November 5, 2025 • 39 mins
In our countdown to The Christmas Ring (in theaters November 6th), Jana and Kristen are hanging out with Jana’s co-star, Ben Hollingsworth!
Ben shares stories from Virgin River, we hear what happened behind the scenes of The Christmas Ring, and how they survived an emotional shoot at 4 AM.
Plus, Ben takes us through his worst day... when a promising show he starred in was canceled overnight!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Swine Down with Janet Kramer and I'm Heart Radio Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Hi Ben, so happy that you're back in Nashville.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
It feels oddly like come home a bit. Yeah, guys only,
And it's weird because you know, I grew up. I
grew up in Canada, but like which part again, Ontario,
So if you were to go straight north, that's where
we are. So a lot of the like feeling of
the rolling hills, the lush greenery, the nice people, it's
(00:32):
all very similar to where I grew up. So I
really yeah, I mean, I'm kind of talking about morning
and place down here.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well I might know that because you might be using
our real chorm.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
And I may know that because I may run into
your way with the nail salon.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Where I just have to say, and I mean, I
love you, You're you're great. But I love your wife so much,
like she's just she's amazing. And so we've obviously been
texting a lot, and so I told her to go
to Spring Nails. She's like, wish I my nails down,
Like I'll Spring Nails, and you know this is who
you need to go see. But yeah, I mean I've
been working hardcore to be like because she really wants
to too, and I'm like, listen, so I've like sent
(01:10):
a few houses. Then I'm like, here's my realtor.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
You know, we have a jam packed row.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
That's what Nick was saying.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Houses, So it'll be nice, it's gonna be great.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
But I went through your checklist and I was like,
this one looks awfully good to me. It's down the street.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, But I think there's something the fact that you
felt that, because I remember when I was still living
in Los Angeles and I was doing One Tree Hill
and I was flying from Wilmington to Nashville, was before
I ever bought a house here. I remember that feeling
going like just this the anxiety washed away almost right
(01:44):
when I landed, and it just all it always felt
like home before it was home, right, So it's interesting
that you had that same It's a connection. Yeah, it's
just and you know, maybe it's because you know, you
spent what a month here with with your family while
we filmed the movie. But it was very warm when
we were filming the movies, so I'm like, no, this
isn't this isn't like it like this all the time.
(02:06):
So that's where I'm glad that you guys are back.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, you know, it's part I think also the people,
because in Canada we're very friendly reputation for that and
Tennessee I've found the exact same. It's the people are
so warm, so welcoming, authentic, they're real set versions of themselves,
which you don't get in La.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
You just don't.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
And so yeah, there's a lot of things, there's a
lot of boxes that are being checked.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Very exciting. I would be so happy. And we know, Ben,
you're most recognizable from your role that you play in
Virgin River. Do you watch Virgin River? Kristin you know?
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Okay, so funny. I started to watch it because I've
been told I look like one of the girls on
Virgin River.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
His girlfriend his on site on side.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
Yeah, yes, yes, He's like, well, we don't need those rumors.
A wonderful woman hands no girlfriends.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Now, I'm looking at you. You do you? Yes? And
I go Zibby Allen is the actress and Brie is
the character on the show.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
But yeah, they're like, you're Brie And I was like,
I don't know, and I never I don't. I'll say this,
you guys probably don't go through this, but like, I
don't get compared to anybody that's like overly stunning usually,
So I was like, let's see about this character. You know,
like it's never like a beautiful no she and she
seems very real, which I liked about it.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
She's a fantastic actress. We you know, it's it's it's
one of those things. And I think, I know we
had it on this show, on this movie that Jane
and I just shot the Christmas ring in the six
plugging this all interview. But when you get to have
(03:42):
an actor that you work with who has this natural rapport,
who's talented, who has this easy connection, and you're able
to kind of you're you're able to get get seen
and elevate them, and it becomes fun and it's kind
of this back and forth and it's a give and
(04:04):
take thing and it's rare and when you get it,
it's so precious and it always translates onto screen. It's
always palpable and people gravitate towards it and the response
is there, so usually you can feel it before it happens.
And yeah, so we have that with Zibby, but Jane
and I I think also really early on Yeah, clicked, and.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Now I was wondering if you're the common denominator here, Ben,
because this is the same thing that Karen said about
you and Jana on set and the Christmas range said
it was very special that there was such a good
chemistry and that it was such a mutual respect between
you two that she noticed that most of anything on set.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
It really helped. Jenna invited my whole family. So I
have three kids who are wonderfully crazy.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
They're outstanding.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Little Layman's nine, seven and five now she just turned
five coming away, Gatsby and Jennifer, So we're a full crew,
and I try and bring them wherever I film as
much as possible, just because there's such a they're Also
it's a bit because I don't want them to feel
like they're missing, like dad just goes up and missing
(05:10):
for a month. But also I just need them and
it really helps me. This role on the Christmas Ring
in November in theaters and remember sixth this role was
not so heavy, but there are roles where you play
where it is heavy, and it's hard to take that
and turn it off when you get home. And for me,
(05:31):
people ask like, what's your trick? My trick is to
go home to my family and it instantly goes away.
I instantly know what role I'm playing, and I instantly
know who I am again. And so but anyway to
get back to it, we're a handful. We were all
here and Janna invited us over for a barbecue before
we started shooting, and it was amazing, Like our families
really clicked, and Alan and I really clicked. He's a
(05:55):
beautiful human being but also a really good soul, and like, yeah,
it's just everything click. Their kids got along and I
don't know, it's such a great thing to do before
working with someone.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Yeah, And it was just that way we could all
just be comfortable, you know, because I know the first
time we met was at the little rehearsal thing that Tyler,
our director, wanted to do, which at first I never
had that before, like that kind of rehearsal.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Right, yeah, that's unique.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Yeah, but it I loved it because I got to,
you know, meet you beforehand, but then also having you
guys over. I just I love that for everybody, just
you know, for for everybody to feel comfortable. And I
think it's fun for us to then have that rapport
because we have to go in the next day and
pretend we're in love, yes, you know, and so to
(06:44):
have that already somewhat friendship and then but I feel
like it's like we've been friends for so long too,
It's like, I don't know, there was something that was was,
you know, a sweet connection. So but you are so talented,
I mean truly, like so so so talented, and it
was so great because it was fun to be able
to kind of pick apart the script a bit, and
(07:05):
I did get to I did get to see pieces
of the movie and they kept a lot of our
ad libs in there too, good, So I think that
was pretty cool because I'm like, yeah, we did that,
we changed that, we made it our own, and you
really helped bring that. You made me look better. Thanks,
you know so.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
And likewise, you're fantastic actress and it was an honor
and playing off of you, and I do agree. I
think my goal always I just what keeps me alive
when and which keeps me waking up in the morning
and looking forward to going work is elevating every scene,
even if it's the smallest scene, like what can we
do to take this scene which may be flatten the
(07:45):
page and give it texture and give it something that's
going to make it entertaining and make it have more
Because audiences watch a film and forget that they're watching
a film. When they start thinking about like, oh, when
are we going for dinner tonight? Or oh I have
that thing in the morning, you lose them and those
those moments come even in really good films. But if
you've if you make sure that you don't have those
(08:07):
scenes that drop people out.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
They're invested, like.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Literally totally in on the movie and whether the movie
is their favorite movie or just okay. If I offer,
if we offer an entertainment experience where you go to
the movie theaters November sixth for the Christmas Ring where
everything else mounts away and you can get in the
Christmas spirit or you can get in whatever world you
(08:31):
are creating, then we've done our jobs.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
That for me is like okay, good, Then the magic
trick worked?
Speaker 4 (08:40):
Did Baby Ben taking you back to Baby Ben before
we get to you know, the Christmas Ring out November
six When Baby Ben was a baby Ben? What was
the goal? Did you always know that you were going
to go into acting? Did you love entertaining? What were
you were you a vivacious little baby Ben.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
You know, the more I watched my oldest son, Hemingway,
grow up, the more I'm realizing I was probably a
lot more vivacious than I realized at that age. And
I know so I also came from a big family.
I'm one of four, I'm the second oldest, and my
older sister was also into acting and putting on plays,
(09:18):
and so we did the living room play just about
every weekend. I had a new character, and my sister,
my older sister, Leanne, was the director, and I had
to stand here and say this line, very directable actor,
this is what we do.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
My brother Dony was a million characters.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
And it's it's awesome because that early on make believe
play infuses this connection of joy. When I do it now,
I literally regrets, regrets. I don't want to listen to the
right word. But I go back into my four year
old to eight year old to nine year old to
however long my sister was able to manipulate me to
(09:58):
do these things self and find that wonderment and that
play and bring that into this elevated adult storytelling, which
is basically what it is. And it feels good, it
feels it's probably obviously it's a bit of therapy, you know,
it's a bit of a connecting to your inner child.
But there's a bit of a path for me. I
(10:21):
then my dad was also kind of doing community theater.
He never did it professionally, but he did it in
high school. And then I remember one time watching him
on stage and he died in front of you know,
five hundred people, and everyone around was crying, and I
felt affected, but I was memorized, nezborized by looking around
(10:42):
and seeing all these strangers crying and my dad, and
I'm like, wow, this is powerful. This is like, this
is maybe the most powerful thing I know. And I
want to do that, Like I wanted that superpower because
they're flying is cool, you know, looking through buildings, create
you know, laser eyes. Sure, but if I can make
(11:05):
one hundred or two hundred or two hundred million people
feel something, that's a that's a cool superpower.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
That's incredible. Do you think any of your kids have
the superpower?
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I think they have it for me for sure. Whether
I you know, I'm not going to encourage them to
be actors. I want them to organically want that and honestly,
I'm totally fine. If they don't, I'm going to try.
I had a really sheltered you know, I was up
in Canada, small town, so I didn't get into it
(11:37):
until professionally. Until sixteen, I started doing plays and I
toured for about two years doing original play and that
was kind of like reinforced, oh, I want to do
this for a living, like this is the only path
because every night I felt so good. I felt this
amazing adrenaline and high from I'm doing the play. But
(12:02):
my dad said to me, he's like, look, I believe
in you. I think I know you can do this,
but I want you to get an education first. And
I was like, well, I don't really want to do
anything else but acting. He's like, I know, but you
can get an education in acting. And I was like, oh,
oh okay. He's like, you apply to five universities and
(12:23):
do a Bachelor of Fine Arts and then you can
go and do it and we'll support you, and you know,
but this is what I think you should do. He's like,
basketball players can be good they you know, they you
can be really tall and be good at basketbaball, but
if you are really tall and you know the game,
then you have the ability to make it as a pro.
So I did that, and I spent three years studying
(12:48):
at the National Theater School and got this really, really
great education and didn't end up going to Hollywood until
I was twenty two. And I think that really saved me,
because I think, knowing myself when I was younger, there
was probably a lot of roads that were not the
road I wanted to go down that I would have
(13:09):
gone down had I gone there younger, And so I
think that was a bit of a saving grace.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
But that belief in your kids is so important.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
I think that another thing, like I always we have
a bit of a mantra we say to our kids
when we say goodbye to them, even just say good
night to them. It's follow your heart, believe in yourself,
and no matter what, Mommy and Daddy.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Always love you.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
I've probably said it a thousand times now, but I
just want to reinforce that do what you want, follow
your heart, and always believe in yourself, and no matter
what happens. You know, however many mistakes you make, whatever
happens to you in life, they're one constant thing is
that mom and dad will never stop loving you.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
So that's so beautiful And honestly, if I would have
had that from because one of my parents was basically like,
you're going to fail, like look at look at your ant,
look at this person, look at this person. They didn't
make it. And I'm like, well, I'm not them, So
what did I do. I'm like, yeah, peace out, I'm
out of here. Yeah, like I'm gonna I'm gonna rub
this in your face and.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
You did, I'm not going to college.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Well I mean, but you know, but if I had
someone that said that to me and said that they
believed in me, but yeah you should study and that, yeah,
maybe nineteen year old Jane would have had a different
run out in California, you know. So I think it's
to have that because I was chasing the wrong thing
for the wrong person, right, So I wasn't chasing what
(14:37):
I like, Yeah I wanted it, but like I was
chasing it to try to prove something and I wasn't
living from an authentic I mean, who is really at
that time too.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
You're saying, I mean both are motivators, which you absolutely need,
you know, you need to like going in this is
the hardest, hardest profession that we're both in is to
be able to to do this, you have to be
all in. You have to be all in and whether
it's I'm gonna prove you all wrong or I'm gonna
(15:08):
I believe in myself so hard that there's there's no
way that I.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Can't do this. I believe that I will be able
to do this.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Yeah, but you can't be like I might be able
to do this or I'm going to give it the
college try that you just won't make it. You might
get lucky and have a few things, but you need
you need to prove it to someone for the rest
of your life. And if that's to yourself or to
someone else like that's you always need to find that
motivation because there's so much rejection. There's just NonStop rejection.
(15:35):
So you have to be able to be resilient. You
know again, like getting knocked down and being able to
get up is ninety nine point nine percent of the job.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
It's hard.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I have two questions for you guys. I want to
know your worst day in acting for both of you.
Worst day m hmm, oh man, is there one worst day?
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Oh? Yeah, I mean definitely I know which one on.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Yeah, see, I knew there's probably went for both of you. Yeah,
so I'm gonna go ladies.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
First, are we talking about this movie? Because I feel
like I've had a worst day and.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
No, no, no, not the Christmas ringing out November six O.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Yeah, a different movie. Yeah, there was a movie I
could and actually it was I'll say it right now.
It was when I was working on Gray's Anatomy. I
was such a fan of the show. I mean such
a fan, and I was so excited to meet the
people too. Most of the people were lovely, but I
(16:41):
also know it's a very that is a very procedural show.
They get guest stars coming in and out like rinse
and repeat.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
So, but I didn't know this at the time, right
because I'm I'm real young Jannah, and some people send
me like clips and it's like, I mean, I'm young
in it like early early early twenties. I was so nervous.
But I was also I didn't get them. I thought
I was gonna maybe have a connection with the person
that I was doing the scene with. But again, like
she's she shows up every day, she's probably exhausted. Again,
(17:10):
I'm just she's just doing her scene right, but I
was having a really hard time connecting with her. I
could not cry, and I knew that I needed to.
I couldn't cry because you were so excited. I was
just so nervous too. Oh yeah, you know, I'm on
a big it was like a two episode finale.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
I mean it's a huge show.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yeah. I just I still look back on it and
I cringe because it's like I did at the very end.
But the scene where I'm talking to this person, I'm
supposed to have emotion, and I'm like, when I've watched
it back older, I'm like, you suck.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Oh no, she was baby Jamma.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
But I just couldn't. I was so disconnected and I
couldn't connect. And it wasn't until under Hill where I
was able to connect trauma to my work truly.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
You know.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, So it was I just I couldn't do it. Then.
I had such a block because I was trying to
block what I had just gone through a couple of
years prior.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
If that makes sense, No, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
You're protecting yourself and also your resort result oriented, which
is always the worst. I hate when they're like you
have to do this in a scene. I'm like, yeah,
but it might not happen, Like it might not happen,
but it doesn't ruin the scene if you don't cry.
Sometimes fighting tears is actually way more interesting than watching
someone cry, just the like I'm not going to cry,
(18:29):
like I'm not gonna cry.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Are doing it right now?
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Then reacting for you like you know that that actually
and actually sometimes then you cry because you're not because
you're not doing the thing that is, we can't tell ourselves.
We all know in real life, we can't tell ourselves
how to feel. We have to do things that are
going to make us feel. Like you're feeling down, you
(18:54):
have to go outside and go for a walk. Yeah,
that's what we have to do. You can't just sit
in your couch be like I'm not going to feel down.
I'm not going to feel down. I'm just doesn't work
that way. And so, yeah, I find that's always a
big and I've run up against it too, where I'm like, big, scene,
gotta cry, I know it's coming.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Yeah, it's that anticipation and that that I mean even
you know, I had a moment of it at four
o'clock in the morning for our finale scene. I'm like,
it's four in the morning and I gotta cry.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
We get to talk about this before we get to my.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Okay, I want to hear your worst day.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
But yes, but this was this is like gold medal
worthy and stuff. It is four four in the morning
on our last days, like the biggest scene, and Jenna
has just done like two days back to back of
like being in front of a huge audience and doing
this monologue and like this is also tough standing up
(19:46):
in front of a large group of people and doing
something because it's just there's so many elements to it
and you don't want to look bad in front of everyone.
So there's that, but also just a long, long day,
our longest day by fall by far.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Yeah, and it is the last scene of the movie.
And is that very no.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
No, no, no, no, not common.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
We asked to to switch and they couldn't because we
know how big of a moment.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
At least make it midday or early day, just do
it and then have.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Fun then Yeah, but they.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
No, because we.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Had like four hundred extras that are all making a
lot of money.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
You know, they're all making money.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
When we understood, but it was God and so but
here we are, we're outside. Both of us are like
pounding caffeine to try and you are I was not.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
I was okay. I was so up on caffeine. I
didn't know what I could say lines everything else was out.
I love this.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
It was so bad and I we so we get
out there and we do my side first, and I'm
just like holding on to the seat of my pants
trying to get through this this scene because it is
it's emotional, and it's so important.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
And you're so caffeinated.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
I'm so I'm caffeinated, but it hasn't quite hit me yet,
And luckily on the last take it did and I
was able to get it. But then because I needed
a few runs, we had even less time for Jana's side.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
And I was giving you tears, which you.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Were giving me everything on your side, and I kept
being like in my head, like, don't do that, don't
do that.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
You got to save it because it's.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Like you want to help the person. You're also going
to be mindful too, they're gonna flip it. And then
you got to make sure you still have tears left.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Yeah, you don't look like you've been crying too before
you've been anyway that was and so she's giving me
everything and I get it on the last one, and
I'm happy because we just we had versions that weren't
They were okay, but they weren't it. And and then
they've got to switch around, and poor Jana like just
(21:59):
I want where but she there's a there, There is
a very She.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Absolutely killed it, like to the.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
Point where I was watching and I got to just
be a spectator to it and just watched, you know,
someone at the top of their game doing great, great
work and servicing not only being a team player but
a team leader, which is also hard to do as
a number one because you've been working for two three
(22:27):
straight weeks a NonStop, and to finish it off, it's
like seeing someone run a marathon and then break into
a full sprint at the end. You know, you're just
like so so so rare to see And she killed it,
and I can't wait for people to see it.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
It's going to be sweet in theaters.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
You're sweet, yeah, But I think there was. It was
once it did get on my side. It was kind
of that emotion too, of it being the last scene too,
where it was and then just acting with you was.
It was wonderful. So let's hear your worst day that
that wasn't the worst day, thank god.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Yes, yes, no, my worst day was when I was
twenty three, so young too. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, young too.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
I think a lot of us are worst days. I
like to say, I'm not an actor, but.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Yeah, make a lot of mistakes. Yeah. I was shooting
in New York in Coffin Studios, which is like the
oldest the oldest studios in North America's were like Charlie
Chapman shot in in Queens and it was just like
a dream job I was. I was.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
It was a show called The Beautiful Life. Ashton Culture
produced it. I was playing a young Ashton Culture in
the in the TV series for the CW anyway, living
on top.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Of the world, living in Manhattan Reach. Yeah, Misha Barton
was in it.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Uh g Gall Goado was in it as well, who
that was like her first thing in North America. It
had a great cast and but anyway, you know, I
was driving to work and there was like eighty foot
billboards of myself, you know, half naked and saying, you know,
(24:09):
the Beautiful Life.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
And I was literally you know, we were hanging out.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
With the gospel girl gossip girl people, and living as
big as you could live in New York at a
twenty three year old level.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Yeah, massive massive.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
So head was very large, and and until about halfway
through the day, it was close to Halloween, and so
it was like, you know, dress up for Halloween Day
and our our third a D like kind of the
trailer a D comes in and she is in a
(24:41):
tinker Bell outfit and bless her, she is like, you know,
a full bodied but a bigger tinker Bell and she
had Misscara like fully and I was like, at first,
I was like, is this part of the it's like
your your sad tinker Bell like it's kind of cool,
like but we didn't see that. Yeah, it's a good choice.
(25:02):
But then there was real tears and she's like, Ben,
we're done, And I was like, what done for the day,
Like we're only halfway through, you know, No, no, the
show's done. And I was like, this show's done. We're
only shoot, we're only episode seven. We're twenty two, you know,
seven out of twenty two.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
I'm still having naked on a billboard. Yeah, we're not done.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Yes, Yeah, And they're like we have thirty minutes to
leave the studio. I'm like thirty I've been living in
this in this dressing room. Is the dressing room has
been signed by de Niro and Paul Newman and Denzel
Washington and like this is these are the greats have
been in this dressing room and I have to leave now,
(25:45):
like within thirty minutes, and like this is as much
as the rug getting pulled out from underneath you as
you can get. And two episodes that aired. It was
in the middle of the the two thousand and eight
stock crash and the housing crisis, and advertisers were pulling
out of anything that wasn't doing well. And it wasn't
(26:08):
that we weren't doing well, just we had Glee was
in our time slot on was ABC, Fox the Fox,
and it was like you could watch Glee when you
could watch our show, and Glee was just popping off
and we couldn't compete, and instead of them giving us
a new time slot, they pulled us and everything came
(26:29):
crashing down. I remember vividly walking out into the hallway
and everyone had this stuck their heads out of their
dressing rooms because we were in dress rooms. We were
on the studio so didn't have trailers, and everyone had
the same look of orror on the face. And I
remember going to the bathroom and just demolishing it. This
(26:52):
is a young twenty three year old taking out every
aggression they could ever have. And after that happened, then
I put all my stuff in a garbage bag. We
all went to the local Queen's pub and all got angry,
angry drunk, And you know, I woke up the next
(27:15):
day on my kitchen floor and had a knock on
the door. I had just purchased like sixty thousand dollars
of furniture for my apartment. I mean, also, I didn't
need to do that.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
But he's twenty three and he's making money the first time.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yes, so that was what it was. Then, Yeah, I
needed to fill out the apartment. So as I'm doing that,
waking up a little dog Stella at the time she
needed to go to the bathroom. They I'm like, you
have to send all this back. I can't afford. I
just lost my job and I'll pay whatever restocking fee.
I just can't do it. And then I take my
(27:55):
blackberries BlackBerry days. I had no charge, and of course
it's been blowing up with people being like, what's going on?
And so I need to go get a charger for
it because I left it in the studio because I'm
thirty minutes get out of there. And so I leave
my apartment. And I'd been paparazzi before, usually in the
group of people or on set or like around town shooting.
(28:16):
I'd never had someone come to my residence and wait outside.
And of course there's these guys and they're just wanting
to get like a photo of me looking sad sad.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
I'm like, well, looking like you just got time and you.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Know, how do you feel about the beautiful life getting canceled?
And I'm just like, I feel like punching you in
the face. Really really had.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
No I did.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
I was just like, get out of here, and he's
like they followed me because I had to get the Broadway.
I'm in Alida. It's like a four block walk. They
followed me and my dog.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
They wanted you to they wanted me looking.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
And they got it and I and I went in
and they followed me all the way back to my place.
And it's cool. It's cool because of this. I have
a picture in my office. I bought one of their
photos and it's me looking despaired and like I had
the worst day of my life, which I had, and
(29:15):
I'm walking my dog and in the background of the
photo is this delicatestent called trust and well, yeah right,
And to me then it meant nothing. I was just
like all I could see is the photos and it
was just like it ran in some of the you know, magazines,
and it was just like this is this is horrible.
(29:39):
But now having been fifteen plus years since doing that
and having the absolute so lucky to have the career
that I've had since then, you know, I went a
year without working after that because not because I didn't
have options. I was in for like Marvel movies and
you know, big, big opportunities. Every room I went in,
(30:01):
everyone was like, I'm so sorry about your show, because
not many shows get canceled after two episodes.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
It was a big thing.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
And I'm like, that's not how I want to start this, Like,
can we can try it. I want to start with
this opportunity. And it just followed me everywhere. And I
also then put it on myself being twenty three, having
no idea of the real reason that got canceled and
I bared the weight of it, and like I said,
ninety nine point nine percent of the job is getting
(30:29):
up off the floor and being resilient and realizing.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
It's not you.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
And that took a full year for me, but I
did it and I got back up and then I
started working again, and I started and I'm lucky I
haven't stopped so.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
And Virgin Rivers, how many years now you've been on?
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Gosh, Virgin Rivers.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
We've shot seven seasons and we're picked up for eight,
which officially makes us the longest running series of Netflix.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Amazing, incredible.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Yeah, Yeah, it's wild, It's wild. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
It's such a good reminder too to just keep going
and trust. Yeah, and I think especially this business is
like you said, it's grueling and it's hard and it
just tears you apart. And it's like I've talked about
this before, where we have all the people that will
talk negative things, but like we are, we're our own,
(31:20):
our biggest negative voice in our head because of the
amount of rejection. But also we have to just keep
going because this is what we love to do. And
you know, I've spoke to you about my frustrations and
but you know it'll come if you keep showing up.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
And trust and trust, trust in yourself, trusting God, trust
in your talent, trust that there's a lot of no's
that lead to the right. Yes, yeah, you know, even
Virgin River there was I was testing. I tested, which
is everyone out there? This is essentially the last step.
You know how much you're going to make. You know everything.
You've signed a contract already, but so as two or
three other actors and the studio and all the people
(31:56):
who wear suits show up, and you have to show
them in a room, sometimes this office, sometimes like a
conference room. Sometimes it's on a stage. You have to
show them that you're worth the number on the page.
And it's crushing when you don't get it, crushing because
you in your mind you're like, this is going to change.
(32:17):
I am going to make this this, this is going
to change everything. It's with this actor and this team,
and it's going to be amazing. And I went through
four of those within one week and didn't get any
of them, like.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Zero, and so I was just like ugh.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
And then Virgin River came along and had I gotten
one of those shows? Every one of those shows was
one and done. Some didn't even get picked up past
the pilot. And so it's just about trusting and having
faith and knowing that there's so many no's that lead
to the best yeses. And if it wasn't for those nos,
(32:53):
you know, you wouldn't be we all wouldn't be what
the partners were with because at some point we ran
into knows, sometimes multiple nos, and that led us to
who we're with now.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
And let us do where we are now. And if
you believe that you are in the right space, then
that's because a lot of nose turned into yes's.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Amen to that Ben Church with Ben so good.
Speaker 4 (33:29):
Hey, friends, tell us where we can see you on
November six?
Speaker 2 (33:34):
What do you love most about Braiding? And what do
you not love about Brady?
Speaker 1 (33:37):
Oh? Gosh.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
I love that he is misunderstood. I love that he
has a redemption arc. I love that he's opening himself
up from this shut down outsider and navigating love really
for the first time at what thirty you know whatever. However,
I'm not sure how old Brady. I'm gonna say thirty. Yeah, listen,
(34:03):
I'll cut ten years out and listen. Well arrested, Well,
can we have a pool anyway?
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Back? To Brady, who's.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
You know, it's sometimes your characters you play someone who
doesn't grow, and that's hard because you're playing the same note,
and especially over seven seasons, that's like really hard to find.
They to find the nuance throughout seven seasons. But lucky
for me, I knew pretty early on that the character
was going to have redemption arc. And along the way
(34:41):
he stumbles, and along the way he makes mistakes. But
what makes him relatable and so far what I've seen is,
you know, fand favorite is it. He is not perfect
and in this perfect place, in this perfect love story
that between melon Jack, the two leads, and this idyllic town,
(35:02):
that there's this one person who really makes mistakes, but
he has a good heart and people can see that
even when he's making mistakes, he's trying to do the
right thing. And for me, that's all of us.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
All of us make mistakes, all of us are trying
to do the right thing. And that's why I think
when audience members see that, they go him, root for him,
because I relate in this way, in this way, in
this way, and they may not say it to themselves consciously,
but when you see someone struggle, you automatically root for
(35:36):
them as an underdog. Why the underdogs so compelling?
Speaker 2 (35:39):
You know, we're all just doing our best, yeah, showing up.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
And we are all underdogs.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
We know, all of us, literally, every single one of us,
every single one of us. You know, even the CEOs
of the biggest businesses have one point been an underdog.
And they you know a lot of the A list
actors you know will not tell you, but they have
a minute multiple points in their career have had rejection
and have been the underdog and had to fight and
(36:06):
still carry that with them.
Speaker 1 (36:09):
So that's just super relatable and I love that about them.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
And it's fun that he's kind of the badass of
the show and that he's you know that he's that
he's kind of a rebel. And because I am, in
my own version of myself, Nila will tell you I'm
a bit of a I'm a bit.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Of a rebel.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Rebel, Ben Well, I feel very motivated. I love motivation, Ben, Ben,
I love trust Ben. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (36:31):
I mean this has really been insightful. This has been
It's also fun for I think it's fun for people
that listen and people like myself that aren't in your industry.
To get to know the people behind the characters. That's
always so fascinating to me. And the depth in which
you all pull from and it's really special and it's
such a gift and a talent.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
You should be really proud of yourself.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Specifically on November six, y.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
What it is the biggest takeaway to wrap this up
with the Christmas ring that you want people just to
take with them when they watch the no November six.
Speaker 3 (37:00):
On November six, when people leave the theaters. You know,
I think there's something extremely timeless about our show, about
this movie. I think it makes it. It's one of
those warm, fuzzy but also it's not glazed over. There's
real there's real, complex stories and and and questions that
(37:24):
each character has to struggle with.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
But you don't.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
You don't leave there feeling it all demoralized or at
all like you've gone through something, but you have and
the fact to do it with It runs themes that
kind of span generations. You can take your grandmother or
your grandpa to this. You can take young kids to this.
Both our kids we're in this movie, but you can
(37:49):
do you can. It does a lot because it's a
communal experience, and this is definitely one of those things
that going with people is I think so many there's
so many niche movies anymore, like you superhero movie, Well
it's only really people like Superrio. There's like the rom
com which is just so rom coming. It's hard to
bring your boyfriend to. This is something that like everyone
(38:12):
can enjoy, especially if you're into Christmas movies. You know,
might as well watch the first, might as well watch
the best one first and a November sixth you can
come do that.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Well, Ben, it has been you know, I've said this
to you at the end, but you have been my
favorite scene partner to work with. It was just so much,
you know, the best working with you. And I'm excited
for you to move here. Yes, and we're doing our
couples vacations and all the things since we all get along.
And yeah, so it's great.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
Well, thanks for Gemina, You've been an absolute pleasure to
work with.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
And breath of fresh air.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Well he won't say it, but he did write it
in my card that I was his favorite to.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Getting to that I was supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
No, I absolutely, it's just been absolute dream and I
you know, a lot of times you work with people
and you have a good rapport, but you don't. You
don't really, you know you have. That's that and it
goes on here into your next thing. But I really
think we're going to be Bessie's for life, right yeah, yeah, all.
Speaker 4 (39:12):
Right, all right, well I love you guys. I can't
wait to see you and everyone else. November six, Christmas,
Thanks Benjamin, thank you,
Swine Down with Janet Kramer and I'm Heart Radio Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Hi Ben, so happy that you're back in Nashville.
Speaker 3 (00:11):
It feels oddly like come home a bit. Yeah, guys only,
And it's weird because you know, I grew up. I
grew up in Canada, but like which part again, Ontario,
So if you were to go straight north, that's where
we are. So a lot of the like feeling of
the rolling hills, the lush greenery, the nice people, it's
(00:32):
all very similar to where I grew up. So I
really yeah, I mean, I'm kind of talking about morning
and place down here.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Well I might know that because you might be using
our real chorm.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
And I may know that because I may run into
your way with the nail salon.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Where I just have to say, and I mean, I
love you, You're you're great. But I love your wife so much,
like she's just she's amazing. And so we've obviously been
texting a lot, and so I told her to go
to Spring Nails. She's like, wish I my nails down,
Like I'll Spring Nails, and you know this is who
you need to go see. But yeah, I mean I've
been working hardcore to be like because she really wants
to too, and I'm like, listen, so I've like sent
(01:10):
a few houses. Then I'm like, here's my realtor.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
You know, we have a jam packed row.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
That's what Nick was saying.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Houses, So it'll be nice, it's gonna be great.
Speaker 4 (01:19):
But I went through your checklist and I was like,
this one looks awfully good to me. It's down the street.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, But I think there's something the fact that you
felt that, because I remember when I was still living
in Los Angeles and I was doing One Tree Hill
and I was flying from Wilmington to Nashville, was before
I ever bought a house here. I remember that feeling
going like just this the anxiety washed away almost right
(01:44):
when I landed, and it just all it always felt
like home before it was home, right, So it's interesting
that you had that same It's a connection. Yeah, it's
just and you know, maybe it's because you know, you
spent what a month here with with your family while
we filmed the movie. But it was very warm when
we were filming the movies, so I'm like, no, this
isn't this isn't like it like this all the time.
(02:06):
So that's where I'm glad that you guys are back.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, you know, it's part I think also the people,
because in Canada we're very friendly reputation for that and
Tennessee I've found the exact same. It's the people are
so warm, so welcoming, authentic, they're real set versions of themselves,
which you don't get in La.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
You just don't.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
And so yeah, there's a lot of things, there's a
lot of boxes that are being checked.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Very exciting. I would be so happy. And we know, Ben,
you're most recognizable from your role that you play in
Virgin River. Do you watch Virgin River? Kristin you know?
Speaker 4 (02:47):
Okay, so funny. I started to watch it because I've
been told I look like one of the girls on
Virgin River.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
His girlfriend his on site on side.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
Yeah, yes, yes, He's like, well, we don't need those rumors.
A wonderful woman hands no girlfriends.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Now, I'm looking at you. You do you? Yes? And
I go Zibby Allen is the actress and Brie is
the character on the show.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
But yeah, they're like, you're Brie And I was like,
I don't know, and I never I don't. I'll say this,
you guys probably don't go through this, but like, I
don't get compared to anybody that's like overly stunning usually,
So I was like, let's see about this character. You know,
like it's never like a beautiful no she and she
seems very real, which I liked about it.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
She's a fantastic actress. We you know, it's it's it's
one of those things. And I think, I know we
had it on this show, on this movie that Jane
and I just shot the Christmas ring in the six
plugging this all interview. But when you get to have
(03:42):
an actor that you work with who has this natural rapport,
who's talented, who has this easy connection, and you're able
to kind of you're you're able to get get seen
and elevate them, and it becomes fun and it's kind
of this back and forth and it's a give and
(04:04):
take thing and it's rare and when you get it,
it's so precious and it always translates onto screen. It's
always palpable and people gravitate towards it and the response
is there, so usually you can feel it before it happens.
And yeah, so we have that with Zibby, but Jane
and I I think also really early on Yeah, clicked, and.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
Now I was wondering if you're the common denominator here, Ben,
because this is the same thing that Karen said about
you and Jana on set and the Christmas range said
it was very special that there was such a good
chemistry and that it was such a mutual respect between
you two that she noticed that most of anything on set.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
It really helped. Jenna invited my whole family. So I
have three kids who are wonderfully crazy.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
They're outstanding.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
Little Layman's nine, seven and five now she just turned
five coming away, Gatsby and Jennifer, So we're a full crew,
and I try and bring them wherever I film as
much as possible, just because there's such a they're Also
it's a bit because I don't want them to feel
like they're missing, like dad just goes up and missing
(05:10):
for a month. But also I just need them and
it really helps me. This role on the Christmas Ring
in November in theaters and remember sixth this role was
not so heavy, but there are roles where you play
where it is heavy, and it's hard to take that
and turn it off when you get home. And for me,
(05:31):
people ask like, what's your trick? My trick is to
go home to my family and it instantly goes away.
I instantly know what role I'm playing, and I instantly
know who I am again. And so but anyway to
get back to it, we're a handful. We were all
here and Janna invited us over for a barbecue before
we started shooting, and it was amazing, Like our families
really clicked, and Alan and I really clicked. He's a
(05:55):
beautiful human being but also a really good soul, and like, yeah,
it's just everything click. Their kids got along and I
don't know, it's such a great thing to do before
working with someone.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Yeah, And it was just that way we could all
just be comfortable, you know, because I know the first
time we met was at the little rehearsal thing that Tyler,
our director, wanted to do, which at first I never
had that before, like that kind of rehearsal.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Right, yeah, that's unique.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Yeah, but it I loved it because I got to,
you know, meet you beforehand, but then also having you
guys over. I just I love that for everybody, just
you know, for for everybody to feel comfortable. And I
think it's fun for us to then have that rapport
because we have to go in the next day and
pretend we're in love, yes, you know, and so to
(06:44):
have that already somewhat friendship and then but I feel
like it's like we've been friends for so long too,
It's like, I don't know, there was something that was was,
you know, a sweet connection. So but you are so talented,
I mean truly, like so so so talented, and it
was so great because it was fun to be able
to kind of pick apart the script a bit, and
(07:05):
I did get to I did get to see pieces
of the movie and they kept a lot of our
ad libs in there too, good, So I think that
was pretty cool because I'm like, yeah, we did that,
we changed that, we made it our own, and you
really helped bring that. You made me look better. Thanks,
you know so.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Well, thank you.
Speaker 3 (07:23):
And likewise, you're fantastic actress and it was an honor
and playing off of you, and I do agree. I
think my goal always I just what keeps me alive
when and which keeps me waking up in the morning
and looking forward to going work is elevating every scene,
even if it's the smallest scene, like what can we
do to take this scene which may be flatten the
(07:45):
page and give it texture and give it something that's
going to make it entertaining and make it have more
Because audiences watch a film and forget that they're watching
a film. When they start thinking about like, oh, when
are we going for dinner tonight? Or oh I have
that thing in the morning, you lose them and those
those moments come even in really good films. But if
you've if you make sure that you don't have those
(08:07):
scenes that drop people out.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
They're invested, like.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Literally totally in on the movie and whether the movie
is their favorite movie or just okay. If I offer,
if we offer an entertainment experience where you go to
the movie theaters November sixth for the Christmas Ring where
everything else mounts away and you can get in the
Christmas spirit or you can get in whatever world you
(08:31):
are creating, then we've done our jobs.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
That for me is like okay, good, Then the magic
trick worked?
Speaker 4 (08:40):
Did Baby Ben taking you back to Baby Ben before
we get to you know, the Christmas Ring out November
six When Baby Ben was a baby Ben? What was
the goal? Did you always know that you were going
to go into acting? Did you love entertaining? What were
you were you a vivacious little baby Ben.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
You know, the more I watched my oldest son, Hemingway,
grow up, the more I'm realizing I was probably a
lot more vivacious than I realized at that age. And
I know so I also came from a big family.
I'm one of four, I'm the second oldest, and my
older sister was also into acting and putting on plays,
(09:18):
and so we did the living room play just about
every weekend. I had a new character, and my sister,
my older sister, Leanne, was the director, and I had
to stand here and say this line, very directable actor,
this is what we do.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
My brother Dony was a million characters.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
And it's it's awesome because that early on make believe
play infuses this connection of joy. When I do it now,
I literally regrets, regrets. I don't want to listen to the
right word. But I go back into my four year
old to eight year old to nine year old to
however long my sister was able to manipulate me to
(09:58):
do these things self and find that wonderment and that
play and bring that into this elevated adult storytelling, which
is basically what it is. And it feels good, it
feels it's probably obviously it's a bit of therapy, you know,
it's a bit of a connecting to your inner child.
But there's a bit of a path for me. I
(10:21):
then my dad was also kind of doing community theater.
He never did it professionally, but he did it in
high school. And then I remember one time watching him
on stage and he died in front of you know,
five hundred people, and everyone around was crying, and I
felt affected, but I was memorized, nezborized by looking around
(10:42):
and seeing all these strangers crying and my dad, and
I'm like, wow, this is powerful. This is like, this
is maybe the most powerful thing I know. And I
want to do that, Like I wanted that superpower because
they're flying is cool, you know, looking through buildings, create
you know, laser eyes. Sure, but if I can make
(11:05):
one hundred or two hundred or two hundred million people
feel something, that's a that's a cool superpower.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
That's incredible. Do you think any of your kids have
the superpower?
Speaker 3 (11:17):
I think they have it for me for sure. Whether
I you know, I'm not going to encourage them to
be actors. I want them to organically want that and honestly,
I'm totally fine. If they don't, I'm going to try.
I had a really sheltered you know, I was up
in Canada, small town, so I didn't get into it
(11:37):
until professionally. Until sixteen, I started doing plays and I
toured for about two years doing original play and that
was kind of like reinforced, oh, I want to do
this for a living, like this is the only path
because every night I felt so good. I felt this
amazing adrenaline and high from I'm doing the play. But
(12:02):
my dad said to me, he's like, look, I believe
in you. I think I know you can do this,
but I want you to get an education first. And
I was like, well, I don't really want to do
anything else but acting. He's like, I know, but you
can get an education in acting. And I was like, oh,
oh okay. He's like, you apply to five universities and
(12:23):
do a Bachelor of Fine Arts and then you can
go and do it and we'll support you, and you know,
but this is what I think you should do. He's like,
basketball players can be good they you know, they you
can be really tall and be good at basketbaball, but
if you are really tall and you know the game,
then you have the ability to make it as a pro.
So I did that, and I spent three years studying
(12:48):
at the National Theater School and got this really, really
great education and didn't end up going to Hollywood until
I was twenty two. And I think that really saved me,
because I think, knowing myself when I was younger, there
was probably a lot of roads that were not the
road I wanted to go down that I would have
(13:09):
gone down had I gone there younger, And so I
think that was a bit of a saving grace.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
But that belief in your kids is so important.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
I think that another thing, like I always we have
a bit of a mantra we say to our kids
when we say goodbye to them, even just say good
night to them. It's follow your heart, believe in yourself,
and no matter what, Mommy and Daddy.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
Always love you.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
I've probably said it a thousand times now, but I
just want to reinforce that do what you want, follow
your heart, and always believe in yourself, and no matter
what happens. You know, however many mistakes you make, whatever
happens to you in life, they're one constant thing is
that mom and dad will never stop loving you.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
So that's so beautiful And honestly, if I would have
had that from because one of my parents was basically like,
you're going to fail, like look at look at your ant,
look at this person, look at this person. They didn't
make it. And I'm like, well, I'm not them, So
what did I do. I'm like, yeah, peace out, I'm
out of here. Yeah, like I'm gonna I'm gonna rub
this in your face and.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
You did, I'm not going to college.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Well I mean, but you know, but if I had
someone that said that to me and said that they
believed in me, but yeah you should study and that, yeah,
maybe nineteen year old Jane would have had a different
run out in California, you know. So I think it's
to have that because I was chasing the wrong thing
for the wrong person, right, So I wasn't chasing what
(14:37):
I like, Yeah I wanted it, but like I was
chasing it to try to prove something and I wasn't
living from an authentic I mean, who is really at
that time too.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
You're saying, I mean both are motivators, which you absolutely need,
you know, you need to like going in this is
the hardest, hardest profession that we're both in is to
be able to to do this, you have to be
all in. You have to be all in and whether
it's I'm gonna prove you all wrong or I'm gonna
(15:08):
I believe in myself so hard that there's there's no
way that I.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Can't do this. I believe that I will be able
to do this.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Yeah, but you can't be like I might be able
to do this or I'm going to give it the
college try that you just won't make it. You might
get lucky and have a few things, but you need
you need to prove it to someone for the rest
of your life. And if that's to yourself or to
someone else like that's you always need to find that
motivation because there's so much rejection. There's just NonStop rejection.
(15:35):
So you have to be able to be resilient. You
know again, like getting knocked down and being able to
get up is ninety nine point nine percent of the job.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
It's hard.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I have two questions for you guys. I want to
know your worst day in acting for both of you.
Worst day m hmm, oh man, is there one worst day?
Speaker 1 (16:06):
Oh? Yeah, I mean definitely I know which one on.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Yeah, see, I knew there's probably went for both of you. Yeah,
so I'm gonna go ladies.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
First, are we talking about this movie? Because I feel
like I've had a worst day and.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
No, no, no, not the Christmas ringing out November six O.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Yeah, a different movie. Yeah, there was a movie I
could and actually it was I'll say it right now.
It was when I was working on Gray's Anatomy. I
was such a fan of the show. I mean such
a fan, and I was so excited to meet the
people too. Most of the people were lovely, but I
(16:41):
also know it's a very that is a very procedural show.
They get guest stars coming in and out like rinse
and repeat.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
So, but I didn't know this at the time, right
because I'm I'm real young Jannah, and some people send
me like clips and it's like, I mean, I'm young
in it like early early early twenties. I was so nervous.
But I was also I didn't get them. I thought
I was gonna maybe have a connection with the person
that I was doing the scene with. But again, like
she's she shows up every day, she's probably exhausted. Again,
(17:10):
I'm just she's just doing her scene right, but I
was having a really hard time connecting with her. I
could not cry, and I knew that I needed to.
I couldn't cry because you were so excited. I was
just so nervous too. Oh yeah, you know, I'm on
a big it was like a two episode finale.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
I mean it's a huge show.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Yeah. I just I still look back on it and
I cringe because it's like I did at the very end.
But the scene where I'm talking to this person, I'm
supposed to have emotion, and I'm like, when I've watched
it back older, I'm like, you suck.
Speaker 4 (17:44):
Oh no, she was baby Jamma.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
But I just couldn't. I was so disconnected and I
couldn't connect. And it wasn't until under Hill where I
was able to connect trauma to my work truly.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
You know.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, So it was I just I couldn't do it. Then.
I had such a block because I was trying to
block what I had just gone through a couple of
years prior.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
If that makes sense, No, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
You're protecting yourself and also your resort result oriented, which
is always the worst. I hate when they're like you
have to do this in a scene. I'm like, yeah,
but it might not happen, Like it might not happen,
but it doesn't ruin the scene if you don't cry.
Sometimes fighting tears is actually way more interesting than watching
someone cry, just the like I'm not going to cry,
(18:29):
like I'm not gonna cry.
Speaker 4 (18:32):
Are doing it right now?
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Then reacting for you like you know that that actually
and actually sometimes then you cry because you're not because
you're not doing the thing that is, we can't tell ourselves.
We all know in real life, we can't tell ourselves
how to feel. We have to do things that are
going to make us feel. Like you're feeling down, you
(18:54):
have to go outside and go for a walk. Yeah,
that's what we have to do. You can't just sit
in your couch be like I'm not going to feel down.
I'm not going to feel down. I'm just doesn't work
that way. And so, yeah, I find that's always a
big and I've run up against it too, where I'm like, big, scene,
gotta cry, I know it's coming.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Yeah, it's that anticipation and that that I mean even
you know, I had a moment of it at four
o'clock in the morning for our finale scene. I'm like,
it's four in the morning and I gotta cry.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
We get to talk about this before we get to my.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Okay, I want to hear your worst day.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
But yes, but this was this is like gold medal
worthy and stuff. It is four four in the morning
on our last days, like the biggest scene, and Jenna
has just done like two days back to back of
like being in front of a huge audience and doing
this monologue and like this is also tough standing up
(19:46):
in front of a large group of people and doing
something because it's just there's so many elements to it
and you don't want to look bad in front of everyone.
So there's that, but also just a long, long day,
our longest day by fall by far.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Yeah, and it is the last scene of the movie.
And is that very no.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
No, no, no, no, not common.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
We asked to to switch and they couldn't because we
know how big of a moment.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
At least make it midday or early day, just do
it and then have.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Fun then Yeah, but they.
Speaker 1 (20:21):
No, because we.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
Had like four hundred extras that are all making a
lot of money.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
You know, they're all making money.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
When we understood, but it was God and so but
here we are, we're outside. Both of us are like
pounding caffeine to try and you are I was not.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
I was okay. I was so up on caffeine. I
didn't know what I could say lines everything else was out.
I love this.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
It was so bad and I we so we get
out there and we do my side first, and I'm
just like holding on to the seat of my pants
trying to get through this this scene because it is
it's emotional, and it's so important.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
And you're so caffeinated.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
I'm so I'm caffeinated, but it hasn't quite hit me yet,
And luckily on the last take it did and I
was able to get it. But then because I needed
a few runs, we had even less time for Jana's side.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
And I was giving you tears, which you.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Were giving me everything on your side, and I kept
being like in my head, like, don't do that, don't
do that.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
You got to save it because it's.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Like you want to help the person. You're also going
to be mindful too, they're gonna flip it. And then
you got to make sure you still have tears left.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Yeah, you don't look like you've been crying too before
you've been anyway that was and so she's giving me
everything and I get it on the last one, and
I'm happy because we just we had versions that weren't
They were okay, but they weren't it. And and then
they've got to switch around, and poor Jana like just
(21:59):
I want where but she there's a there, There is
a very She.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Absolutely killed it, like to the.
Speaker 3 (22:06):
Point where I was watching and I got to just
be a spectator to it and just watched, you know,
someone at the top of their game doing great, great
work and servicing not only being a team player but
a team leader, which is also hard to do as
a number one because you've been working for two three
(22:27):
straight weeks a NonStop, and to finish it off, it's
like seeing someone run a marathon and then break into
a full sprint at the end. You know, you're just
like so so so rare to see And she killed it,
and I can't wait for people to see it.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
It's going to be sweet in theaters.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
You're sweet, yeah, But I think there was. It was
once it did get on my side. It was kind
of that emotion too, of it being the last scene too,
where it was and then just acting with you was.
It was wonderful. So let's hear your worst day that
that wasn't the worst day, thank god.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
Yes, yes, no, my worst day was when I was
twenty three, so young too. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, young too.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
I think a lot of us are worst days. I
like to say, I'm not an actor, but.
Speaker 1 (23:14):
Yeah, make a lot of mistakes. Yeah. I was shooting
in New York in Coffin Studios, which is like the
oldest the oldest studios in North America's were like Charlie
Chapman shot in in Queens and it was just like
a dream job I was. I was.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
It was a show called The Beautiful Life. Ashton Culture
produced it. I was playing a young Ashton Culture in
the in the TV series for the CW anyway, living
on top.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Of the world, living in Manhattan Reach. Yeah, Misha Barton
was in it.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Uh g Gall Goado was in it as well, who
that was like her first thing in North America. It
had a great cast and but anyway, you know, I
was driving to work and there was like eighty foot
billboards of myself, you know, half naked and saying, you know,
(24:09):
the Beautiful Life.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
And I was literally you know, we were hanging out.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
With the gospel girl gossip girl people, and living as
big as you could live in New York at a
twenty three year old level.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
Yeah, massive massive.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
So head was very large, and and until about halfway
through the day, it was close to Halloween, and so
it was like, you know, dress up for Halloween Day
and our our third a D like kind of the
trailer a D comes in and she is in a
(24:41):
tinker Bell outfit and bless her, she is like, you know,
a full bodied but a bigger tinker Bell and she
had Misscara like fully and I was like, at first,
I was like, is this part of the it's like
your your sad tinker Bell like it's kind of cool,
like but we didn't see that. Yeah, it's a good choice.
(25:02):
But then there was real tears and she's like, Ben,
we're done, And I was like, what done for the day,
Like we're only halfway through, you know, No, no, the
show's done. And I was like, this show's done. We're
only shoot, we're only episode seven. We're twenty two, you know,
seven out of twenty two.
Speaker 4 (25:20):
I'm still having naked on a billboard. Yeah, we're not done.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Yes, Yeah, And they're like we have thirty minutes to
leave the studio. I'm like thirty I've been living in
this in this dressing room. Is the dressing room has
been signed by de Niro and Paul Newman and Denzel
Washington and like this is these are the greats have
been in this dressing room and I have to leave now,
(25:45):
like within thirty minutes, and like this is as much
as the rug getting pulled out from underneath you as
you can get. And two episodes that aired. It was
in the middle of the the two thousand and eight
stock crash and the housing crisis, and advertisers were pulling
out of anything that wasn't doing well. And it wasn't
(26:08):
that we weren't doing well, just we had Glee was
in our time slot on was ABC, Fox the Fox,
and it was like you could watch Glee when you
could watch our show, and Glee was just popping off
and we couldn't compete, and instead of them giving us
a new time slot, they pulled us and everything came
(26:29):
crashing down. I remember vividly walking out into the hallway
and everyone had this stuck their heads out of their
dressing rooms because we were in dress rooms. We were
on the studio so didn't have trailers, and everyone had
the same look of orror on the face. And I
remember going to the bathroom and just demolishing it. This
(26:52):
is a young twenty three year old taking out every
aggression they could ever have. And after that happened, then
I put all my stuff in a garbage bag. We
all went to the local Queen's pub and all got angry,
angry drunk, And you know, I woke up the next
(27:15):
day on my kitchen floor and had a knock on
the door. I had just purchased like sixty thousand dollars
of furniture for my apartment. I mean, also, I didn't
need to do that.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
But he's twenty three and he's making money the first time.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Yes, so that was what it was. Then, Yeah, I
needed to fill out the apartment. So as I'm doing that,
waking up a little dog Stella at the time she
needed to go to the bathroom. They I'm like, you
have to send all this back. I can't afford. I
just lost my job and I'll pay whatever restocking fee.
I just can't do it. And then I take my
(27:55):
blackberries BlackBerry days. I had no charge, and of course
it's been blowing up with people being like, what's going on?
And so I need to go get a charger for
it because I left it in the studio because I'm
thirty minutes get out of there. And so I leave
my apartment. And I'd been paparazzi before, usually in the
group of people or on set or like around town shooting.
(28:16):
I'd never had someone come to my residence and wait outside.
And of course there's these guys and they're just wanting
to get like a photo of me looking sad sad.
Speaker 1 (28:26):
I'm like, well, looking like you just got time and you.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Know, how do you feel about the beautiful life getting canceled?
And I'm just like, I feel like punching you in
the face. Really really had.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
No I did.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
I was just like, get out of here, and he's
like they followed me because I had to get the Broadway.
I'm in Alida. It's like a four block walk. They
followed me and my dog.
Speaker 2 (28:51):
They wanted you to they wanted me looking.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
And they got it and I and I went in
and they followed me all the way back to my place.
And it's cool. It's cool because of this. I have
a picture in my office. I bought one of their
photos and it's me looking despaired and like I had
the worst day of my life, which I had, and
(29:15):
I'm walking my dog and in the background of the
photo is this delicatestent called trust and well, yeah right,
And to me then it meant nothing. I was just
like all I could see is the photos and it
was just like it ran in some of the you know, magazines,
and it was just like this is this is horrible.
(29:39):
But now having been fifteen plus years since doing that
and having the absolute so lucky to have the career
that I've had since then, you know, I went a
year without working after that because not because I didn't
have options. I was in for like Marvel movies and
you know, big, big opportunities. Every room I went in,
(30:01):
everyone was like, I'm so sorry about your show, because
not many shows get canceled after two episodes.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
It was a big thing.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
And I'm like, that's not how I want to start this, Like,
can we can try it. I want to start with
this opportunity. And it just followed me everywhere. And I
also then put it on myself being twenty three, having
no idea of the real reason that got canceled and
I bared the weight of it, and like I said,
ninety nine point nine percent of the job is getting
(30:29):
up off the floor and being resilient and realizing.
Speaker 1 (30:32):
It's not you.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
And that took a full year for me, but I
did it and I got back up and then I
started working again, and I started and I'm lucky I
haven't stopped so.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
And Virgin Rivers, how many years now you've been on?
Speaker 1 (30:47):
Gosh, Virgin Rivers.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
We've shot seven seasons and we're picked up for eight,
which officially makes us the longest running series of Netflix.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
Amazing, incredible.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
Yeah, Yeah, it's wild, It's wild. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:59):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
It's such a good reminder too to just keep going
and trust. Yeah, and I think especially this business is
like you said, it's grueling and it's hard and it
just tears you apart. And it's like I've talked about
this before, where we have all the people that will
talk negative things, but like we are, we're our own,
(31:20):
our biggest negative voice in our head because of the
amount of rejection. But also we have to just keep
going because this is what we love to do. And
you know, I've spoke to you about my frustrations and
but you know it'll come if you keep showing up.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
And trust and trust, trust in yourself, trusting God, trust
in your talent, trust that there's a lot of no's
that lead to the right. Yes, yeah, you know, even
Virgin River there was I was testing. I tested, which
is everyone out there? This is essentially the last step.
You know how much you're going to make. You know everything.
You've signed a contract already, but so as two or
three other actors and the studio and all the people
(31:56):
who wear suits show up, and you have to show
them in a room, sometimes this office, sometimes like a
conference room. Sometimes it's on a stage. You have to
show them that you're worth the number on the page.
And it's crushing when you don't get it, crushing because
you in your mind you're like, this is going to change.
(32:17):
I am going to make this this, this is going
to change everything. It's with this actor and this team,
and it's going to be amazing. And I went through
four of those within one week and didn't get any
of them, like.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Zero, and so I was just like ugh.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
And then Virgin River came along and had I gotten
one of those shows? Every one of those shows was
one and done. Some didn't even get picked up past
the pilot. And so it's just about trusting and having
faith and knowing that there's so many no's that lead
to the best yeses. And if it wasn't for those nos,
(32:53):
you know, you wouldn't be we all wouldn't be what
the partners were with because at some point we ran
into knows, sometimes multiple nos, and that led us to
who we're with now.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
And let us do where we are now. And if
you believe that you are in the right space, then
that's because a lot of nose turned into yes's.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Amen to that Ben Church with Ben so good.
Speaker 4 (33:29):
Hey, friends, tell us where we can see you on
November six?
Speaker 2 (33:34):
What do you love most about Braiding? And what do
you not love about Brady?
Speaker 1 (33:37):
Oh? Gosh.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
I love that he is misunderstood. I love that he
has a redemption arc. I love that he's opening himself
up from this shut down outsider and navigating love really
for the first time at what thirty you know whatever. However,
I'm not sure how old Brady. I'm gonna say thirty. Yeah, listen,
(34:03):
I'll cut ten years out and listen. Well arrested, Well,
can we have a pool anyway?
Speaker 1 (34:14):
Back? To Brady, who's.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
You know, it's sometimes your characters you play someone who
doesn't grow, and that's hard because you're playing the same note,
and especially over seven seasons, that's like really hard to find.
They to find the nuance throughout seven seasons. But lucky
for me, I knew pretty early on that the character
was going to have redemption arc. And along the way
(34:41):
he stumbles, and along the way he makes mistakes. But
what makes him relatable and so far what I've seen is,
you know, fand favorite is it. He is not perfect
and in this perfect place, in this perfect love story
that between melon Jack, the two leads, and this idyllic town,
(35:02):
that there's this one person who really makes mistakes, but
he has a good heart and people can see that
even when he's making mistakes, he's trying to do the
right thing. And for me, that's all of us.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
All of us make mistakes, all of us are trying
to do the right thing. And that's why I think
when audience members see that, they go him, root for him,
because I relate in this way, in this way, in
this way, and they may not say it to themselves consciously,
but when you see someone struggle, you automatically root for
(35:36):
them as an underdog. Why the underdogs so compelling?
Speaker 2 (35:39):
You know, we're all just doing our best, yeah, showing up.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
And we are all underdogs.
Speaker 3 (35:44):
We know, all of us, literally, every single one of us,
every single one of us. You know, even the CEOs
of the biggest businesses have one point been an underdog.
And they you know a lot of the A list
actors you know will not tell you, but they have
a minute multiple points in their career have had rejection
and have been the underdog and had to fight and
(36:06):
still carry that with them.
Speaker 1 (36:09):
So that's just super relatable and I love that about them.
Speaker 3 (36:11):
And it's fun that he's kind of the badass of
the show and that he's you know that he's that
he's kind of a rebel. And because I am, in
my own version of myself, Nila will tell you I'm
a bit of a I'm a bit.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Of a rebel.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Rebel, Ben Well, I feel very motivated. I love motivation, Ben, Ben,
I love trust Ben. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (36:31):
I mean this has really been insightful. This has been
It's also fun for I think it's fun for people
that listen and people like myself that aren't in your industry.
To get to know the people behind the characters. That's
always so fascinating to me. And the depth in which
you all pull from and it's really special and it's
such a gift and a talent.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
You should be really proud of yourself.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Specifically on November six, y.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
What it is the biggest takeaway to wrap this up
with the Christmas ring that you want people just to
take with them when they watch the no November six.
Speaker 3 (37:00):
On November six, when people leave the theaters. You know,
I think there's something extremely timeless about our show, about
this movie. I think it makes it. It's one of
those warm, fuzzy but also it's not glazed over. There's
real there's real, complex stories and and and questions that
(37:24):
each character has to struggle with.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
But you don't.
Speaker 3 (37:28):
You don't leave there feeling it all demoralized or at
all like you've gone through something, but you have and
the fact to do it with It runs themes that
kind of span generations. You can take your grandmother or
your grandpa to this. You can take young kids to this.
Both our kids we're in this movie, but you can
(37:49):
do you can. It does a lot because it's a
communal experience, and this is definitely one of those things
that going with people is I think so many there's
so many niche movies anymore, like you superhero movie, Well
it's only really people like Superrio. There's like the rom
com which is just so rom coming. It's hard to
bring your boyfriend to. This is something that like everyone
(38:12):
can enjoy, especially if you're into Christmas movies. You know,
might as well watch the first, might as well watch
the best one first and a November sixth you can
come do that.
Speaker 2 (38:23):
Well, Ben, it has been you know, I've said this
to you at the end, but you have been my
favorite scene partner to work with. It was just so much,
you know, the best working with you. And I'm excited
for you to move here. Yes, and we're doing our
couples vacations and all the things since we all get along.
And yeah, so it's great.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
Well, thanks for Gemina, You've been an absolute pleasure to
work with.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
And breath of fresh air.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Well he won't say it, but he did write it
in my card that I was his favorite to.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Getting to that I was supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
No, I absolutely, it's just been absolute dream and I
you know, a lot of times you work with people
and you have a good rapport, but you don't. You
don't really, you know you have. That's that and it
goes on here into your next thing. But I really
think we're going to be Bessie's for life, right yeah, yeah, all.
Speaker 4 (39:12):
Right, all right, well I love you guys. I can't
wait to see you and everyone else. November six, Christmas,
Thanks Benjamin, thank you,
Host
Jana Kramer
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