. In a shooting over the Proteus disc, Chris took a bullet for Ryan and Ryan learned that he was Chris's biological son. Ryan began to slowly build a relationship with his newfound father.

With Ryan and Kendall's feelings deepening, Ryan tried to facilitate a warmer relationship between Kendall and her mother Erica Kane, while he bonded with Chris. Kendall and Ryan planned to leave Pine Valley together, but their plans were halted. Kendall, having threatened Erica numerous times, was accused of burning down Erica's home. Ryan and Kendall admitted their love for each other, and Ryan defended Kendall to the whole town. Trey Kenyon was her lawyer in the arson case, and he suggested that Kendall take a lie detector test to prove her innocence (Trey was hiding the fact that he was actually the arsonist). Against Ryan's better judgment, Kendall took the test and failed. Ryan questioned Kendall's half-truths about the night of the fire, but despite her lies, he proposed to her. Before their wedding day, Ryan walked in on Kendall in a compromising position with Aidan Devane (Kendall was trying to uncover information on Erica, whom Aidan was working for). Angry that Kendall was once again choosing her need for vengeance over their love, Ryan left town.

A year later, Ryan turned up in the Nevada desert. There, he came upon billionaire Alexander Cambias. Ryan brought Alexander to Las Vegas where Alexander gave Ryan a large check for his services. Alexander collapsed and Ryan called Alexander's son Michael to inform him. Kendall (who was snooping in Michael's apartment with Aidan) picked up the phone and Ryan hung up. While in the hospital, Ryan bonded with Alexander. Before Alexander died, he gave Ryan his pocket watch, seeing Ryan as more of a son than Michael. Ryan returned to Pine Valley and revealed to the entire town that Alexander Cambias had left him in control of the entire Cambias fortune!

This immediately put Ryan in conflict with Kendall, who claimed to be married to Michael and thus the true owner of Cambias Industries (Michael's dead body showed up soon after). Despite their clashes with each other, their attraction was still present, and the two spent the night together. After Michael's time of death negated Kendall's claim to the Cambias fortune, Ryan found Kendall's sister, Bianca, holding a sonogram. Assuming she was pregnant, Ryan was shocked when Kendall snatched the sonogram and claimed it was hers: she was pregnant with Michael's child! Disbelieving her claim (which would give Kendall, and the child, control of the Cambias fortune), Ryan demanded a blood test to confirm she was pregnant, which Kendall passed. Soon Ryan put various pieces together, and silently realized that Kendall was not pregnant, but was claiming so to help Bianca (who had been raped and impregnated by Michael). Ryan told Kendall that he was dropping any suit against her that fought her pregnancy claim. He also posted her bail when she was arrested for Michael's murder.

Despite her issues with trust, Ryan and Kendall found their way back to each other. He even surprised her with a pouch that makes its wearer appear pregnant. The two were soon engaged and planned to marry when Kendall was cleared of murder charges. However, Ryan's friendship with Greenlee remained a thorn in Kendall's side. Her natural distrust exploded when Greenlee ripped off Kendall's dress in court, revealing Kendall's fake pregnancy. Kendall believed that Ryan had allied himself with Greenlee and wanted her to go to prison, leading a furious Ryan to break things off with her. Ryan cared deeply for Kendall, but found it hard to be with her when she didn't fully trust him. Despite his anger at Greenlee's courtroom antics, he saw how truly remorseful she was and the two deepened their friendship. This did not make Kendall happy.

Bianca went public with her pregnancy, and Ryan signed over the company to Bianca and her unborn daughter. Ryan was a rock of support for Kendall when Bianca's baby, Miranda, was presumed dead after a helicopter crash. As Ryan helped Kendall cope with the traumatic loss of Miranda, the two grew closer. Ryan was prepared to build a future with Kendall. However, Ryan's friendship with Greenlee continued to provide conflict in their relationship.

Not wanting Greenlee to have any part of Fusion (the company Greenlee started with Kendall, now owned by Cambias Industries), a vindictive Kendall revealed her trump card at the Cambias Industries board meeting: While Bianca was in control of the company (Since Miranda's passing, it reverted back to Ryan), Kendall had a clause inserted that barred Greenlee from ever working at any Cambias owned company, including Fusion. Ryan begged Kendall to drop her vendetta and focus on his love instead, but Kendall couldn't let go of her anger. Furious, Ryan broke off with her. He proposed to Greenlee and explained that, as his wife, she would be co-owner of Cambias and could work at Fusion or any other Cambias company. Ryan promised the marriage would be platonic and based on trust, honesty and friendship. Greenlee agreed.

The two prepared to marry. At the ceremony, Kendall arrived in place of Greenlee and confessed her love to Ryan. She told Ryan that Greenlee had approved the union and stepped back. Ryan was moved, but hardened when Greenlee appeared and revealed that Kendall locked her in her hotel room to sabotage the wedding. Kendall and Greenlee fought, and Ryan was distressed that Kendall once again chose anger over their love. He married Greenlee.

To prevent any questioning on the validity of the marriage, Ryan and Greenlee moved in together and played happy newlyweds. The two grew closer and Ryan started to fall in love with Greenlee. He kept his feelings to himself, fearful that he would ruin the friendship and that Greenlee didn't feel similarly. Kendall continued to try to sabotage the relationship. To hurt Ryan, she slept with his brother Jonathan and paid Bobby Warner to try and seduce Greenlee (unsuccessfully). Ryan finally admitted he loved Greenlee and was thrilled she felt the same way. They made love for the first time as husband and wife.

Ryan was shocked when Ethan Ramsey arrived in town claiming to be Alexander Cambias's grandson, and thus the rightful Cambias heir. Ryan told that Ethan that if he could definitively prove himself, Ryan would sign over Cambias Industries. Ethan had no substantial proof, and clashed with Ryan.

At the opening of Zach Slater's casino, Ryan was shot while participating in a murder mystery game. He nearly died. Ryan wondered if a vengeful Ethan was responsible, or if the guilty party was Zach Slater, who was revealed to be the presumed dead Alexander Cambias Junior. Ethan was arrested for the shooting, and while he was in jail, Ryan and Greenlee were shot at again. Ryan suspected Zach was responsible for the second shooting, and confronted him on it, but Zach denied.

Greenlee began exhibiting strange behavior, blurting secrets and generally acting paranoid. Her condition worsened and Ryan rushed her to the hospital. An array of tests indicated nothing wrong with Greenlee. After seeing a psychiatrist, Greenlee was put on anti-anxiety medication. Soon after, Greenlee hallucinated that she was part of a trapeze act and nearly fell off the Fusion roof. Ryan rushed her to the hospital, where Greenlee had a break from reality and had to be committed. Ryan learned that Greenlee's condition was the results of a build-up of anti-psychotic drugs in her system. Ryan realized that his wife had been methodically poisoned for some time. Greenlee recovered, and Ryan was determined to find the person responsible. Jonathan suggested that Kendall, given her tense history with Greenlee, might be the guilty party. Ryan began investigating Kendall, but Greenlee remembered that Kendall had saved her on the Fusion roof and cleared her.

Ryan was overjoyed when Miranda, Bianca's presumed dead daughter, turned up alive. Shortly after, Ethan was legally proven to be a Cambias. Ryan signed over control of Cambias Industries to Miranda and Ethan, its two rightful heirs. Jonathan, who had begun working at Fusion, was furious.

Ryan discovered an old journal of Chris's that revealed he wasn't Ryan's father. Chris had lied to Ryan to make him believe a horrible man like Patrick Lavery wasn't his dad. Ryan was horrified to learn that the blood of a violent abuser like Patrick flowed through his veins. Ryan learned that Jonathan had become abusive to his girlfriend, Maggie Stone. He attempted to intervene with his brother and forced Jonathan to seek psychiatric help. Jonathan confessed to Ryan how severely he had been abused by their father once Ryan left home. Ryan felt guilt for abandoning his brother at a young age.

Greenlee confessed to Ryan that she suspected Jonathan was responsible for poisoning her. Ryan refused to believe it, straining his relationship with his wife. Greenlee and Kendall slipped Jonathan truth serum in order to get him to confess to the poisoning. Ryan stopped their interrogation, but after observing Jonathan's volatile behavior following a recall of their father's abuse, asked Jonathan if his brother had poisoned Greenlee. Jonathan replied yes, then later clarified that Braden was responsible. Jonathan explained that Braden had returned to town to seek revenge against Ryan for what he saw as abandonment years earlier. Braden was responsible for Ryan being shot at Zach's casino, for Greenlee's poisoning and for Edmund Grey's murder. Ryan found the story hard to believe, but when Braden's fingerprints were found and Ryan began receiving phone calls from his brother, he realized that Braden had returned. Ryan began to track Braden, determined to prevent let him from having Greenlee or anyone else Ryan loved.