Sometimes when I watch a new movie, an actor’s name and face provoke a memory, but I cannot place the person until I do some research, and that is exactly what happened with Greyston Holt. I knew I had seen him in at least one or two movies prior to A Very Country Christmas which premiered on Up earlier this holiday season, but the instant I delved into his IMDB credits, I was amazed to see just how many of his previous works I had seen. Shortly after this movie’s U.S. premiere, I had the opportunity to speak with Greyston about his remarkable acting career to date and how he has become such a familiar face on domestic and global TV screens alike.
Photo by Gordan Dumka
RH: Nice to speak with you today, Greyston. I am so glad I had the opportunity to watch your newest Christmas film, A Very Country Christmas. It was a lot of fun.
GH: Thank you, Ruth. Nice to speak with you too. Glad you liked the film.
So how did you get started in acting?
I was going into my final year of high school–grade twelve. I needed an extra arts credit in order to graduate. There were a few different options, and I took acting on sort of a whim. I really enjoyed it, and I thought it was an interesting way of expressing yourself. From there, I talked with my parents about it. My mom happened to be chatting with one of her co-workers, and one of them said, “My sister is an acting agent in Vancouver. If Greyston wants to meet her, I’m sure she’d love to.” I was like, “Yes, let’s do this. Let’s see if we can make something of this.” I grew up on a small island near Vancouver, Canada, so we got on a seaplane to meet my agent, who is still my agent to this day. That was probably fourteen years ago. I’ve been picking away at it ever since.
Well, you’ve got quite a few credits to your name. And I think people have probably seen you in things without realizing it was you. My mom watched A Very Country Christmas with me, and I told her about all the things she had seen you in. So while not everyone may know your name, I bet a lot of people know your works.
I think it’s a different industry up here. You can sort of fly under the radar and be a working actor, making a living at it, but not necessarily be a household name. So much shoots up here, and in order to apply for tax credits, most productions are required to hire a certain amount of locals. So it’s a great way to get your feet wet as an actor and gain experience. I think I have around forty credits now. A lot of A-list celebrities don’t even have that many. It just shows that you can work away in this profession and not necessarily have celebrity status.
After getting your agent, what was the first thing you ended up booking?
I think my character’s name was “long-haired kid,” and the name of the movie was Perfect Romance.
Now, when I was first starting out, it seemed like a bit of a long shot to make it. I had to be really honest with myself. I knew it could go one of two ways. So I didn’t give it as much attention back then as I did later on in my career. I guess I didn’t take it as seriously as I do now.
from Durham County
But the first well-known thing I booked was as a series regular on a show called Durham County. It was a fantastic series and very well-written. The cast were all amazing. That was the first time that I got to work on a project outside of Vancouver where they flew me to another set to work on the show. Up until that point, I just did a couple of bit parts here and there. But this was a role I could really sink my teeth into. I learned a lot on that show and gained a lot of experience. It put my drive into second gear, and it made me buckle down and really work for it so I could make a success of this acting career.
The show itself is pretty dark and deals with a lot of abuse. It’s about a serial killer, but they got a lot of critical acclaim here in Canada, and it was definitely a great project to be a part of.
as Wyatt Earp from Hannah’s Law
I’m not certain what your first Hallmark work was, but I know you were in Hannah’s Law, which was a Hallmark movie. I saw that one not too long ago.
I was like a baby in that one, I’m sure.
I thought the film was good and a bit different from the normal Hallmark film. In fact, I think in some ways, it is an underrated film that a lot of people don’t know about. I thought it was quite well-done, and I found it interesting. You didn’t know where the story was gonna go exactly.
As far as I know, that was my first Hallmark movie.
Also around that time, you were in the show Bitten. How did you happen to get involved with that show?
I did a self-tape audition for that one. A couple of weeks went by after I submitted it, and I didn’t hear anything. And like most first round of auditions, you never hold your breath. Otherwise, you lose your mind. But a couple of weeks after we sent it, there was some interest, and they wanted me to retape with some notes they had given me. So I did that, and about a week later, they wanted to do a sight audition with me. So I went to a studio here in Vancouver, and I Skyped with the producers and did the scenes again.
BITTEN — “Bad Blood” Episode 201 — Pictured: (l-r) Laura Vandervoort as Elena Michaels, Greyston Holt as Clay Danvers — (Photo by: Shane Mahood/She-Wolf Season 2 Productions Inc.)
And then about a week after that, I found out they wanted to fly me out to Toronto to test with Laura Vandervoort, who was already cast for the lead. So I went out there, and there were two other guys up for the role at that point who had been flown in from LA. I was nervous as heck, but Laura and I had an instant chemistry. About a week or so after that, I got the call that I actually had booked it.
That’s kind of cool that you beat out people from LA because I often hear the opposite.
The whole cast actually was Canadian.
I was trying to remember the first time I saw you in something, and I realized it was in the original pilot for Cedar Cove. You played Seth.
Yes, I did play Seth.
from Cedar Cove pilot
But then once the series got going, they replaced you with another actor, Corey Sevier. I think Cedar Cove fans would like to know why that happened.
They wanted to have me continue as Seth. We shot the pilot and then found out that the series was going to be greenlit. This happened at the same time that I was up for the role in the show Bitten. Well, Bitten was where I had my heart set. It was the second lead of the show, and it was more in my preferred genre. I’m not saying that Cedar Cove hadn’t been a great experience, and I’m sure it would have continued to be wonderful. But it got down to the wire, and there was a point where Cedar Cove needed the answer from me as to whether I was going to continue with the series. I had to turn it down, kind of on faith, with a “Sorry, we’re having to wait on this other project.” And at that point, we didn’t know if I was going to get Bitten. There was a chance that I could have lost both roles. But since Cedar Cove needed an answer, I made my decision and fortunately, Bitten came through.
BITTEN — “Hell’s Teeth” Episode 203 — Pictured: (l-r) Steve Lund as Nick Sorrentino, Michael Xavier as Logan Jonsen, Greyston Holt as Clay Davis — (Photo by: Shane Mahood/She-Wolf Season 2 Productions Inc.)
I will say that I think you made the right decision. Don’t get me wrong. I love Cedar Cove, and I was a huge supporter. But as it turns out, Cedar Cove only ran three seasons, and the role of Seth was only on the first two. So while that was a gutsy move on your part, I think it worked out for the best for you. And thankfully for you, Hallmark has continued to use you in their films.
Very true. I have been in other Hallmark films.
In fact, you were in a big fan favorite movie, All Of My Heart. A lot of people remember you from that movie.
Greyston Holt as Daryl
Oh, is that a big fan favorite?
Oh yes! In fact, just this year, the fans finally got a sequel to that film. We all have been working very hard since the first one came out to get a second one, and Hallmark listened. So whether they remember you from any of your other Hallmark works, they are going to remember you from All Of My Heart.
All right. I’ll take it.
You also did some Christmas stuff that’s not necessarily Hallmark, but it attracts a similar audience. You were in an Up Christmas movie last year.
Yes, A Puppy For Christmas with Cindy Busby.
Yes, and a lot of Hallmark fans watched that movie because Cindy is a Hallmark favorite. That was a fun one; I enjoyed it.
I enjoyed that one too. It’s always fun when you get to work with puppies every day.
And then this year, we have A Very Country Christmas as I mentioned earlier. And one of the things I really love about that movie was seeing you in a lead role in a movie. While I know it wasn’t your first lead role, it was nice to see you as a lead where you’re getting the girl because your track record with Hallmark doesn’t seem to be that you get the girl.
I know, it’s true. I play a jerk in those movies, and I don’t seem to ever get the girl. {laughs}
I know your character in the movie played the guitar, but do you also play?
Yes, I do.
I thought so. I’m a music person, and I was watching you, and it was clear you knew what you were doing.
A Very Country Christmas
Yes, I’ve played the guitar for years. I can sing well enough, but for this movie, this character is supposed to be this worldwide country star. We talked about squeezing my voice in, but I wasn’t happy with it. It was in tune and it was fine, but I didn’t sound like a country star. I didn’t want to detract from the movie with my voice in there. So they found someone to dub me, and the dubbing was fairly good. I don’t know who they found to sing the song, but the tone of his voice matched mine pretty well, I thought. It was believable that that could be my voice.
A Very Country Christmas
It absolutely was. And I can understand what you were thinking because you were singing with an actual country singer, Deana Carter. I thought it turned out very well, and you made the right decision. {pause} Now, when did you film this movie?
Well, it wasn’t in the summer like so many Christmas films are shot. We shot it this past February in the small town of Barrie, Ontario, just north of Toronto.
Speaking of Deana, she is a gem. I’m not really big into country music, so I hadn’t heard of her before. But when I found out she was going to be joining the cast, I did a little research. And wow, she’s a pro. She’s done it for awhile, and she knows what she’s doing. As a fellow musician, it was a real pleasure to share the stage with her and just listen to her warm up before takes.
How did you get involved with this movie?
Actually, that role was just offered to me. I didn’t have to audition. In fact, a lot of these Hallmark and other Christmas movies I’ve done now are just straight offers. I was down in Los Angeles this past February–I was actually down there for about three and a half months for pilot season. And while I was down there, I was offered that role. So I thought I’d take it. I flew up to Toronto and then drove on to Barrie and shot that movie for a couple of weeks.
A Very Country Christmas
That is truly amazing! I am not used to hearing actors tell me how they are being offered roles as opposed to auditioning. That’s pretty cool.
Yeah, I guess partly because I’ve worked for Hallmark in the past. And also being the lead on Bitten pushed my public profile and gave me a lot of exposure. Definitely, since Bitten, more offers do come in. Not to say I don’t audition. I do audition all the time. But for sure, it’s sure nice to get these offers.
from Somewhere Between
I think that speaks very highly of who you are as an actor and a professional, Greyston, so good on you. {pause} Interestingly enough, my daughter and I got to watch you this past summer in Somewhere Between.
Yes, I got to play a bit of a bad guy.
There was a lot of great talent on that show. Actually, I recently interviewed Rebecca Staab.
Oh yeah, she played my mom. I loved working with her. Hopefully, you were able to tell her “hello” for me.
Yes, I did that. She really thinks highly of you as well. Now, I do not know how this show was received by the fans. It seems like a lot of people weren’t watching it in the beginning. But I thought it picked up more viewers towards the end. I don’t know if that’s true, but I know my daughter and I loved it. What was most memorable or special about filming Somewhere Between?
from Somewhere Between
I think any time you get to play a character…you know, the best characters are always deeply conflicted about something. And with my character, he was stuck between the world and his family. He had this loyalty to his family, even though he was adopted. But then on the other side of that, he wanted to try to do the right thing. And his family was not the best people. That was a fun dynamic to play.
The ending certainly wasn’t what I expected. I kept trying to figure out how they were going tie up these loose ends. I was figuring they couldn’t let everybody get off. And then when the plane was going down…I remember that I saw it first, and then I told my daughter she had to see the ending. And watching her watch the show…she was so into it.
That’s cool. The writing was fairly complex. You really had to pay attention. And you never quite knew what was going to happen next. It kept you guessing all the way through. I read all the scripts as they were coming out ’cause I was in most of the episodes. When I finished reading the ninth episode, I had no idea how it was all gonna pan out in the tenth episode. But I thought they wrapped it up well.
You probably have other things that are coming up or that are currently airing. Anything you can mention?
from No Tomorrow
I was in some episodes of No Tomorrow that already aired back in the early part of this year. It was lots of fun. It was a light-hearted comedy. The writing was really smart on it. It was on the CW. And you should be able to find it on Netflix now. Sadly, No Tomorrow did not get renewed.
There’s nothing else I can talk about at the moment. There are a couple of things in the works, but that’s all I can say. So right now, you can catch A Very Country Christmas, since it reairs at least twice this week, maybe more. And you can catch reruns of A Puppy for Christmas from last year. Both of those are on Up.
So are you looking at doing any writing or directing anytime soon?
Not at this point. I’m really focusing on my acting career. Maybe down the road, but it’s never really been an interest of mine. Music has always been another passion of mine. I split my time between my music and my acting.
With music, are you doing live shows or recordings?
I used to play in bands, but now I just enjoy writing on my own. I write instrumental guitar stuff. Maybe eventually I’ll put something out there to share, but for now, it’s just a personal passion of mine. Occasionally I share stuff on my Instagram, like what I’ve been working on, just for fun.
Photo by Stacey Newman
So you’re not actually writing scripts, but you’re writing music.
Yeah, that is true.
When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun?
I live in Vancouver, and the best part about being here is how easy it is to access nature–the mountains, the ocean. I love hiking, camping, getting out on the boat. I go back to Salt Spring Island, where I grew up, as often as I can. My dad still lives over there, and we like to play a little music together sometimes. If you can’t find me, I’m usually somewhere out in the woods.
Greyston, thank you so much for taking some time to chat with me today. I really enjoyed seeing you in A Very Country Christmas, and here’s to many more works in the new year.
Thank you, Ruth, it was a pleasure chatting with you too. Thank you for taking the time as well.
Photo by Kourosh Keshiri
I think Greyston is an impeccable example of a working actor who is truly succeeding in this career, even if he doesn’t always possess the name recognition or the celebrity status that some crave. And in his case, I don’t think he seems to mind that fact. What we often forget is that most actors do not covet the limelight; they just want to keep working in a career that fuels their passion. And in Greyston’s case, that is precisely true. He is one who approaches every role with the conviction that he will give his all and totally inject himself into the character. And if it happens to be a role that is intricate and multi-layered, I daresay he couldn’t be more satisfied. Thankfully, he has the acting chops to accomplish these multifaceted roles, but he also has the stamina, drive, and groundedness to persevere in a career that is demanding and arduous at times. While he is frequently offered roles in these delightful films, he doesn’t take any of that for granted. He auditions just as much as any actor, but to be recognized by various networks for his talent and granted enjoyable roles is something that is a kind of bonus for all his solid work over the years. He never merely assumes that his “lucky streak” of accomplishments and blessings will continue, and he diligently hones his craft so that he is equipped to tackle any role he is given. Furthermore, he is willing to take risks when necessary, and at this point, those prospects have certainly proved worthwhile.
Therefore, if you have not had the opportunity to watch A Very Country Christmas this year, I would invite you to do so as soon as possible. If you are in the U.S., you can watch it on Up, and if you are in Canada, you should be able to watch it on the Super Channel. Additionally, I would invite everyone to check out all of Greyston’s links below and consider following him where applicable. As he seems to be an actor who is much in demand by some of the well-known networks that we Hallmark fans tend to fancy, you definitely don’t want to miss out on his next role, whatever that may be. Maybe Hallmark will consider casting him in a lead role in one of their upcoming 2018 films. But no matter where his career path may take him, I tend to think his impressive achievements will endure as long as he remains true to his passions and ideals, and we viewers will be the beneficiaries of his tremendous talent!
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