When Virgin River star Benjamin Hollingsworth arrived in Nashville to film his new holiday movie The Christmas Ring, the first stop wasn’t set—it was co-star Jana Kramer’s backyard barbecue. With both actors bringing their spouses and three kids each, the families bonded instantly, helping spark the warm chemistry audiences will see on-screen.
Based on a novel by Karen Kingsbury, the film follows Kramer’s character, a military widow searching for a lost heirloom ring. Hollingsworth plays Ben, the antique dealer who helps her on the journey—two people connected not just by the holiday spirit, but by shared loss.
“The holidays can be wonderful or incredibly painful,” Hollingsworth says. “This story is about finding hope again.”
Filming in Tennessee’s blazing 100-degree heat while wearing winter coats was less magical. “I spent most of the movie pretending I wasn’t melting,” he jokes. Still, he was thrilled the film received a theatrical release—something increasingly rare.
A special highlight was working with Kelsey Grammer, who plays his father. “I grew up watching Frasier, so acting with him was surreal,” he says.
Hollingsworth’s love for ’90s pop culture runs deep. Rom-coms of the era shaped him as a teen and continue influencing his work today. “Movies like 10 Things I Hate About You and anything with Matthew McConaughey were my guidebook,” he says. “Romance should be light, funny, human. TikTok can’t teach that.”
Off-screen, Hollingsworth has his own real-life love story with his wife Nila, whom he credits for grounding their family as his career takes off. Becoming a dad—especially to daughter Juniper—has been life-changing. “She’s got me wrapped around her tiny finger,” he says.
As for what’s next? Virgin River returns in 2026 with Brady, as usual, caught “between a rock and a hard place.” With ex Brie newly engaged and Lark vanishing with his money, Hollingsworth hints that fans should brace themselves: “Seven seasons in, and we’re still leveling up.”
