With his TV3 show The Almighty Johnsons back on our screens this week, actor Jared Turner has a lot to celebrate.
The 35-year-old is not only reprising his role as Ty, Norse God of winter, but he’s also become a dad for the fourth time, with son Bowen born just three weeks ago.
“I’m pretty happy, but have my hands full at the moment,” says Jared.
“[Bowen’s] a great [sleeper] during the day – it’s at night when he likes to get up and boogie,” Jared adds, admitting that he and partner Lissy are a bit bleary-eyed.
Jared Turner cradles newborn Bowen.
But while Jared is making his first memories with a gorgeous newborn, his on-screen character has a slightly different predicament.
After relinquishing his godly powers in season two, Ty finds that mortality comes at a price, and his true love, Dawn, cannot remember who he is.
Jared says he’s a big romantic, just like Ty, and if he were in the same position, he would give up everything for love.
“I’m quite passionate and follow my heart,” says Jared, who admits that romance at the moment involves hanging out the washing for Lissy.
“Ty’s the same – when it comes to talking about logical situations, he’s Mr Spock, but with love, he follows his heart.”
The Almighty Johnsons TV3, Thursday, 8.30pm
After it was confirmed last year that The Almighty Johnsons’ wouldn’t return for another season, Jared received love from fans as far away as Brazil and Russia, all saying how much they enjoyed the show. And he is very grateful to the loyal following, who successfully lobbied TV3 with an online petition to bring the boys back to the small screen for a third run.
“The fans are great,” Jared says.
“They all came out of the woodwork. The New Zealand-based ones, in particular, really supported us.“I think it’s hard sometimes to get New Zealanders to watch local television, but in this case they wanted more.”
