Noah Mayer
| Noah Mayer | |||||||||
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| As the World Turns character | |||||||||
| Portrayed by | Jake Silbermann | ||||||||
| Duration | 2007–10 | ||||||||
| First appearance | June 1, 2007 | ||||||||
| Last appearance | September 16, 2010 | ||||||||
| Created by | Jean Passanante, Leah Laiman and Christopher Whitesell | ||||||||
| Introduced by | Christopher Goutman | ||||||||
| Classification | Final, regular | ||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||
| Residence | Los Angeles, California | ||||||||
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Noah Mayer is a fictional character on CBS's daytime drama As the World Turns. He was portrayed by Jake Silbermann and made his first appearance on June 1, 2007.
Noah Mayer was an intern at WOAK television and a student at Oakdale University. A military brat, Noah spent most of his life moving from military bases with his father, Colonel Winston Mayer.
He had a strained relationship with his father, who wanted to "make a man out of him" and have him join the military like the rest of the men in his family.
Character description
Noah is a film buff and aspires to be a director. At the beginning he's shy, repressed, in denial about his sexuality, submissive towards his father and willing to lie and use others. He lacks self-awareness, as well as perception of other people's feelings. In times of conflict he tends to go into denial to avoid dealing with others or himself. As the series progresses, he becomes more confident and assertive through his relationship with Luke Snyder and learns how to deal with problems rather than run away from them. He loses his fear of his father and gains a stronger sense of self. His major struggle is to reconcile his self-image with his father's perception of him.
Character history
Noah moves to Oakdale from his most recent home at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri to pursue an internship at WOAK television. He becomes friends with fellow interns Maddie Coleman and Luke Snyder. Noah and Maddie sleep together while working on a project on location in Branson, Missouri. Luke comes out to Noah shortly after finding Noah and Maddie in bed together to prove that he does not have feelings for Maddie. Having previously had a crush on his straight best friend, Luke fights his feelings of attraction towards Noah. Noah and Maddie start dating, and Luke soon admits to Noah that he has some strong feelings for him, which, for a time, seems to ease some of the tension in their relationship.
Luke and Noah share a close moment after a swim in the Snyder pond, but are interrupted by the arrival of Maddie. Seeking to affirm his relationship with Maddie, Noah convinces her to think about going to Oakdale University in the fall with him, instead of pursuing her dream of attending Wesleyan. This revelation once again strains Luke and Noah's friendship. Luke thinks he felt something between himself and Noah at the pond, but Noah continues to claim he is straight and loves Maddie.
Noah's father shows up in Oakdale to check up on his son, whom he was sure was lying about having a girlfriend. Meeting Maddie, the Colonel asks Maddie and Noah to lunch so he can get to know Maddie better. Losing track of time, Noah has to hurriedly prepare for the lunch. Luke helps the rushed Noah adjust his neck tie, and in their moment of closeness, Noah kisses Luke. After being interrupted by a phone call from his father questioning his tardiness, Noah tells Luke that he was just joking to lighten the mood between them, and then runs to meet his father and girlfriend. Again, seeking to affirm his relationship with Maddie, who has decided to attend Oakdale University, Noah asks her to move in with him.
Noah returns to WOAK after lunch and admits to Luke that he had kissed Luke because he had wanted to, and that he had meant it, but that it could not happen again. Noah as much as admits that he is gay, but cannot live life as a homosexual man because his father would never accept him, saying that while being gay is fine for Luke, it is not acceptable for him. Luke and Noah begin an on-and-off fight about Noah's hidden identity.
Maddie's brother Henry Coleman and Colonel Mayer discuss Noah and Maddie's plans to live together, and aspects of the conversation lead Henry to believe that Winston feared that Luke and Noah might have something more than friendship going on. Henry tells Maddie of the colonel's apparent concerns. Maddie insists that Noah is straight, but later, experiencing doubt, she asks Luke if anything is going on. Having lied to his good friend several times, Luke finally decides he can't lie any more and replies that he can't answer the question. While she wants to discuss her suspicions with Noah, she needs time alone, leading Noah to confront Luke when his girlfriend won't talk to him. Noah angrily accuses Luke of ruining his life, before once again seeking out Maddie.
Maddie, however asks Noah if he is attracted to Luke, and, for the first time, Noah admits that he is. While not angry - in fact somewhat understanding - about Noah's feelings for Luke, Maddie is hurt and angry that Noah used her to prove his manhood to his father. Not yet willing to give up on his chance at a traditional life, Noah urges Maddie to put his revelation behind them, but she says she cannot, and does not want to continue their relationship. Noah meets his father for dinner and tells him of his breakup with Maddie.
Luke's mom, Lily, after being threatened by Noah's father to keep her son away from Noah, goes to WOAK to find Luke. Instead, she finds Noah, and tries to offer him advice and reassurance. Noah makes it clear that what might have worked for Luke would not work for him, given his father.
Noah makes a last-ditch effort to convince Maddie to take him back, claiming that he loves her. She tells him that she hopes they can be friends again some day and tells him he would be lucky to have a relationship with Luke, if he would just let himself.
Noah calls Luke to WOAK, and lets Luke know that he's realized that it is over for him and Maddie. Noah then finally acknowledges that he's gay to Luke and the two discuss how he is going to tell his father.
Noah's father decides to leave town, mistakenly believing Noah and Maddie are back together. Noah and Luke run into each other at WOAK, and share a jovial and friendly conversation about Noah's newfound comfort with himself. After thanking Luke for his help, Noah touches Luke's hand, and the two share their second kiss. They are interrupted by Colonel Mayer, who has not yet left town.
Colonel Mayer briefly disowns his son, but soon tells Maddie that he will not lose Noah. Noah confronts his father, telling him that he's happy with himself as he is. Winston soon apologizes for the way he had treated Noah, and while he drops some hints that he thinks Noah could return to being straight, he agrees to let that go, and asks Noah to spend some father/son time with him. He also asks Noah to help him make amends with the Snyders. During dinner, Luke reveals that Colonel Mayer had invited him to join Noah and his dad on their fishing trip.
On the fishing trip, while Noah is running an errand, Colonel Mayer reveals his true colors and tries to shoot Luke. Following a struggle, Luke is knocked down a hill. Following the timely arrival of Luke's parents and Noah, the colonel runs off.
Noah accompanies Luke and the Snyders to the hospital, but is clearly in shock. He leaves with local police to answer questions about his father. At the police station, he is informed that his father had killed his mother, Charlene Wilson, and had shot another man whom he was framing for the crime. He returns to the hospital in time to discover that Luke can't feel his legs and is convinced Luke will blame him for what happened.
Devastated and feeling alone, Noah begins drinking. Maddie finds him, and takes him home with her. In a drunken stupor, Noah kisses Maddie, wishing he had never come out. She tries to convince him it was for the best, but he leaves.
Noah is finally convinced that he should visit Luke at the hospital. When Luke awakens, Noah offers to leave, but Luke asks him to stay. After discovering Luke doesn't hate him, Noah gets Luke to admit that he wants Noah to be his boyfriend, and makes Luke promise to do everything he can to recover from his injuries.
Both young men go through bouts of depression, but with support from Noah, Luke continues his physical therapy. During a confrontation with Noah's father just before he is taken to prison, Luke stands and professes his love for Noah. Noah is unable to respond in kind, but tells Luke he doesn't want him to take it back. With continued support from Noah, Luke regains the use of his legs in time to stand up and walk in front of his family at Christmas Eve dinner, and that night Noah gives Luke a card expressing his feelings for him, signing it "Love, Noah". Luke once again professes his love for Noah, this time directly to him, and the two kiss under the mistletoe.
Noah asks Luke to move in with him, but Luke begins to feel they might be moving too quickly. After Noah acknowledges that he's lonely and Luke is now his only family, Luke invites Noah to live with him and his family permanently at Snyder Farm, an invitation which Noah accepts.
Noah is sought out by Ameera Ali Aziz, a young woman from Iraq who had known Colonel Mayer. She claims that the Colonel was like a father to her. He had been in a romantic relationship with her mother, and after Ameera and her mother faced scorn because of their connection to him, he provided for them and protected them. Noah quickly befriends Ameera, and she claims that he is like a brother to her. Along with Luke, they go to visit Colonel Mayer in prison, but en route they are attacked by a pair of bigots. Noah is briefly hospitalized, but is also committed to helping Ameera stay in the United States.
Upon learning that Ameera will be sent back to Iraq, Noah decides he will marry Ameera to help her stay in the United States until she is able to gain her citizenship, but only with Luke's blessing. Luke asks if Noah loves him, and Noah, finally able to say the words, tells Luke that he loves him more than Luke will ever know. Luke and Noah tell Luke's parents of Noah's plan to wed Ameera, and Holden and Lily agree to help. With Luke as his best man, and most of the Snyder family there for support, Noah marries Ameera. Still, when Luke mentions that he hopes to one day see their names together on a marriage certificate, Noah promises they will.
Complications arise when Ameera falls for Noah. Luke and Noah devise a plan to have Casey Hughes pretend to be Luke's boyfriend. Eventually Casey tires of this when realizing that the feelings he has for Ameera are not reciprocated. Ameera is eventually kidnapped by the escaped Winston. Luke and Noah go to New York to rescue her, which ends in Winston's alleged suicide and Ameera leaving for California, accepting that she will not win Noah's love.
Noah goes through another bout of depression over how things have ended, (his father's death and Ameera believing she must leave) which results in Noah and Luke breaking up. Noah is convinced that he should join the army so he can do something useful with his life, but when Luke hears he has signed up he goes to persuade his ex to stay. Eventually, after hearing Luke's words and the way his life would be in the army, he goes back to Luke.
Luke's first crush comes back into the picture, resulting in another divide between Luke and Noah. Luke also runs for student president, going to any length to beat his opponent- his former crush. They eventually break up due to Noah's inability to lie about Luke's cheating in the polls and so Luke begins to drink again. Although Noah cares very deeply about Luke he tries to keep his distance and Luke is comforted by Brian Wheatly, the head of his foundation and husband of his grandmother, who goes so far as to kiss him. Trying to convince Brian of his homosexuality, and subtly trying to warn his grandma, he gets into fights with his whole family.
During Christmas, Luke and Noah get back together and kiss on a park bench. Luke then spots Maddie Coleman, Noah's ex-girlfriend, around town and begins to become jealous. Noah reaffirms his love for Luke and tells him that he does not need to worry about Maddie. Noah plans for New Year's Eve to be the first time he and Luke make love. However when Maddie comes in crying over the state of her relationship with Casey Hughes, Noah goes off to comfort her. Luke sees this and, still jealous of Noah and Maddie's previous relationship, gets drunk and kisses Brian. Noah sees this and misunderstands the situation. Luke had previously told him about Brian hitting on him. Thinking Brian is once again hitting on Luke, he punches him. Noah takes Luke home, where Luke, feeling guilty about Noah blaming himself for the situation, admits that it was he who kissed Brian. Noah storms off angry at Luke.
Finally on January 12, 2009, after efforts from Casey, Jade, and Lucinda to get Noah and Luke to reconcile, they meet on the street. In the middle of a heated argument, Noah spontaneously and passionately kisses Luke, who responds enthusiastically. They eventually end up back at Luke's house, where they finally consummate their relationship.
After a fireworks accident, Noah loses his sight and blames Luke. Luke, still caring deeply for Noah despite the breakup, blackmails Dr. Reid Oliver in order to get him to treat Noah. Reid and Luke become close during Noah's blind period, eventually starting a relationship. When Noah recovers his sight after months of blindness, he tries to reconcile with Luke, until he finds Luke kissing Reid. When Luke tries to cover it up, he storms off, though he still confesses his love for him. For the next few months, Noah and Luke have a very uncomfortable and odd relationship, especially after Luke officially started a relationship with Reid. Noah is finally able to fulfill his dream to become a director, but when he hears that Reid has died to save a fellow doctor from a deadly heart condition, he goes to comfort Luke.
He is ready to give up his dream to help Luke move on, but he insists that he goes to Los Angeles to fulfill his dream and gives him a high-tech camera. Noah professes his love to Luke one last time and then kisses him before departing.