Under his birthname of Jay Bunyan, he appeared as "Glen" in the "Scallywag Pirates" (2000) and had a minor role in Xena: Warrior Princess. 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 Los Angeles, it was suggested that Ryan change his name. It was felt that "Bunyan" sounded too similar to bunion.[citation needed] From 2007 to 2009, Ryan played Seaman William "Billy" Webb aka Spider in the popular Australian drama, Sea Patrol.