EastEnders fans have been wowed by a throwback photo of actor Jake Wood, who plays Max Branning, showing him with a full head of hair, with many saying he is the spitting image of his on-screen son.
Jake Wood finds himself at the heart of a compelling EastEnders plotline as Walford businessman Max Branning. The Albert Square resident was recently put under pressure by his estranged wife Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) after she discovered he was the last person to see Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) alive prior to her devastating death last month.
Max's secret deal with Amy
Max handed Cindy £50,000 to keep his secret under wraps and subsequently struck a deal with his niece Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) to assist her in accessing her money held in a trust fund. He agreed to sign the forms to release Amy's inheritance, but only once she consented to inform her dad Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) about her secret romance with his former colleague Craig Ingram (Matthew James-Bailey).
Yet when Max caught up with Jack, their conversation was suddenly interrupted when Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) turned up revealing he had spotted Amy and Craig preparing to flee Walford. Max and Jack dashed across the Square but arrived too late to prevent the pair from speeding off, reports the Mirror.
Fans spot the resemblance
During Tuesday's (October 27) episode, Jack launched a search with police assistance. As the pair dug deeper into the situation, Max received the money Amy had promised him and settled his debt with Cindy. The brothers subsequently broke into Craig's flat and as Jack grew increasingly certain Craig was behind Amy's recent behaviour, Max was cornered into admitting he had helped Amy gain access to her trust fund, leaving Jack absolutely livid.
As supporters await news of whether Jack can forgive his sibling, vintage photographs of actor Jake Wood have emerged online displaying him with a complete head of hair. Posting on Reddit, one admirer uploaded a retro image of Jake from a previous acting project accompanied by the comment: "Just seen this photo of a young Jake Wood and wow, never realised just how much he looks like Oscar until now. You can really see the resemblance in this photo."
Another added: "I can see Oscar. It's a surprisingly good match for on screen father and son." A third person said: "I have to remind myself they aren't actually father and son." Someone else agreed: "Cor he actually really does look like Oscar in his younger days!" A fifth said: "He has aged like fine wine."
Oscar's future on the show
Pierre Counihan-Moullier became part of the EastEnders ensemble last year as Max's son Oscar, assuming the role following the character's eight-year hiatus. Nevertheless, reports suggest he will be departing the programme in 2027. A source told The Sun: "The fans love Pierre, so this is a huge blow to the show. Everyone's now hoping that the rest of the cast will sit tight for a while." The BBC declined to comment.
It's already been revealed that the Brannings will dominate the New Year's Day episode which centres on a dramatic hostage and vengeance storyline involving Max. In a flash-forward episode which broadcast on January 1 this year, Oscar and his sister Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) are held at gunpoint by an unidentified attacker.
Max receives a photograph of his children bound and is presented with an ultimatum forcing him to decide which one of them lives or dies. Earlier in the episode, he faced serious police action, including being arrested for solicitation to murder but fans will have to wait and see exactly what happens. EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am.
