In all the drama of Virgin River Season 6 on Netflix, Brady (Benjamin Hollingsworth) really had a rough time, being devastatingly duped by his girlfriend Lark (Elise Gatien). On top of that, Brady and Brie (Zibby Allen) hook up, which is of course is also bad for Brie’s relationship with Mike (Marco Grazzini), but not so bad if you’re a fan hoping Brie and Brady could be endgame.
“It’s like a Christmas present we get every three weeks, when we get episodes released to us,” Hollingsworth told Yahoo Canada about his reaction to getting such a juicy storyline for Season 6. “I have an idea of what’s going to happen throughout the season, our showrunner, Sean, runs us through our season arc and what we’ll be playing with.”
“But there’s definitely some nuggets and surprises they leave until we read them.”
‘Through finding love in Brie, you start to see him soften’
Brady is absolutely the character that’s had the most significant redemption arc of the whole show, but that’s what made the Season 6 finale so impactful and complicated. Yes, Brady lied to Lark about what happened with Brie, but we still feel bad that Lark responded by disappearing with her daughter and taking all the money from Brady’s bank account.
“Brady has a redemption arc built into a story, which is wonderful,” Hollingsworth said. “As an actor it’s kind of a gift, because you’re able to craft the performance so that you’re very specific about when the audience starts seeing the inner character.”
“I always approach each of my characters as a mask they wear, it’s kind of what we all do without maybe realizing it in real life. We present ourselves as one way and then as you get to know someone you get to know there’s more to them than your first impression. And I think that’s very similar to how you experience a character on television. You have this first image and first impression, and Brady comes across as a rebel living on the fringe of town, not quite sure of his intent.”
Zibby Allen as Brie, Benjamin Hollingsworth as Brady in episode 501 of Virgin River (Netflix)
But Hollingsworth also highlighted that it’s Brie that “softens” Brady’s tough exterior.
“As you get to know him you realize he didn’t have a traditional upbringing. He didn’t have father figure. Didn’t have a mother figure,” the actor said. “He was very much a stray dog and through love, through finding love in Brie, you start to see him soften.”
“Zibby Allen and I have a terrific working relationship. We have a shorthand about where our characters are going, and what the scene structure looks like, and how each character bounces off each other. It’s really hard to know when you’re going to have that with another actor and it’s kind of magical … when it happens.”
(L to R) Tim Matheson as Doc, Alexandra Breckenridge as Mel Monroe in episode 6010 of Virgin River (Netflix)
‘Virgin River’ coming back for Season 7
Virgin River became a quick success for Netflix, after making its premiere back in 2019, but the show has also been able to impressively sustain its popularity, with the series being picked up for Season 7 even before Season 6 was released.
“I’ve been doing this for 15 years now and I’ve been on several successful shows, none of which I’ve ever had the next season greenlit before the previous season has aired,” Hollingsworth said. “It’s actually kind of unheard of and it just shows how crazy rabid our fans are, and also how much Netflix believes in us and has confidence in us. It’s really refreshing, and it’s very reassuring.”
LOS ANGELES – NOVEMBER 10: “One of Our Own” — While rescuing an injured firefighter, Rox is hit by a drunk driver and rushed to Angels Memorial. Willis begins to realize his feelings for Rox and goes to great lengths to help her. Also, Leanne is excited to tell Ariel good news about her adoption, on CODE BLACK, Wednesday, July 4 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Pictured: Benjamin Hollingsworth (Dr. Mario Savetti) (Photo by Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images)
Benjamin Hollingsworth’s impressive career: ‘The Joneses’ to ‘Code Black’
Even before the popular Virgin River was released, Hollingsworth was winning over TV fans in the medical drama Code Black, starring alongside Marcia Gay Harden, Rob Lowe, Luis Guzmán and Boris Kodjoe. Actually, Code Black is the reason we didn’t see much of Brady in Season 1 of Virgin River.
“I just finished Code Black when Virgin River came along, and I was actually still under contract, so I couldn’t join the first season as a series regular, so I was recurring. … Then signed the series regular contract for Season 2,” Hollingsworth revealed.
While the actor highlights that Code Black had a great cast, and “phenomenal” writers, another project he worked on that has a special place in his career is the 2009 film The Joneses, which also stars Demi Moore, David Duchovny, Amber Heard and Gary Cole.
“That was really my first step into feature films, a big American feature film, and working with Demi Moore and David Duchovny. I was fresh out of theatre school, so cutting my teeth in the film industry with these titans was amazing,” Hollingsworth said.
The actor also highlighted his role as Ote Keeley in the TV series Joe Pickett as a particularly interesting transformation.
“[Ote Keeley] had a Louisiana accent, a six-inch goatee. I put a tea bag under my lip that changed the way I spoke and simulate the chewing tobacco,” Hollingsworth said. “I just was completely different from who I am and there’s something cathartic about playing those type of roles as well.”
Hollingsworth stressed that the kinds of characters he’s particularly interested in playing are the opportunities that challenge him as an actor.
“If I don’t feel challenged, or if I don’t feel like it’s something new, then I’ll quickly pass on it,” Hollingsworth said. “When I’m not fulfilled as an artist, then everything kind of goes downhill quickly.”
“So I very much look for parts that will challenge me, it could be something small that I’m curious about. I think curiosity is something else that keeps me employed, because I feel this need to know what it’s like to walk in the shoes of many different people from different walks of life.”
Actor Benjamin Hollingsworth attends People’s “Ones To Watch” at E.P. & L.P. on October 13, 2016 in West Hollywood, California.
‘The idea of having the kids grow up in Canada was very, very attractive’
Hollingsworth is a Canadian actor, who grew up in Ontario, and while previously made the move to Los Angeles, California, he’s back in Canada, this time in British Columbia where Virgin River is filmed, with his wife Nila Myers and their three children.
After the actor made the big move to the U.S., he’s happy to be raising his children in Canada instead.
“I was living in LA, we had two young boys, ages three and four I think they were at the time,” he explained. “I had been living in LA for a better part of a decade and as much as I enjoyed it when I was young and single, it does change a bit when you have kids.”
“The idea of having the kids grow up in Canada was very, very attractive. … There were elements of LA that are just dangerous. I don’t think that’s surprising to anyone. But up here, we live in a sort of remote area in the Greater Vancouver Area, and instead of pedophiles we worry about bears. It’s a whole different ballgame and I’d much rather worry about that than the other. And also the fresh air and the community and the people, I could list a billion things about what’s great [about] Canada.”