Martin Henderson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Martin Henderson
Henderson in 2006
Born	(1974-10-08) 8 October 1974 (age 50) Auckland, New Zealand
Education	Birkenhead Primary Northcote Intermediate Westlake Boys High
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1989–present

Martin Henderson (born October 8, 1974) is an actor from New Zealand. He is famous for playing Dr. Ben Keeton in the TV show Off the Map (2011). He also played Dr. Nathan Riggs in Grey's Anatomy (2015–2017). More recently, he stars as Jack Sheridan in the Netflix romantic drama Virgin River (2019–present). Martin Henderson has also appeared in movies like the horror film The Ring (2002) as Noah Clay and the film X (2022) as Wayne Gilroy. In New Zealand, he is well-known for his role as Stuart Neilson in the soap opera Shortland Street (1992–1995).

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Martin Henderson was born in Auckland, New Zealand. His parents, Ian and Veronica Henderson, separated when he was five years old. He started acting when he was thirteen. His first role was in a local TV show called Strangers.

School Days and Sports

Martin went to Birkenhead Primary, Northcote Intermediate, and Westlake Boys High. He was a good rugby player. His team won championships in 1990 and 1991. When he was 17, he decided to focus on acting instead of going to university. He had thought about studying science or business.

Martin Henderson's Acting Journey

Starting Out in New Zealand and Australia

In 1992, when he was 17, Martin Henderson got a big role. He played Stuart Neilson in the New Zealand TV show Shortland Street. This show became New Zealand's longest-running drama. He stayed on the show until 1995. After that, he lived in Australia for three years. He acted in several Australian TV shows and movies. These included Echo Point and Home and Away.

Moving to Hollywood

In 1997, Martin moved to the United States. He wanted to act in Hollywood movies. He also joined a two-year acting program in New York City. To pay for his classes, he worked at night in a restaurant. While studying, he acted in a play called Ophelia Thinks Harder. He left the school early and moved to Los Angeles.

His friend, actor Heath Ledger, helped him financially during a tough time. Martin was going to many auditions but not getting any roles. His first job in the US was a voice-over for a Fanta commercial. In 1999, he appeared in the movie Kick. He was nominated for an award for this role. After more than a year of auditions, he finally got a supporting role in the war movie Windtalkers in 2001.

Big Roles and Famous Appearances

In 2002, Martin Henderson starred with Naomi Watts in the horror movie The Ring. The movie was very popular. After that, he played Drew in Perfect Opposites. He then got the main role in the biker movie Torque, which came out in 2004. Later that year, he acted with Aishwarya Rai in the romantic film Bride and Prejudice. He also appeared in Britney Spears' music video for the song "Toxic".

In 2005, he was in the movie Little Fish with Cate Blanchett. In 2006, he received great reviews for his acting in a play called Fool for Love in London. He acted alongside Juliette Lewis in this play.

Martin was supposed to star in a TV series based on the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith. However, the show was not picked up by any TV network. In 2006, he appeared in the movie Flyboys. He also appeared in a commercial for a car and in an episode of the TV show House.

In 2010, Martin was cast in Off the Map. This show was created by Shonda Rhimes, who also created Grey's Anatomy. He played a doctor from New Zealand. In 2014, he starred in the Australian TV series Secrets & Lies. He also appeared in the TV show The Red Road.

Recent Work and Popular Shows

In 2015, Martin Henderson was in the movie Everest with Jake Gyllenhaal. In June of that year, he joined the cast of Grey's Anatomy. He played Dr. Nathan Riggs, a possible love interest for the main character, Meredith Grey. His first episode aired in November 2015. He left the show two years later, in October 2017. Martin said that his character's story was simply finished. In 2016, he starred in the movie Miracles from Heaven with Jennifer Garner.

Since 2019, Martin has been a main actor in the Netflix series Virgin River. He plays Jack Sheridan, a former marine. The show is very popular, and filming for its seventh season began in the spring of 2025. In 2022, he also appeared in the horror film X.

Personal Life

As of 2017, Martin Henderson lives in Los Angeles. He has a dog.

Film and Television Roles

Movies

Television Shows

Web Series

Music Video Appearances

See also

In Spanish: Martin Henderson para niños