photography: Brad Everett Young
He’s resident hunk Dan Brady on Netflix’s long-running series Virgin River, but actor Benjamin Hollingsworth says there’s no chance of a big ego – his kids are adorably “over it” and keep him grounded.
“They’re used to people calling me Brady,” laughs the Canadian star, 41, who’s a dad to boys Hemingway, nine, and Gatsby, eight, plus daughter Juniper, five.
“It’s funny because people will start talking to me and the kids go, ‘Do you want a picture? You’re a Virgin River fan, right? Get the photo and leave!’ They want to cut to the chase. “I’ve taught my kids not to talk to strangers, but then I have all these people coming up to me and it’s rude not to talk to them. I want to give them their time, but my kids come first. It’s about balance.”
Ben’s rise to global stardom began shortly after he graduated from theatre school, when he got his “surreal” big break as Demi Moore and David Duchovny’s son in 2009 film The Joneses.
He tells Woman’s Day, “I was fresh out of school and it was my first big US movie. Demi was very warm, very kind and obviously very talented.”
Stints on Suits, CSI: Miami and Once Upon A Time followed, before he landed the lead role of Mario Savetti in hit medical drama Code Black. In recent years, Ben’s also appeared in festive films, rom-coms and opposite Liam Neeson in TV series Joe Pickett.
Praise for his co-stars
“Liam’s amazing,” he shares.
“As well as him, Demi and David, I’ve gotten to work with great actors, like Rob Lowe and Marcia Gay Harden. The one thing they all share is that they care about their craft. They’re generous, welcoming people who also care about the other actors on set.”
Life off-screen
Ben, who married lingerie designer and fitness instructor Nila in 2012, is also full of praise for former Shortland Street and Grey’s Anatomy star Martin Henderson, the leading man on Virgin River, which follows nurse practitioner Melinda (Alexandra Breckenridge) as she moves to a remote Californian town and finds love with Martin’s character Jack.
Asked about working with one of Aotearoa’s favourite acting exports, Benjamin says, “He’s a very talented and kind individual, who’s just like Jack on the show. He’s got a strong moral compass and those steely blue eyes that I always find myself getting lost in. He’s a wonderful dude and a guy’s guy, who takes his job very seriously and always fights to make it better.”
Brady’s dramatic season
In the new seventh season of Virgin River, Brady’s dealing with the aftermath of having ex-girlfriend Lark steal all his money, while also grappling with the fact his true love Brie, played by Zibby Allen, has received a marriage proposal from another man.
He won’t spoil the plot, but Ben says he and Zibby are close, recently celebrating her birthday with his wife Nila.
Celebrating together
Recalls Ben, “That was a fun night! I’ve been doing this a long time, so Nila doesn’t come to set as often any more, especially with our kids, so they hadn’t met yet. But we went out and had fun. They love each other. Zibby and I are good friends, so we also spend a lot of time together on set in between scenes. We have a really good connection.”
Balancing work and family
Blending work and family life is nothing new for the actor, who endeavours to take his whānau with him wherever he goes, whether it’s moving back to Canada for Virgin River or heading to Nashville to film last year’s holiday hit The Christmas Ring with Kelsey Grammer.
But while his career might be thriving, Nila and the kids remain his greatest priority.
Ben smiles, “My family will always be number one. That won’t change even if I find my way into the Marvel Universe, win Oscars and do all the things! No matter how big my career gets, my
family will be bigger. They mean so much to me. “They’re the reason I’m able to do what I do and why I have a strong emotional centre. I wouldn’t be here without my wife and kids.”
The new season of Virgin River is now streaming on Netflix.
