12 13 BACK IN HOSPITAL ACTOR MARTIN HENDERSON TALKS TO LEENA TAILOR ABOUT WHY HE ONCE WANTED TO GIVE UP TELEVISION WORK AND WHY HE REMAINS RESOLUTELY KIWI DESPITE HIS HOLLYWOOD SUCCESS ’m a bit ADD, in case you dream I had when I left New Zealand, but by my early acter, was out-loud in front of the writers, producers, haven’t noticed,” quips Martin 30s I realised that was not a sustainable way of life crew and cast. It was so nerve-wracking.” Henderson, flitting around his for me. There were times I’d be away from my dog In addition to having one of Hollywood’s most trailer on the Los Angeles set of or girlfriend and it’s just a shitty way to live. Always mighty television producers develop a character for Grey’s Anatomy. One minute he’s being away started to wear me down and as much as him, he was further delighted when asked to keep his asking whether he should grow I loved the jobs, I didn’t want work to take precedent Kiwi accent, confessing that mastering the American his hair back, while changing over my life. accent has been a career-long struggle. into his television scrubs; the “I realised I needed to go back on my idea of “Then I asked if I could do full-on Kiwi, like Flight next he’s cleaning the kitchen sink while contem- never doing TV.” of the Conchords, and they were like, ‘Maybe not… “Iplating the key to success, and the dwindling number Cue roles on Off The Map, Secrets & Lies, The we do want people to understand you’.” of summers he has left to learn how to kite-surf. Red Road and now popular medical drama, Grey’s Although Henderson had lunched with his His philosophical ponderings, sound-tracked by Anatomy. “lovely, wonderful and so candid” co-star Ellen UB40 and Bob Marley, are interrupted by a knock, His arrival caused controversy with fans still Pompeo prior to starting work, he was relieved to be signalling it’s time for makeup — much to the surprise reeling from the death of their beloved McDreamy welcomed with hugs and excitement from the rest of of a publicist, who observes he already looks like he’s (Patrick Dempsey), who exited the series last April. the tight-knit cast. been “through the works”. Upon Henderson’s casting he was immediately Called in a week early, his first day was a blur, but “No, wait till you see me in makeup — you’ll be so labelled “McDreamy’s replacement”, yet his role he does recall a brief flashback to Shortland Street’s impressed,” he laughs. Ferndale. Rewind two years and Henderson would have “It was a little surreal being in a hospital again,” felt eased to know such compliments lay ahead as he I DID HAVE A MOMENT, STANDING he grins. “I did have a moment, standing there as mused over his upcoming 40th birthday at a Tourism crew were setting up where I looked around and New Zealand event in Beverly Hills, confessing that THERE AS CREW WERE SETTING went, ‘Wow, I’m on a hospital set ... it’s the same the life of a Hollywood actor is inevitably accompa- thing, just thousands of miles away on the other side nied by looking in the mirror and “hoping you don’t UP WHERE I LOOKED AROUND of the Pacific. I’m doing the same thing!’” have new wrinkles.” Back then, he was a teen, quietly pursuing a Today, it’s clear he need not have worried. AND WENT, ‘WOW, I’M ON A passion most kids would have scoffed at, the seed of Ageing aside, after 15 years in Hollywood, which was planted on stage at Birkenhead Primary Henderson, 41, has risen above rejection, heartache, HOSPITAL SET ... IT’S THE SAME School. grief and, at times, becoming the subject of tabloid THING, JUST THOUSANDS OF fodder, to reach a professional peak which just saw HE WAS 10 years old and had just completed his first him grace the big screen in Everest, wrap playing MILES AWAY ON THE OTHER SIDE play, walking off stage on a high that would shape the Jennifer Garner’s husband in Miracles From Heaven rest of his life. and debut his biggest American television gig yet, as OF THE PACIFIC. I’M DOING THE “I remember lying in bed and I would never have hot new doctor, Nathan Riggs, on Grey’s Anatomy. admitted this to anyone because of the whole tall He’s living the dream — albeit one he didn’t realise SAME THING! Martin Henderson poppy thing — I was aware if I vocalised my dreams he had when he moved to LA at 25, visions of movie- there would be someone quick to tell me I couldn’t or making emblazoned on his mind. shouldn’t — but I had just done that play and thought, “When I came to America I never wanted to do was undeveloped when he took the job following a ‘Acting … that was fun!’ television again,” he admits, settling on to the couch. meeting with TV superpower Shonda Rhimes, who “Of course, as a little kid you go, ‘Hollywood!’ just “I grew up doing TV and it’s a compromise — there’s previously hired him for Off The Map. like a boy scoring his first try goes, ‘All Blacks!’ not enough time to rehearse to a point where you iron It wasn’t until his first table read that Henderson “Then in 4th form at Westlake [Boys’ High out all the problems, so you shoot from the hip and had any inkling of his character’s name or back- School], I had done my first TV show [Strangers], but hope for the best, but with film there was a chance to ground. [acting] wasn’t something that was encouraged. I was get into it, in a way I’d never experienced. “Shonda offered me the job and I thought, ‘Great trying to hide it. It was a rugby and rowing school, “Once I tasted that I went, ‘Right, I’m never doing show, shoots in LA, ticks all the boxes … Cool.’ so I focused on academics. The acting, I was almost TV again.’ And I was 25, so the idea of being tied down “I told my agent I was interested and he asked ashamed of.” to one job for more than six months gave me the what the role was. I was like, ‘You know what? She His former teacher, Louis Borok, admits that after creeps. I had opportunities and ran from them, fast. didn’t actually mention a role.’ Henderson ditched his French homework to audition “But after a few years, I was in a hotel room “So I called Shonda and said, ‘I’m honoured, for Shortland Street, he told him he was unlikely to in Vancouver doing Battle in Seattle with Charlize grateful and thinking about saying ‘Yes’, but have no make a career as an actor. “So much for my ability Theron, Ray Liotta and Woody Harrelson — great idea what I’m saying ‘Yes,’ to!’ to spot talent.” cast, lead role, subject matter I thought was politi- “She was like, ‘We’ll figure that out.’ But spurred on by encouragement from another Picture / Getty Images Picture cally important and just a cool job. I was living the “The first time I read anything about my char- teacher and the unwavering support of his mum, 14 15 Veronica, Henderson, whose parents divorced when It’s not just the partying and glamour of Heaven daughters, and he is the proud uncle he was 5, clung to his acting dreams. Tinseltown that Henderson has actively avoided, but of three nephews, the eldest of whom he’s just He started on Shortland Street at 17 as Stuart fame in general. enjoyed introducing to Disneyland. Neilson, rapidly becoming a teen heart-throb He would rather be biking the Santa Monica However, he’s wary of pinning his future hopes on — gracing magazine covers, bedroom walls and expe- mountains than cruising red carpets and he’s parenthood. “I’ve always wanted kids, but I never felt riencing a level of fandom these days reserved more more often found surfing in Malibu than posting ready. I wasn’t mature enough to have them earlier. It for pop stars. selfies on Instagram. would’ve felt more of a burden, whereas today I’m at “I remember driving him somewhere in the early If his media presence has been intensified by an age where spending time with kids or my nephews days and as we parked, a hoard of screaming teenage Grey’s, he’s unfazed. is wonderful. girls began banging on the windows,” recalls Michele “I experienced fame, albeit on a smaller scale, in “But I’m not going to rush out and do it for the Priest, Shortland Street’s head of assistant directors. New Zealand when I was still forming my identity. I sake of it. I don’t think having a family is the answer “It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen in New was 17, on magazine covers and people would write to anything, but more a complement to life. I’d rather Zealand. He handled it incredibly well, but it was stuff about me. I felt pressure to embody what others find the right woman first, but life’s funny — I might surreal seeing him mobbed. It was then that many of were thinking and after a while that felt unsustainable find someone and they can’t have kids.