The Slap

Hector

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Played by Jonathan LaPaglia

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“On the day before his 40th birthday, Hector awoke with one thing in mind…Connie.”

Hector seems to have it all. He is a handsome, financially secure and married to the beautiful Aisha with whom he has two children, Adam and Melissa. From the outside looking in, it appears like his doting Greek parents have handed him everything on a plate. But Hector knows that under this seemingly ideal facade of his life lies a dangerous secret.Over the last few months, Hector has become infatuated with 17 year-old Connie, who works part-time at his wife’s vet clinic.The slap and its aftermath force Hector to face up to his actions, understand his weaknesses and to re-evaluate what is truly important to him.

Relationship to “the slap”

His cousin Harry is the one who slaps Hugo. His wife, Aisha, sides with Hugo’s family and Hector’s loyalty is torn between his wife and his extended family.

From the book

“He simply loved women. Young, old, those just starting to blossom and those beginning to fade. And sheepishly, almost embarrassed

Slap is a bold, provocative television drama series that forensically examines the mores and morality of contemporary middleclass life. Based on Christos Tsiolkas’ bestselling novel, this 8 –part drama series traces the shattering repercussions of a single event upon a group of family and friends.

The series starts at an Australian backyard BBQ. Amongst alcohol, friendship and a children’s cricket game a man slaps a child who is not his son. The party comes to a sudden halt. The child’s parents are so affronted they vow to take the man to court. As the series unfolds the police become involved and friends and family are forced to take sides. One cousin is forced to testify against another. Couples are caught in the crossfire. Beliefs are tested and relationships strained.

 Christos Tsiolkas writes novels, plays and scripts. His first novel Loaded was turned into the film Head On by Ana Kokkinos in 1998. His second novel The Jesus Man was published in 1999. His third novel Dead Europe won The Age Fiction Book of the Year prize in 2006 and also the Melbourne Prize for that year. In 1999 Christos was asked to participate with three other writers (Andrew Bovell, Patricia Cornelius and Melissa Reeves) and composer Irinia Vela, on the theatrical collaboration Who’s Afraid of the Working Class? The production won the Australian Writers Guild top prize for that year but more importantly was the beginning of a long professional relationship with the above artists and the Melbourne Workers Theatre. Other plays include Viewing Blue Poles and Elektra AD, and Non Parlo di Salo, written with Spiro Economopoulos, about the Italian filmmaker, poet and activist, Pier Paolo Pasolini