FILE #005: Daniel ''Dani'' McGinley

Name: Daniel Ambrose McGinley ''Dani'' (based on an old character with the same name)
Date of birth: 3 January 1997
Age: 22
Height: 184cm
Nationality: Irish
Hometown: Carlingford, Leinster, Ireland
Languages: English, Irish Gaelic
Eye colour: Hazel
Hair colour: Dark brown with blond highlights
Skin colour: Fair
Distinctive features: Braces
Personality in a few words: An outwardly tough individual who hides behind a mean exterior.
Family: William McGinley (father), Kimberly McGinley (mother)
Issues: Drug addiction, deceased ex-boyfriend

Detailed information

Favourite music: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, Coldplay
Favourite movies: Gladiator, Back to the Future, Saving Private Ryan
Favourite TV series: Late Show with David Letterman, The Larry Sanders Show, West Wing
Favourite foods: Corned beef, spaghetti, tacos
Hobby: Skiing, dancing

Character history

COMING SOON

The creative process

Despite the fact that Dani is based on an old character with the same name, they're actually two completely different characters. The first version of him, who was a recurring character in Lapin tähdet, went by Daniel and was Nate's best friend and a member of their old group, which also included Max and the first versions of Zach, Justin and Ernie (the latter two were originally called Zeke and Luke). He was a very kind, kind of nerdy and very rich. But Dani 2.0 is very different; he's a more tough guy, who could be called a bully at his worst. They both like gardening, though. I think that and their name and appearance is probably the only thing that they have in common.
   The first version of Dani was kind of one-dimensional. He was mostly created to be one of Nathan's old friends and a love interest for Antti (my friend's character) and we never got far enough to properly develop Dani as a character. The idea for him having a dead ex-boyfriend was something that just came to me when we were thinking of possible storylines for him and Antti. That's also where the idea for his drug addiction came from; in the original drafts he was supposed to mistake Antti for his ex while on drugs, which would've led to him telling Antti everything.
   Dani is actually another character who I never really had a clear image of. He's always had the blonde highlights in his hair, but that's about it. Oh, and he's always had braces. I realised at some point that hey, none of my characters have braces, which is stupid. So I gave them to him. Of course there are others now, but he was the pioneer. I've always imagined Dani to be quite tall. His first version was kinda lanky as I imagined him, but the present version would be a bit more... I wouldn't say exactly buff, but a bit more muscled, definitely.
   One of the reasons why I decided to have Nathan as Dani's love interest was the fact that their personalities contrast each other a lot. Ever since I created Sunset Bay, I've had a clear image of how their relationship starts. As I mentioned before, Dani could be a bit of a bully, and I imagine that's exactly what he is, until he meets Nathan. He's quickly attracted to him and wants to impress him, slowly beginning to improve his behaviour when he realises that the more he retreats back to his old ways, the further away he pushes Nathan. A turning point would be Dani discovering that Nathan is being bullied and realising that he has been doing exactly the same to other people (don't ask me why, but when I started thinking about Robin's storylines and came up with the racial bullying plot, I immediately thought that Dani would be his biggest bully, until he grows a pair and actually apologises).
   Dani is... a complicated character for sure. He's tough, at least on the outside. But he's also kind and gentle, even if he can be very inconsiderate and, well, a straight up asshole. There's definitely the will to change for the better there, he just needs a little push.