Under his birthname of Jay Bunyan, he had a minor role in Xena. He is known for his portrayal of Jack Scully in the Australian soap opera Neighbours from late 2002 until January 2005. He reportedly turned down a major role in a Canadian action movie to play the part. When auditioning for roles in LA, it was suggested that Ryan change his name. It was felt that "Bunyan" sounded too similar to bunion. Starting 2007 Ryan has played Seaman William "Billy" Webb aka Spider in the popular Australian drama, Sea Patrol. From a theatre background Ryan has shared the stage with the likes of John Cleese and toured internationally with 'The Packer', an acclaimed solo show written by NZ/Niuean playwright Dianna Fuemana. In 2009, Ryan played Kevin in the New Zealand comedy/drama series Go Girls. In 2010